After a final day vist to Ankgor wat I took the notorious bus journey from Siem Reap to Bankok. I was picked up at my guest house at 7.20am and an hour later we were still shuttling round the town picking up passengers and dropping off at various points. Then at 8.20am those going to bangkok were squeezed like sardines onto a clapped out minibus with non existent air conditioning . The road from Siem reap to the Thai border at Poipet is notorious for its bone jarring ride. With a couple of short stops it took six hours toi do the 150-200kms. To keep resonably cool we had to open the windows, which then let in the dust. Frequently bags dropped onto our heads as we hit large ruts in the road. By the time we arrived at Poipet i my hair and face were caked in dust. There is a story in Lonely planet that an airline is paying the cambodian govt. not to improve the road.
From there we crossed through the border controls and were quite soon on a luxury air con bus on the much smoother Thai roads. I was then getting increasing anxious that due to delays i would not be able to get a coach to Krabi, in South Thailand, straight away from Bangkok. If there were no buses that night I'd have to start hunting around for a guest house.
As time went on I was was feeling more uncertain that my plan of getting stright onto an overnight bus, and avoid another night in Bangkok, was going to come together. When we eventually arrived in Bangkok, after some difficuty explaining where i wanted to go, i got into a taxi hoping we would arrive at the Southern Bus station terminal. At first we seemed to heading in the wrong direction and I wasn't at all sure the taxi driver really understood where i wanted to go. However after about 20 minutes we did arrive (7.50pm) at a bus station and I anxiously, feeling very pessimistic approached the ticket office. In one moment my anxiety of what the night ahead had in store was replaced by the elation of a VIP air con bus ticket leaving in an hour, taking me overnight straight to Krabi. This gave me plenty of time the next day to cross to the island and get to my already booked beach side bungalow. I had time for quick meal and a beer before getting on the bus. I then saw my self in the mirror of the bus station toilet . My shirt had turned brown from the first part of the journey. My hair was matted in dust. (see picture of me in the bus station cafe ten minutes later - the shirt is now in the bin) I did my best to wash myself in a very cramped section of the bus station toilets and managed to change my shirt before getting on the bus. The bus was full so it looks like I got the last ticket!
Mainly through wearynes of the previous twelve hours i manged to get a few hours sleep on the overnight trip and we arrived at Krabi bus station (about 9.30 ) only 1.5 hours late. As usual the passengers getting off are bombarded by offers of transport. i made my way to alocal torist infrmation and was advised aminibus would leave in 30 mintues and take me to my resort on the island. The minibus should have taken about 1.5 - 2 hours. But as our driver was also running a postal service we spent one hour going around krabi picking up parcels, we then did the 40km bsu journey incluidng two ferry crossings and then started delvering the parcels. We few passengers seemed to have lowest priority. After a four hours on this minibus and a total 31 hours travelling i arrived at my destination and the resort did not know i had a resevation!
From there we crossed through the border controls and were quite soon on a luxury air con bus on the much smoother Thai roads. I was then getting increasing anxious that due to delays i would not be able to get a coach to Krabi, in South Thailand, straight away from Bangkok. If there were no buses that night I'd have to start hunting around for a guest house.
As time went on I was was feeling more uncertain that my plan of getting stright onto an overnight bus, and avoid another night in Bangkok, was going to come together. When we eventually arrived in Bangkok, after some difficuty explaining where i wanted to go, i got into a taxi hoping we would arrive at the Southern Bus station terminal. At first we seemed to heading in the wrong direction and I wasn't at all sure the taxi driver really understood where i wanted to go. However after about 20 minutes we did arrive (7.50pm) at a bus station and I anxiously, feeling very pessimistic approached the ticket office. In one moment my anxiety of what the night ahead had in store was replaced by the elation of a VIP air con bus ticket leaving in an hour, taking me overnight straight to Krabi. This gave me plenty of time the next day to cross to the island and get to my already booked beach side bungalow. I had time for quick meal and a beer before getting on the bus. I then saw my self in the mirror of the bus station toilet . My shirt had turned brown from the first part of the journey. My hair was matted in dust. (see picture of me in the bus station cafe ten minutes later - the shirt is now in the bin) I did my best to wash myself in a very cramped section of the bus station toilets and managed to change my shirt before getting on the bus. The bus was full so it looks like I got the last ticket!
Mainly through wearynes of the previous twelve hours i manged to get a few hours sleep on the overnight trip and we arrived at Krabi bus station (about 9.30 ) only 1.5 hours late. As usual the passengers getting off are bombarded by offers of transport. i made my way to alocal torist infrmation and was advised aminibus would leave in 30 mintues and take me to my resort on the island. The minibus should have taken about 1.5 - 2 hours. But as our driver was also running a postal service we spent one hour going around krabi picking up parcels, we then did the 40km bsu journey incluidng two ferry crossings and then started delvering the parcels. We few passengers seemed to have lowest priority. After a four hours on this minibus and a total 31 hours travelling i arrived at my destination and the resort did not know i had a resevation!
I assured them i had a reservation and persuaded then to let me use their website so i could show them the booking confirmation email.
From then on all was well and my bungalow was provided just a few yards from the beach and palm trees for shade. The sea is clear and warm. See the photo of sun set over the beach. I've hired a little motor bike to travel around the island and its all very relaxing
. I'll be spending the Chinese new Year here until 20 Feb. How will I cope?
From then on all was well and my bungalow was provided just a few yards from the beach and palm trees for shade. The sea is clear and warm. See the photo of sun set over the beach. I've hired a little motor bike to travel around the island and its all very relaxing
. I'll be spending the Chinese new Year here until 20 Feb. How will I cope? 
1 comment:
Think you really deserve your days on the beach Paul. That's my kind of holiday.
There were laughs at your trip to in the buses, but at the suggestion that someone else blog the comments were "no, it's OK. you obviously enjoy it, Jessie", so her I am again.
Love Jessica.
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