Another attempt at a video implant. Just time to dash this off as I must leave for a 5 day trip to Bangkok. Meaning, cramped freezing conditions for 12 hours or more as it is a service bus and not the big VIP one. Nice trip today as I am on the early bus so it should be light almost until we reach Ranong.
On the night bus I always prefer to sit on the left side, but because I am usually looking at the bus sheet upside down in the office I end up on the right. This is so I can see the mile counters when I am awake and think thoughts of friends whos houses I am passing on the way. Bang Sapam, Larry, Pranburi, Willy's Kite School, Martin and Bob in Hua Hin. Ah Hua Hin... "are we there yet?".... nearly? Not really as its a good three hours still.
I always loved maps and the moving part of travelling. I never really mind what I am doing or where I am going, I just like to be on the road. This is fortunate as it's a 12 hour overnight ride. I know now when we are approaching the narrowest part of Thailand, and I always picture a huge border gate straight our of Mordor with mean looking Burmese Military on the other side of it. I know the road between Ranong and Kra Buri skirts the border and when we arrive at the many army checkpoints to get my passport ready for checking or pretend to be asleep.... they never wake us falangs up to check.
I know this route well now and the food stop is the thing we all look forward to. There is one fantastic stopover place and it has hundreds of busses there and tons of great thai food stalls. Waitresses in the shortest tightest skirts are not the attraction, but don't hurt! This stop off at Khun Sarai Restaurant, is the one we always hope for and I always start looking out for it as the bus moves north from Chumporn.
I looked round for a clip of it and was surprised to find this one. I have seen songs about and performed at the major bus stations in Bangkok (more another day) but a song and dance for what is probably the equivalent of Watford Gap services in england was .... well, they didn't coin the phrase "Amazing Thailand for nothing
As this is not a travelogue, I confess that other than knowing where I am and where I am going, I have few details other than the above for the entire 800kms. I do enjoy it though and its a long enough trip to be an adventure as well. Better if we stop at Larry's in Bang Sapam, but we don't seem to make it often these days. My dad even stayed a week there he liked it so much and we had only stopped to say hello.
You'll have to try and imagine it without the dancers...... if you must!
I'll do an on the spot report this summer when I am there with Duang and Tony. Tony loves road trips and we have done it a few times with him, once with only one stop for fuel and eating at.... Khun Sarai! Food really is important in Thailand and you don't just stop and eat anything, you look for somewhere with good variety etc.
Most other stop offs are dismal, stinking old sheds full of unsmiling folk, only selling dried crisps, biscuits and then with a surley grab for your ticket (you get so much for free included on the bus) then it's back to the bus for the rest of the ride. Fingers crossed for Khun Sarai, dancing girls or no dancing girls, there is a fantastic Khao Kha Moo..... Rice with braised pork leg..... my favourite.
Chumporn is about half way and once you pass through it in either direction you start to feel the journey may end and you may still have nerves left in your bum and legs when it is over. It is also at the point where the East West Road meets the North South main highway. Going North, it is all motorway now, while heading south its all mountain and jungle.
Final 60km into Bangkok is flat, salt flats flat and the longest part of the trip. Just mile after mile of piles of salt at the side of the road. Looks like it has snowed and the effect of the aircon on the bus only adds to this illusion, but once you 've seen one bag of salt, you've pretty much seen (or can imagine) em all.
The run up the outskirts of Thonburi is lined with forecourt after fourcourt of second hand cars. Hundreds of shops, countless cars.... bizarre that they all huddle together like this. When I went up last month, they had moved all the cars out and put them up on the elevated motorways and slip roads as most of it was under a meter of water. 2012, let the buyer beware up there, plenty of gear and equipment has spent a good month soaking virtually in sewerage.
Coffee is served during the final stretch and as the traffic builds, the relief and excitement mount and are only dashed by the cold reality that soon, we are going to have to haggle with Bangkok Taxi drivers.............. BLOODY ELL!!!!!! HOW MUCH!!!
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