Fun in Southern Thailand

So I have a week off of work and decided to take the time to go see a bit of Southern Thailand.  My first thought was to go to Phuket, but after asking Judith and getting a resounding and emphatic "Stay Away!", I changed my plans to visit Krabi instead.  (More on Judith in another post, but she's pretty awesome)

Coincidentally, my friend from Korea, is on vacation in Thailand, so I contacted her and we decided to meet up.  OK.  Plan is now to go down South and spend three days in Krabi.

I wake up early on Saturday and pack up my essentials.  Fun fact, all the street food in Thailand is put into plastic bags and tied together with small rubber bands.  I've been saving these and on Saturday I found out why.  Clothes are much easier to pack if they are bundled with rubber bands.
STEP ONE:  The cheapest and easiest way to get around a city is to hop in the back of a somchet (a pick-up truck with seats that makes bus routes)  I ride the next somchet to the train station and buy a ticket to Bangkok.

STEP TWO:  Sitting in front of me on the train to Bangkok were two Thai boys.  Every few minutes or so one or both of them would peek over the edge of the seat.  I would catch is gaze and wink at him and he would disappear.  It reminded me of the Wack-a-Mole game at arcades but with Thai children and no hammers.  Eventually, the worked up the nerve to speak with me and I gave them each a pin.  I told them in Thai that I didn't speak Thai very well and that I didn't understand what they were saying.  This didn't stop them from trying though, so I did a lot of sitting and smiling   Using my dictionary they were able to point out the words they wanted and we had a very basic communication (I can't really say we had a conversation).  They wanted to know where I was going, what I was doing in Thailand and did I have a girl friend.  I was able to ask how old they were and how they were doing.  Hour and a half ride to Bangkok.

INTERMISSION:  At the Bangkok train station I purchased a ticket to Surat Thani and a connection ticket to Krabi.  The train leaves at 19:30, its 12:30.  I have some time to kill.  There was a Muai Thai match on the big (really big) screen television.  I have no idea who won but even the commercial were entertaining.  There are shops, market stalls and a food court lining the walls of the station.  Another odd phenomenon of the local economy:  A small coffee americano costs 40-50 baht, a big cup of fresh (really fresh) coconut juice over ice costs 15 baht.  I found a quite table on the second floor and posted up with my ukulele.  All told, the Hua Lamphong train station isn't a bad place to spend a hot Bangkok afternoon.  Apparently, this sentiment was shared by a couple of young Thai girls.  They caught my eye, I waved and they asked me if they could sit down.  They wanted to practice their English.
"Of course", I smiled.
Ying, Pote Pot'e (pronounced "Potato") and I exchanged the formulaic introductions.
"What is your name?"
"Where are you from?"
"How old are you?"
"Where you going?"
"How long you stay in Thailand?"

After our rote conversation had played out I brought out a deck of cards and asked if they wanted to play a game.  Ying looked around surreptitiously as if I had just pulled out a joint and asked them if they wanted to smoke.
"The police men right there," she said in a hushed whisper.

Apparently, there is a strong connotation between playing cards gambling (illegal).  I assured them that the game was for practicing English and they agreed to play.  I taught them the simple game I had learned from the teacher from Uganda.  In return they taught me the Thai gambling game.  At some point during our conversation is came out that I was a teacher and they both immediately asked me for my telephone number (which I gave them).  They added me to their facebook and I promised to let them know the next time I was in Bangkok.

The girls left to chat up some other farang, but i saw them a few more times that afternoon and they eventually saw me off on my train.

STEP THREE:
Sleeper Train.  Definitely my favorite mode of transport thus far.  the train leaves at night, you sleep and when you wake up you're there.  I sat (bunked?) next to a young guy from Canada going south to finish his dive master training and a family from France.  Hawkers walk along the aisles of the train selling food and booze at outrageous prices.  Regardless, having a drink with Mr. Canada and Mr. France in the dinning car as the sun set over the jungles that whipped by the windows felt well worth it.

STEP FOUR
The train stops at Surat Thani station and I head across the platform to the bus that will take me to Krabi.  The only notable items at this stage are that 1) I still haven't had breakfast and 2) I see for the first time a Thai person become flustered or upset.  I'd be frustrated too if it were my job to get a bunch of clueless tourists who don't speak your language on a bus and take them somewhere.  I didn't see anybody else wai when the conductor took their ticket.  It must be a rough gig.  Anyway, we're off.  few hour ride through the jungle.

STEP FIVE
Step five is just like step four.  We get off the bus and then get on another bus.

STEP SIX
Step six is just like steps four and five only when the man says 20 mins he means 2 hours.  Also, I still haven't eaten.

STEP SEVEN
Finally I make it to Krabi town.  I sign into the hostel.  This is the first hostel I've ever stayed at, but this is better than a hotel.  I'm am sharing a room with two smoking hot girls from Northern Europe (Norway and Sweden).  We walk down to the local 7-11. Lots of smiles. I sing a few songs. Lots of smiles. We play cards. Lots of smiles.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them when I can.  Krabi is an incredible place.  Beach on one side, jungle on the other and through in a couple of huge rocks for good measure.

Smiles,
nick