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Published: March 15th 2010
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Cha am was not in the original plan as it turns out we can't get accom in Hua Hin so again we choose a mystery hotel on Wotif and end up staying at a five star hotel in Cha am Grand Pacific Sovereign Hotel ...not much here but the hotel is stunning and the pool area is amazing...our rooms get upgraded to rooms that walk out to the pool. We went for a swim and head up the road and eat at the quirky little restaurant walk out of the hotel turn left and walk down the beach road its in the first lot of shops on the left it has picnic tables inside and a tv above the table tonight there is some celebration on the t.v that's all focused on the king of Thailand...Mind you everywhere, everything is about the king of thailand there is billboards and pictures surrounded by light all over thailand. Anyway the food was just amazing hot and fresh and we really enjoyed our meals and was one of the more economical as well!
The next morning we wake early as a group to discuss the plan for the day Khoa Sok as its not
organised and we go there today...T is sick today she has been unwell for a few days but really wasn't well being physically sick this morning I got out my first aid kit and gave her a tablet that helped to make the unbearable day more bearable. Last night I rang the tree houses and made a booking as I couldn't get through to 'Our Jungle Houses' however on first try this morning I get hold of Thom and we organise her driver to collect us from the train station and delivery us to her so Myke rings the tree houses and cancels our booking there as they can't offer a pick up....we jump in a car and head to the train station but the driver has other ideas and stops the car and buggers around on the phone he comes to the door and looks like something major has happen (I think there's been and accident) no he just doesn't know how to communicate he wants to drive us 6hours to Surat Thani we politely say no...that doesn't work and he gets back on the phone...we try to tell him to hurry but no that's not going to work
so I squeeze my way over all the packs on the front seat of the van out the door and politely but forcefully tell the man to get in the van and drive us now as we need to get there now and that we are going to miss the train because he is pissing around and we will ring the hotel and let them know what he has done....finally we get on the road again with me angry and waving my arms around and pointing to explain what I am saying more!
we get to the train station and he apologises by this stage we just want him gone until we all get across the road and find out there is no tickets and we have to get to the bus station in 15 mins before the bus leaves....he's nowhere to be seen so we get a Songtheaw and get to the bus station and grab some tickets on a vip bus yee ha...I ring Thom and change plans to pick us up at bus station instead...so the seven hour bus trip began 30 mins late but we were on our way so far its all smooth....until the guy
beside Mike tried to organise a driver at the other end for us we tried to explain in english with a little thai thrown in but he didn't seem to get we don't want his help we have a driver picking us up! So all and all the seven hour bus felt easier than the 4 hour bus that we did the before to get to Cha am...so we got to Sarat Thani reasonably unscathed until the bus stopped about a k from town and a tuk tuk was there to take us to the bus station this is a tuk tuk for three people and we are five plus luggage...again a few forceful words by me and refusing to get off the bus resulted in us getting directly to the bus station as we required just down the road around the corner! On exiting the bus I slipped on the steps and slid down four steps and landed on the bottom step on my arse and while I am sitting there I was surrounded by people trying to offer me a rides to different places....trying to get them out of my face and wanting to assess my injuries Mike
slips straight after me but appears to get his footing back...we all got frustrated as they just wouldn't get out of our faces but it didn't faze them they just carry on in your face! In a matter of mins (felt like 10 was only 1) our driver found us he had the formal clip board with Michelle Jubb-Teni on it....well close enough I guess so off we went in the van with the driver stopping on the way briefly to get supplies and he said hello to his beautiful baby girl(strangely Mike managed to get a cuddle...he basically just took her out of his hands hehe) then on the road again we watched the sun go down behind this magnificent landscape seriously we were wondering what the next day would hold its such a beautiful part of the country...we arrived at the Jungle houses and it was dark we traipsed our way to our room through mud in the jungle up the narrowist steps to our tree house...this place rocks!! We went back and had dinner as we hadn't had a real meal all day...the food here is pricy by thai standards but ohhh so good!!
We have a
pretty good sleep the beds are really thin and very hard but all in all its about the experience,T got up and has a shower I wasn't game with the cold water only and thought I would wait and have a swim in the river instead or shower later... T, Waz and Myke go off to do a elephant trek and Mike and I stay and do some research and get some trains booked for India YAY. In the arvo...food....swim in the beautiful warm river....rest...dinner...this place is crazy cool and we met a family staying in a five star resort in Phuket that love this place just as much...its the total opposite and no comparison to anything I have done before the noise in the jungle during the day is so loud with cicada's and other insects you can't even hear birds and at night the frogs, gecko's and crickets are noisy but nothing but nature...I get a few night shots of the hillside using a long exposure over the river and I am pretty happy with them. Breakfast settle the bills and off we head to Phuket on the bus...while we wait for the bus we are surrounded by
amazing cliffs such an stunning inspiring sight!
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