Back to the Bridge

I realize I've been AWOL from the blog for over a week. Blame it on sheer laziness. Last week was panic city around the school with finals taking place and kids having farewell parties. Then deadlines to meet for turning in exams and entering grades into computer systems that always seem to run slowest at this time of year. On Friday afternoon I was beat so I ate an early supper and went to bed abour 6:30. Woke up early the next morning and decided since I had a while weekend with no training or classwork to do, best to run away. And my favorite place to run away lately is Kanchanaburi.

The bus got me there mid morning and I just walked around the town for a little while to see things. About 3 months ago I took up a new hobby called Waymarking which is kind of like geocaching except that in geocaching you have coordinates that you go to and find a cache. In waymarking you find a site that is exceptional in some way (or else fits into one of the hundreds of categories listed at the website) take photos, gather info, and most importantly, get the coordinates. Then you upload the info under your trail name - mine is Horizon Seeker - and other folks try to visit that site. Meanwhile others are posting interesting waymarks as well, all over the world, so that if you know you are going to visit another city, across the state or across the world, you can check for waymarks at that locale to find neat things to see or do and great places to eat and sleep. I like to waymark used book stores (read a lot on buses, trains, and long distance flights), internet cafes, and unusual things to see. So check out waymarking.com and see all the neat things we waymarkers have found.

One of the coolest waymarks I've added is an old firefighter jeep that I came across when I was walking around Kanchanaburi this weekend. I've uploaded the picture to my blog in case you're too lazy to look it up on waymarking. Anyway, the fireman told me that it still runs (well, best I could get from what little English he spoke & what little Thai I understand) and judging from the fairly new looking tires I don't doubt it. All the labeling is in Japanese so I do wonder if it could have come over during WW II when the Japanese occupied Thailand. It looks like it could be 60 years old. I do know that the Japanese brought a bridge from Japan that was used in building The Bridge. This weekend I noticed the info plate on The Bridge (yes, I walked across again) which I hadn't noticed before so I've added that picture here as well. I also met some other Farang teachers who hang out in Kanchanaburi but teach in Bangkok. The place to find them is Birdland Used Books where you will also find a colorful fellow named Big Jimmy. He knows a lot about the area and what he doesn't know he makes up I'm sure. He is quite glib and a very entertaining host. And who wouldn't love a used book store/bar/internet cafe/local information booth? Picture attached.

Returned to reality Sunday afternoon (took a van back to Bangkok which was something I don't plan to do again real soon since he broke all kinds of land speed records) because I had to get up early Monday and go to an international school in the city for classroom observations. Left the school at 6am with 2 other teachers. What should have been a 45 drive at 6am took an hour and a half. The driver doesn't get to Bangkok much I guess and he just didn't know exactly where we were wanting to go. So with much hesitation we got into a different taxi this morning and made the same trip. Except this time it took 2 hours and the guy was really lost. Add to that the morning rush hour traffic in Bangkok and the smog, and the smells, and the other teacher in the backseat who kept yelling at him when he made the wrong turn and then punching his arm when he ignored her..... That's it. I'm swearing off taxis in Bangkok. Had an enjoyable visit in the school and was glad for the opportunity to visit a different teaching environment and to talk with other teachers and students. The campus was beautiful and the faculty and staff all very welcoming and helpful. If they offered me a job I would take it in a heartbeat - if they moved it away from Bangkok. Too many taxis!