Bus journey from hell
Phuket,
Thailand
Saturday, August 2, 2008
This has to be the worst day of our travels so far. We were up at 7am ready to catch our bus at 8.15-8.30am. We had booked to take a mini bus all the way from Penang to Phuket as the journey would take around 10 hours instead of 12 and we wouldn't have to worry about changing buses. So we were picked up from the hostel at about 8.25am and went off to pick up the other travellers for our bus. We got going on the journey at 9.30am and all was uneventful at the border crossings - a refreshing change after the hassle of the Singapore to Malaysia crossing. This time there were no queues and Ali wasn't even charged for her visa stamp! So we continued on our way to the first drop off point in Hat Yai. This is where the nightmare started. We were told we needed to get off the bus and change to another mini bus which would be along 40 minutes later. We thought this would be fine but the lady at the bus station told us we wouldn't be going anywhere on another bus until we paid her 100 bart for the transfer. We tried to tell her that our ticket was all the way to Phuket but she wouldn't listen. She just started screeching at us and causing a scene. After a lot of arguing and being screeched at in a voice that only dogs could hear we gave in and paid the 100 bart just to get on the bus. But then I made the mistake of asking where the toilet was and the screeching started again. Something about it costing 3 bart and being at number 2. Number 2 what? I asked but all I got was a screech and "You pay me 3 bart" in return. I turned away from the screeching but the woman came to my ear and started demanding 3 bart. I told her to forget it and went off in search of another toilet, which I found in a very friendly tourist shop. And that one was free. Bonus. When I got back Ed was taking a photo of the shop so that we can complain about the money when we arrive in Phuket but as I approached the screeching started again. Clearly the woman does not want us to complain! Not a good impression of Thai women so far! Anyway the mini bus arrived and we got in, away from the screaming woman. One hour later we had driven around in a circle and had an overcrowded bus and luggage everywhere, including on the roof. Luckily most of the passengers were very nice so the overcrowding was copeable, and the bus journey got underway. We managed to get to Krabi with minimal disruption, apart from brief stop to rescue the roof bags from the thunderstorm! And also a couple of drop offs for people along the way. But then we picked up more passengers and the bus became overcrowded once again. At 7.30pm, 11 hours after setting off, we still were not in Phuket. What happened to 10 hours?! We finally arrived at a travel agent at 8.30pm where we were told we had to pay 150 bart each to get to Patong Beach in Phuket, where we were going. This did not please us but the driver would not go any further until we had paid so yet again we had to pay for something we had already paid for twice. However, he did agree to drive us to our hostel for that price so we had to focus on the positives! On our way once again it was now 9pm and 12 and a half hours after we had started on our journey. We were both pretty fed up and squashed by this point so when the driver pulled up in a random street and told us to get out we got very cross. As he didn't speak English Ed had to go to find someone to translate for us and it turned out the driver didn't know where our hostel was and so wouldn't take us any further. We were not happy about this as he wouldn't give us our money back either so we staged a sit in! Ed got in the front and tried to direct the driver while I sat in the back with the bags and refused to leave the bus until we arrived at our hostel. By this point everyone else had agreed to get out so Ed ad I were on our own! We stopped to ask directions a couple of times, and the driver took these opportunities to try to empty us out but I was still sitting there refusing to move and Ed was bringing different Thai people out of shops to explain the directions! We finally got a map of the area and Ed was able to direct the driver to our hostel. At 9.45pm we arrived at our destination. We had now been on the road for just over 13 hours and were very cross and very tired. The driver was glad to see the back of us I think! But on the bright side our hostel is very nice and we have just had a very nice meal, our first food today, and so we are feeling a little calmer. What a day! Now we both need a Thai massage!!!!!!
