At Last Thailand

Heading off to my third trip, although I snuck in a trip before this one earlier this year (2014)

longawaited — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 14:41:00 GMT

I'm going back to Thailand, for the third time! I had a holiday in Feb to March 2014 that started in Melbourne, then I flew to Cairns, stayed about 2 months, then flew to Darwin for a few days, then flew to Singapore, took the train to Kuala Lumpur, was in the city when the MH370 went missing, travelled by bus to Melaka - very cheaply. It cost RM 12, and took 2 hours by coach from Bandar Tasik Seletan, KL. It is easy to get to BTS, by train from KL Sentral or any other of the train services. Maps are clearly displayed - as long as you get over the differences in the types of transport available from KL Sentral, then you'll be fine!

I also travelled to the wonderful Batu Caves, easily accessible by train as well, it is actually just outside the train station of the same name! Not expensive, and wonderful Hindu statues and temples await amongst the breath taking caves!! Plenty of healthful veg food, I'm a vegan so I look for that particular kind of food!

Melaka was one of my favourite towns, I found it peaceful by the river, staying in a cheap single room, an easy walk to the river, and the bridges over it in a quieter part of town than the more touristy areas that I only encountered after I took a river cruise, as the disembarkment point was far from my accommodation. Which we passed after a fair amount of time on the boat tour. I also discovered the history of Melaka, and climbed aboard a replica Portuguese vessel, that serves as the Melaka museum. A local school excursion was in the process after I paid my entry fee, and climbed the stairs to board the ship as I discovered old coins, and a lot of information about ship types, the story of the safe port clear of typhoons that encouraged many traders from all over the world to drop anchor for a spell.

I was quite enchanted by Melaka, finding it preferable to the loudness and dirtyness of Petaling Street in KL city! I did try staying there for a cheap $3 AUD a night single room price, but it was too loud for my liking, and the hotel was shabby and worked up on the website to be a hippy retreat. I'll say no more!

Also in lovely Melaka, was the day trip worthy Melaka Zoo! Fantastic enclosures, lovely staff, interactivity with the environment. Food and drink about the zoo, take plenty of water and solid walking shoes for the long walk around. Although they did have a little passenger train for all people to take in the zoo. I saw a bird show as well, and was involved in the bird show as an audience member! Many amazing animals there.

I also have been to Ipoh by train, a nice Gold Class train, only a few hours north of KL Sentral, and took a cab to Lostworld - a fun park, with a lot of pleasant water based rides and attractions! Before I passed through the entry point, I bought a new swimming costume after trying it on. After I entered the park, I found the very good locker service, you pay a small amount to the attendant and then can re-access your locker as many times as you want before closing time! I was lucky in the wave pool to find 100RM in two separate 50 RM notes!

The majestic rounded and sudden mountains similar to Krabi area around Ipoh were a welcome sight as the backdrop to the water park. If you're sick of the heat when travelling north or south, then I recommend going to Ipoh to enjoy a day of play in the water. The sky was a brilliant blue and the day was humid! I had more than 12 hours until my connecting northbound train to Hat Yai, Thailand.

Once the sun began to disappear, people started to leave the park, and I wandered out to enjoy an iced fruit drink a the nearby hotel cafe, and then waited in the hotel lobby for a cab back to Ipoh train station.

I regretted having such a heavy backpack, but I was able to leave it safely at Ipoh station after asking the staff there to mind it for me whilst I enjoyed my day trip!

The train then took me to Hat Yai, eventually, after the long and hot wait at the customs/ border train station. They only sold alcohol for drinks, and I did not have any drinks left, so we all sat hot and panting as we waited for the same train we had travelled on to become a smaller train with less carriages. Finally the train arrived, and we were grateful to be back inside the air con!

We got to Hat Yai quite soon after the border station, and the first thing that I looked for was the drinks for sale on the platform! Hat Yai was just a stopover town for me, except for a fairly high priced tuk tuk to the hotel 250 baht I think it was, which is high for Thailand!

I travelled on from Hat Yai after a quiet hotel sleep, eventually. The train to Hua Lumphong was due, and several hours after it was due it finally arrived! I got chatting to a guy who was used to Thai travel on the platform as we waited and on the train, until finally arriving the next day after sleeping in the upper berth at Hua Lumphong, Bangkok.

I had had a special mission in Bangkok to fulfil, for a retired Bangkok local man that I had met in my first journey in Thailand, near Wat Pho. He asked me to bring tourist toys from Australia, all I could manage were some cheap soft small koala souvenirs! But he was thankful at our meeting point which I was late to owing to the lateness of the train from the south, so it was only a brief meeting where I was out of sorts, and could only manage polite greetings and giving him the toys and he paid me some baht for my troubles.

I hauled off the next day on the train from Hua Lumphong to Chiang Mai. I stayed there about ten days, discovered the cheap bicycle hire and pedalled, often lost, around the city square, taking pics of attractions such as major Wats and other lovely places. I enjoyed a fish foot bath, a student Thai massage within a wat massage school, a professional Shirodhara massage with singing bowls which would have been dreamy had it not been for the scatty ladies at my accommodation; bothering me about coconut oil on the sheets that they couldn't wash out. One was actually yelling in my ear and saying she would call the police. I said 'go ahead, it's only sheets!'

That was on the last night though, so I left the keys and went elsewhere, discovering a much nicer place after hauling my full and heavy backpack along the balmy night streets. I actually walked to find a place, instead of using the net, as I did not have it on my phone, was previously using wifi from the backpacker that I left, due to being harassed unfairly on my holiday when I was just trying to relax.

Anyway, I flew from Chiang Mai to KL, stayed the absolute last night in Port Dickson, then got a cab in the morning to KL airport. There were staff members at KLIA wearing white tshirts about MH370, it was still missing when I had to leave. That was fairly terrifying, and unsettled me until I knew we were flying over Australia, crying tears of relief that we were coming home. But the flight was so turbulent, moving with regularity as though on small waves, and I threw up multiple times so they wheeled me out once we reached Melbourne Airport.

But here I am, getting ready to go again to KL, Malaysia for the convenience of the flight and also the price, and then to go on by airport shuttle, train overnight from KL Sentral to Hat Yai, one night in Hat Yai and then a morning bus to Phuket to my prebooked hotel near the beach. I'm going for more dental work, and possibly to go to Atmanjai for a 5 day detox, after dental surgery. But mostly to rest on the waves and sand and in the warmth, as I have just been through a month long illness of antibiotic caused c.Diff Colitis, and three hospitalisations. I am weak and really needing this time away to be low agenda and unwinding, rebuilding my health and my atrophied muscles.

Peace to all, I have also been made the Australian Ambassador and Coordinator of We All Are One Ministry - an orphan charity based in Mwanza, Tanzania. I hope to travel there soon as well as possible and have been invited to visit for 2 weeks when I can make it!

Experiencing Thailand

longawaited — Sun, 6 Oct 2013 20:09:00 GMT

Have been in Thailand, unbelievably(!) since the night of 24/09/13.

I stayed near Saphin Taksin for the first ten days. Went to a floating market in Damnoensaduak on a tour. I had nearly run out of money by that stage, so all I shared with the Indian couple on the manually paddled boat was a fresh coconut for 20 baht. The flesh was quite easy to digest after my wisdom teeth were taken out on Friday 27th September 2013. My jaw was a little swollen, and at first I just ate soft foods, asparagus soup was the first food I ate post op on the same day.

I am now at Koh Tao, stitches were taken out Friday 4th October 2013. The same night I travelled by overnight train to Chumphon from Hua Lumphon. the train was delayed, which is apparently expected, as the real time of arrival is different to the time on the ticket. I got out of the train at about 3am when we stopped at a small station, with all my bags, asked the boy at the station office, then he spoke in Thai, I said "Falang", then he got an older guy to talk to me, who told me Chumphon was "next station".

So I raced back over the tracks, just making it over when another train was arriving at the station! Launched myself desperately up the steps of the train, after having little sleep in the upper sleeping bunk, as I decided it was best to remain awake to ensure I got off at the right station. I needn't have worried as the train was delayed by about 1.5 hours, and once we reached Chumphon Station, the train stayed at the platform for some time before heading off. It might have been easier for me if my bags were more solid, as my red on flight roller bag extension handle snapped on the extension bars. Other than that, the bag is fine, so I will give that to the second hand shop in Koh Tao.

There are some recent snaps in my photo gallery. I will send more at some point in the future as I have stored them on my laptop using Picasa and deleted the photos and vids on my iPhone.

A week to go til takeoff

longawaited — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 01:28:00 GMT

I have my Travellers Cheques.

I have my bank issued Travel Card, with 0.1% lower rate than typical exchange rates from AUD to THB. So a minimal amount on that for purchases when needed.

I have exchanged $20 AUD for $14 USD at a Melbourne exchange booth in the city, dow Swanston Street from Flinders Street Station.

I still need my Tourist Visa, will have to apply tomorrow. It takes 1-2 business days to process. Then I will have 60 days possible touring time if something happens, such as a tsunami and I have to extend my time beyond my return flight.

I am determined to have a different birthday in Thailand, and have decided to go by train to Phuket from Bangkok, which is pretty cheap, about $25 AUD approx converted from THB for an overnight journey in a sleeper train and then about 4 hours or so by bus to Phuket. I'll have most of my trip in nice surroundings. I have found a nice place to stay that has good reviews, a nice interior and under $30AUD a night in Phuket. I will be going on an elephant ride at least once, I already know that it is addictive!! I love animals and I know how it will be..great fun, exhilarating..a welcome break from the big city and the pain of the dental surgery I will have done in the first week.

I have it!

longawaited — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 14:51:00 GMT

I picked up my passport yesterday!

My first ever passport!

It will last for a decade, and I have 37 pages to be stamped in that time. If I run out, I can just get another one.

So I am still not sure about getting a Thai Visa. The requirement is beyond 30 days for obtaining a Thai Visa from Australia.

I will be there 31 including the flight. Can anyone tell me about the entry and exit requirements?

Passport

longawaited — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 18:44:00 GMT

My first Australian Passport has been granted, I hope! I applied for the Priority Passport on Monday 09.09.2013 and it was said that if I do not receive a phone call it will mean there will be a passport delivered to me early next week.

Am looking at Thai silk as a possibility to buy for a material to send back to myself by post. I like real, natural fabrics.

I won't be taking a suitcase, just a little cabin bag and my umbrella. I'll buy clothes when I am there.

But not many. I should not need much, and I will wear my lightweight windcheater jacket and some jeans, should be alright for night arrival and travel to my backpacker accommodation.

I am getting butterflies!

May be seeing a safari tour, the zoo, the snakes in Bangkok and some other wildlife experiences.

13 days to go til I take off for my 9 hour 45 minute flight!

Appointment

longawaited — Mon, 2 Sep 2013 19:51:00 GMT

Yes! I finally have an appointment with the dentist to have surgery in Thailand on my impacted wisdom tooth and a few other teeth.

See more details here

That's all from me today, as I have to study!

Looking at Thai Attractions

longawaited — Sun, 1 Sep 2013 20:57:00 GMT

I will have to go to the Floating market in Damnoen Saduak! I think it is the largest from my little bit of net research today. Have always wanted to go there, since I watched it from afar on TV on documentaries since childhood.

There are packages ranging from about 1000THB to 2000THB approx to have a whole day excursion of several places - the equivalent price of about $50AUD leaves me wondering if it is better to try to make my own way, as I want to buy food there and have more than the allotted two hours to enjoy the place! And not just sit gaping and take photos!! Even though it is a beautiful place.

The impact of the rain on the river and surrounding water systems is a slight concern for me. If there is flooding, or bad weather. I feel safer going to the city, to Bangkok, than to Phuket as it is

Inland - sheltered a bit from the main coastal waters, and the sand that can come up in a storm surge - as it did in Cairns when I lived right near Trinity Beach in 2011-2012.
Likely to withstand the battering forces of thunderstorms and stronger storms
Closer to a lot of hospitals if something does go wrong and there are injuries to deal with (covered by insurance fully - or so I hope, as some storm cover is not included in some insurance, although that was the insurance I have taken out for business and personal goods at home previously)

I have been trying to find the first backpacker that I am staying in. The address shows on the map, but when I zoom to street view it becomes a Roman road, to utilise the comparative to Venice, if I may by extending upon that inclusively. Utterly confusing. I preferred zooming about in a random outer suburb, moving along to learn how to use the street view tools. Amazing how they have captured a lot of real footage of massive areas..although it is a mystery for my second acccommodation, what that will look like until I get there, but never mind. It should be enjoyable to discover once I have been in Thailand and cruised over the Chao Phraya River in search of beautiful Temples and things such as the Wat Pho reclining Buddha. I know it is seen by many, but it is a wondrous thing to behold surely!

The ferries that traverse the Chao Phraya are very cheap, from 15THB! A lot cheaper than a ferry ticket across the water from Davenport in Tasmania - $2AUD. Yes, beginning to warm to these Thai prices and easing my mind a bit indeed!

I'm going to apply for a $45 Visa at the Melbourne Thailand Consulate at the end of this week. Once I have my travel documents, that Jetstar are still processing for me as I paid on the weekend by bank deposit. The internet banking wasn't working at all when I tried to access it but luckily the return ticket has been held until 8/09/13. It should be a matter of three working days (M-F) before I receive an automatic email with my flight details attached.

Looking forward to this, only 22 sleeps to go!!

Preparing at Home

longawaited — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 18:11:00 GMT

The heat is the essential thing to desire, isn't it, when in Thailand? Must be something like Cairns in the weather. That's ok, I have lived there before for over a year in beautiful tempestuous Cairns - have lived through the fear of being killed by Cyclone Yasi, escaped from it with the blessing of my life.

Am here in Melbourne, listening to the sound of a native Australian bird, as it calls in the encroaching darkness. Have finalised my flight payment earlier today. It is set in stone at a good rate. Just under $500 for a return to Bangkok from Melbourne. Beautiful! That's a big part of the reason that I had to go quickly, that it had to be snapped up! A singular fare from Melbourne to Bangkok can cost nearly as much if not more..why worry about what you have to pay or how much you have to pay for a seat when you can just go on a form of transport that is fast - probably have not ruined the earth's delicacy for such a long time since the last few times that I drove a car in 2003.

I have no drivers licence. It does not concern me to drive or to have some kind of status of a car. I still live and gain approval to have an iphone4 on Optus. Now it is the fiddly bits time! Working out all the intricacies as I wait for Monday or Tuesday when my bank clears the money from my parents to go and get my passport photos taken! And to get my Priority Passport!

I have three weeks to get my first passport! Always up for a challenge. It will be done!

I have booked a cheap backpacker in Bangkok, for ten days I will pay about $60 AUD or 1600THB to stay in the heart of Bangkok. I am looking forward to exploring the temples and riding the elephants!

I will be covered for my travels with World Nomads! I am paying for that at the end of this coming week.

I will continue to receive my Austudy allowance, have just informed Centrelink, as I will keep studying online and get some lovely materials from Thailand to gain for use with my textiles unit works!!! Exciting! I am not taking anything other than my MacBook and keys and iPhone4 and wallet and passport in the cabin bag.

I will buy a towel, and any extra clothing and other stuff when I get there, should be easy enough with the markets staying open late, what with my arrival time of 8:45pm. I'll set off about 2pm from Melbourne. I have pre-booked my vegetarian meal for the flight, it cost $28 for each flight meal, included with the total cost of the ticket for the flight with JetStar! Really good, you can choose pretty much everything and cut costs.

Have what you want! Enjoy! The world awaits! But does not!!

Photos: Samantha Aungle

longawaited — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 18:07:00 GMT