The Amazing (and terrifying) Race

Day 2 in Thailand:

We woke up from our night of clubbing in Bangkok early enough to enjoy this. Plus a buffet breakfast

We wanted to go to Koh San Road, a very busy street where all the backpackers stay. On the way there we decided to stop at the train station and get our overnight train tickets to Koh Phangan for the full moon party. We got there and found out they were SOLD OUT! Only 3rd class was left. Wooden upright seats, no A/C for 12 hours. Before freaking out, we talked to a travel agent for flight prices. more than $200, plus another night in a hotel that we were thinking we didn't need. But wait! there is also a "super VIP" overnight bus, $45 15 hours, but at least the seats recline so you can sleep and there is AC. There were 6 tickets left and we needed 4 so we decided to stay on budget an do it. We had no idea what an adventure we were signing up for. our extremely helpful travel agent told us the bus left at 8pm, come at 7 to check in. On second thought, she says, be here by 6:30 or 6:45. 

After booking the bus ticket, we continued on to Koh San Road and spent the afternoon shopping for souvenirs, getting $8 mani/pedis (did i mention i love Thailand?) and eating more $1 pad thai from a street vendor, also complete with 60 cent spring roll appetizer and a chang beer. This was Danielle's fave meal of the whole first week, it was definitely yummy.

We planned to leave by 5:45 allowing an hour to go back to the hotel to grab our bags and get to the train. Seemed reasonable. We took a taxi at 5:45 as planned and 10 minutes into our drive were stuck in a traffic jam. We sat in practically the same spot for the next 20 minutes and started to get very worried. I used the glossary in my travel book to find the word for train station and communicated to our driver that we were about to panic about missing our bus! He dropped us off at the subway after getting out of the traffic jam, in order to get to the hotel quicker since he apparently expected many more traffic jams. This day was not quite as hot as the first....about 95 degrees instead of 102. Still with insane humidity. We had hoped to have a less sweaty day knowing we would not be able to shower before (or during) our 15 hour bus ride. We ran the whole way through the train station, and the connecting train station, and to our hotel for our bags and were drenched in sweat by this point. Time check? 6:30, shit!! 15 minutes left. We ran back to the train, back through the connecting train, and to the big train station to catch our bus, 7:08. There was a crowd of full mooners waiting for the bus outside of the travel agent office, we made it!!! We checked in and 2 minutes later the crowd was taken to the bus. Wow, we JUST made it. Right at 7:30, the bus took off, I'm not sure what happened to the 8pm departure time, because the was not even full, making me think some people missed it. 

Lesson of the day? Never underestimate Bangkok traffic.

Now I expected a pretty boring next 15 hours and was so very wrong. After 4 hours (I've been asleep for 1) the bus made a stop for food/bathroom break. The bus had a toilet, but every so often (probably every time the door opened) a strong urine stench reached me. The toilet was on the lower level and we were on the 2nd, so it must be REALLY bad in there, so I was happy for the bathroom break. I actually had to go at the train station but had no chance to go, or grab food snacks. This building was very old and run down. We followed signs to the bathrooms, walked into a stall and found a hole in the floor below me. No toilet, but just a ceramic basin in the floor. I've heard of these, never knew I would use them....but I'm already embracing the sweat, so why not the Thai way to pee. There is also a big bucket of water with a smaller bucket inside. Lucila, who has traveled in India, explained to me that this is to wash away one's #2. Thank goodness only #1 calls. I do my business and leave to rinse my hands in the sink (no soap or towels), but at least I have hand sanitizer back on the bus. Danielle tells me the basin splashed back on her foot, because she didn't want to squat too low, for fear of it splashing elsewhere...I bought some pringles and chips ahoy cookies, not knowing how much time I have to get anything more substantial, as I am already worried the bus will pull away without us. Lucila chooses to eat nothing, out of fear she will have to #2 on the bus and apologizes in advance for "getting all anorexic grumpy". 

The bus drives on for another 5 hours in which I get no sleep and finally stops in front of an abandoned looking tiki place with a bunch of tables. Everyone just sits there....it hasn't been 15 hours, where the heck are we? We then hear our bus driver yell "off the bus! last stop here!" I think I am in a scary movie at his point. I look around and everyone looks very confused, but starts to get off the bus, so we follow. We sit down at a table and wait with the other 100 people, still not knowing why we are here.  There is a sign that says a ferry leaves to our island at 11am, it is currently 4:30 am! I am still not sure why the bus just didn't leave 5 hours later than it did to avoid this wait. This place has another hole in the floor bathroom, great. At least you can pay 15 cents for TP here.  The sun comes up and a small group assembles on the dock, jamming to some guys bongo playing. This guy appears to be a full moon regular, a total hippie. I later confirm that this isn't his first full moon when I see a huge nasty burn scar on his leg. I've been told there are fire jump ropes at Full moon and am guessing this is the case. until several very old looking buses come get us all. After 3 or 4 hours of waiting at this place, several old run down buses come to get us. Not sure where we are going now, we follow the confused crowd on and drive another 2 hours to the real ferry. We pile onto the ferry and they pile our bags on top of each other and we ride 2 more hours to the island of our destination. The ferry is very crowded, and very hot. I stayed outside in order to catch a breeze at least and ended up very sunburnt, having missed several spots with my sunscreen.

watching the sun come up from out hut, wondering why we are here and for how long

packed ferry

After another sweaty walk with a huge heavy backpack to our hotel, we finally arrived at 12:30pm, and hooray, we survived! We were surprised with how nice our hotel was and were relieved to find a pool. I wanted more than anything to jump in it to cool off and forget about the last 20 hours of my life, but what a great story.

Lesson of the day #2?  Book your train tickets in advance.

Full moon party up next, it was a blast.