A Thai Train journey

8.7.24

We had breakfast at Chaba Chalet, raided 7 Eleven for train snacks and headed to the station.

Our train arrived bang on 10.31am and left at 10.36am.

Nothing to report really, no good people watching and no dramas. We arrived in Surat Thani at 4.20pm. Bang on time.

On the way we had blue sky, black sky, blue again. Then black again.

It was raining hard when we arrived. John couldn’t find a Grab driver but there were plenty of taxis outside. It was only 200 thb, an absolute bargain compared to Hua Hin area.

The rooms in our Baan Nokhook accommodation are tagged on to a cafe. The cafe was manic with school girls and boys and very noisy. It was sad to see so many youngsters vaping. (Says me, who started smoking at 14)

By the time we left to walk to the nightmarket the rain had stopped. We took all our laundry to a service wash place. For 100 thb it was washed, dried and folded.

In the meantime we visited the night market. It’s a food night market and very baffling.

We opted for a stall with lots of currys. I asked for mild, John wanted quite spicy and ended up with a fish curry that made his lips numb and a bone stuck in his throat. Fortunately eating some cucumber dislodged it.

Mine was so delicious that I had seconds. It was virtually the same as a sauce I make at home a red curry base, coconut milk and crushed peanuts. There was an assortment of goodies on the table to help yourself to. I loved it there- John not so much.

There was nothing touristic about this place. The colours everywhere and the presentation were so beautiful.

No sure about these though!

We strolled down to the river.

Tomorrow we have a hire car coming at 9am. This area is massive. It’s a huge town, but 60km away is a beautiful natural place we want to see. We’re so excited.

As it’s a small post today it’s a good time to write about a few things I don’t think I could ever get used to here.

When we went to the first temple complex yesterday we could hear someone crying. We went closer. There was someone sitting on the floor of a large building, John wouldn’t let me go nearer. In the building to the left we could see a few monks chatting and laughing.

The person in the other building was very distressed and shouting in the way some people with learning disabilities do. If John hadn’t been with me I’d have gone and had a massive rant. It was really horrible, haunting actually.

Tonight at the night market people with various disabilities were asking or singing for money. It was the same in Chiang Mai in 2010. Found it awful that nothing’s changed. The saddest was a man with Downs Syndrome sitting on the ground near the entrance which was still very wet.

While we were at the bar chatting to the Australian guy yesterday a young guy appeared with a bull type dog. We recognised her from the cages at  Market Village. He said he just couldn’t leave her there.

He had the same concerns we did especially about not being able to touch and socialise them. She’s not left the guys side and trots along without a lead. She’s definitely struck gold. I hope the others do too.

Enough sadness.

Time to work out where we find the boats in the National Park and get a route planned for tomorrow.