Week Twenty - Ko Chang to Bangkok again
Trip Start
Aug 26, 2003
1
20
50
Trip End
Aug 24, 2004
Bangkok,
Thailand
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Happy birthday to Mike, my wee bro.
Firstly, to put Prof McCloy's mind at rest, we didnt find the safety box key so had to pay tenner for manager to open. Thankfully all our stuff was still in there. Got up at 12 and meet Geoff, Chris and Elle on the beach. We go to internet cafe and do Travelpod for last week. The thief who took my flip-flops has returned them which was nice. Two hours later we are back on the beach but no sign of others. We have already done the 7-11 run so crack open a few beers and wait. Geoff turns up about 5. He hired moped with Chris and Elle and went up to waterfall. No sign of Chris so we drink up and head into White Sands Beach. Go back to Cookies Bar but exactly the same show is taking place. As we are about to leave Chris and Elle turn up out of the blue
2nd Tee
. Have a bucket with them then just about get tuk tuk back to our beach at 11. Go to Lek Bar and all have some cocktails. Boys play pool whilst girls chat. Leave about 2 all the worse for wear. Geoff has decided that he might like to go to Cambodia after all. Will book tomorrow for departure on friday and fly to Bangkok then on to Siem Reap to see the temples for couple of days before he flys home.Day 135 - Wednesday 7 January
Up late again and see Chris and Elle off at 1.30. Book flights to Bangkok on Friday morning from nearby Trat on the mainland. No direct flights to Siem Reap. Geoff and myself have another round of crazy golf whilst Nic sizzles. V hot. Chris leaves us some beer which we drink then get washed and call to Geoff's new room. He had to move as we extended and his old one was booked. For the record his new room was the best - no 621 overlooking the pool. Finish the drink in his room then decide to go up to Lek Bar. All tired and dont plan to stay long. Meet up with a couple of Scottish lads, Davy and Neil. They started their world trip in India and went up to Kashmir border. They had nightmare with armed troops etc but they are great laugh. Another guy they have met, Nils from Holland, joins us. Decide to stay on a while longer. We leave Geoff and the rest at 1 and he stays on to 4
Alas P and G
. Day 136 - Thursday 8 January
We wkae Geoff up at 1140 for another snorkelling expedition to the little island off the mai island. I think its called Ko Yuek. Water isnt as clear as last time but we have good crack for a few hours. Geoff dives down and picks up sea cucumber. As he holds it it shrinks then expels a horribly sticky mucus which covers his hands and arms. Very funny. Takes ages to get off. We are thinking off patenting a sea cucumber tank for golf tees for players to gently massage before teeing off. Back to Ko Chang and we spend couple hours with frisbee before washing up and heading into White Sands to get latest bunch of photos burnt to CD. Geoff has decided that he now doesnt want to go to Cambodia so we cancel flights and rebook for Saturday to Bangkok where we will all stay before he flys home and we go to Cambodia. Couple of drinks in town then tuk tuk to Ko Chang Spa Resort which was recommended to us by an English lady we met on the beach. Arrive just as its closing but have lovely sea food. Out to road around 11pm to get tuk tuk but none available. Receptionist suggests hiring mopeds. Luckily nearby shop brings us two bikes. 270 baht inc petrol for 24 hours, 4 quid is not bad. Make it safely home knackered.
Bangkok Golf Club
Day 137 - Friday 9 January
Last day on beach so all meet for breakfast then take a spin to north end of island on our bikes. Geoff spots stick insect on my tire. Very realistic. Geoff stalls his bike 4 times going uphill but dont tell anybody. Get carry out for tonight for last game of Beannie on Geoffs balcony. Game goes on too long for dinner so finish beer and wine then Nic retires and Geoff and myself nip to Lek Bar for nightcap. Couple games of pool then back to Geoffs for really last drink. Sort the world out then cowp around 2am.
Day 138 - Saturday 10 January
Woken by staff at 5.50 for pick up at 7. Fuzzy breakfast and picked up by minibus. Staff and kittens wave goodbye. Board ferry and sail to mainland. Arrive at Trat Airport at 8.30. Airport new and is very clean colection of thatched buildings. Very unBelfast City Airport. Tickets cost 23 pounds each which saves us 5 hours on minibus to Bangkok. Flight is very nice with Bangkok Airways. Food and service good. This is the 4th time myself and Nicola have arrived in Bangkok. First by taxi, then train, then bus and now plane
Bikers
. Nicola has found and Hotel on the net called The Bangkok Golf Spa Hotel for 1250 baht - 20 quid. On way Geoff has to wake our taxi driver who falls asleep at some traffic lights. Hotel is really nice and only 20 mins from airport. We get rooms with views of golf course which is stocked with exotic birds such as Flamingo, Maribu Stork, Parrots, Geese, Ducks and Swans. Book tee time for 4.22pm for part floodlight round. All exhausted so get couple hours doze then go for late lunch in clubhouse before golf. Course is ranked in the top 500 in the world and hosted the Volvo Masters in December. We are joined by Japenese chap called John. Hire 2 buggies and Nicola comes along for the ride. Very nice course wit hlots of water. Good caddies although pace very slow. Takes almost five hours to get round. Geoff wins. Get washed and go to sports bar in hotel. Drinking cocktails. Nicola retires at midnight. Geoff and myself stay on playing pool until 2. Rack up 100 pound bar bill.Day 139 - Sunday 11 January
Decide its time for some culture before Geoof leaves. Taxi to pier number 29 in town and take water taxi down to pier 9 for the Grand Palace. Lots of giant fish in river which seems very clean. Kids diving into it. 8 baht each for 45 minute ride. Get off and are told by tuk tuk drivers that palace is closed but that they will take us to see other sights around town
Brick Bar
. Decide to see for ourselves and discover that it is open and signs beside entrance warn of strangers stating palace is closed. Nicola is wearing 3/4 length troos ans sandals so has to queue for proper attire. Comes out in fetching sarong thingy and socks and sandals. Dweebus. Very busy so do a fairly shortened tour of otherwise impressive place. See Emerald Buddha in main palace. Get tuk tuk to Khoasan Road at 3.30 for some big time carboes in Burger King. All stuffed. Wander down road where Geoff buys some souveniers and CDs. Hit all the main bars including Brick Bar at back of Buddy Beer which is our fav. Then out onto Road where Nic and Geoff get Phad Thai from stall in the rain. Wander along to stall selling cocktails for 60 baht each - 90p. Neck a few Mudslides before heading circueatously home for 2.30.Day 140 - Monday 12 January
Meet Geoff for lunch in Club house at 11.30. Geoff leaves at 1.20am tonight via Dubai. We eat then bid each other fairwell and we take taxi to Don Muang Airport for our last few hours in Thailand. Sad to leave but we have now been in Thailand for 70 days out of our 365. We had booked our flights originally from Bangkok to Seam Reip but later discovered that there is no direct flight from Phnom Penh to Hanoi but we think that there is from Seam Reip
Chris and Elle
. Therefore we cancelled our original flights for fee of 1000 baht each - 13 quid and rebooked to Phnom Penh. Leave Hotel at 12.30pm.Flight leaves at 3.20 and by the time we pick up tickets - 4300 baht each - 61 quid, check in bags, clear passport control, pay fine for overstay of 8 days x 200 x 2 baht, change money into US Dollars for Cambodia, have cigarette, clear bags through to departure lounge, take out penknife that I accidentally left in my day bag, get receipt for same, go to loo have another fag - we make just in time. Another Bangkok Airways flight which is good again. Arrive in P Pehn with no accom booked. Touts try to take us to their place but the old routine of sitting and having coffee until they loose interest works. Phone Renakse Hotel who have double for $35. They will pick us up in 25 mins from airport which it turns out they charge us $7 for. Hotel opposite Royal Palace in the centre of the city near the river. It turns out that the Hotel is undergoing renovations and we get the last available room which is horrible. Hot, dirty, full of bugs and mozzies. We go out to see if they any other rooms but no. They promise to put mozzie coil in room and to spray before we go to bed. We walk disconsolitely into town past some military practicing search technics on each other with what looks like live ammo. Have drinks in the Foreign Correspondants Club by the river, then on to the lovely new Amanjaya where cocktails are $2 during happy hour. Beautifully designed place which costs $95 per night
Dummies
. As we are trying to tighten our belts we decide against it. Cambodians seem to have much better English than your average Thai although the men at least seem less friendly. A lot of beggars approach and there are a lot of people sleeping in the parks. Check internet to see our options but nothing apparent. $3 left so walk to cheap looking riverside cafe. As we drown our sorrows with the last of the money we brought out with us the waiter at least has the decency to try to stamp on the rat that runs across the step behind us. Back to our warm room where its to hot to lie in our clothes on top of the grubby bed so have to get in. A long sleepless night listening to the sounds of creeping insects and lizards and the comings and goings of the resident bats in the roof above us. 
