Sun 5th Oct – Wanted to take it easy today and catch up with friends before heading
off south tomorrow. One of the contacts I had made here was a lady who had
spent four years or so setting up a dance school to teach ballroom, salsa,
swing and anything else in an attempt to see what would work. Mainly set up
because her passion was for dance and there was nothing here to satisfy her
needs, so had to do it herself and set something up. Managed to get together
for a lovely meal and chat in the afternoon. Having relocated to a number of
parts of the asian continent in an attempt to forge a life, the ability to
dance has become the crux of the quality of life. I am missing my dancing too
in a deep and frustrating way, and feel it is one of those passions and
abilities that will just fade away if I don’t get to indulge sometime soon.
Here there doesn’t seem to be anything available and what there is, is a
struggle to maintain. Turns out that getting the thai people involved in any
form of dance is more difficult than can be imagined. The main problems being
the way the thai people think as well as the way they move…or don’t to be more
precise. Firstly, and most importantly, they do not like physical
contact…something essential for most of the forms of dancing that we are
interested in. They seem to go into panic mode when asked to hold or touch each
other! I later learnt from another friend of mine that the problem is that thai
people are possessive. A woman will not let her partner dance with another
woman, fearing that he will run off with her. Similarly, a man will not be
happy with his partner being touched by anyone else. They cannot be relaxed
about this. So, the only people that would be interested in dancing are couples
to dance together and with nobody else, or single people who are afraid to
touch each other….not a good environment to establish a lasting dance school
environment! The other thing is that farangs are almost never accepted into
thai society, no matter how long you live here. You will most probably be
excluded from their social circles. It does depend I guess on your attitude
towards them, and my findings are slightly different to a point. Many girls
will want farangs around, if not for friendship, then to pay the bill! I am
sure that not all are as mercenary about this, but finding those that will
truly integrate isn’t as easy as it seems on the surface.
Something I
am finding out bit by bit, is that the surface appearance of some thai people,
that is the smiles, the wai’ing when you meet and the apparent friendliness…can
soon turn into aggression when things aren’t exactly what they want. There can
be a sudden switch to venom! Many of the principles admonished by
Buddhism…greed, possessiveness, lack of honesty, removal of the ‘ego’, etc are
not upheld by many thai people, although they will claim to be true Buddhists.
This seems to be fly in the face of appearance and the gentleness of their
attitude. Within, many are very self-centered. I will add a weighting factor to
this comment…I suppose that many of the people I have met in Chiang mai are
moulded by their environment. Many are struggling to eke out a living here and
desperate to make money in whatever way they can, and other people are a means
of their survival. Friends steal from friends and can soon fall out of friends
when greed of one form or another comes into the equation.
I had a
lovely afternoon, spent with a very elegant and refined lady.
Afterwards
met up with my friend Kan for the evening and went to the Garden café to listen
to blues music over a drink. Kan has been lovely friend to me whilst I have
been here, and I will be sad to leave her so soon. This is one of those issues
with travel and the friendships you make along the way, when it comes to time
to move on. Hopefully I will be back, so relaxed about it this time. I know
that we all have the intention to stay in touch, but the practicalities of
distance and communications make it more difficult to maintain a friendship
whilst travelling.
Finished off the
night with a final farewell drink at a bar I am a regular at. Learnt about a
forthcoming festival in November where the sky is filled with balloons and
flowers are floated on the river…supposed to be very romantic time of year to
be here…if you are with the right person of course! Despite wanting to go to
bed early tonight….i made it at 2am... So that plan didn’t work. It is almost
impossible to go to bed early here, unless you avoid socializing with people.
Mon 6th Oct – After a nice breakfast at the Leprachaun restaurant I went to check up
my travel plan at the agent. I had received a text from Victoria about a scam
down in Surat Thani, where I am going
to on my way to Ko Samui. They
apparently ask for extra money to cover the last minibus section, and get a bit
stroppy when you refuse, when you know you have paid an all inclusive fare
through to your destination. I was assured by the agent that mine was all
inclusive, so will keep my fingers crossed for no troubles.
The morning
seemed to fly by and it soon came around to leaving time. I have enjoyed the
past few weeks break from travelling. I have been out every night until late
and met some lovely ladies who were nice company and hopefully friends for a
long time. Made many contacts which provided lots of answers regarding a
possible life here. As to the conclusion to whether I could make a life here?
Yes it is certainly possible and there is a fair amount of infrastructure
available, both in the city and also the surrounding area. The main question is
more the social side of things. Most people here are expats and retired. Those
that aren’t, are harder to find, and also don’t frequent the abundant expat
communities or hangouts, wishing to distance themselves from that side of the
city. Life could be cheap here, as long as it isn’t spent in the bars every
night, where money can evaporate before your very eyes, and blow the most
modest of budgets. So, life away from the bustling side of the city and
isolated from the expat folk could be a bit of a social vacuum if not organized
to be full of replacement activities. The dancing looks to be possible but with
many issues in developing the right combination of people in the right place at
the right time. One large hotel is importing a dance floor and will be holding
‘tea’ dances…not ready for that yet as I am at least 20 years too young! There
might be other opportunities though. Having a partner here would be a major
difference though, and there are certainly many available if one gets past the
shallow people and finds someone with more depth to their character. So, It is
sad as usual to be moving on, but
fortunately, I suspect I will be coming back some time, just don't know
when at the moment.
Picked up a
sawngthaew to the train station driven by the infamous Pon. the fastest lady driver in town! That lady is crazy, but
safe….to a point! You are warned to hang on tightly as she whizzes along,
telling you that she has had passengers fall out! The estimated 20 minutes to
get there, went by in 10 minutes! Whoosh....
I was to
board train number 52, destination Bangkok, which as usual left exactly on time
at 14:50. I was hoping to have some company along the way and was pleased when
a very talkative english speaking chinese girl came and sat opposite. Problem
was that she had boarded the wrong carriage and the ticket inspectors soon
moved her out. Now that would have been nice. Instead, I had an octagenarian
thai lady who spoke no English opposite. Oh well, lucky I have things to occupy
my time...
I had
downloaded a 'Let's Speak Thai' course complete with video to my iPod for the
journey....on I go... mai pen rai Khawp Kun Khrap!
It was nice
later when the Chinese girl came back for a chat and coincided with meal
service coming around. She worked for a shipping company in china as a
translator, so spoke excellent english and was fun. A nice offering of rice
with spiced mince and fried egg for 40 baht. Not long afterwards, the train
staff came around to make up the beds. Seemed early at 6:30pm, but it was dark
by that time. I find the top sleeper on these trains slightly better for
comfort than the bottom, although the lower is 100 Baht more. Still don't sleep
even with earplugs in. It isn't the noise so much, but the jump as the train
bounces over every joint in the track. I also had
one of the noisiest ceiling fans buzzing away all night, which was annoying.
Tue 7th Oct – Arrived at Bangkok at 6am. Half an hour after the estimated time. Got
all day to make use of as my next train is at 17:35 down to Surat Thani. Didn't
get much sleep last night and this is when I question the reason for taking
trains all the way south instead of flying.
Hadn't checked on the cost, but recollect that I could have flown from Chiang Mai direct to Phuket. If I had, I would have
gone somewhere other than Ko Samui. Too late now anyway. A quick snack at the
coffee shop on the verandah whilst I decide what to do for the day. It is
amusing to look out on the large area of bodies below in various states of
restlessness and sleep whilst they wait for their trains
or have just arrived like I have. You can
tell the backpackers from above....they are the sea of dreadlocks who have
probably just been staying in the Khao San road area! At least here the
atmosphere is calm. The usual group of helpers greet arrivals to see if you
need any help...I like that.
Dropped my backpack
into the 'Left Luggage' store (70 Baht per item) and headed out. Got a
motorcycle taxi to take me to Wat Saket,
otherwise known as the 'Golden Mount - Phukhao Thong'. It is the highest temple
in the city and has a grand view to all sides accessed by concrete steps that
spiral their way to the top. Well, I say 'Grand
View'... Bangkok during the day isn't the prettiest of sights from here. In
many areas it looks better from street level with the ornate wats. From here a
majority of what you see are the roofs of the shanty houses intermingled with
the beauty of such places as the Grand Palace in the distance. A haze was
handing in the air today, a sign of a bad day for smog.
Back down to
ground level and down a road that was packed from one end to the other with
door makers. A beautiful smell of wood as I passed some very fancy doors
waiting to be finished off. A stop off for a snack and got talking to a
foreigner, who had been sent home from his work at the United Nations building
around the corner due to protests causing trouble, and told not to return until
they cleared. The protests continue about the re-patriation of ex prime
minister Taksin to answer for his alleged crimes of fraud. Had mentioned this
the last time I was here. The saga goes on and will likely continue for a long
time to come. I later caught a glimpse of the news
and a newspaper, showing thr degree of the riots I had been so close to. It
seems to flare up a lot at present and it is a shame for it to get to this
stage.
During
the conversation I learnt that the guy was looking to start salsa lessons as he
wanted the social contact. Amazing coincidence really. Bangkok is more
cosmopolitan and hence full of english speaking thai girls as well as
foreigners wanting to have a social life, many wanting to learn to dance to
enhance their chance of meet foreigners. Will have to check that out more on my
next visit. I had done some earlier research on this and found salsa popular,
but not sure about other dance forms?
Decided to
head east by water taxi for a change. Happened to be next to the 'Phanfah
Leelas bridge' pier, so jumped on a boat for 12 baht towardsPratunam pier. The water in these side
canals / Khlongs... This one being the San
Sap khlong, is disgustingly filthy...you would not want to swallow any of
it. There are tarpaulins shrouding the sides of the boats as they hurtle along,
to stop the water from getting on the passengers.
Off the boat
and south on Ratchadamri road to the
rather oddly located Erewan Shrine.
It site at the junction of the overly busy Ploenchit and Ratchadamri roads and
is there because the Erewan deprtment store had to build it as part of the
planning permission for getting their store. An attractively mosaiced shrine
with hoardes of buddhist pilgrims praying, with the accompaniment of a group of
traditionally dressed dancers and music. A cocophony of sound with the
overpowering sound of the traffic adjacent, and equally overpowering traffic
fumes competing with the intoxicating aromas of the incense sticks burning in
high volumes. It seemed an incongruous combination, but teams of office workers
obviously came here for their daily worship. At the entrance of the shrine
compound, the ubiquitous sellers with cages housing finches or sparrows for the
pilgrims to free their spirits...all part of the extremes of Bangkok!
Further south
on foot to my favourite place to escape in Bangkok, the lovely Lumphini
park. Spent an hour or so taking in the sounds of the water features on the
main lake whilst watching old folk performing tai chi, parents and couples
sailing duck pedaloes around the lake and people exercising. A cycling club
must have done in excess of 50 laps of the park whilst I was there and still going
strong.
Thought
I would go via what is one of the more seedy parts of Bangkok to see what it
looked like in daylight, the infamous Patpong. Dead is what it looked like!
With the shutters down, no lighting and the streetsweepers out in force, it
gave off an altogether different atmosphere than it's night time image. It was
a surprise to still be approached by people trying to entice into live girlie
shows, when the place resembled a derelict shanty town on a movie set! At mid
day the skies opened up and the ensuing downpour was do heavy I had to aim for
cover. Luck had it that I was hungry and so pulled into what looked to be a
really nice restaurant, lovely garden setting, impeccable staff, nicely set-out
tables and personal service...shame that the food was the worse I have had in a
long time and the price was three times what I would have paid up north for the
same dish. The moral here...looks can be deceiving!
Walked
back to the railway station at Hua Lumphong via the long Rama IV road and a
couple of wats with some people watching along the way.
Always
amuses me when someone you don't know, usually a lady, sidles up whilst your
walking and starts a seemingly friendly conversation. Where are you from?..how
long are you in Bangkok?...where are you going?; I'm off to the railway
station...why, she asked?....to catch a train..uh!..Do you have a
ticket...yes...why, she asked?...because I need one to get on the
train....why?...because I do...where are you going?....ko
samui....why?...because I want to...why don't you go shopping, she
asked....because I don't want to...why?...because I don't want to...I have a
nice tailor shop.. I thought you would...why do you have a tailor shop I
asked?....flumoxed look on the ladie's face....why don't you have a pet shop instead....even
more flumoxed look on the ladie's face.... I wish you and your shop a happy
future together...goodbye! Not an uncommon experience!
Back
at the railway station and the residents of Thailand have taken up residence
en-masse, or so it seems...bursting at the seems and bodies strewn everywhere
dossing on the floor. There are some really beautiful women here...better than
watching television or having inane conversations with desparate shop owners!
Train
173 departed 20 minutes little later than scheduled, which was a surprise...tut
tut...upset the accuracy of the train record! Within 20 minutes of setting off
and darkness had decended and unlike the train down to Bangkok, this one was
full. Vendors soon appeared selling deep fried everything and rice cakes,
another lady selling pure sugar in as many disguises as possible to make you
sick, followed by a guy disappointed because I didn't want a beer from him. I
changed my mind 2 seconds later and bought one from his mate...that's why he
was disapointed!
This
train was noisier than last night's. The ceiling fan that attempted to
re-distribute the warm air had a bearing that was knackered, so made the worn
out food-mixer noise all night. Could have ripped it from the ceiling and
shoved its bearings where they couldn't rotate any more! Plus, why do they give
you curtains that don't exclude any light, which stayed on all night...and
flapped around too? I think overnight train travel on thai trains is fab...for
insomniacs!
Wed 8th Oct – Arrived at Surat Thani at 5:40am...yawn!
The scam I had heard about isn't really a scam.
There are choices to get from here to various destinations...Phuket, Kho Samui,
Kho Pha-Ngan operated by different companies. When you book a combined
Train/Bus/boat ticket, you don't know what those choices are until you arrive
here. For Kho Samui there are boats departing every 30 minutes from 7am and
corresponding buses to get you there on time, as follows...
- Bus dep 05:40 for 7am ferry arriving at KS
at 08:15 operated by Ferry Express and cost 450 Baht.
- Bus
dep 06:30 for 8am ferry arriving at KS at 09:30 operated by Donsak Ferry
and cost 450 Baht.
- Bus
dep 07:00 for 8:30am ferry arriving at KS at 11am operated by Songserm and
cost 280 Baht.
- Bus
dep 07:30 for 10am ferry arriving at KS at 12am operated by Donsak Ferry
and cost 280 Baht.
So, in other words...the less you hang around, the more it
costs! My ticket had been booked with Phantip company and they were waiting
with a sign board when my train pulled in. What I didn't know is that almost
every café along the road paralleling the station were agents for Phantip and I
had no idea who to talk to, other than the people who were waiting for me, and
they were actually a restaurant. It doesn't seem to matter anyway as you still
get where you need to go. Not that desperate for time, so relax and see
daylight bring the place to life over a cup of tea.
It is amusing to watch the flurry of activity when each train comes in, and
each operator rushes to canvas for business from decending punters. They run
along the platform trying to grabeaveryone they can. To think that they do this
many times a day, every day, and have probably been doing the same for years,
and their children follow on in their parents footsteps too...what a crazy
life!
When
it came around to time to move, it all falls into place as usual. The Phantip
bus appeared, loaded up its passengers and set off at 7:30, heading for Surat
Thani town and their head office, which was about 10km from the train station.
There, my voucher was replaced by a ferry ticket aboard the 'Seatrans' ferry
departing at 10am, which took another hour to reach. An amazing coincidence
then happened. Whilst boarding the boat I spotted the chinese girl I had been
chatting to on the train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok..Small world isn't it!
The
weather was gorgeous and it was good to see the sea again. Haven't seen the sea
since Hong Kong a couple months ago. At the ferry terminal they hand out free
brochures about Koh Samui, but as usual it would lead to believe that there
isn't any budget accommodation here as only advertisers from the expensive
places are included. The crossing took about 1 1/2 hours and was smooth all the
way. Had decided to team up with the chinese girl Xiaowen, and go to Lamai beach area. Many beaches to choose from
here, and with only a few days here, I wasn't bothered which one. Lamai isn't
as busy as Chaweng. Sawngthaew are waiting along with taxis at the end of the
pier, so not long to wait. 60 Baht to get to the other side of the island, whereas
the taxi cost upto ten times that!
After
checking out a few places in the budget category, ended up at the lovely New
Leaf Resort with swimming pool and next to the beach. As dark fell, went for a
stroll along the beach, which was quiet. One of the restaurants releases pretty
lanterns at around 7pm, which drifted along in the clear night sky..lovely
thing to do.
Thu 9th 9ct - Heavy rain for most of the morning which put a stop to
doing any sightseeing, so had to just sit it out. Got talking to the owner of
the restaurant , who had been married to an english guy for over 20 years, and
very fluent and opinionated as a result. I always find it amusing to talk to
people like that as they have a very down to earth attitude towards everything.
The central area of Lamai is a girlie-bar
area, with pole-dancing girls en-masse, and the inevitable touting for business
as guys walk past, with the usual…hello, how are you, where are you from…every
few metres. To get away from the noise of the main streets, I had an oil
massage, which are also in great abundance and just what I needed.
Fri 10th Oct - Late up again. Torrential rain all morning again. Went to
see the 'Grandfather & Grandmother' rocks in the afternoon, just south of
Lamai beach area. More an excuse to go for a nice walk as hadn't been far due
to the rain. The rocks are actually supposed to resemble certain parts of human
anatomy, but I think they are desparate for tourist attractions and you have to
use your imagination! What was nice was the cool 'Rock' restaurant on the beach
that played some good reggae music. When it got dark the sky took on a weird
look, with the clouds forming concentric bands around the moon and dotted with
numerous stars. As a side note about the tourist attractions here; They are
marked with a 'Tourist Attraction' sign by the access road, and one of the
sights that we haven't had time to see is the 'Mummified Buddha'. A really
funny attraction as the 'buddha' is wearing the usual orange robes plus black
sunglasses! I wonder what other attractions someone will think off in the
future? Will need to think of a few suggestions for them! Kangaroo riding for
the australian expats. Donkey rides along the beach for the british
expats...with a free kiss-me-quick hat!
One
new thing here, that I didn't do in Chiang Mai either, but will do one day, is
'zorbing'....rolling down a hill in a clear plastic ball, either strapped in a
harness, or free to splash around in water as it rolls free down a
hillside..yippee...one of my must-dos one day. Not to be done on a full stomach
or with a hangover!
Sat 11th Oct - Up early as being picked up at 6:45 for the trip to
Phuket, which I booked yesterday (650baht) with Phantip travel. At the ferry
port the passengers are sorted into destination coaches, Bangkok, Malaysian
border at Hat Yai and Krabi/Phuket. The whole process was fairly efficient and
we were on the ferry and had set sail at 8:30, arriving in Phuket old town at
3:30pm with a lunch stop along the way. The scenery along the way was good with
the appearance of the expected karst peak landscape nearer towards Phuket. Very
reminiscent of northern vietnam and parts of southern China. Had got talking to
an isreali couple who were heading the same direction to Patong beach on the
western coast, so shared a taxi across..approx 12km. There are shared
sawngthaew, but they are almost as expensive, and the main buses go from a
different location. Soon got the idea that Patong is a lively place, moreso
than Bangkok and alikened to Pattaya. Found a great place to stay at the
'Yorkshire Inn' on soi Sansabai. Being extended to include a new restaurant, so
part in disarray, but a superb place, including a nice swimming pool and sauna
complex. Definitely recommended, and easy access to the nightlife.
The
nightlife here is full-on, with hundreds of lively bars and restaurants and the
expected overdose of stunning asian girls, plus the 'entertainers' out on the
street promoting the later evening shows. Drag acts from the bars offering
ladyboy shows and numerous venues competing with live music. The waterfront is
hyperactive with some very pricy but high quality restaurants. I had seen an
advert for the famous british chef Keith Floyd's restaurant at the Burasari hotel towards the south end of
the beach, so decided on a treat. The past few days or so have been great to
share with Xiaowen, so it was an extra special treat to go to such a nice place
with her. We will be going separate ways tomorrow, so a nice finale. What was
amusing was that, whilst we were having our meal, a couple at an adjacent table
were complaining about the husband’s meal being tainted by the starter being
too spicy, and so they wanted a discount on the meal price. The menu is fairly
clear on the ingredients of all of the dishes, as would be expected of a top
class restaurant, and so I think it was down to the couple being natural
complainers. You know the sort…the sort who always find something to complain
about as it makes them feel superior. Problem is that the staff have to bear
the brunt of those people’s issues and they were doing such a nice job.
Sun 12th Oct - Timing seems a bit erratic at the moment. Having spent
time getting to Phuket and wanting to spend a couple of days here, I received a
message from Victoria about a dive trip over in Ao Nang near to Krabi for
tomorrow, and as Xiaowen had to go back to Bangkok for her flight home to
Shenzhen, I decided to leave too. Crazy after not even one full day here, but I
have seen what it is like and can arrange to come back another time for a longer
period. The staff and service at the Yorkshire Inn are excellent and discount
vouchers are provided for residents for food and drink. Had a good breakfast
there...not a surprise, as it is run by Paul from Leeds in Yorkshire, so he
knows exactly what food and service expats and travellers want.
Had
to check out at noon, so went for short look at the beach, which is excellent,
although very busy even now in the low season. I imagine it to be hell in the
peak season! Jumped on a shared Sawngthaew which ply the route along the
waterfront and back to the old town for a fixed 25 baht. Had to walk about 1km
from the drop-off point to the main bus station. Old phuket is really quaint in
architecture, although not a place that is a must-see. At the bus station, as
soon as we walked in, the touts flocked towards us asking where we wanted to go
and within seconds directed to the corresponding windows. Buses and minibuses
go regularly to Krabi (hourly and half hourly at times) and chose the minibus
for 126 baht taking 2 1/2 hours. Left about five minutes after I got to the bus
station, so not much time to hang around and a rushed goodbye to Xiaowen.
Another lady that I have had a lovely friendship with over the recent days and
sad to say goodbye to L
The
minibus was driven by an escaped lunatic on the run from something....I am sure
that time-travel was possible in this vehicle! Arrived at Krabi bus station
exactly 4pm and spotted the white sawngthaew for Ao Nang by the entrance, so that was easy. 60 Baht fixed price although
I did try to haggle but it didn't work. Ao Nang is a quieter beach resort about
22km north west of Krabi with one main road following the beach and packed with
accommodation and eating places. The view when you come onto the waterfront is
superb. The waters are accented with many karst peaks and small boats bobbing
around. I was to meet Victoria and her cousin Kim from Australia here for
tomorrow's dive trip. Rooms aren't that cheap here, ended up paying 400 baht at
the Blue Ba you on the waterfront in
a quieter section.
After
dinner at the Blue Ba You went to 'Hippie's' bar a short way along the front. A
good live band and fun dancing, followed by a fire show with some really
talented juggling and fire eating performers. I hadn’t danced in a while and so
this was total burn-out, shedding a couple of pounds in sweat…yuk…but great
fun.
Mon 13th Oct - Booked onto a dive trip today through ‘Dive Addicts’.
2,700 Baht all inclusive of equipment hire and lunch. A superb day’s trip with
awesome corals and fish. The main highlights were seahorses, a few lionfish,
potato groupers, moral eels, a sweet pregnant pipefish and some amazing
sea-cucumbers. One of them was like a sticky mass of intestines twirling around
in a ball about 10cm across, which came alive when prodded. The plate corals
where fairly vibrant as the visibility was good today. There were also many
lobsters and different kinds of shrimps, including the pretty dancing shrimp.
At one point we were swimming in amongst a shoal of thousands of bright yellow
striped fish that engulfed us. Fantastic! I always feel tired after diving so
crashed out for a while in the afternoon. One thing that also happens, to me
anyway, is that my fillings become noticeable for a while afterwards along with
a clicking jaw. Fades away after a short time, so not a problem.
The
evening was fun. Started with a nice meal on the water front. A nice thing that
you see here in southern Thailand is sellers on the beaches with floating
lanterns. For about 100 baht, you buy a long white lantern with a wax burner
inside at the bottom. You set fire to it and when it heats up the air inside
the lantern, it takes off and floats into the sky until it fades away. Kim had
bought one of these plus some to take home for presents and let one off on the
beach. It is a lovely thing to do and many couples do it as part of a romantic
wish exchange.
After
dinner, off to the Rock bar in town,
where the audience can join in with the entertaining. Between us we got up many
times for single and duet songs, with some good audience participation and
dancing. It was funny at one point…we were singing away and the audience
vanished, leaving just me and Kim on stage with Victoria as the sole audience.
Surely the singing wasn’t that bad? It was only temporary and soon filled up
again. As with most tourist areas in Thailand, Ao Nang has its girlie/ladyboy
bar area, and the rock bar is in the middle of it, so surrounded by the
stunning and the questionable…the ones who you really cannot tell externally
whether they are female or male.
Tue 14th Oct – Decision time today on how to enter Malaysia tomorrow. A
few options, starting overland and ending up either at Penang, Lankgawi or Kota
Bharu. After a bit of research decided to head to Penang, an island west of Butterworth,
which is available as a through ticket through tour companies, mainly by
minibus, but with the final section to Penang by ferry. Cost 700 baht fully
inclusive for the 9hour journey.
Wed 15th Oct – Collected from the Blue Ba You at 6:20am by minibus and a
change of country. Malaysia here I come!
That’s it for
now folks….
