North

I decided yesterday mid morning that it was time to leave Ton Sai. I think I got everything out of beach life that I wanted. Time for a new environment.

Somehow, without any pre-planning at all, I managed to check out... late.... thanks Banyan Tree Bungalows for not charging me a fee. Then wandered down to the beach to the one and only travel agent who said I had exactly five minutes to catch a longtail boat out to make a bus back to Bangkok. I was hoping to go straight through to Chiang Mai, but no such luck. Looks like "one night in Bangkok" for Miles.

I met a few nice folks on the bus ride and it went pretty much as expected. We arrived at Kao San Road at about 6:30 in the morning. What I failed to realize was that in high season, the decent guesthouses fill up over the course of the day, and at that time of morning, everyone is sleeping still and no one is checking out. Which means no rooms! Well none I was interested in anyway. "Wait until noon... checkout time" was the response of most guesthouses. Ugh. I ate some breakfast and then settled for a rather expensive room that was the only one available in my preferred guesthouse, Wild Orchid. At 750 baht, I shouldn't be complaining, it is a really nice room on a great block and only about $10 more than I would normally pay. Time to catch up on some sleep.

In the morning I awoke to realize that someone ripped me off on the bus. When I opened my large backpack, it didn't look to be the way I had packed it. And after I went to charge my Ipod speaker batteries, I realized I don't have any Ipod speakers anymore. Someone had gone into my bag while I was riding on the bus. Fantastic.

So now at least I have a good reason to be in Bangkok for the day - to replace my speakers. I took a city bus to the MBK, a huge mall complex in town and found some replacements for a reasonable price. Still steamed about my loss though. Could have been worse though.

Later while eating dinner, some other folks from the same bus came in to eat. Low and behold, they had been ripped off too. Lovely. Anyone wishing to avoid this bus line can note that I booked my travel through Andaman Wave Travel in Au Nong.

I booked a train ticket this time to Chiang Mai for tomorrow. Trains are known for being more reputable. I am looking forward to making it to Pai some time the next day and reuniting with some of my UK friends from Thong Nai Pan.

Onward and northward.