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Published: December 31st 2006
Yep, that's me! I discovered when I went to Myanmar to extend my visa that the 90 day visa my travel agent assured me I had was actually only a 60 day visa. So I've been in Thailand for the last 24 days without a visa. This meant that I was landed with a 12,000Baht fine - 500 per day - that I had to pay on the spot before they would give me my passport back. Very annoyed as I specifically checked with them before it got to the 60 day point to see if I needed to do a visa run.
Anyhow.....I've spent the past couple of days travelling north. I spent so much time in Bangkok that I felt I had to try and see at least 1 other country. So I went to Laos and it was beautiful, very friendly people. Beacause of time I only got to see a small part along the Mekong river. Then travelled back down to Bangkok, stopping at a few places on the way.
Then I've travelled to just south of Pattaya to the elephant camp. I got here yeasterday, as they'd asked, as they said tat I would spend Saturday
afternoon and Sunday being taught about the elephant camp and how to work with the elephants. It didn't work out like that though. Firstly the driver from Bangkok took me straight to the camp but no-one there seemed to know anything about me arriving, or spoke English. The "conversation" that we did manage progressed from them thinking that I wanted a job at the camp to them thinking I was asking about finding an apartment in Patayya. Luckily the driver managed to find out where the apartment I was supposed to be staying at was, and took me there. Here my name was written on a white board - a good sign! I didn't end up meeting anyone from the camp so I spent the afternoon unpacking and found a shop to buy a few things to eat. I'm supposed to get 3 meals a day provided but Lam, who seems to be the office assisstant here, told me that's only Monday-Friday. He doesn't speak much English but is very sweet, he offered to take me to the shop on his motorbike. So I prepared myself for a lonely evening in my room when there was a knock outside, Lam
asking me if I wanted to go to the local market. Downstairs I met another couple of girls (Heather-Australian, Katrina-Swedish) who have another few days here, so at least I have someone to talk to. I also met Ao, who apparently hangs around here and helps out as well. So off we all trundled to the market and had a look around, and to tesco for them to buy food. They seem like really nice people here and the room is ok. Not quite an apartment, just a room with a bed, desk and wardrobe, and a toilet...with a shower over the top of it. Should save time on a morning!
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