Prachuap Kiri Khan to Bang Saphan

It's been a while since I did my last update, so instead of reprisingeverything by memory, I'm going to publish my last 3 entries from myhand written travel diary.

Prachuap Kiri Khan - 30th Jan '06

I guess this is where my trip really starts, in Prachuap Kiri Khan. This is the first night I'm truly on my own, away from family and friends. I've been away from London now for little over a month,spending time in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Hua Hin. I've been to all these places before (Hong Kong most obviously!) so I don't really constitute them as part of my trip.
It's not really the most glamourous starts to a year out. Prachuap Kiri Khan seem to be quite a calm chilled town, with not much to do,although I've only been here for one evening so far. I checked into the Yuttichai Hotel not 50m from the train station. It seems pleasant enough, with ample room, though facing a noisy road, with double bed, dresser and a fan. There's a communal bathroom area with no hot water,and a place to gather downstairs. The staff seem nice and friendly here.
The train journey from Hua Hin was good, despite the open windows delivering a seesaw of smells from burnt wood to fields fertilised with what must have been bovine diahorrea. I had to frantically stick my head out of the side of the train everytime we pulled into a station so that I could spot the dimly lit single signs announcing the stops so that I wouldn't miss my destination.
I was expecting a mad rush of taxi drivers to approach me when I arrived here, but none came forward. It's so different to the well worn tourist towns and cities like Bangkok and Hua Hin. It's a breath of fresh air and great to realise I'm getting away somewhere different.
The town, for a provincial capital, is very relaxed, with no signs of other backpackers so far. A 20 minute walk by the seafront in the nice seafood restaurant which cost me 200 baht (3 quid) for a large bottle of beer and 3 dishes. Must say that "Burnt Cock, Iridescant" does not sound the most appealing of menu choices. Sounds like something a man gets from staying in the sun too long on a nudist beach. No thanks.
I'll try to get up early tomorrow and explore the town properly. There's supposed to be a nice temple atop a hill at the north end of town. Off to bed now.

Prachuap Kiri Khan - 31st Jan '06

Got up fairly early this morning in no small part due to the lack ofsleep last night from a goddamn squealing monkey outside my window and loud motorbikes going who knows where in the wee hours.
Made my way to Khao Chong Krachok (Mirror Tunnel mountain) a few hundred meters north, on the edge of town. There's a hole in the side of it through which you can see the sky (thus the name) although I never saw it. I think you have to walk a fair distance into the shrimp farms to see it from another angle. On approach to the base, a huge horde of stump-tailed monkeys made their way to a generous local feeding them small bunches of bananas. The climb up the hill (it's barely a mountain) was fairly arduous, especially for someone as unfit as I am. Monkeys lined the staircaseall the way up to Wat Thammikaram at the summit. Most were either asleep, grooming or looking for a feed. The temple at the top afforded some fantastic views of Prachuap Kiri Khan and the surrounding areas, including Ao Noi to the north and the Thai Airforce Base (Wing 53) to the south, protecting Ao Manao, where Japanese forces landed back in 1941.
Had a spot to eat by the seafront from some street stalls, then walked the 6km to Ao Manao through the military base. Strange walking acrossa runway to get to a beach! Ao Manao is nice, not the best beach I've been to, plus it was high tide so the beach was mostly submerged. Walked the length and spotted a nice cove with a deserted beach. Couldn't get to it though as I was foiled by growth along what was a very unused path. I wonder if anyone has gone that way in the last few years!
Took a motorbike taxi back to the hotel (I'd been walking for nigh on 5 hours by then in hot weather!), where I had a shower to freshen up and a couple of drinks downstairs to relax after all the walking. Spent some time on the internet then went out for dinner in the nightmarket.
Came back to the hotel and spotted some backpackers sitting having a drink although the table was kind of full. I annoy myself sometimes. I'm pretty shy when it comes to introducing myself when I'm alone. All my friends know how loud, talkative and outgoing I am and may balk at such claims, but it's true. I'm only outgoing once I know someone, but I can never instigate. I prefer being introduced or someone introducing themselves. I'm sure I'll change over this trip. I will need social interaction sooner or later! I think it's symptomatic of a bigger problem I have with myself. I've never felt like I've belonged anywhere before. My mum keeps telling me I'm not Chinese, which hurts. But that's because I've been brought up in an English orientated family and education. Neither do I feel English, as when I'm in England, people always see I'm Asian and will ask where I'm from. Invariably, I'll tell them from Hong Kong, which means they think I'm Chinese. I've had Chinese people unable to look at my face when I speak Cantonese as they think it's too weird someone who isn't fully Chinese speaking such. When I'm in Hong Kong, they always comment on how good I speak Cantonese, thinking I'm a foreigner. So you see, neither place I 'originate' from accepts who I am. The only people who do, are my friends and Sev. That's what made it so difficult to leave London. Not because of London itself, but because of them. It was tough. Many of my close friends and Sev will attest to the many times I cried about leaving them.
That's why I don't approach new people. I guess I think I won't belong. So anyway, those backpackers walked off somewhere with a cursory nod as they passed me and I weakly acknowledged. I should have spoken to them earlier.
Tomorrow, I'm off to Bang Saphan Yai. It's hopefully a more lively place than here. I get on better in a more social atmosphere when it comes to meeting people. I've just got to get into being alone and meeting others. But isn't that part of the reason I'm undertaking this trip? To be alone and become friends with myself again?
Oh, word of advice. Don't walk 5 hours in the sun wearing a tight necklace. You'll look like you're still wearing one when you take it off afterwards...

Click here to see the photos

Bang Saphan Yai - 3rd Feb '06

After finding out my train would be delayed by 2 hours, I made the executive decision to take the bus down to Bang Saphan Yai. Believing that the bus terminates in a single town there (as I was told), and that the crew would tell me when I arrived (I asked them), I was rudely dumped on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere after overshooting my stop (by 20 minutes I found out later!). Luckily, a kind lady at a road side cafe 2 minutes down the road called Suan Luang Resort at which I planned to stay and they sent a driver out to pick me up.
Bang Saphan is a little town with not much to it. Suan Luang Resort is situated 10 minutes from the town towards the beach, Bang Saphan Yai (Yai meaning big). A collection of modest bungalows and a thatched roof restaurant that mainly caters for guests, it is quaint, quiet and nicely isolated amongst a large coconut plantation 700m from the sea. There's not a shop, internet cafe, computer or bar to be seen anywhere.
I met a Dutch couple, Tom and Crystal, in their twenties, the evening I checked in. They gave me some nice pointers to the surrounding areas and attractions. That evening, I ate at the resort's restaurant, that has an extensive Thai and French menu, although Crystal told me the French food left much to ask for. I wasn't going to try it anyway. Why travel half way round the world to eat French food?
The following day, I booked a scuba diving trip to Koh Thalu, a 15 minute speed boat ride from Bang Saphan Yai. I met Liam and Clare, an English couple also in their twenties, from Morecombe, just north of Manchester. They were also staying at the Suan Luang resort. They had booked a snorkelling trip to the island.
Koh Thalu was beautiful, something you see in movies or brochures,although dampened by the overcast weather and occasional light showers. I was the only diver on the boat, which was exactly what I wanted, although another diver boat with 4 divers shadowed us.
On the first dive, the visibility was rather poor, but improved as we retreated to shallower depths. The coral wasn't fantastic, but our encounter with a curious snorkeller diving down to swim with us, and later, a 2m stingray brightened the dive. The stingray was the largest I had ever seen in my life. It continuously swam off to return every few minutes to buzz past us towards the end of our dive. I had lunch with Liam and Clare on a platform over the sea on the private resort on Koh Thalu. My second dive was short and unspectacular, but the sun did come out to highlight some of the largest brain and star coral formations I have ever witnessed. Each colony was 3m high by 4m wide.
That evening was relaxed, spent getting to know Liam and Clare better over dinner and some drinks. I also went into town beforehand to get a replacement memory card, for my digital camera, which decided to pack in. Thus no photos from Koh Thalu!
Before dinner at the resort (a rather extravagant designation for the accommodation) I visited the night market in town where I was privy to the first stall I've seen selling fried insects.
Today I slept in, then rented a motorbike to head into town to use the internet (couldn't do my blog as some sites where unreachable due to bad connections). Taxis are non-existent here, and the only way to get around is either to walk or ride a rented bike. Luckily, the resort has a couple of bikes for hire.
Again, I spent dinner talking to Liam and Clare. There are few people staying here. Now that Tom and Crystal have gone, the only people here are us 3 and an older Dutch couple I spoke to briefly on the way back from the night market (the resort took us in their truck). At 10pm,the staff retired, leaving Liam, Clare and I candlelit at our table as all lights were extinguished, plunging us into darkness. The couple retired fairly soon after, leaving me and my remaining beer to witness the beautiful orchestra of grasshoppers surrounding me, with the odd crescendo of crickets and the sporadic, unmistakeable 'chirp' of geckos, lulling one into a sense of peace and oneness with nature.
Tomorrow, I'll be heading 40 km out of town with Liam, Clare and the older Dutch couple (didn't catch their names!) to visit the Sai Ku waterfalls.