Swiss luxury

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Today was supposed to be a quiet one...a relax after the trek, and it started out as that - we hopped on the train back to Bangkok...as I mentioned...really comfortable seating, not the sleeper train..big mistake!

Anyway, we were putting up with it and when it got to about 6am, we were on the home stretch...but we woke to an official-looking uniformed Thai bloke shouting in Thai..and then the train stopped. Great. Maybe it was just a station and that was his announcement? Maybe not, as most got off and the locals on the train sighed and put their little eye-shades back on. Turns out there was a fault further on in the line and this train wasn't going anywhere...and our flight to Krabi was at 1.45pm...no need to panic yet.

However, as we got off the train, one of the station marshalls explained that the 'connecting' bus trip (which was arriving at 7am) would take the best part of 5 hours. Now we can start to panic, no refunds/changes with the budget airlines!! 7am plus 5 hours? 12pm, IF the bus was running on time...then we had to get to the airport as well! Not looking so comfy any more.

We all scrambled for the first bus at 7am and managed to squeeze on, and as it turned out, it was much more luxurious compared to the train! On the way into Bangkok we met a couple from Switzerland who spoke every language known to man, and heard about our situation from us talking to the guide on the bus.
They were in the same position and had a bus waiting for them at Bangkok International Airport (DonMuang) to take them to the Domestic Airport, and their 'travel manager' got a phone call and we were on!

Turns out this Swiss couple were riding 1st class sleepers and were terribly 'disappointed' by them, so us plebs on the seater train must've been about to top ourselves! They were chatting about their other adventures too, like when they again went first class train through Africa, which was SO much better. Their 'minibus' turned up (a leather-bound, wood-grained, complete with barfridge and moist towellettes for 'refreshment' private bus), and we sat back in air-conned goodness and were escorted to the airport. Nice, but we both suffered a bad case of sunstroke once we got to the airport from the wife's *BLING* in our eyes the whole way!

Made it with 40 mins to spare...go the Swiss!

The budget airlines in Bangkok are pretty easy to spot...a bus takes you to the plane...some of the planes have propellors, none have air-con, and the buses to get you there have no aircon, or seats!
The journey itself was pretty good though, and the pilot spoke English well, which is always reassuring..

We met this German bloke and split a taxi that cost 600 baht (they're running a massive scam at the airports) and followed Manuel's idea of heading into Ao Nang, instead of Krabi, which turned out to be a good idea!

It's a very commercial and touristy place, but the beach and nightlife is ok..if you can find the bars (all tucked away behind the main row of shops).

Enough for today!

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