It always works out
The journey to Koh Tao from Bangkok wasn't going to be the simplest. I had to get to the train station from my hostel, which was about a half hour walk, then take an overnight train to the southern city of Chumphon, where I would be dropped off at 4am, get on a bus to the ferry terminal, take a ferry to the islands, and find a dive shop on the island to stay and do my open water scuba diving course.
I walked to the train station, where I found my platform, got on, and found what seemed to be my car and seat. I was supposed to have booked an upper bed in a sleeper car but I didn't see any beds, or any upper part of the car, so I had no idea if I was in the right place. Eventually a Thai lady appeared with her son, who was about my nephew's age, and sat across from me. The boy promptly grabbed one of his books and pulled himself up next to me, opening it up for me to read to him. Any stress I had about possibly being in the wrong car or on the wrong train instantly disappeared. Eventually a British woman came aboard with about 8 teenagers and explained what was going to happen: there would be food service, they were going to make up the beds in a few hours, and they would tell you when it was your stop. Shortly after that, someone came and checked my ticket and didn't kick me off the train, so I figured I was in the right spot.
I managed to get a few hours of sleep on the train but was still pretty groggy when I stepped off at 4am in Chumphon. I followed the crowd to the Lomprayah ferry company's counter and was told to catch the bus across the street at 6am. I waited with the crowd until a bus showed up at 5:30 and a man walked around and pointed at the bus shouting "Koh Tao!". Cool, early bus. I hopped aboard. Half an hour later, we arrived at the ferry terminal and I walked down the pier to get on the boat. I showed my ticket to the attendant and he looked concerned as he said: "This isn't for my company." I figured it wouldn't be a problem and the Lomprayah ferry would show up soon, so I walked back down the pier and asked the lady at the customer service desk when it would be there. Also looking concerned, she then informed me that it arrives at a different pier, which is 15km away. So the bus wasn't early - I had gotten on the wrong one. After some back and forth with her, and repeatedly asserting that I wasn't going to buy another ticket for her company's ferry, she begrudgingly called Lomprayah to come pick me up. This was even better than the taxi I was asking for, as it would be free, so I lucked out.
I waited outside for half an hour with a dog who curled up next to me. While I was waiting, a man in a red shirt approached me and asked if I was going to do any diving on Koh Tao. I noticed he was wearing a Big Blue shirt and said that I was planning to go to his shop but I hadn't booked anything yet. He introduced himself as Peter, called the shop, booked me a room at a discount, and arranged for his brother to pick me up for free from the ferry terminal on Koh Tao when I arrived, which saved me a half hour walk. Thanks, Peter - you're awesome.
A short while later, the Lomprayah van showed up and I hopped in the back. The driver blasted Katy Perry as we cruised between ferry terminals at 6:30am. When I got out of the van and walked across the pier to the right boat, I stopped to watch the sun rise for a minute. This was going to be a good day.
I walked to the train station, where I found my platform, got on, and found what seemed to be my car and seat. I was supposed to have booked an upper bed in a sleeper car but I didn't see any beds, or any upper part of the car, so I had no idea if I was in the right place. Eventually a Thai lady appeared with her son, who was about my nephew's age, and sat across from me. The boy promptly grabbed one of his books and pulled himself up next to me, opening it up for me to read to him. Any stress I had about possibly being in the wrong car or on the wrong train instantly disappeared. Eventually a British woman came aboard with about 8 teenagers and explained what was going to happen: there would be food service, they were going to make up the beds in a few hours, and they would tell you when it was your stop. Shortly after that, someone came and checked my ticket and didn't kick me off the train, so I figured I was in the right spot.
I managed to get a few hours of sleep on the train but was still pretty groggy when I stepped off at 4am in Chumphon. I followed the crowd to the Lomprayah ferry company's counter and was told to catch the bus across the street at 6am. I waited with the crowd until a bus showed up at 5:30 and a man walked around and pointed at the bus shouting "Koh Tao!". Cool, early bus. I hopped aboard. Half an hour later, we arrived at the ferry terminal and I walked down the pier to get on the boat. I showed my ticket to the attendant and he looked concerned as he said: "This isn't for my company." I figured it wouldn't be a problem and the Lomprayah ferry would show up soon, so I walked back down the pier and asked the lady at the customer service desk when it would be there. Also looking concerned, she then informed me that it arrives at a different pier, which is 15km away. So the bus wasn't early - I had gotten on the wrong one. After some back and forth with her, and repeatedly asserting that I wasn't going to buy another ticket for her company's ferry, she begrudgingly called Lomprayah to come pick me up. This was even better than the taxi I was asking for, as it would be free, so I lucked out.
I waited outside for half an hour with a dog who curled up next to me. While I was waiting, a man in a red shirt approached me and asked if I was going to do any diving on Koh Tao. I noticed he was wearing a Big Blue shirt and said that I was planning to go to his shop but I hadn't booked anything yet. He introduced himself as Peter, called the shop, booked me a room at a discount, and arranged for his brother to pick me up for free from the ferry terminal on Koh Tao when I arrived, which saved me a half hour walk. Thanks, Peter - you're awesome.
A short while later, the Lomprayah van showed up and I hopped in the back. The driver blasted Katy Perry as we cruised between ferry terminals at 6:30am. When I got out of the van and walked across the pier to the right boat, I stopped to watch the sun rise for a minute. This was going to be a good day.
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| Sunrise from the Chumphon pier |
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| New friend |
waiting to hear about your recent adventures.....looking forward to reading all about them :)
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