What Floats on the River Kwai?

Made out of bamboo, these river rafts keep afloat on the river.

1) Bamboo floats, so it is a great material to use if you want to make a floating raft.  Not only is bamboo fast growing (it can grow over 60 cm in one day) it is also very strong.  Bamboo can be used in so many different ways.  You can use it to build houses, to make flooring or even make instruments.

Bamboo growing tall in the jungle.

2) Elephant poop.  When the elephants came to have their morning bath, breakfast and potty break I was quite surprised to see their poop float along the river.  I thought it would have sunk for sure!

3) Mr. P (while wearing a life jacket of course).  Yes, even after seeing the poop float along the river, I just had to experience the feeling of being carried away by the river's current.  It is a lot of fun being whisked downstream by the rushing water (and maybe just a little bit scary too).

My life jacket keeps me safe and floating as I speed along the River Kwai.

Photo: Laura Muir

Can you think of some other things I might have seen floating by on the river?

I Am Here - Kanchanaburi, Thailand

I am in the middle of the Thai jungle sleeping on a river raft, so I don't have any electricity and won't be able to use my computer to keep you posted on my adventures.  I promise to tell you all about the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi once I get back into the city.


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Getting Around Bangkok

Even if the traffic in Bangkok is terrible, getting around the city is a breeze.  There are many different forms of public transportation that you can use to quickly get to all the different neighbourhoods.  You can hop on the Skytrain and literally zoom across the sky (it is a train that moves along a raised track way up high overlooking the city).  You can instead go underground and take the Metro (a train that moves along a track below ground).  Or you can get around Bangkok by speeding along the Chao Phraya River on a express river boat. 



After stopping at the pier, the express boat continues along the river.

 This form of public transportation is a great way to quickly see all the homes, hotels and temples that line the river.  It is also a lot of fun to feel the wind rush into your face as the boat speeds up and down the murky water of the river.  The best part of the trip is that it will just cost you 14 baht, or 50 cents.  Now that is a deal!

Good thing the plastic guard is in place, or else all us passengers would
 be getting splashed by that brown river water.

All the passengers on the riverboat waiting for their stop.