You may have heard of the Bridge over River Kwai. This is it. Its famous because the Japs built the railway (to Myanmar) during WW2 to cut the Wests supply chain to China, and to access Myanmars oil, and because they wanted to control all of Indochina and rail was the first step. 100,000 POW's perished building it.
Ayuthaya is an old capital, built in a island made by the convergence of 3 rivers. it was sacked by the Burmese a couple hundred years ago. Really lovely temples, and different to ones we'd seen before so that was refreshing!
If Buddha ever rode a bike this is how he did it. Featuring giant clothed reclining Buddha in the background.
You can use the old bricks to make your own personal tower for Buddha.
This was the overnight train journey to get there from Pai. Whiskey - check. Pepsi - check. 7-11 cups - check. Cards - Check. 
We are up high. Riding bare back, Megan on the neck. It gives you a bit of a thigh rash.
This is the part where they made the 3.5 ton elephant shake violently until it threw you off into the water. Please don't step on me!
This is the part where our renegade elephant wanted to eat bark all the time and squash megan against the tree.
Megans smile goes so wide you can see the inside of her mouth on each side of her teeth!
Getting nosy
Pai. One of the loveliest places on our trip. We needed to tick off a few essential experiences here as we wind down, for example we couldnt leave SE Asia without riding an elephant, learning how to cook a red curry, and boil an egg in a hot spring (well ok maybe not the last one). Above is me facing the cruel irony of a full day cooking class on a crook stomach. Below is our last bungalow (sniff).
This was our last motorbike day (another sniff). Saw a waterfall, a canyon, this place below that was up a dirt road too steep for the bikes, and some other stuff. Below shows Pai valley, a big flat plain with a river running through, surrounded by difficult mountains.
I like this picture because I accidently made it look like there was a lovely red umbrella built into the balaclava
Reintroducing Jay and Mika. First met them in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and spent the week at Pai with them too. We actually did boil an egg in a natural hot spring. We arent swimming in that part though.
We got up at 430am or something ridiculous to watch a procession of 11500 monks in celebration of the Kings birthday. Pretty spectacular, they hold their urns out and people drop in food stuffs, the public have sacks full of food all to dontate to these hungry orange men. Kinda like monk trick or treating. It gets put back into sacks at the end and I assume distributed evenly.
Also for the Kings birthday (its a big time) we found out about a fireworks extravaganza in the most beautiful public gardens we have ever seen (maybe). At both these events we were somehow among the only tourists. It was a nice way to spend time in a place that was a little underwhelming overall, maybe cos of all the hype you hear about it. When you ring the bell Megans about to hit somehow the gold bit on top ejaculates a spurt of water!
Breaking dawn from our bed in treehouse 2
Launching into the unknown - thick mist filling the valleys on the first morning. I think this zip line was 300m long, and about 75m high in the middle...
Our group with the guides. We all looked out for each other. The guiding was minimal - they showed us the ropes (literally) then allowed us to do as much zipping as we wanted before dark each day, responsible for our own harnesses, attaching our own equipment, and each other! The responsibilty made it more real, more scary and more exciting.
Swimming in a freezing cold lagoon. Can you feel the hesitation?
This was a toilet stop in the 7.5 hr journey.
Ladies and Gentlemen, once again I give you the Mekong.
