Mission accomplished on Ko Tao! I saw my first shark during an intense snorkeling afternoon. Perfect timing before getting back to the mainland. It was pretty good sight under water and I saw his massive body turning in the distance a couple of times. I confess I was to scared to get closer, I mean come on, it was my first shark sighting! So I swam away quickly, but it still was an amazing experience and when I get my second chance I will be braver...
Everything went well with my trip to Hua Hin, the ferry was on time, the transfer to the ferry was a (very) fast pickup ride, I even had time for a banana pancake from the best pancake stand on the island. Actually there were three stands claiming to be the best on the island, so I chose the best. And then it happened between Chumphon and Hua Hin, somewhere on the highway. After having some unregular stops at people's houses the bus drivers knew and some nice food from a food stand at a resting area the bus broke down. The AC went out and we stood there for a while, sweating, and the drivers taking their tools out and trying a repair. And you won't believe it, they made it and we could continue our journey! Faster than ever!
Of course we arrived at Hua Hin far to late. It was getting dark already, about 7 PM and the city night life pulsing. I really was a bit challenged with all the traffic and excitement around me, but it didn't take long and I was ready for diving into it. It helped that the bus threw us out in front of KFC. Hua Hin is a very touristic city with big hotel chains like Hilton or Sofitel and a very nice but touristic beach. I walked down the old city centre with my map, seeing restaurants like "Old Germany" and "London Bar" and lots of Thais offering me massages and things to buy. Down at the port, where my small but nice hotel is located, I was searching hard as suddenly someone asked me "Are you Eike? We were waiting for you!" And so I was picked from the street right into my hotel with a great seaview and a quiet AC room. Did my first laundry on this trip that night, it is so convenient, getting it back ironed after 24 hours. And I watched TV for the first time in 8 days!!! and bumped right into "The Real Housewives of NYC", thanks to all the American TV channels they get here...Think I had the best nights sleep for a long time after having some great experiences and food on the pulsing night market. Its hard to put in words and pictures, you just have to have felt it yourself...
I knew there is nothing really to see in Hua Hin, so I drove up to Phetchaburi today. I didn't find the local bus stop, although searching hard for it last night and early this morning, so ended up taking a taxi after some hard bargaining. I already had gone away when the girl drove after me with her motorbike taking me back with it to the taxi of her dad and made me a good price :-). The trip was worth it! Phetchaburi is a real Thai experience. I only met about a hand full of westerners throughout the day and experienced that as more local you get as friendlier the people are. There are smiles for you always, but today was just amazing. I "talked" to so many people, although we couldn't communicate in English. The best thing was eating whatever soup at this small food stand in the old city. Three "chefs" just picked the ingredients with me by pointing at things and I had the most amazing noodle soup ever. And I drove my first TukTuk and had a Thai hands and feet chat with the driver.
Walked up the hill to the Phra Nakhon Khiri Palace, built by Rama IV. including a very nice Wat. Getting there you had to take a 20 minutes walk through a forest: MONKEY ALLEY, Muahahaha. There were dozens of wild monkeys living there, strolling around and sitting there watching your steps from the side or the trees. The Coke and Sprite bottles they were carrying and drinking out of showed me that some people had been there before me, but when I went up there I was kind of alone because it was early in the morning. Okay, now somewhere I read that we are evolutionary related to monkeys and so I tied my backpack closer to my back, put on my very serious look and walked slowly but with severe steps up there and didn't look around or back so they knew, don't mess with King Kong! And it worked, they just looked at me and opened up a path for me. What an experience! And the view up there and getting inside those spiritual and historical places was definitely worth the excitement. Because I was pretty concentrated on walking and my facial expression :-) the pics of the monkeys aren't very good and of course I couldn't get out my camera when they were all sitting in front of me...
Phetchaburi is full of Wats, the most beautiful I found was Wat Mahathat Worawihan right in the middle of the city, where I could experience the spirituality of the Thais and met some very nice monks. It is really nice because at certain day times you can here the monks singing or better humming around the Wats.
Didn't find any bus stop for my trip back, so started hoping for the next train on my way to the train station when suddenly the orange local bus turned around the corner and I waved like a crazy European and it stopped for me!!! Awesome, I found the local bus and what I couldn't know, there aren't any bus stops on its way. Haha!
I have to confess I fell for one of the many western restaurants tonight, went to Pizza Company and had a small pan pizza. It was sooo delicious!!! I think its okay before heading north for the Kwai River tomorrow...
