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Published: January 23rd 2009
The Train
In the morning when the train had broken down. Hello From Thailand!
From Clark (Phillipines) we flew to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), a four hour flight, with nothing to eat or drink except two donouts each =), which we managed to buy at the airport for our last phillipino money. Our plan was to catch the night train from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai in Thailand the same evening (14 hours), but we had been unable to buy a train ticket, so we didn't fancy our chances.
We arrived at the train station later then we had expected because apparently there are two airports in KL (we didn't know), one for expensive flights and one for cheap flights (like with Ryanair). We landed on the cheap flight airport which was not connected with the airport express train, so we had to take the bus to the main airport then the train into KL.
Upon arrival at KL train station we headed straight for the KTM ticket office, and we were in luck, they had two second class sleeper tickets left (10 pounds each), the beds were as far a part from each other as you can get in a train carriage, but we grabbed them with both hands,
Longtail boat
on Maya Beach we were just happy to have got a ticket.
Before bording the train we stocked up on fruit, snacks and water, in case there was no food on the train, but we later found out that the train had a restaurant which served both rice and noodles dishes + drinks, for a very cheap price. The sleeper carriage was full of people from all different nationalities and in all different ages, the athmosphere was great and really friendly.
Most people went to bed early (since no seats) and so did we after our long journey. The bed was really comfortable and all sleepers had a little window so you could lay in your bed and watch the world go by, or as steve did, watch 4 straight episodes of The Sopranos on the iPod). We soon fell a sleep with help from the rocking of the train.
In the morning the train broke down for a couple of hours and later on we also had to get off the train to pass the border to Thailand and get our passport stamps, that took an hour or so, but it was all good fun. When we arrived in
Hat Yai (Thailand), we had our first taste of the lovely Thai food and then we took a bus to Krabi. From krabi we took a tuk tuk to Ao nang, our final destination.
We had pre-booked one night in a guesthouse called Baan taversi, the guesthouse turned out to be absolutly perfect, both in relation to our budget, but also the room was lovely and the owners great. Baan taversi is located in Leela valley 20 min walk from the beach and it has an amazing local restaurant next door (which we have tried about 10 times), all dishes are 1 pound and super nice. We have stayed at Baan taversi for two weeks now, and really recommend it to anyone visiting ao nang.
The reason why we choose to go to Ao Nang in the first place was because Kajsa and Mike and Mike's mum and husband was going to be there on Holiday, and we had decided to meet up. The six of us have had a really good time in Ao nang, most days we have taken a boat to one of the islands outside Ao nang; Railey, phra nang, Koh phi phi, chicken
island, poda island etc.
Our favourite in the end was Chicken Island, but not the main island, the little one next to it, Tup Island. It had excellent snorkeling (which we all enjoyed, the variety of fish and coral was better than we have seen on some of the dives) and the beach was white as snow. The only problem was the jellyfishes.
The beaches on all islands have been wonderful, no restaurants or shops, just boats serving noodles, bbq sweetcorn, grilled chicken, fruit shakes and a lot more, everything tasted good and no trouble with the stomach!
The scenery and wildlife here is breathtaking, huge limestone cliffs all around and clear blue sea. As for the wildlife, we've seen snakes (thankfully 2 of the 3 have been dead!), elephants, eagles and commonly monkeys on most of the beaches, hanging around to take bananas and other snacks right out of our hands!
In the evenings we have been trying different restaurants and bars, done some shopping (not me and steve) and one night we went to the night market in Krabi. Family number one, as they are known when the bill comes (Kajsa, Mike, Gunnel, Robert)
also visited a buddist temple, me and steve didn't go since we are going to see many temples when we go up north.
Our favourite Thai restaurant was the one next to our guesthouse, everyone loved it but you seemed to get really drunk every time you went there. We think it was because the food was so spicy that you had to drink a lot of beer to cool down. If you go there, don't take the crab salad, it's soooooooo spicy! Each time we ordered a spicy prawns in peanut sauce or seafood fried rice we got the dish with chicken instead, but it was so nice anyway nobody complained, we think it was a translation problem haha...but the fried prawns in breadcrumbs did arrive, every night x6..they were the best!
On the last night of family one's holiday we had planned to celebrate my birthday, I got to choose the restaturant. I choose a Swedish restaurant, where you could get a typical swedish set three course meal. Starter was toast skagen (prawns/caviar/dill/mayo), main course was meat balls with lingonberry sauce and desert was apple pie with vanilla custard, it was delisious. I got a really
nice necklace and everyone sang happy birthday in both Swedish and English.
Afterwards Gunnel and Robert had brought some fire lantens to release, so we all headed for the beach. When the first lantern flew a way, steve took me to one side and went down on one knee and asked me to marry him, I said yes of course (after asking him if he was crazy), it was all soooo romantic. So, now we are engaged and we are both very happy. We celebrated with frozen strawberry daquiries mmmmm!
Today is the 22nd of january and my 27th birthday and as my birthday present I had asked Steve if we could go horse riding on the beach, and so we did. I thought it was great fun (but Steve didn't haha). Then we went to a fish farm, to sea all the different fishes that live in the sea around this area, there was a 100 kg giant Groupa fish..wouldn't want to bump into that one out snorkling! When we got home Steve came out with a cake and champagne and the owners at baan taversi had put flowers in our room and given me some presents
(so nice of them).
So, all in all, Ao nang and what we've seen so far of Thailand has been great. Its completely different to the Philippines in that its much more developed and more like what we're used to from a holiday destination, it reminds us of Greece or Turkey in that respect with good roads, shops, large hotels etc etc. Its very (and I mean very) heavily catered for Scandinavian tourists, with the odd backpacker thrown in. Sometimes it feels like being in Sweden but with better food, better beaches and more Swede's haha!
It has been really fun spending time with my sister and Mike and Gunnel and Robert. We miss them already. Its the perfect place here to island hop through the days on a cheap longtail boat and has loads of tourist ammenities so we were never bored! Tomorrow we leave for Phuket, the largest island in Thailand and one of the main tourist destinations, and then we are going to work our way up to the north.
Hope you're all good at home and we'll try to post sooner next time!
Newly engaged Maja and Steve x
P.S more
photo's to follow (..as if there aren't enough up already 😊
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Anna
non-member comment
Awwww you look like you're having a great time it looks fantastic in Thailand! Very jealous! Congratulations on the engagement! Stephen you sly dog! lol. Nearly had heart attack the other night when I got in and Dad said 'your brothers engaged' haha. We'll have to have a HUGE party when you get back :) we havent had one for ages I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! lol. I need photographic evidence of this ring too! I cant believe he picked one out and proposed properly Maj, you need to fill me in on the situation! lol. Hope the rest of your time in Thailand is just as nice :) Missing you both lots. I hope the next blog isnt of you 2 getting married! The Gavins need to attend that lol x x x