28 April 2006

Sawaddee ka, Sawaddee krab

Howdy folks and are we all sitting comfortably for many many more stories of
a life not yet lived are to be read and astonished at.

A brief summary of what has been happening since last saturday (yes a week
ago)

Trains, lost luggage, taxis, winni the pooh, burger king, 21 hours to
bangkok, planes trains and automobiles, hangovers, mystery guests (annette
won the prize), shopping, heat and warm nearly hot rain.

For those who want to leave it there.

Thanks take care and see ya.

Otherwise read on.................

"And this is where my adventures really end for the week I feel. KL could be
a great place. My train for Butterworth and then onto Bangkok leaves soon. I
need a g&t and a large starbucks i think.
4 weeks in and its been an amazing place and still having so much fun."

This was one of my final paragraphs as I ended my time in Kuala Lumpur. Now
before I go on, I would everyone to know of a very clever little girl called
Yasmin who has been helping her mother learn about the world and where I am
and you know who you are and I love you very much. Yasmin is only very
young, here dad is 40 (hi) and her mother is timeless.
Anyway I digress as I normally do and will continue to do so.

So yes once I sent my last letter I had about an hour to spare and was
gasping for something with alcohol to drink. Being a muslim country,
malaysia is not a beer loving nation so after some time asking, pointing and
smiling I was told of the bar, The monkey bar in the Legend Hotel, next door
to the mall. Great and off I went to it. 2 gin and tonics later I was
refreshed, smiley and ready to do the journey to butterworth and then the
journey to bangkok.
I got back to my hotel and picked up my rucksack which by the looks of it
had been in every ones way all day as there was not room to put it in and
the so it was behind reception. I am not sure they were sad to see me leave
or happy to see the bag leave, but we both did and got to the railway
station.
I love malaysia for they all speak english, all try to help and are honest.
But the only confusing thing I discovered was that of the 6 ATMs in the
railway complex (its huge, it has monorail, subway, airport and bus and rail
head all in one) that I found none of them were signed with what cards they
accepted and as i was hungry and had some gin I was getting a little
concerned that all the machines were refusing my card, even the bank there
said go to ATM next level down and so I did and after 10 minutes in a corner
on its own stood the ATM from above, VISA splashed all over it so I could
have some money, eat and relax.
The other thing about Malaysia rather KL was that it was very westernised
and so little restaurants and bars were hard to find and so I found myself
in the very places that I dont want to be in. Pizza Hut, McD's and at the
railway station KFC. Mind it was very nice.
My train was due to depart at 8.20 pm and I had a first class sleep
compartment (about15 quid) for the 9 hour journey. It was very nice, 2
bunks, window, wash basin, free cake (hooray I like cake, although not
muslim cake now, it was not very nice) and drink.
I also had the luxury of spending the whole 9 hours in the company of Mr
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson as it was only me in the compartment so the
Ipod did wonders, the other thing was that the journey was hell really. Air
con gets a tick, a fan gets a tick, stopping all the time, shouting on
stations, bumping, banging, clacking and crunching was no fun so I had about
3 hours sleep again on a bleedin train. and I thought the journey from Chang
to Bangkok was shit........
Then again we english types could learn something from the railway system,
at 5.55am we rolled into the industrial place that is butterworth on the
penninsula of malaysia just off the island of penang and to get there you
cross the longest bridge in the country.
So its dark, I am tired and I am at very best in these times of the day so I
get off the train and some taxi guy sayes he will take me to george town in
penang and I can get a hotel from there, which sounds great, then another
said, I have hotel you come with me and you stay there cheap price and I get
you back. Cheap price meant 30 riggets which is 4 pounds and the taxi
journey was 50 or 7 pounds and 7 pounds on way back so maybe I got ripped
off I dont know. What I do know was that the room I was presented with was
interesting, it had air con but no windows and the shower sort of worked and
the beds had disney covers on so I opted for the one with out Winnie the
pooh and slept. About an hour into sleeping I was woken by the owner
standing in the locked room (from the inside ) asking me if I wanted a
blanket, no go away and let me sleep was what I wanted to say but instead I
just said no and made sure I cuddled all that mattered to me and locked the
door
At 11.30 the taxi driver was knocking the door down saying its time to go as
he had lunch waiting!! So by midday I left this strange room and hotel and
got back to the Butterworth international railway station and waited for the
train which was at 2.45pm

The train rolled in about 1.30 and was cleaned ( i think ) and it consisted
of only 3 coaches so that never felt right as this was a long journey (21
hours).
Anyway I get on the train and it was pretty much the same as the one from
chang I had but the seats were bigger and the air con worked. Sat opposite
me were some english people travelling up to Bangkok before flying home and
they were good and cool. About 2 station stops in they suddenly realsied
that the bag with all their documents, cameras etc was not with them and
panick ensued with the guy yelling and Pam sat there saying oh well these
things happen!! What I would be devestated. Anyway they got off at the next
station to fast car back to Butterworth and sort it from there as they
thought thats where the case was.
The journey from Butterworth to Bangkok was like every other journey, lots
of trees, paddy fields, hills, and roads and trees so that was fun. I was
joined by a young malaysian man who talked about england and his studies for
a diploma in business and that he was from a small family etc. That was good
and nice to talk to the locals about life.
Food was in the way of a trolley dolley (abdul) and hot coffee and egg
sandwiches - ace.
After maybe 3 hours we arrived at the immigration section and got off the
train had passports stamped and then got back on the train and headed into
thailand, ah thailand, such a different dirty chaotic place compared to
malaysia, things happen but no one knows why there. The train at the
immigration had suddenly grown 10 carriages so it now had a buffet car and I
placed my evening meal plus singha and breakfast as well.
At the first Thai rail station our plucky english people were waiting (
everything is quicker in thailand than the train ) and they got back on with
all their luggage including their missing bag all intact. The bag was left
on the station and the army guys which run the station looked after it for
them, arranged a fast car ( a new proton ) to get them back to the train so
all were happy and smiley. When my singha appeared I gave Colin a glass as
he looked like he needed it more than me.
The journey onward was a journey on a train. This time I had no Ipod, my
phones dead and the reason was that in KL and singapore they used 3 pin
plugs.......... Explain that, thats not in any rough guide.
So I retire to my bunk (lower, better) at about 9pm and I actuall sleep for
about 6 hours through the night as the journey was smooth and not stop
start.
Breakfast at 7.30 and the train continues some more until we get to Bangkok
about 10.55. So 21 hours from butterworth, 9 hours from kl to Butter and the
8 hours from singapore to Kl all add up to a long time on the train. But it
was a great adventure.


Bangkok. Hot humid horrible. 150 baht tuk tuk to banglaphu. I dont think so.
I got that knocked down to 60 baht and then got a metered taxi to the Khosan
palace for about 70 baht. The palace was very good, a single room for 400
baht with tv, air con. Just what was needed.
Banglamphu or however it is spelt is an area in Bangkok where all the faran
hang. Its hideous. Full of cafes and restaurants and shops selling bags and
jewellry, men asking if you want a suit made and beggars asking for change.
I had some thing to eat and then slept and then hid away in an internet cafe
which I felt was the appropriate thing to do.
In the evening I did some shopping and drank with a guy from Bristol who had
run out of money and luck I think before returning via the 7-11 for some tv
time and sleep.
I left the palace at 11am and headed to the Airport. Ah Bangkok airport, The
Burger king is great there.
My mystery guest is my long time friend Vicky who had a couple of spare
weeks as she has done the right thing and left Morrisons for pastures new
and had took up my offer of anyone welcome in Thailand.
She landed about 3pm and looked like shit as the flight is never good. So at
8pm we eventually get to Changmai and back to where I feel happy.
Feeling rather mischevious I take her out on the piss for the evening
knowing how tired she was and that it will help her the next day. So for
those that know it here goes.
Green Garden Restaurant, Star Bar, Cherry Bar, STR, Jamies, Bubble, Spicy -
sleep. Wow thats one big night and a lot of samsung was consumed.
At around 4 am we retired and slept through till about 10am. I got up and
had breakfast looking a litttle worse for wear and vicky was no-where to be
seen.
Email and a wander round the shops I get back and go to Vickys room. Bless
her, Jet Lag, Stomach upset and hangover and the heat all kicking in at
once. So out comes the immodium and electrolyte and tell he to sleep and
then I go back out for a wander.
Coming back later she is better so we sit downstairs and I convicne her the
night market is the place to go. Now I have done the night market or thought
I had but tony its nearly as big as the sunday market if you walk it
properly.
This I dont think helped as she retired to bed and it left me dodging the
rain (its raining here now, about 80 degrees and rain) and visiting the
bars which I did till about 12 midnight and called it a night, fed up with
the wet and heat. I go back to sleep well sweaty sleep.
Finally on Thursday for it is friday today Vicky is back to her old self and
is hungry and thirsty and live and kicking. We go to the china town market
and venture through and have a good old walk through the city which is
always fun. Stopping off again in Jons gallery and then off to a temple to
see the elephants in the walls which I am sure Vicky loved!! I know I did.
Then gin and then afternoon siesta. We move on on Saturday southwards toward
the heat as its hot now here but further south its very hot thats for sure.

So thats the story so far. Last night was a great night and I will save it
for the next email where ever that is from and I tonight is my last ever
night here in Chiang Mai for 2006 and I will be sorry to leave the place.
So many happy memories and smiley faces but adventures and travel go hand in
hand and everyday same same but different here!!!

You guys take care and mind the sun now the temperature is over 12 degrees
in the uk. I am off to sweat and drink and party tonight oh and pack as I
have an early start.

There is much more to tell that I know but some of you are whining that my
letters are too long, well unlucky, delete them!!! and email me telling me
you dont want to know otherwise, they will continue to be long with in
correct spelling and gramatical errors and so what. So thats my christ I am
hot rant over with and I think siesta is on the cards and so thank you
patient ones and enjoy the day.
If you missed the sunrise this morning, dont fret there is another one
tomorrow.

I am homeward bound soon and so will see some of you sooner than you may
wish!!!

I am still expecting free latte in La Strada The best coffee house in Frome
(this email goes global you know ) so expect tourists to visit once they
know where a england is and b that england is not only london

khorb kon ka

Luke