Christmas Thai Style

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December 23, 08 the 17 hour adventure to Krabi began.
We booked a second class fan cooled sleeper train in which I ended up by myself because I opted to be even cheaper and sleep on the top bunk. The train ride was a typical eye opener for a spoiled girl who lives in OZ. Huts lined the tracks and people did everything imaginable on them. The horror that people eat and sleep here is magnified when your realize the toilet is nothing but a hole in the bottom of the train and your waste is in fact falling into someones living room.

I decided to pack it in and go to sleep early due to the fact that a 45 year old Thai man had befriended me and as it was the first day of my trip I was airing on the side of caution. Despite the fact that the air was putrid, the train was loud, and at each stop people got on to sell you things, I had a wonderful 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

We arrived in Surat Thani at 5am and were swarmed by people attempting to sell us bus tickets. We had no idea if the bus was going where we wanted it too but we loaded on and were transported to the “bus station” where we waited with heaps of other travellers to load on to yet another bus.

For reasons unknown to me, Thailand buses can never just go to your destination. They must stop, unload you and load you on to another bus at least 3 times per trip. Generally the bus conditions get worse and worse at each transfer.

Therefore after loading on to this bus, we were brought to yet another bus station where we decided to go to Tonsai after meeting an American traveller and loaded into a van for 8 that was transformed into a bus for 15 with luggage.

Finally only one long boat ride to go and we are in Tonsai.

This part of Thailand turned out to be my favourite. There are no shops, no vehicles, no hussle, no bustle. Until travelling more I did not realize just what a paradise it was. Because it is mostly backpackers who go to climb the atmosphere is that of relaxation. To add to its allure, there is another small beach just a 10 minute walk through the jungle where the beach is gorgeous and an ATM is available.

As it was Christmas Eve when we arrived in this location we took our cold showers and headed to the bar. The bar was fantastic and chill until “santa” started dancing with a goat and that was when the party really started. If my father was not reading this I would launch into the hilarious story of the guys we met and the decisions my friend made but due to the G nature of this blog I will leave it at that. But I will say that we met 10 English boys who become prominent characters in our Thailand travels.

We stayed at this location for 2 nights and then hoped over to the ajoining West Railey beach.

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