Spirit of Anzac students at the Chungkai Rail Cutting
Blog 4 - The day of a million steps.
After a big night full of sweet dance moves and karaoke, we awoke to our final hours at the amazing Felix Hotel. No strangers to early starts, we were all up and about, getting ready to head out before 8.30, as usual.
We loaded our bags onto the bus and met up with Rod, before traversing our way over the high mountains and thin roads of Thailand to reach our destination – the Wang Pho Viaduct. Led by the light footed Rod, we shuffled and crept along the ten metre high rail way bridges, built by the Allied PoWs in World War II. It was a long track, over two bridges, both potted with holes, rotten boards and one annoying stray dog. After stopping on the far side, we examined and old British PoW camp know as 'Arrow head'. Looking back, we were stunned when we realised that men, hundreds of sick and dying men, had toiled every day through disease, heat, torture and general neglect at the hands of Japanese engineers and Korean guards.
On the way back over the bridges, we came across a Buddhist temple, built within the confines of a large lime stone cave. Inside we found a statue of Buddha, many little trinkets, a sleepy Thai man and a poem composed by King Rama V.
After a quick shop in some nearby markets, in which Violet finally bought her fan, and Darcy completed his Bob Marley outfit,we loaded back on the bus and were driven off to Sai Yok Noi Waterfall by our beloved Mr Abdula.
We stopped off out the front of a servo, and crossed the road, so we could ascend on our next section of the railway, where we were greeted by a mighty iron beast. The Japanese locomotive was the most common train on the line during World War II. Upon entering the trip, many of us believed that the Japanese army were nothing more than a pack of sadists, who controlled most of the war with brute tactics and sheer numbers.
But Rod's explanation of the locomotive began to slowly make us realise the true Japanese army and its engineers. The Japanese had begun surveying the area three years before the beginning of the war, as they had planned to build the rail way since the beginings of the planning of the war. Japanese railways were traditionally bigger than those of the Thai, so the brilliant Japanese engineers created expanding tires, to accommodate both the Japanese and Thai railways.
As we were distracted taking photos, Rod pointed out something quite peculiar and immoral to us; a local Thai man had wandered over to a concrete barrier at the end of the small stretch rail line with a bowl and crutch, and sat down. There, he began begging for money, preaching how he was supposedly crippled and needed our dosh (money).
We then proceeded to the waterfall, which at first sight was a natural beauty. But, as we milled around the pool at the bottom, Rob dropped another bomb of reality on us; where we stood, P.O.Ws had slaved away, constructing the Thai-Burma railway. And with their camp above the waterfall, they had to scale the precarious cliff every day. Six thousand men lived atop the waterfall, and it was a breeding ground for disease. The death toll was in the thousands, but it was yet another place where many were lost, and no one knew.
Intrigued, the bulk of the group followed Rod up many stairs to the top of the waterfall, to examine the old camp site. The stairs were to much for Jenny, Violet and Sam, so without inviting the others, the girls jumped into the waterfall and cooled off. As we loaded back on the bus, hot, sweaty and tired, bar three selfish girls, we headed off to lunch. After we'd eaten, Rod invited us to his new favourite place, and our next destination; a recently uncovered section of the Thai-Burma railway behind an old kindergarten, which he had found and cleared.
The track was three kilometres through some decent amount of forestry, described by one country SOAP as 'a fair bit of bush bashing.' We ended the trail at the site of an old bridge, now collapsed, which spanned a large gully in the mountain. There, Rod revealed to us, a small amount of artefacts from the rail way, like steel pegs and wire. It was another time to reflect on the amazing abilities of the PoWs who built the track.
We then 'bush bashed' our way back along the track to the bus. The small trip had been an effort for everyone, and there were mixed reactions when were told that our up next walk would be twice as long, and twice as hard.
We arrived at Hell Fire Pass museum and had a short look around. It was interesting and informative, but reading about it and going there are to very different things. We embarked at four o'clock, and were told we had to complete the six km mountain walk before nightfall, around six thirty.
We only walked for three hundred metres, before we reached a momentous place of Australian war history; Hell Fire Pass.
Fifteen metre high sheer rock cliffs, forty degree heat, blood thirsty mosquito's. And this was only our experience. Many places along the line, we had to imagine the PoWs and how hard there life on the line had been. But Hell fire pass needed none of that. The hardships of those men were right there in front of us, and no one left there without knowing what they had been through.
Weary Dunlops ashes were scattered under a small plaque in the rock, and it was in this place Olivia delivered her adopt a digger speech to us. Both moving and informative, the speech left us pondering, as we trekked on, determined to finish this section of the line. As we moved, we came along many more memorable and impressive places, but maybe none more than Pack of Cards Bridge. Built on the other side of a large rock cutting, the Japanese needed a bridge across the mountain, and not one to waste material, this one was unusually made of a huge pile of rocks and earth.
The problem with making these bridges is that the water would dam on the top side of the bridge in the wet season, and it could easily be washed away. But again, proving to be a testament to the Japanese genius, the created there bridges with gaps between the rocks at the bottom, so the water could run through freely and out the other side. Upon hearing this, many of us were still not that impressed, until Rod mentioned how the bridge still stood after seventy years of constant use. Built by sick, malnourished slaves, this creation of earth and rock had outlasted many creations built by technology and capable hands, but there was no time to stand around as we had to walk on.
Trudging through the bush, tired, hot, sweaty and the feeling of lead feet, we reached our final down slope to end our epic journey. It was steep and harsh but like the Australians before us, we descended the mountain into camp. Getting down was not easy, and while some opted for the 'surfing' approach, and others opted for the 'dog with worms' slide down on your bum approach, no one felt the need to use the 'John' approach.
We wandered into camp, on our last legs, only to be greeted with a nice and tasty coconut with a straw poking through. We departed to our luxury tents, complete with en suite bathrooms.
Everyone was quick to get changed, and we all headed to our river side pool. It was a natural spring, and the water was divine. Even Chris in his “budgees” could not deter us. After the plnge in the pool , the boys decided, as a last night in Thailand, they would kit up in there suits for the big barbecue dinner. It was possibly the best tea for the entire trip and a great final night.
The day had been one of many reflections. We were able to reflect on our the PoWs had suffered, and had finally seen the full force of their labour and hardship. We reflected on our sudden realisation of the Japanese armies genius in warfare, and developed a strong and stern respect for them.
We reflected on how Mckye's constant use of Aussie slang, words such as 'mate' and 'cobba', had grown on everyone, and had made the general population of us speak the same way. But most of all, we reflected on our entire time in Thailand, from the ridiculously busy streets of Bangkok, to the amazing country side, and our beautiful trips on and around the river Kwai. These images are some that will stay with us all for the rest of our lives, and will change the way we will see the world forever.
Blog 3 – Commemorations and the Thai Burma Railway Centre
After another oversized breakfast we started day 4. The day's first stop was Rod Beatie's self constructed Thai Burma Railway Centre. Rod was super passionate about his work, it showed in the presentation of the museum. We thought it was awesome and easy to comprehend.
We then travelled across the road to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. We wandered through the rows of headstone to identify and honour the PoW's who were mates of the veterans we had previously met: Lex, Jack and Charles. Margaret then presented her adopted digger, Edwin Britnell, and she read a letter from the digger's relatives that was heartbreaking.
Most of the group took part in the wreath laying cemetery for Doug Simpson, Graeme Baker and Geoffrey Vellacott – the mates of the former PoWs we had promised to remember.
Darcy recited the ode and two buglers from the Royal Thai Army played the last post and reveille. The majority of the group shared in a sob sesh. The time we spent at the cemetery was the most moving part of the trip so far.
After spending lunch floating on the River Kwai looking over the famous/infamous bridge that we had previously walked over. We will remember this place as the time we encountered durian, a fruit that is really popular in south east Asia, that is supposed to smell like hell (true) but taste like heaven (not so true). After lunch we scrambled onto the “long tail boats” which were ridiculously fast. After the squashed ride we walked through the JEATH museum which didn't compare with the the exhibits and displays at the Thai Burma Railway Centre, but on the bright side there was a lady with a squirrel who knew quite a lot about koalas.
We hopped back on the long boats and powered off to the Chungkai cutting. We saw some gibbons at the monkey school and had a 'hold your breath' moment when John, our teacher chaperone, slipped down the cliff face. Taking the last ride on the longboats to Chungkai war cemetery, we had a slightly rushed service at the grave yard, across from an all denomination church that we took a look in.
Returning to the luxurious resort was such a relief after a really hot day. Violet, Jason, Mckye and I got drinks at the pool bar (cappuccinos and fruit juice all the way), it was mad. A traditional Thai dinner awaited us for dinner at the straw huts, we ate a leaf and got offered some more Durian, which we politely rejected.
We had an awesome, fantastic, ridiculously fun night at the Karaoke lounge when we got back. Jen and Liv impressed us with their singing, Jason pulled out some intimate dance moves with a French guest and in the true Anzac spirit, the rest of us partied hard :)
The day was such a mixture of emotions, but one of our best yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment