We had several days left in Bangkok so decided to go to Kanchanburi as encouraged by our friends Rhys and Pauline (from England). We met them several summers ago on a '18-30' holiday package from England to Falaraki, Rhodes ... good memories. We went there for a few days and it was really nice to really experience the Thai country side. Riding elephants, bamboo rafting in the river Kwai (and taking the train back over the famous Bridge back over the river Kwai) and Erawan falls. The Thai countryside is very nice indeed. We would have liked to explore it a bit more, but will have to when we go back someday. We also met a lot of interesting people in Kanchanaburi, mostly teachers like ourselves. Sam a young, handsome, SINGLE 22 year old has roots from all over the map including Argentina, Canada and the USA. He is living in Bangkok teaching, traveling, and exploring. Craig and Michelle are a married couple teaching at the same school as Sam. They are from South Carolina, USA trying something new from the ordinary way of life back in the States. Johanneke and her boyfriend Arian aka 'Noble' were traveling from Netherlands where she is a primary teacher and he is a business man selling parts to large trucking firms. We also met another two girls and a guy from Germany who also teach primary school and one of their girls was going out with the guy who was only traveling with them for a short while as he was not a teacher and didn't get the good holidays teachers get. All in all it was nice to meet other people in similar stages in life.