Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Songthaews, Buses, and Cargo Ferry Boats) in 24 hours

Leaving Luang Prabang, we booked a flight to begin our journey to eventually carry us to sunny Koh Tao, Thailand, in the Gulf of Thailand. Arriving at the Laos airport in a torrential downpour at 6 a.m. (the rain: hardest I have ever seen it and enough to scare Brooke from sleeping), we eventually board our flight to Bangkok.

We arrive in Bangkok, hop on a bus to transport ourselves to the railway station. We bypass several blocked off ‘red’ areas. The ‘reds,’ United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) are protesting now in Bangkok and around asking for elections. 27 have been killed and 1,000 injured since the protests begain in mid-March. Needless to say, I did not notify the parents of our passage through Bangkok.

To the railway station, we board our non A/C (“air-con” is the lingo) train for an 8 hour journey. We roast. I feel like stripping naked. Brooke is the hottest she has even been. Meanwhile, the Thais treat it like another New England autumn day–jeans, fleeces, sweats, etc.

Brooke so hot (and not that happy) on the train

On the train looking towards Myanmar

We arrive in Chumphon at 10 p.m. Of course, the companies try to shuffle us to their songthaew and boat. Thinking we can get a better deal, we stop at the night market, telling ourselves we will find our own taxi. But then we notice that there are no taxis. And we worry. We need to get the midnight boat and not sure how to get to the dock. Alas, a songthaew arrives and takes us along our way.

I tell him the ‘midnight’ boat. He drops us off at the one dock. I do not want this one, I want the cargo ferry. He exclaims, “It is more comfortable, you get your own sleeping bunk. It is only 100 baht more (300 baht fare = 10 USD).” I respond, “No, we want the cargo ferry for 200 baht ($6.50 USD).”

“You sleep on the floor.”

“That’s fine, take us to that dock.”

And so we board our midnight ferry at 11 p.m. And we, along with all of Koh Tao’s  bottled waters, well pumps, rice, fans, and the three workers that unload the boat, descend on our six hour slow journey through the full moon night to Koh Tao. The stars are magnificient. the sea is shining and calm. We slept on the floor. For six hours. And saved 100 baht. But have a great experience to tell.

And after a non-stop 24 hours of traveling, we land on Koh Tao. Off to do some scuba diving!