Saturday 18 January 2014

Headed home

The hotel cabby (mini van) collects me at 7:15am for the 5 minute drive to the bus station,  200 baht or $6.00, cheap enough,  but expensive when my bus ticket costs 140 baht.  The lady at the ticket counter tells me to wait and she will call me for the bus.  I wait.

Nature calls and I go to the loo, pay my 3baht to use the loo.  No paper, typical.  So I ask for paper.  None but he wil sell me a packet of tissues for 7baht.  Sorry buddy, not this kiddo.  I carry my own.

A bus eventually arrives at the Phuket layby.  I suspect it wasn't really the bus I was supposed to be going on as none of the other tourists were getting on board.  I was the only one.  As far as a bus goes it was pretty basic.  But I didn't care.  I was going home.  There were plenty of seats so I made myself as comfortable as I could.  Seats were hard and a spring clean would have helped dramatically.  The bus goes to move off slowly.  The driver struggles to close his door, surely he's not going to drive like that.  Or are we going to be stuck here.  I cant believe how negative I have become.  Of course we aren't going to be stuck here, because today I am going home and I have a connection to catch. woohoo!    He eventually closes the door and we are away.

It is quiet on he bus.  Most people dozing.  I am looking at the scenery.  The kaarsts tower over everything and are stunning.  Silence is broken by the loud and raucous sound of a cell phone.  Owner is the conductor, a rather straggly grumpy looking lady.  She lets it ring for ages and then screams a "hello" into it.  This goes every 5 minutes or so, each time she lets it ring and ring. Urg!

An overwhelming stench takes over the bus.  I nearly vomit.  Some wee kid had gone no 2s.  He couldn't help it but his mom could have at least wrapped it quickly.  Took ages and it wreaked.  Just another smell.

We stop regularly to pick up passengers until eventually the bus is full.  We also stop on a regular basis to collect freight and at one stage I sit and watch as they load bags of stuff.  Big bags, heavy bags, white bags with what would appear to be roundish hard things in them.

We drive on and soon come to a shellfish roadside stall.  Some of the bags are unloaded.  Fresh produce!!  No way that what has been in the bus is going to now be put on a road side stall, in the heat, and be sold!!!?  And yet that is exactly what is going to happen.  I witnessed another delivery further down the track and when I eventually went to get my bag out I noticed that the hold was wet and it stunk of fish.  Just my luck that my bag was sitting in it and another suitcase will get dumped.  The smell didn't follow me as I walked away so think I am safe.  Thanks, Tom and Eve the bag has been awesome, and will keep going for many trips yet as long as I keep away from cats and shellfish.

All along the way I see rubbish, randomly strewn everywhere.  What a shame as it really could be quite pretty.  I think back to all the things that just aren't quite right, little things, everywhere.  Like in the hotel where I just stayed.  Its quite new so no excuses.  The shower rose fell off the first time I used it.  I left it on the side of the bath.  It was still there after the room had been serviced.  Not moved an inch.  The handrail had fallen off the bath, there were no towel rails or hooks, the jug leaked, the pillow cases had little holes in them and my towel was darned!  It was a cheap place by our standards but not by Thai standards.  And that was one of the better places.

We soon arrive at the Phuket no 2 bus station.  Nothing remarkable or unremarkable.  It just is.  A taxi whisks me off in the direction the bus has just come from and soon has me at Phuket International Airport.  I cant check in as I am too early so I go to my new regular, Mr Burger King.  No Asian food to be seen once again.  Fed and eventually checked in I go through immigration and yay I am airside.

Indescribable is the only way I can describe the mayhem going on.  The duty free shop has been taken over by what can only be a massive tour group.  All pushing, shoving, snatching and screaming.  Even if anyone else had wanted to go into the store they wouldn't have been able to.  No room and real danger of being savaged or trampled by animals. Total mayhem. Unbelievable. 

I go to cash in my baht.  No money exchange.  Bugger.  So I buy books and a few bits and pieces for the kids and figure I will try the rest in Singapore.  No point in wasting it.

My flight to Singapore must have been OK.  I slept for most of it and woke up to not enjoy a horrible fish meal.  But never mind, I am going home.  

Singapore I have never been so happy to see you.  As much as I normally hate your sterility, today you are a clean, orderly and wonderful,place where I manage to get some Thai Fish Cakes.  Not the best but I have been hanging out for them for ages and haven't found any on any menu.  Changi you done me well.  I had managed to change the baht and that paid for dinner.  At least it wasn't wasted.

And so I am on my way, flying as I write.  I have calmed down considerably and think I will just go straight home and have my cheese on toast before checking everyone out tomorrow.  Bring it on....





1 comment:

  1. Glad to see you've been safe. Have a safe flight back to NZ and can't wait to see you again in Wellington really soon!! :)

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