Amazing video, my husbands great uncle was a Japanese prisoner of war, he didn't talk of it much until he was in his 80s when his audiologist asked him about his past. He did a BBC documentary on his life there, his own children didn't realise the conditions and brutality he had faced. He died at 96 he was a wonderful man but never left UK again after returning from the war. Keep safe xx
Thank you so much for this Angela- the personal stories make it even more moving. We cannot imagine what that generation went through to keep our freedom today. We owe them so much. I can see why he didn't travel after surviving such a horrific ordeal- such a brave man. Thanks for your insight👍
Quite right Mark- so different from anything that we have experienced before. We now are starting to understand how fundamental cultures are to a particular country. Glad it has brought back good memories👍
Love your Blogs doing the things you do really is great loved Thailand but the way your doing it is fabulous so exciting Enjoy the rest of your stay plus your both looking fab with your Tans xx
Thanks Chris- we think that the tans are going to be unavoidable out here. It's really hot- 30+, but we are persisting with our regular use of factor 30 sunscreen👍 Thailand has really surprised us and we are having a great time🙏
Loved the video guys. What a fantastic trip so far. Loved the footage around the bridge over the river kwai and the cemetery. Great choice of music too. Looking forward to seeing more of that beautiful island. Keep safe. Irvine & Karen.
Thanks Will- more by luck than management that it went out on Remembrance Sunday, but yes, very apt. Kanchanaburi was a very moving place, that as a town does not forget the sacrifices that took place there. Thanks for the comment👍
We're really enjoying watching your trip. It must be so much better carrying your gear in a rucksack rather than hauling big cases about. My wife's grandfather is buried by the bridge. Where he died building it. She was lucky enough to visit the cementry on her backpacking trip around Asia when she was 20 and took a pic for her father of his father's grave. She then took a train to Haty Yai then a cab across the border. She's now 63 so when we go in the next few years we'll be flying :) Thanks for sharing your travels. That island does look like paradise.
Thanks for this lovely backstory Raymondo, it always makes the journey so much more interesting when you have a personal perspective. The war cemetery was such a moving place. It was so peaceful and absolutely pristine. The town clearly will never forget the sacrifices that took place there. It was a real privilege, and life long aspiration to visit and pay our respects. Thailand is such an amazing place, it really has surprised us. Thanks again. 👍
Thanks Louise, we are having a great time so far and have found some valuable time to slow down on the islands. Thanks as ever for your support and kind words👍
Thank you so much for taking us along! I'm not interested in foreign travel for myself right now, but very interested in everything you are doing and seeing!
Thanks for this. We are getting more and more people watching the channel that feel this way and we think it is wonderful. It is such a privilege to bring everyone along on our little adventures. Thanks for the comment👍
A really interesting video. Kanchanaburi looks as amazing as you would expect, but I was surprised by what else there is there that commemorates the dead and the horrors that went on the Burma Railway. The history is very important, as well as the famous and brilliant film that everyone knows about. Sobering stuff, to be honest. The speed boat trip looked like an awful lot of fun. Good luck for the next phase of your trip!
Thanks Graham- it's so important that horrific events like this are not forgotten- and the Thai people are really good at maintaining the sanctity of the major sites. Reading the first hand accounts was really moving and a reminder that this should never be allowed to occur again. Such unbelievable sacrifice from a generation. On a lighter note, the speedboat was a blast. It's seemingly one of the only ways to travel in these parts- it's just as common as getting on a bus😂
You both look really well for it, we took a fast boat to the Phi Phi islands and got shook to bits, we live in a coastal town and are regularly on the sea but this was another level. Put your feet up and enjoy.
Many thanks- they can get quite rough allegedly, but we have been lucky so far with pan flat seas. The noise of the engines however...they don't hold back😬 We are now enjoying a slower pace...more of that in next weeks video👍
Many thanks for the positive feedback. There is always something to learn with RUclips each and every day. We do try to improve what we do every video. We are glad that you noticed😉 Have a good one👍
I loved seeing different parts of Thailand throughout your planes, trains and automobiles journey to this week’s calming destination. How exciting (and beautiful) was that 2 hr motor boat ride? Thank you for documenting this excellent adventure!
Thanks Sharon- the speedboat ferry was a real highlight of the transfer. It was so crazy, yet such a normal part of life on the islands. It is literally their life blood. The crew didn't hold back and it was full throttle all the way. Our ears were ringing, but the island vistas were truly amazing. Thanks for the comment👍
It’s one two go 😂 we used them loads they are very good for Asia , we loved Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos all fab to travel, we did it them in August 2019 to March 2020 just before Covid hit x loving this trip bringing back memories xx
Thanks for this Johnathan. We have felt pretty safe all through the trip so far. There have been a couple of times where we chose to walk to places in Bangkok through areas that turned out to be less desirable, but we always felt safe. The people are so welcoming and friendly and always have a smile. Equally however, in the big tourist hotspots, there was always people potentially looking for the scams- such as overpriced TukTuks and telling us the tourist spot was closed for the day. We took unsolicited conversations and advice from strangers with a pinch of salt. All good so far.👍
Great video. I was in Kanchanaburi a long (long) time ago. I found it incredibly moving. I visited the Jeth (I think!) War Museum, and the cemeteries and ended up sobbing uncontrollably. The stories told, and the conditions suffered by the POW's were horrible. A very sobering experience.
You are quite right David- an incredibly moving place to visit and very grounding. I think it was linking the loss of life to the number of railway sleepers that got to me. Such a terrible situation that should never be allowed to be repeated. You will be glad to know that the cemetery remains pristine and is a central pillar in the community. The loss of life and sacrifice will always be remembered. Thanks for the comment🙏
Wow looks like you’re having an unforgettable experience. Some of the places are beautiful and very moving. Hope you can now relax and enjoy that beautiful beach. 😊
Thanks Clare- Kanchanaburi was very moving and sobering. You will be glad to know that we made it safely to the islands and have managed to slow down considerably! The problem now will be getting going from living on island time😂 Have a good one👍
When you got off the MRT blue line at Bang Khun Non there is a small station right next to it called Charan Sanitwong, you could have caught the train from there, no need to walk to Thonburi train station.
Yes we saw it as we left Thonburi on the way out so that is where we got off on the way back which was so much easier. What a great train journey that is though upto Kanchanaburi ❤️
Another great video. I am enjoying the format of photos and videos all mixed in along with the catch up videos. It looks fantastic but it must be tiring with all that travel and trying to take everything in (along with the amount of editing involved). Hopefully your enjoying your 'downtime' in paradise. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks for this lovely feedback Paul. It's not really that onerous and we actually love documenting our travels- it helps us see our adventures from another viewpoint and it keeps us eternally grateful for what we can do. I tend to get up early each morning and edit, as that just works for me and I have never been one to sleep in. The Bangkok video was monster to edit, just because of how much we packed in. Thing have slowed down now we are on the islands. The islands really are paradise- but more of that in next Sundays video🏝️ Thanks again👍
Thanks Illtud- It's an Atmos LT 65 which I purchased for the Dales Way trek. It's a heavy load hauler...which we don't need on this trip, but I wasn't buying another bag (less is more😂). They are quite expensive, but I stalked it on the internet for a couple of months until the inevitable deal came up. Ironically I got it from Amazon that seem to have a flash one day sale on this model. We have seen Osprey bags that are more suitable to what we are doing on this trip, more suitcase style, but this simple bag is serving me well. I have to admit, I am a bit jealous of Jackie's bag that she picked up from Decathlon which is fab and every European traveller seems to have out here😂
I’m watching this on Remembrance Sunday so it felt appropriate to see you visiting the graveyard and the death railway memorial. Thank you for sharing this. Having visited remote locations H&S just isn’t a thing 😂 on Vanuatu our Volcanoes guide had a machete and one flip flop as his safety equipment (he had a thorn in one foot)! A few practical questions: how are you managing the toilets? Are they available where you’re visiting? How are the mozzies, any bites yet or is the local pink flower bottle lotion working?
Thanks Bonny- we didn't click that this was going out on Remembrance Sunday- but yes, how apt. It was so moving in Kanchanaburi, and it really did feel along way from home for those young men. Such sacrifice. Onto more practical things- the loos have been fine, including the few public ones that we have used. The bidet situation takes bit of getting used to. The pink bug juice is amazing and we have come through relatively unscathed. The only issues have been self inflicted when we forgot to juice up. You really do need to do it regularly. A new development is that the pink juice spray also comes in a lotion- which we much prefer. We are going to bring loads home for next summer😂 Thanks as always👍
Thanks @eunicef1- we have already got an idea for this in our plans. Jackie has got her little black book of expenses on the go😂. There are also a few things that we could probably do without that we brought with us. We are planning a "what we have learned" video about our backpacking adventures. Keep an eye out in the next few weeks👍 Have a good one🙏
Hi Lili- it was the Nut Home Hostel. It was so convenient and clean for the 8 hours we were there. If we were travelling alone, it was in a pretty dimly lit area down a back street, so we might have had a different view, but the custodian was lovely and couldn't have been more welcoming. £18 for 2 people inc. A/C, hot shower and towels. It was really convenient for a transfer out of Don Mueang Airport, but not for an extended stay as a base to explore Bangkok- it was just too far away from the city. Hope this helps? 👍
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
Brilliant vlog guys. Very timely with remembrance Sunday . Enjoy your chill time 🍹
Thanks Allison, we have slowed down significantly once we got to the islands.
Have a great week👍
Amazing video, my husbands great uncle was a Japanese prisoner of war, he didn't talk of it much until he was in his 80s when his audiologist asked him about his past. He did a BBC documentary on his life there, his own children didn't realise the conditions and brutality he had faced. He died at 96 he was a wonderful man but never left UK again after returning from the war. Keep safe xx
Thank you so much for this Angela- the personal stories make it even more moving. We cannot imagine what that generation went through to keep our freedom today. We owe them so much. I can see why he didn't travel after surviving such a horrific ordeal- such a brave man.
Thanks for your insight👍
Amazing video Richard & Jackie! Thank you so much for sharing your adventures! Jan & Turner xx🐾
Hey Jan & Turner- many thanks for this. We are really glad you are enjoying it.
Have a great week👍
Awesome as usual......you guys are the best!
Thanks Sean- much appreciated👍
Very appropriate today❤
Really enjoying watching some adventures that we will never do. 😊
Thanks for this Mazzie- a number of people are saying this which is really nice to hear. We are having a great time👍
Loving your trip and vids. Thanks for sharing.
You are quite welcome Jay- glad you are enjoying what we are doing👍
Have fun guys
We will- it's an amazing country!
This brings back memories when I visited Thailand years ago, a totally different way of life isn’t it…thanks for sharing!
Quite right Mark- so different from anything that we have experienced before. We now are starting to understand how fundamental cultures are to a particular country.
Glad it has brought back good memories👍
Love your Blogs doing the things you do really is great loved Thailand but the way your doing it is fabulous so exciting Enjoy the rest of your stay plus your both looking fab with your Tans xx
Thanks Chris- we think that the tans are going to be unavoidable out here. It's really hot- 30+, but we are persisting with our regular use of factor 30 sunscreen👍
Thailand has really surprised us and we are having a great time🙏
Loved the video guys. What a fantastic trip so far. Loved the footage around the bridge over the river kwai and the cemetery. Great choice of music too. Looking forward to seeing more of that beautiful island. Keep safe. Irvine & Karen.
Many thanks you two. We are really enjoying things so far- long may it continue!
Tremendous video particallty on remembrance day ......brilliant guys
Thanks Will- more by luck than management that it went out on Remembrance Sunday, but yes, very apt. Kanchanaburi was a very moving place, that as a town does not forget the sacrifices that took place there.
Thanks for the comment👍
We're really enjoying watching your trip. It must be so much better carrying your gear in a rucksack rather than hauling big cases about. My wife's grandfather is buried by the bridge. Where he died building it. She was lucky enough to visit the cementry on her backpacking trip around Asia when she was 20 and took a pic for her father of his father's grave. She then took a train to Haty Yai then a cab across the border. She's now 63 so when we go in the next few years we'll be flying :) Thanks for sharing your travels. That island does look like paradise.
Thanks for this lovely backstory Raymondo, it always makes the journey so much more interesting when you have a personal perspective. The war cemetery was such a moving place. It was so peaceful and absolutely pristine. The town clearly will never forget the sacrifices that took place there. It was a real privilege, and life long aspiration to visit and pay our respects.
Thailand is such an amazing place, it really has surprised us.
Thanks again. 👍
Very poignant watching that on Remembrance Sunday. What a journey you’ve had. Enjoy your downtime, you’ve earned it! X
Thanks Louise, we are having a great time so far and have found some valuable time to slow down on the islands.
Thanks as ever for your support and kind words👍
Wow. You guys are having a blast and really embracing the travel & culture.
Thanks Alan- it's been a hectic start to the adventure, but we are now slowing down. More of that next week👍
I do like your videos a perfect snapshot of places that most of viewers will never visit
Thank you Peter- very much appreciated. We get a lot of feedback about this and it is so nice to hear.
Have a good one👍
Thank you so much for taking us along! I'm not interested in foreign travel for myself right now, but very interested in everything you are doing and seeing!
Thanks for this. We are getting more and more people watching the channel that feel this way and we think it is wonderful. It is such a privilege to bring everyone along on our little adventures.
Thanks for the comment👍
Looks amazing!
Many thanks- it really is as good as it looks on film.👍
A really interesting video. Kanchanaburi looks as amazing as you would expect, but I was surprised by what else there is there that commemorates the dead and the horrors that went on the Burma Railway. The history is very important, as well as the famous and brilliant film that everyone knows about. Sobering stuff, to be honest. The speed boat trip looked like an awful lot of fun. Good luck for the next phase of your trip!
Thanks Graham- it's so important that horrific events like this are not forgotten- and the Thai people are really good at maintaining the sanctity of the major sites. Reading the first hand accounts was really moving and a reminder that this should never be allowed to occur again. Such unbelievable sacrifice from a generation.
On a lighter note, the speedboat was a blast. It's seemingly one of the only ways to travel in these parts- it's just as common as getting on a bus😂
You both look really well for it, we took a fast boat to the Phi Phi islands and got shook to bits, we live in a coastal town and are regularly on the sea but this was another level. Put your feet up and enjoy.
Many thanks- they can get quite rough allegedly, but we have been lucky so far with pan flat seas. The noise of the engines however...they don't hold back😬
We are now enjoying a slower pace...more of that in next weeks video👍
Amazing. The videos are becoming even better quality with the calming music and videography. Have a great time!
Many thanks for the positive feedback. There is always something to learn with RUclips each and every day. We do try to improve what we do every video. We are glad that you noticed😉
Have a good one👍
Wow, what an adventure, enjoy your island beach holiday. Looking forward to the next instalment. ❤
Thanks Janet- the islands are unbelievable- but more of that next Sunday👍
Have a good one🙏
I loved seeing different parts of Thailand throughout your planes, trains and automobiles journey to this week’s calming destination. How exciting (and beautiful) was that 2 hr motor boat ride? Thank you for documenting this excellent adventure!
Thanks Sharon- the speedboat ferry was a real highlight of the transfer. It was so crazy, yet such a normal part of life on the islands. It is literally their life blood. The crew didn't hold back and it was full throttle all the way. Our ears were ringing, but the island vistas were truly amazing.
Thanks for the comment👍
Wow, what an adventure you are on. Enjoy.
Thanks Jill- we are loving every minute of it😉
Have a great week👍
It’s one two go 😂 we used them loads they are very good for Asia , we loved Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos all fab to travel, we did it them in August 2019 to March 2020 just before Covid hit x loving this trip bringing back memories xx
Thanks for this Lynn😂😬 At least we won't continue to call it the wrong thing👍
Glad that the trip is evoking happy memories🙏
Great video and your trip looks like it’s been amazing so far. Have you felt safe the whole time you have been there?? Thankyou and happy travels
Thanks for this Johnathan. We have felt pretty safe all through the trip so far. There have been a couple of times where we chose to walk to places in Bangkok through areas that turned out to be less desirable, but we always felt safe. The people are so welcoming and friendly and always have a smile. Equally however, in the big tourist hotspots, there was always people potentially looking for the scams- such as overpriced TukTuks and telling us the tourist spot was closed for the day. We took unsolicited conversations and advice from strangers with a pinch of salt.
All good so far.👍
Great video. I was in Kanchanaburi a long (long) time ago. I found it incredibly moving. I visited the Jeth (I think!) War Museum, and the cemeteries and ended up sobbing uncontrollably. The stories told, and the conditions suffered by the POW's were horrible. A very sobering experience.
You are quite right David- an incredibly moving place to visit and very grounding. I think it was linking the loss of life to the number of railway sleepers that got to me. Such a terrible situation that should never be allowed to be repeated.
You will be glad to know that the cemetery remains pristine and is a central pillar in the community. The loss of life and sacrifice will always be remembered.
Thanks for the comment🙏
Wow looks like you’re having an unforgettable experience. Some of the places are beautiful and very moving. Hope you can now relax and enjoy that beautiful beach. 😊
Thanks Clare- Kanchanaburi was very moving and sobering. You will be glad to know that we made it safely to the islands and have managed to slow down considerably! The problem now will be getting going from living on island time😂
Have a good one👍
When you got off the MRT blue line at Bang Khun Non there is a small station right next to it called Charan Sanitwong, you could have caught the train from there, no need to walk to Thonburi train station.
Yes we saw it as we left Thonburi on the way out so that is where we got off on the way back which was so much easier. What a great train journey that is though upto Kanchanaburi ❤️
Another great video. I am enjoying the format of photos and videos all mixed in along with the catch up videos. It looks fantastic but it must be tiring with all that travel and trying to take everything in (along with the amount of editing involved). Hopefully your enjoying your 'downtime' in paradise. Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks for this lovely feedback Paul. It's not really that onerous and we actually love documenting our travels- it helps us see our adventures from another viewpoint and it keeps us eternally grateful for what we can do.
I tend to get up early each morning and edit, as that just works for me and I have never been one to sleep in. The Bangkok video was monster to edit, just because of how much we packed in. Thing have slowed down now we are on the islands.
The islands really are paradise- but more of that in next Sundays video🏝️
Thanks again👍
Great video. Which Osprey rucksack does Richard have?
Thanks Illtud- It's an Atmos LT 65 which I purchased for the Dales Way trek. It's a heavy load hauler...which we don't need on this trip, but I wasn't buying another bag (less is more😂).
They are quite expensive, but I stalked it on the internet for a couple of months until the inevitable deal came up. Ironically I got it from Amazon that seem to have a flash one day sale on this model.
We have seen Osprey bags that are more suitable to what we are doing on this trip, more suitcase style, but this simple bag is serving me well.
I have to admit, I am a bit jealous of Jackie's bag that she picked up from Decathlon which is fab and every European traveller seems to have out here😂
I hope you are enjoying island "time" and resting. Travel can be so tiring and if the air quality is rough that can also affect me quite a bit.
So true Tina- we definitely were ready for a rest...and we got it! More of that in next weeks video.
Thanks as always for your support🙏
I’m watching this on Remembrance Sunday so it felt appropriate to see you visiting the graveyard and the death railway memorial. Thank you for sharing this.
Having visited remote locations H&S just isn’t a thing 😂 on Vanuatu our Volcanoes guide had a machete and one flip flop as his safety equipment (he had a thorn in one foot)!
A few practical questions: how are you managing the toilets? Are they available where you’re visiting? How are the mozzies, any bites yet or is the local pink flower bottle lotion working?
Thanks Bonny- we didn't click that this was going out on Remembrance Sunday- but yes, how apt. It was so moving in Kanchanaburi, and it really did feel along way from home for those young men. Such sacrifice.
Onto more practical things- the loos have been fine, including the few public ones that we have used. The bidet situation takes bit of getting used to.
The pink bug juice is amazing and we have come through relatively unscathed. The only issues have been self inflicted when we forgot to juice up. You really do need to do it regularly. A new development is that the pink juice spray also comes in a lotion- which we much prefer. We are going to bring loads home for next summer😂
Thanks as always👍
Will you do a budget breakdown of your holiday and revise your backpack contents? That might make an interesting and useful vid.
Thanks @eunicef1- we have already got an idea for this in our plans. Jackie has got her little black book of expenses on the go😂. There are also a few things that we could probably do without that we brought with us.
We are planning a "what we have learned" video about our backpacking adventures.
Keep an eye out in the next few weeks👍
Have a good one🙏
@@earlyretirementwanderlust I’m always surprised by my ‘ didn’t really need’ list after every trip, and weirdly I don’t seem to learn 😅
Hello! please let me know the name of the little guest house near BKK? Also curious about the severity of your culture shock?...
Hi Lili- it was the Nut Home Hostel. It was so convenient and clean for the 8 hours we were there. If we were travelling alone, it was in a pretty dimly lit area down a back street, so we might have had a different view, but the custodian was lovely and couldn't have been more welcoming. £18 for 2 people inc. A/C, hot shower and towels. It was really convenient for a transfer out of Don Mueang Airport, but not for an extended stay as a base to explore Bangkok- it was just too far away from the city.
Hope this helps? 👍
@earlyretirementwanderlust !Thanks so much, it sure does...happy days :)