I made it down to Ko Tao! Here you can see, where I am just sitting, pretty exhausted from my long trip and just organized a place to stay via phone.
I will relax at this bungalow resort called Sai Thong Resort the next days. It can only be reached by taxiboat, which I will take after writing this. So you see I didn't book with a travel agent last night at the train station. And it proofed right, go by yourself and you find better places...
But from the beginning. Waited forever in that station hall in Bangkok last night and could hardly stay awake. Some interesting chats with Thai people, who approached me friendly talking to me. A tall man with a big backpack sitting there till late at night taking the last train seemed to be interesting. This was my view in the waiting area. I was sitting behind the monks, who were waiting in their reserved area for monks, posted the pic yesterday. People were preparing the station for some kind of special ceremony for the royal family. And at every train station throughout my trip they had a big portrait of the king and a book, where people could write in. I didn't get what it was all about. And the chats with the Thais were more hands and arms chats than words, so I couldn't ask them...
After my disappointing visit to the travel agent it took me quite a while to figure out where to get a phone card for the old mobile I brought, remember my old "old school communication" post? Only having a phone you don't have to rely on agents here, if you don't want to go to every place in person to ask for a room. Went into a market in the station and bought a so called "happy tourist card" from a girl, that only spoke Thai. Had to go back to the shop and discussed with her with hands and arms again that I needed a sim card, silly me forgot that and just bought a card to reload a prepaid sim card :-). She sent me to a 7 Eleven a block away from the station. Took me several minutes to be brave enough to cross the street, but I did it and got my sim card. Almost tried one of those yummy looking street food spots...
People watching me trying to organize my sim card probably thought I was crazy, running back and forth and always telling the "Taxi, Taxi" shouting guys, "no, I still don't need a taxi". Especially the monks, whi were amazingly resting in theirselves probably didn't understand my hectic. Okay I confess, actually I went to 7 Eleven two times, because it said in my guide, they would have sim cards, but at the first time I didn't ask and instead went into the store of the girl, who sent me back to 7 Eleven to get the sim card. Oh boy!. After this intense shopping I finally deserved my first great Thai dinner. On the first floor of the station they have kind of a food court with original and very good Thai food. Ordered a Red curry and a Tom Yam Gung soup. Soups are served with the main dish over here. Forget all that Thai stuff they sell in the western hemisphere. So many spices and herbs, sweet, sour, spicy, alltogether, a taste explosion in your mouth. It was pretty hot and spicy but I handled it quite well and no signs of regret today. I like eating spicy anyways. Those two dishes and a Coke for 300 Baht and the food was really fresh and good. Can you believe this?
Riding Thai trains really is an experience. Not only that they are amazingly on time at every station, they have food and blanket service and are pretty clean. Booked a seat in second class with AC, there is also a third class and of course the sleeping booths. Caught some sleep, but a lot of the time I improved the english of all the french traveller folks around me, because I don't speak french :-). When not sleeping I spent the time looking outside the window to get a glance at the Thai neighborhoods, cities and landscapes flying by in the dark while we drove south. Even the very local stations were very clean and neat, the only thing I recognized where all those cats and dogs homeless and strayning. Arriving in Chumphon I recognized I wasn't the only one who booked the combination ticket with the Lomprayah Catamaran. Travellers from all different countries waited in a long queue when I got there. But everything worked out well. After a short ride with the bus and a quick one and a half hour ride with the Catamaran we finally arrived Ko Tao. These are the views you have in your mind when you think of Thailand and the movie "The Beach".
Okay, spent enough time on the Internet. Have to search for a Taxi boat that takes me to my personal "The Beach". Will post pics and a short report about hard work relaxing at the beach the next days...
Riding Thai trains really is an experience. Not only that they are amazingly on time at every station, they have food and blanket service and are pretty clean. Booked a seat in second class with AC, there is also a third class and of course the sleeping booths. Caught some sleep, but a lot of the time I improved the english of all the french traveller folks around me, because I don't speak french :-). When not sleeping I spent the time looking outside the window to get a glance at the Thai neighborhoods, cities and landscapes flying by in the dark while we drove south. Even the very local stations were very clean and neat, the only thing I recognized where all those cats and dogs homeless and strayning. Arriving in Chumphon I recognized I wasn't the only one who booked the combination ticket with the Lomprayah Catamaran. Travellers from all different countries waited in a long queue when I got there. But everything worked out well. After a short ride with the bus and a quick one and a half hour ride with the Catamaran we finally arrived Ko Tao. These are the views you have in your mind when you think of Thailand and the movie "The Beach".
