:: April 27, 2004 ::

Riding on top of trains and Petting Tigers in Thailand
Well, there is plenty to report.

I left Phnom Penn at 6am in the morning on the 25th. I could have taken a bus straight to Bangkok... but where is the fun in that? Instead, I opted for the train... the only train. A few months ago I tried to take the train south, but was informed that there was only one working train and it went to Battambang, in the northwest of Cambodia. Battambang is the second largest city and is maybe 300km from Phnom Penn, but it takes 12 hours by train, and maybe 6 by bus. Yes, the train really does go that slow.

But the whole point in taking the train, is that you can ride on top of the train. Cambodia = No Rules. So, as soon as the train started moving, I locked up my backpacks(yes, I now have two) and went to the gap between cars and climbed up the ladder. It was fairly empty up there, but there were 3 kids all yelling at me. I was on my hands and knees, and tried to stand up to wave at them, as they were jumping up and down and screaming something at me in Khmer. Just then, an electrical wire smacked me in the back of the head. It jerked my hat off, but luckily it didn't snag me. The shack towns that live next to the tracks all have personally made telephone and electrical poles and wires all over the place. No tunnels, but plenty of hazards. So, I lost my hat, but I used my Krama instead. A few times, the tree branches scraped along top of the roof.

Description of the roof:
1. Tin = hot in the sun.
2. It was slightly rounded, but there were air vents on the side to grab on to if you started slipping off the edge.
3. The conductor actually came up to the roof to check my ticket. He was well impressed.
4. There were maybe 3 passenger cars, and 3 cargo cars, but each were used to carry both people and cargo.
5. There was maybe a 3-5 foot gap inbetween cars, and a precise jump was required to move up and down the train.
6. Since the train went pretty slow, it was easy to stand up and face forwards, looking for things to knock you off.


Situations on the roof:

1. Young boys were paid by the conductor or train company(not the government, I don't think) to haul things on and off the roof. It was mostly lumber, but there were bags of produce and other things as well. Anytime the train stopped, there would be lumber laid next to the tracks and people would pick them up and the young boys would pull them up. At first all the lumber was perpendicular to the train, but a few got caught and fell off, almost taking a few people with it. The conductor saw this and started yelling at the boys(who didn't wear shoes for better tracktion, but the heat of the tin must have hurt). They lined them up parallel this time with no problem.

2. There were food and drink vendors who walked up and down the cars selling their wares. If you wanted something cold to drink or hot to eat, you had to wait for the train to stop. People would chuck things up to the roof(maybe 20-25 feet high) and then you throw down your money. A few times the vendors didn't make the toss high enough... fun to watch.

3. There was a lady carrying a baby, begging for money. They use these babies for sympathy, and it is really a depressing sight. I usually get a little angry when I see it, because I know the babies are usually not from the woman carrying it. Plus, I have heard that the babies are drugged, because you never hear them cry, and they are always semi-concious. Anyway, the lady couldn't jump the gap with the baby in her arms, so one of the young boys and to follow her and jump across with the baby.

4. The last 50-100km were really rought. I've never felt a train rock from side to side so much. From the noise, it sounded like some of the wheels actually came off the track. Really lound crashes and bangs. Plus it was getting dark, so I waited for the train to stop and climbed back down into the passenger car.

5. Inside, I was invited to stay at a school with a young girl, who was learning to be a teacher. I was also invited to go to a pagoda with a monk. The same monk kept offering me cigarettes... Vow of Chastity, but cigarettes and cell phones are fine... seems backwards to me. Anyways, he gave me ice cream and fried frog instead. Interesting texture contrast...

--------
I have to say that the whole experience was tiring, but well worth it. I slept very well in Battambang, after having trouble fining a room because of a UN convention.

The taxi pickup ride was the same as I've done before. I met 3 Aussie girls, who had never crossed the Poipet border before, so I acted as a guide for them. The border crossing was uneventful, but we had to wait 2 hours for a bus. Plenty of time to play cards, and fend off Cambodia beggers on the Thai side.

Bangkok is the same as ever. I ran into a friend on Kho San Road, who was taking a little holiday from his guesthouse business. We ended up watching the Arsenal game, but drank a little too much.

The next day was spent wandering the city looking for my travel agent to pick up my airplane ticket. The streets are numbered strangly, and the address given to me was actually two side streets off the street that was listed, plus no sign. Dodgy, but I got the ticket. So, I caught a bus to Kanchanaburi, sight of the Bridge over the River Kwai.

I got into town just in time to catch the sunset over the bridge. The clouds were actually green! We'll see how the pictures come out. I rented a moto and cruised around town, but most of the fun happened the next day. I didn't get much sleep because my guesthouse is next to a different bridge, and the bungalow I am at is on pillings above the river, marsh. So, anytime a big truck goes over the bridge, my whole room shakes. Plus there is a disco next door as well.

I still woke early enough to beat the heat and get to Erawan Falls. The area reminds me of Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. The limestone or whatever type of rock, forms pools, with little areas where the water falls from pool to pool. There are 7 levels to the falls, all about 1.5 km apart. It is a fairly steep climb, but well worth the effort. It is dry season so the water level was a bit low, but pretty nevertheless. There were fish that nipped at my feet. It would have been cute, if I didn't have a scab on my foot that they constantly attacked.

Then I went to the dam where the Thais were still celebrating Thai New Year. I got doused with water while still riding the bike. Luckily, my digital camera escaped damage. I got dragged into dancing with a bunch of ladies, but everyone there seemed to enjoy watching me try to dance.

After that, I went on to Prathat Cave. It was in the middle of the park on a dirt road, so it didn't get much tourist action. When I got to the cave, there were no rangers there. A donation was required, but I had already paid for the waterfall, so I put on my own headlamp and walked into the cave. It was a commercial cave, with installed lights, but I couldn't figure out how to turn them on. I didn't go in to far and didn't see much. When I came back out, there was a little kid asking for money. He sure didn't look like he worked there, so I just moved on. He ended up throwing rocks at me... I guess you get both sides, kindness and bitterness.

So, it was a 50km ride to the Tiger Temple, and they only let the tigers out from 3:30-5:00. It was 3:00 when I left, and just when I needed to go fast, a few thunderstorms appeared. I was already wet from the festival, but the rain stings when it hits you going 100km/hr. So, I made it to the temple at 4:15 since I rode through two storms without stopping.

The tiger temple is a sanctuary for abandoned animals. Their claim to fame is the tigers. However, I had more trouble with the water buffalo trying to spear me that any tiger trying to bite me. The monks give a little tour of the other animals, then they lead you down into a ravine where the tigers lay around. The monks spray water on them, to tame them I guess. The tigers are all sleepy, and yawn quite a lot. All this gives great photographic opportunity, because a yawn and a roar look similar. There were 4 tigers, two were occupied chewing on some sandals. I squatted in the middle while a monk took my picture. I got to pet two of them on their back, but was told to stay away from the head. The lead monk even smacked the tiger on his tounge when it yawned. All good fun, yeah?

All great experiences, and I plan to explore the mountains here for another day, and then back to Bangkok to wait for my flight back to England.



.: Ben Hansen :: 7:22 PM [+] 0 comments
.: Email : :: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.





.AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le
ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos
tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n
ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon
g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I
.go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You.
road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here...
.Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis
eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka
rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl
e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass-
I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves.
me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps.
me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are
.latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!.
You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind
ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she
lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod
den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s
ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo
f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part.
in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o
f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea
ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde
nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than
.I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,.
and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by
.the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m
e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and.
imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha
t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold
s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar
e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I.
can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself
.and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among
.them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me...
..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app
ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air
,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the
.whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains
t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it,
.to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage
s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen
ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine.
philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo
ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h
im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob
ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes.
for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass
,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e
fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T
hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa
nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under,
.but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa
ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s
eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be.
free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here
.is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He
re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and.
woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou
ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o

f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo
nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires.
...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi
rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea
utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th
is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here;
.However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i
nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya
nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety
,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The.
stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t
he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here
.if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas
'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes
;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer
.rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall.
scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard
ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the
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