I entered the train after wagon 10, thinking I would be in car 9 but it was actually the restaurant wagon. I didn’t know they had that here! I continued to the next car and had to walk all the way through it, for I had the bed right at the beginning, which was a little stupid. More people walking through to get to the sinks and toilets, the loud screeching from the crossover to the next wagon and the staff talking. I’ll have to get off at 4.13 anyways, so it won’t be too long.
I set an alarm to 4am (!!) although they told me that they would wake me before we arrive. After that, I just dozed off again and again. I was freezing with my sweater and the blanket from the train. Sleeping with fans is more agreeable, since they always make the a/c too cold. During the day, a/c is perfect.
Good that I half woke myself up already because a man only arrived two minutes before we arrived in the station to tell me and the other 4 people in wagon 9 who had to get off at Chumphon, that we’d have to get off. Ugh, stress so early in the morning.
Outside, a man directly asked whether I had a bus ticket to the ferry and ushered me to my bus. I wondered why it was there already since the bus would be leaving at 6 and I had already prepared myself for at least an hour of waiting. However, it was 5.45 already. Good that I didn’t check my watch again on the train or I might have become nervous. The bus was half full already and completely filled up until we left. On an about 20 min drive I saw many monks walking along the street in their orange robes, we crossed an idyllic stream with boats on it (reminded me of Fort Myers) and finally, I saw the sea! No time to really take it in though. Get a sticker to enter the ferry, leave the backpack with all the other luggage and then find a seat. The boat was also full except for a few seats. Men walked around advertising diving schools and someone told me, that before full moon, people even have to sit on the floor of the ferry because do many people want to go to a party at Koh Phangan. The sun started shining and so it got quite hot and I was glad to be mostly in the shade from the roof.
They were putting all the backpacks on a pile on the deck…I hoped it wouldn’t fall off with all the waves.
I couldn’t sleep but at least my stomach felt ok, unlike some other peoples’…The sleeping 10 year old boy next to me got abandoned by his parents because the mother was sea sick and so the dad went looking out for her. Unfortunately, the boy then got sick too but he was very grown-up about it and even made it until in front of the toilet door. When he came back, I talked to him in French (not to make him feel even sicker -he was French) and we both made it to the island intact from then on.
First impression of the small bay with the green nature back ground was good but we didn’t stand around for a long time. The taxi for the people who were going to Big Blue diving resort was waiting.
We dropped our bags at the reception area and had to sit down around a table in the restaurant to fill in tons of paperwork.
Then, I received a key to my 6 people dorm (a small hut directly on the sand in front of the beach:)) and also a homework sheet which I have to complete until tomorrow, when my refresher dive takes place.
I finally had something real to eat at 11.30am and then went to change into beach wear.
First, I went to buy some water at 7/11 (everything is more expensive here!!) and then I spent the rest of the day in the Gulf of Thailand and at the beach. The water is so warm that you could stay in it all day. It’s also so shallow and calm that you can read books and drink cocktails in it. I’d definitely get bored if I couldn’t dive. In addition, the corals start 7m into the water, still at knee height, so you can’t even swim.
It is really pretty; the beach with the palm trees, the boats and the sand. But I just expected more paradise and fewer tourists.
I’ll take more pictures during the next days and will probably sum up a few days in the next entry.
In the water, I already met some nice girls from Ireland and Germany. We had a delicious and fun dinner at the beach that evening. It’s so good to meet pleasant and fascinating people from all around the world!
Happiness is only real when shared 