Old School Communication

 I lost my list of things I have to buy for my packing list. Could there be something worse at this stage? Gladfully I was researching and planning so hard, that I memorized most of it, so I will make a new list tomorrow. Flying to the US this Thursday for two weeks, so will have plenty of time to think things through and plan my last days in Germany in July. There will be some intense additional outdoor shopping during those days for sure...

Got my First Aid Kit from Deuter a few days ago. Its really handy and packed with great stuff and fits into the backpack perfectly. It is completed by some medicine like Malaria prophylaxis and the usual drugs for standard medical condition. You shouldn´t get to crazy about health issues (especially if you are running around as a chemical package like me with all those vaccinations!), but I like being prepared and therefore talked everything through with a doc.

The greatest step forward is my new Nokia mobile phone. After recognizing that a lot of communication and planning is done by phone (see my prior post) I had to change my mind not taking a phone on the trip. Usually I´m pretty amused by people still using those old phones like my parents (sorry Mom and Dad!). But for sure I´m not taking my Iphone to Asia. So my parents gave me their old phone. I will get a Thai phone card at Bangkok airport and then start the fun being part of the Thai phone community. A first impression of the "land of smile" and communicating with those very friendly people I received when I called the Thai embassy to ask for a visa these days. Germans can stay in the country with a visa on arrival for 30 days. Because I´m not sure when I will depart for Malaysia I want to get a formal visa from the embassy to stay longer. So I called the hotline and a very nice Thai lady told me that it is no problem at all, if I see the embassy during my week in Berlin mid of July on a Monday morning and get my passport back Friday morning. Officially it takes about 7 days. That´s how I like it!

Back to the beginning

Update after a couple of more hours research on Ko Chang:

After checking some weather and some more travel sites I found out that Ko Chang is one of the wettest parts of Thailand during rain season. Pretty tough rain (over 1000mm!!!) with heavy sea, thunderstorms and lots of mosquitos. Boats and some resorts are not in operation during that time, especially on the islands of the archipelago. Most of the travel and weather sites recommend Ko Samet in summer. Oh well, so back to the beginning, maybe start off in Ko Samet and see how the weather is, have to keep checking it and find out some more on transfer options from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ko Samet leaving out Pattaya...

Planning first days

My list for further equipment needed is still a long one. Nevertheless I´m already doing some intense reading in my travel guide on a possible route for my first days in Thailand filling the pages with notes and markings. Additionally I bought a little red note book that will be my travel diary with two pages for every day, writing down all the important things to prepare and to plan, my travel itinerary and of course experiences of the day.

Okay, now how does the modern westerner approach travel plans? Right, surf the internet. My travel guide includes all those great places with phone numbers and homepages. I was sure from the beginning, that I want to spend the first days at the beaches. So here was my initial plan: Arrive in Bangkok, directly take a bus down to the island of Ko Samet or stay over night in Pattaya and then go down to Ko Samet the next day and plan from there. And if I don´t find a direct bus down there, stay one night in Bangkok and then go down to Ko Samet. I don´t have to tell you more about what happened to this plan, when you have a look at the homepage of the national transport company Borisat Khon Song. So no bus booking in advance... What happened to my other plan booking my first accomodation on Ko Samet in advance? Well, have a look at this and read the note: "To make a reservation at this resort, you must arrive in person.The resort has no telephone." Well at least other nice places have a telephone line. Of course there are some resorts with great amenities you can book in advance, but that is not how I want to travel, well at least not at the beginning. Later in time maybe I´m happy to see one of those...

First lessons learned:

No 1: Forget about exact German planning and just see what happens when you are there and live your life day to day

No 2: Forget about internet and emails, use a simple phone and talk to people (what a great perspective coming from an internet and e-mail packed daily schedule!)

 

After reading some more I´ve gotten away from my plan of going down to Pattaya at a second glance anyway. A lot of classical tourists stay there and Pattaya with its ambivalent image as a party paradise you don´t really have to see, if you are searching for an authentic Asia experience. Ko Samet is the island where lots of tourists go to after arriving in or before departing from Bangkok. So I would rather prefer this: Arrive in Bangkok, search for one of those busses listed in my guide to take me down to the beautiful and still pretty original island of Ko Chang. They start directly from the airport or from Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) or I´ll take one of the Minibusses from Victory Monument in Bangkok. They all cost about 250-300 Baht for a 6 hours drive. Amazing price! Of course there are private bus companies who take you down there like the Express Bus. But, unfortunately most of the direct busses to Koh Chang from the airport leave in the morning and I arrive in the afternoon and again, taking the "normal" busses is more the kind of experience I´m searching for. For the same reason I wouldn´t take one of the really cheap flights with Bangkok Air or Air Asia down to Trat and go from there. I will probably  try to get down to Trat near the Cambodian border by bus and look for a one night accomodation there or travel over night. The next day I will take one of the ships over to Koh Chang, spend a few days there and then explore the beaches and islands hopping aorund the Koh Chang archipelago with boats like these. 

Equipment

Before even thinking about a route for the first days the most important issues are my trekking gear and equipment. Never been to a tropical climate before, just hiked the alps a lot. So I already got some basic stuff, well at least for trekking in central Europe and good old Germany...So big step today! After weeks of searching outdoor shops my colleagues presented me the chosen backpack for my farewell today, bought in a new outdoor and sports shop run by very nice and young entrepreneurs. It is the winner of my backpack competition from the last weeks, the Quantum 70 + 10 of Deuter. It´s the one and only baggage that I´m taking with me and very perfect because of it´s attached daypack  So I can uncouple the daypack and carry it during flights or day tours while leaving the big pack in my room or check it at the airport. Besides all the great features that are typical for Deuter like rain protection and special carry utilities (I use another smaller Deuter for my tours in the alps) this one can be opened from all sides, so you don´t have to unpack it, if you are looking for something specific. You can probably feel my excitement! Just have a look yourself! Finally having a backpack raises the excitement of course. Bought some additional stuff like special trekking socks, shirts, pants and trekking shoes in an outlet shop today too. Will still have to look for some additional things from my list (thanks to the great packing list in Stefan Looses guide again!!!) like trekking sandals and smaller things. But it all has to fit in my 70 Liter + 10 backpack. The guide and everybody who´s been to Asia tells you anyway: Don´t take to much stuff, buy it there and get it washed at your accomodations. That´s what I´m going to do, no chance anyway with the limited space...