Tag Archives: Correspondent

Half Term over the River Kwai by Alex Bannard, Frost’s Thailand correspondent

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Half Term over the River Kwai by Alex Bannard, Frost’s Thailand correspondent1

Planning a half term break with a friend and her kids, Alex really experienced the beauty of whatever will be will be.
As half term approached and the realization dawned that our husbands would be working, my dear friend Meghan and I planned to take the kids away together but where? I’m not one for planning too far in advance so we were well into January before thoughts turned to half term. But having been knee-deep in major house renovations during our time in Germany, I was determined when we arrived in Thailand not to make the same mistake gain. This time, life would not take over, and opportunities for adventures and exploration would not be missed.

We talked about Krabi, or maybe a road trip down to Phuket but couldn’t finalise, nothing seemed right. I reminded Meg that whatever will be, will be. Then one day she was reminiscing about a trip to Kanchanabhuri on the banks of the River Kwai, staying in the hotel of the boys’ class mates and the light bulb came on. A few emails backwards and forwards and suddenly with days to spare until half term, we were on.


Kanchanabhuri is approximately 2 hours drive west of Bangkok. The fourth biggest city in Thailand, and compared to the capital it is a sleepy suburb.
pic 3 kwai river
Nestling on the River Kwai it was made famous by the novel and film Bridge over the River Kwai re-telling the brutal tale of thousands Thai’s and POW’s who lost their lives building the Burmese Railway, also know as Death Railway.
pic 4 hotel overlooking river
We were greeted at Mstay by Khun Ae the owner and mum of the classmates and instantly made to feel like part of the family. The resort overlooks the river and is peaceful and private, serene and soulful. It felt a million miles away from Bangkok. We spent the afternoon playing in the pool with the kids and having a heavenly foot massage.
pic 5 train
The following morning Khun Jon joined us from Bangkok and all three families headed off into history and a ride on the infamous Death Railway. In true Thai style the 11.30 train arrived at 11.30-Thai-time: almost an hour late. On board we secured Thai donuts and pancakes for the journey and were treated to stunning views of the river.
pic 6 speedboat
That evening our hosts who also own a watersports rental took us out on a sunset speedboat tour of the River Kwai. Meanwhile my son Akiro, and Khun Jon hit the river on a jet ski – what an amazing treat for Akiro, speeding along super fast on his first ever jet ski trip.pic 6aOnboard the speedboat we popped a bottle of fizz and tried to drink it sedately whilst the wind whipped our hair into a frizz and the fizz into a mini whirlpool in the glass. It was a relaxed end to a thought provoking day.

pic 7 waterfall
The next day we took a trip to Erawan Falls. This has been on my Bangkok-bucket-list since arriving here and it did not disappoint. The falls are a series of 7 waterfalls. With small kids in tow we only ventured to the first 3 and in the third took a dip. Fish nipped at our toes, which was disconcerting and it was hard to maintain a calm demeanor by which to encourage the kids into the water: we only managed to entice 4 of the 7 kids in.
pic 7a waterfall
This time it was my daughter Indie’s turn for a first: her first waterfall swim. The water was cool and refreshing and the fish left us alone once we were swimming.
pic 8 bananas kwai
That afternoon Khun Ae took me with her to her local hairstylist, where I has the best hair cut so far in Thailand and it only cost 250bht (£5). I resolved to catch the train down from Bangkok when the next hair cut is due. Meanwhile the kids were planting banana trees elsewhere on Khun Jon’s estate and we have promised to return when the trees need harvesting.
pic 9 farm
Our last day took us to a local farm. With a pickup truck loaded with plastic chairs doubling as a makeshift bus we trundled out to the corn fields. I am sure we were quite the sight to the workers in the fields: a truck full of Farang picking corn. Apparently I was a natural. Probably did it in a former life. We headed back to the farm for a mini spa treatment. Organic sesame paste made at the farm, mixed with ground coffee and sesame oil and massaged onto the skin – seriously soft and smooth results and another Bangkok-bucket-list ticked: natural beauty products sources for the bathroom cabinet.Afterwards an afternoon relaxing by the pool lay ahead.pic 10Before we left Kanchanabhuri we of course had to go down to the famous bridge for photo opportunities. It was hard to think of the trauma and misery of those times, and to feel that we were walking in the footsteps of so much suffering. We looked at the river, at the way it was alive, and vibrant again. We thought of the train journey we had taken on the railway and enjoyed, but it was a railway line, which accounted for the lives of so many captives, of so many nationalities.

There was much to think about amongst the click and laughter of so many selfies, and much history to process.

In our 4 days in Kanchanbhuri we were treated to the most amazing hospitality, kindness and generosity by our hosts and I cannot recommend Mstay more highly. I love leaving a place knowing when I return there is more to experience. The families merged beautifully laughing and joking with ease as if we had grown up together. We mostly ate locally and of course it was delicious and very different to the usual red and green curries. And it absolutely proved the old saying: if it’s meant to be so it will be in the most beautifully eloquent fashion.

pic 11 alex kwai

Alex Bannard has lived the nomadic life of an expat for over 10 years. After a successful career in retail she became a mum and decided on a more holistic approach to life, teaching yoga. In 2015 the family moved to Bangkok where Alex started writing articles on yoga and her Bangkok adventures for a local magazine, Expat Life, and is also Frost Magazine’s correspondent. She continues to teach yoga and mindfulness to adults and children.

 

 

Italian Festival – Come With Me & Meet Bafana By Amanda Brake, Frost’s Le Marche correspondent

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6th January Italian Festival – Come with me and meet Bafana.  By Amanda Brake, Frost’s Le Marche correspondent.

photo1Italy

We got up early on this glorious morning to do our normal hour of chopping wood for the fires. We have two fires.  One heats the radiators, the other heats the hot water and is situated in the centre of our house keeping us warm. Our chopping and other chores finished, we relaxed, seduced by the warmth into staying inside. By mid-afternoon it really was time for us to kit up, and find where Bafana may be flying. But hang on, we were all feeling too cosy to adventure out into the cold, so stayed put for yet half hour.

Finally, shaking off our reluctance, we hurried into coats and boots, and we set off for our small town of Amandola . By the time we arrived things were just about getting started; in fact witches were everywhere.

phto2italy

There were many activities: balloon blowing, drawing for the children who created many and varied pictures of Bafana and over it all,  music played. The walk had warmed us and we were all in the party mood as the atmosphere became more and more lively. As well as the games, which had begun for the kids, many of the girls had dressed as Befana,  the witch.

It was a shame our boys were too shy to join at first but as more arrived and joined in the festivities so did they.  Toys and sweets were finally given to all the children, and the band played their music into the night until reluctantly, we headed home.

3italySo what is this festival? In Italy the festival is known as La Befana after the legendary old woman who delivers gifts on her broomstick. She is said to visit children on the eve of January 6 to fill their socks with sweets and presents if they have been good or a lump of coal or dark candy if they have been bad.

4italyThere are many versions. In Milan, authorities set up what they touted as the world’s longest Epiphany stocking – two kilometres long, it was made with thread derived from recycled bottles in the colours of this year’s world’s fair, Milan Expo 2015.

In Venice, a regatta is held in the Grand Canal with rowers dressed up as old women competing for best costume.
In Rome’s Piazza Navona, the holiday is focused on children with activities aimed at kids and the arrival of the three kings on horseback.
In the seafaring port city of Genoa, the Befana arrives on a water scooter, and Befana divers deposit a crown on the sea floor near Gallinara Island. Florence celebrates with a procession down the Arno River by 100 vessels from the city’s rowing club, while in Naples fire fighters organize a feast for children that also taught them about fire safety. In the southern city of Brindisi, the Hellenic Community carries out a traditional blessing of the port.

We look forward to next year’s local Bafana, at which we will meet our friends, and welcome in the New Year.  I do hope that 2015 is a good one for all Frost readers.

 

 

A House in Italy by Amanda Brake, Frost’s Le Marche Correspondent

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At the stroke of midnight, an explosion of fireworks cascaded over the medieval village of Force, in Le March on the east coast of Italy, marking the end of one year and the start of the next. My family and I remained in our house, relaxing and drinking our local wine while we watched the display.

It was the best way for us to enjoy the celebrations this year, because, after a Christmas with lots of friends and relatives, the children were whacked. They loved the skating on the rink put on this year in the town square particularly, so the local bars and restaurants will have to wait for next year, before we join them for their fabulous New Year celebrations.

So what brought me to Italy in the first place?

pic 1 Le Marche

I suppose it was the same as so many other people: the stunning countryside, the wine, the food, the lyrical language, and of course the Mediterranean warmth. Italy is full of history and culture and this is what intrigued me when I first visited the country at the age of eighteen. I was introduced to the Le Marche area, by friends. It was the up and coming place to buy, ‘the new Tuscany it was labeled, but a lot cheaper

On my first morning in the area, I threw open the slatted shutters of my rental accommodation and the view was more than breathtaking: the mauve coloured mountains stood out like giants in front of me stretching out from the valley. Even to this day, though I live here, and could become careless of its charms, this stunning area never ceases to impress, especially with the changing seasons and weather.

Today, in early new year, we have the magical deep snow of winter contrasting with the deep blue skies, or the tumble of snow clouds, before moving onto the rich greens of the rolling hillsides, in the hazy heat of the summer.

pic 2 Le Marche

I won’t say the twelve years here have not been challenging with Le Marche’s old antiquated ways, which often make us feel that we are living in a world that is closer to the UK fifty or sixty years ago. But of course, that is part of the reason for be being here in the first place.

Things are so different. If a house starts to crumble, a house that has been in the same family for generations, the family just build another next to it.

‘Piano, Piano’ is the common expression meaning ‘slowly, slowly’ everything in good time, which gives you time ‘to smell the roses’. You have to learn a completely different pace, and to remain laid back when the work that needs to be done for you, takes forever.

Here, in Le Marche, they inhabitants grow their own food, and breed their own animals. The small hamlets and villages are full of culture, their individual history not to mention a long line of local families. Each area has its own dialect, which makes learning the language challenging.

pic 3 le marche

Those native to Le Marche are slow to embrace you but if you, in turn, embrace the local environment and activities, you one become part of their community more quickly than you would have thought possible.

So, come, if you are thinking of a new life at the start of 2015. Just remember that you are not living in an ex-pat community. You will need to live as the Le Marche people do. Live, drive (an experience) work and local schooling can all help one to settle

I still struggle to adapt sometimes, but trust me, letting the old ways go and doing things the Italian way instead opens up your life more than you could ever hope.

So, what do we do, here, to earn a living? My boys have taken up most of my time up while my partner has found some building work, some house maintenance, or gardening. Whatever is about reallya little house maintains, gardening whatever is about really. As time has passed and the house has become more together, we have decided to start adventure holidays.

The area is packed with activities: mountain bike tracks, 4×4 off-roading, climbing, horse riding, rafting, beaches. This coming year we are hoping to provide accommodation above and beyond our existing self-catering apartment for back-packers, as the hiking potential in this area is limitless, in addition to our self-catering apartment.

You can see that our life here is a work in progress, but it is such a good life, though a hard working one. Like I always say to our two boys nothing is easy without a little effort.