After a few trips away to play golf, Robyn thought it would be nice for Merv to join us on an Asian golf trip. Bruce planned out an itinerary of places that he liked or hadn’t been to before, so this trip we decided to go to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai), Hua Hin and Chiang Rai. We flew directly to Chiang Rai (via Bangkok) and after a couple of hiccups at the airport (of our own making), we were taken to our hotel. We have booked this trip through GolfAsian again, they have proved very good in the past and don’t make us think too much.
On our first day, we took a walk to a shopping mall, where we could pick up a couple of local SIM cards. The attendant put the cards in his name to allow us to use local pricing, which is really cheap. (A couple of years later, Bruce had problems renewing and when the problem was fixed the SIM cards were put in his name and we have been using them ever since for 50c a month.)
We then went on the usual tourist trip to the White Temple and Golden Buddha. Then back to the hotel for a swim and a beer.
The next day was the beginning of the continuation of the World Golf Tour, we went to Waterford Valley Golf Course. This was Merv’s first experience of Asian golf and he loved the set up.
Merv played very well, taking on all the obstacles and usually succeeding. Bruce played his usual conservative game and Rosie played very well. Rosie and Merv both easily beat Bruce.
While we were golfing, Robyn went off to a yoga class, which she had looked up online. She really enjoyed this and booked a few more sessions.
Everyone who comes to Chiang Rai takes a tour to the Golden Triangle, which is where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet. The countries are separated by the Mekong River. On our trip, we visited Mae Fah Luang Garden, as everyone who travels with us knows, Bruce and Rosie love a good garden.
The tour guide then took us to the border town where we caught a ferry across to Lao to visit a market there.
The day trip was interesting, but the Golden Triangle was very commercialised and disappointing. Wouldn’t suggest going there to anyone.
The next day was golf again, this time we went to Santiburu Chiang Rai Country Club, which was a bit older, but an excellent course. Bruce beat Rosie this time, but Merv beat both of us again.
Another holiday, another birthday cake for Bruce. We time this well each year.
The next day we flew back to Bangkok and got a taxi to Hua Hin. We have been to Hua Hin before and it is the golfing capital of Thailand (that hasn’t got a full on sex industry). We stayed in the same hotel as the first time, but our rooms were nowhere near as good. Will have to pay more attention to the type of room GolfAsian book next time, I think we must have got a good deal the first visit.
Golf the next day at Banyan Golf Resort. This is a very upmarket golf course which is very challenging and well designed. Merv loved it. Bruce and Rosie played like dogs, but Merv again took on all the challenges and in general, beat them.
Robyn couldn’t find a yoga studio nearby so mainly sat around the pool while we were here. She didn’t really like this, but was pleased Merv was enjoying his golf.
We played Black Mountain the next day and Rosie improved a lot, Bruce didn’t. Merv continued to play well. Our caddies here couldn’t get over the size of Rosie’s boobs, they were very envious, most of them have to wear padded bras just to look like they have a bust line.
Our final game was at Banyan again since Bruce wanted to test a theory about playing the same course a couple of times. His theory worked, for the first time he actually played properly and finally beat everyone.
We took a taxi from Hua Hin to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai), stopping at the Damnoen Saduak floating markets. At the markets we took a tour around in a long tail boat before walking the markets and having lunch. As usual, Rosie and Bruce didn’t really find anything that interesting at the markets, demonstrating why we go on golfing holidays.
We haven’t been to Kanchanaburi before, but Bruce likes a bit of history, so visiting the River Kwai and looking at the War Memorials interested him. We were booked into the Resotel Hotel, which required us to go to Phutakien pier where you caught a long tail boat to the resorts pier, this is the only way to get to the hotel. It was a really nice trip down the river and the hotel was very rustic and sitting amongst the jungle vegetation.
The hotel was very interesting and nice, but since it was isolated, you had to go to their restaurant for dinner each night, which Bruce found restrictive. Merv and Robyn loved the isolation, each to their own.
The next morning we went back down to the pier with our clubs to be taken to our taxi to the Grand Prix Golf Course. This is a course that is owned by a multi-millionaire car nut, so the caddies were dressed as pit girls and there were cars and racing paraphernalia everywhere. As usual the course was in excellent condition.
Bruce continued his improved form at this course and Merv started to run out of luck (skill), so Bruce won the day with Merv a close second.
The next day we went on a private tour which started at the Burma Thailand Railway Museum, which has a very good display on the building of the railway. This was next to the war cemetery, which is immaculately presented, some of the gardeners were using scissors to keep the grass around the graves perfect.
Then we went to the bridge, which is nothing like the one they show in the film. The film bridge is further along the journey. We went for a walk on the bridge while waiting for the train, which was taking us along the track to Erawan Waterfall, which is a very popular swimming spot for the locals. The ride also runs along the river and shows how difficult it would have been to build the railway line.
We had lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on our tour, this time going to the Hellfire Pass Museum. This museum is set at the start of the Hellfire Pass, which is a notorious cutting through sheer granite that prisoners of war had to dig. Thousands died here and as you walk through the pass, you realise what appalling conditions they were made to work under and the cruelty that was inflicted in times of war.
On our final day, Rosie and Bruce played one last game of golf, this time at Nichigo Golf Resort. This is a really old course and had some fantastic features that you didn’t see at the newer courses.
Bruce played well again, but Rosie continued her struggles so all up, Bruce beat Rosie on this holiday. After the game, we both used the locker room facilities to have a shower and change for the flight home. The taxi went back to pick up Merv and Robyn and then picked us up to take us straight to Bangkok airport.
This was a great holiday, and we will return to some of these places again in future years. I don’t think Robyn really enjoyed the holiday that much, she had high hopes of doing a lot of yoga, but didn’t really find places to do this except for Chiang Rai.
