Chapeltom
Established Member
I write from Trang in Southern Thailand which is where I am expecting to live until at least the end of March and last night I traveled from Hua Hin down to Trang, a distance of 400 miles.
This trip was unexpected as late as midday on Wednesday, they say things move very quickly when it comes to being placed at the end of a TEFL course as the following day I was purchasing a ticket on the 2110 sleeper to Trang and packing all my things. I have lived in Hua Hin for just over 3 weeks doing a TEFL course and I jumped on the offer to do 4 months in a part of Thailand I know very little about. With most of my new friends already having gone to various placements, I couldn't wait to get out of Hua Hin.
Usually I'd have taken care of my own travel plans and was initially annoyed I was expected to fork out 1313 baht for a first class sleeper ticket but I can see why its over 500 baht more than a 2nd class lower bunk. I arrived at Hua Hin's beautiful station at 2040 and like my previous experience with Thai trains there were delays and it was expected at 2200. The first class carriage was no 13 right at the back end of the platform and the conductor helped me get my bags on aboard and now to my compartment. This is where I was glad I was travelling first class, I had the compartment to myself and a degree of privacy, I could lock the door, had air-con and could relax for the evening. The degree of privacy and peace of mind with luggage is worth the 500 baht in itself.
I would have normally have enjoyed the social element to 2nd class but having seen a lot of new friends leave all around me and see myself move at just over 24 hours notice I needed time to take things in. I was asleep by midnight, and the mattress would provided me the best night's sleep I have had in well over a month. But... it was a bit chilly due to the air-con and stops every half hour meant my night's sleep wasn't really that. I was easily stirred at almost every stop but I could put that down to having never traveled by sleeper before and/or excitement.
I decided to listen to my 6:10 alarm to get up around sunrise not only several hundred miles south but as a 22 year old, having gone to bed aged 21. I quickly used the Western style toilet at the end of the only first class carriage and was pleased I could see right out of the end of the carriage. We got to Thong Song Junction and I looked at my watch "6:43" and reading the boards as we left it said train 83 "6:25" which was hardly the end of the world. I went for a walk down the carriage and was asked if I could vacate my room for a short moment whilst the bed was converted to a seat. I moved a few things, bear in mind I have a fan (paid 800 baht in Hua Hin) and wasn't going to leave it, my laptop bag, a case and other bag full of documents and various miscellany such as 2 water bottles.
I came back and my room had been converted allowing me to enjoy the very green scenery south of Thong Song Junction, and at times it seemed a track had been placed through the jungle! It is the back end of the rainy season here in the South having been used to the start of a cool, dry season in Hua Hin it was a bit of a shock seeing so much water! I had expected to have to go to the dining car in coach 6 but got halfway down coach 12 to find the server coming the other way. Breakfast was served in the compartment and having not eaten since having a bowl of noodles at 1800 last night, I had to eat at whatever cost.
It was a western style breakfast in a way, but funnily enough it was food I'd also associate with Thailand! Ok, the toast was not Thai but the double fried egg, sausage, lettuce and tomato was, and ok the ham wasn't either. A Thai take on a continent breakfast. Served with a coffee and sweet orange juice, it was OK. I was hungry so it was wolfed down within minutes. Had I paid more than 70 baht off a train for it, I'd have felt ripped off and having paid 140 baht, £2.80 or so felt a bit aggrieved as that's usually half my food budget but I was hungry and I was on a train!
The conductor came round 5 minutes before to announce our arrival in Trang where we arrived around 18 minutes late which by Thai standards is not bad at all!
I'll whack pictures on my Facebook, but make it a public album.
Tom
This trip was unexpected as late as midday on Wednesday, they say things move very quickly when it comes to being placed at the end of a TEFL course as the following day I was purchasing a ticket on the 2110 sleeper to Trang and packing all my things. I have lived in Hua Hin for just over 3 weeks doing a TEFL course and I jumped on the offer to do 4 months in a part of Thailand I know very little about. With most of my new friends already having gone to various placements, I couldn't wait to get out of Hua Hin.
Usually I'd have taken care of my own travel plans and was initially annoyed I was expected to fork out 1313 baht for a first class sleeper ticket but I can see why its over 500 baht more than a 2nd class lower bunk. I arrived at Hua Hin's beautiful station at 2040 and like my previous experience with Thai trains there were delays and it was expected at 2200. The first class carriage was no 13 right at the back end of the platform and the conductor helped me get my bags on aboard and now to my compartment. This is where I was glad I was travelling first class, I had the compartment to myself and a degree of privacy, I could lock the door, had air-con and could relax for the evening. The degree of privacy and peace of mind with luggage is worth the 500 baht in itself.
I would have normally have enjoyed the social element to 2nd class but having seen a lot of new friends leave all around me and see myself move at just over 24 hours notice I needed time to take things in. I was asleep by midnight, and the mattress would provided me the best night's sleep I have had in well over a month. But... it was a bit chilly due to the air-con and stops every half hour meant my night's sleep wasn't really that. I was easily stirred at almost every stop but I could put that down to having never traveled by sleeper before and/or excitement.
I decided to listen to my 6:10 alarm to get up around sunrise not only several hundred miles south but as a 22 year old, having gone to bed aged 21. I quickly used the Western style toilet at the end of the only first class carriage and was pleased I could see right out of the end of the carriage. We got to Thong Song Junction and I looked at my watch "6:43" and reading the boards as we left it said train 83 "6:25" which was hardly the end of the world. I went for a walk down the carriage and was asked if I could vacate my room for a short moment whilst the bed was converted to a seat. I moved a few things, bear in mind I have a fan (paid 800 baht in Hua Hin) and wasn't going to leave it, my laptop bag, a case and other bag full of documents and various miscellany such as 2 water bottles.
I came back and my room had been converted allowing me to enjoy the very green scenery south of Thong Song Junction, and at times it seemed a track had been placed through the jungle! It is the back end of the rainy season here in the South having been used to the start of a cool, dry season in Hua Hin it was a bit of a shock seeing so much water! I had expected to have to go to the dining car in coach 6 but got halfway down coach 12 to find the server coming the other way. Breakfast was served in the compartment and having not eaten since having a bowl of noodles at 1800 last night, I had to eat at whatever cost.
It was a western style breakfast in a way, but funnily enough it was food I'd also associate with Thailand! Ok, the toast was not Thai but the double fried egg, sausage, lettuce and tomato was, and ok the ham wasn't either. A Thai take on a continent breakfast. Served with a coffee and sweet orange juice, it was OK. I was hungry so it was wolfed down within minutes. Had I paid more than 70 baht off a train for it, I'd have felt ripped off and having paid 140 baht, £2.80 or so felt a bit aggrieved as that's usually half my food budget but I was hungry and I was on a train!
The conductor came round 5 minutes before to announce our arrival in Trang where we arrived around 18 minutes late which by Thai standards is not bad at all!
I'll whack pictures on my Facebook, but make it a public album.
Tom