Bangkok to Chumphon

Bridge:  Apart from our rather restless night, we managed to sleep between 5am and 9am.  2 fried eggs on toast killed any signs of a starting hangover. 

We said goodbye to Bella Bella Guesthouse and jumped on our first tuk-tuk (after much negotiating) to Hualamphong train station (via the so-called licensed T.A.T office) – where we refused to buy our train tickets from. 

Our tuk-tuk driver wasn’t impressed with us as he would have received a hefty commission if we had done so and showed his aggression by upping our tuk-tuk ride from the originally agreed price of 30BHT to 100BHT! – we agreed of course, we were skeptical he would drive us to some dodgy part of town and dump us on the street.

So after the incredibly hair-raising experience, we now sit at Anna Kitchen inside Hualamphong station, sipping coke and waiting for our 13.00pm departure to Chumphon.

The train-ride from Bangkok was long.  We left on time, but no sooner had we pulled out of the station and we came to a grinding halt – an accident on the level crossing.  2 hot and gruelling hours later – we were on the move again....

After realising that the scenery consisted of endless paddy fields and coconut trees, we decided to try and get some sleep – as once you’ve seen one paddy field, you’ve seen them all!

Sleeping proved to be impossible on a leather seat, despite my efforts at trying all possible angles with the blow-up travel pillow from Boots in London.  I couldn’t wait for someone to tell me I could pull down the top bunk and stretch out.  This only happened at 6.30pm sharp when the coach guard came whizzing through the train handing each person a surprisingly clean and starched white sheet, followed by him pulling down each of the bunks and very efficiently making each and every bed!  White sheets , fluffed up pillows and drawn curtains – what more could I ask for!