Things were going swimmingly when we began our day's travels. We arrived with time to spare at the Koh Rong Dive Centre in Sihanoukville, the pick up point for our bus to Koh Chang. A first for our travels so far, the bus arrived exactly on time to pick us up. A shabby old wreck? No sir. A newer, spacious, air conditioned, king of the road motor coach. We toured Sihanoukville picking up fellow travellers and, but for a little hold up at the bus station waiting for a late-comer, we got on the road to the border in good time. We fairly sped to the border, through small towns, rural areas, and a vast and beautiful national park. So comfortable was the ride, we alternated between sight seeing and snoozing, each in splendid comfort.
Upon arrival at the border, we disembarked the motor coach and walked through both the Cambodian and Thai border controls. We ended up spending a little extra on the exit from Cambodia to speed our transit, something our fixer promised and delivered on. On the Thai side we sat. In the sun, and waited. For what? Well, for enough other suckers to arrive at the border, pay their fixer for a speedy exit, and then sit in the sun on the Thai side. It's not a busy crossing.
Eventually (about two hours), enough people who were both crossing the border and heading to Koh Chang were ready to board the comfy mini van that would whisk us away. We were directed to load our bags in the back of the van. Kim loaded hers in early but one of people who appeared to be directioning the loading grabbed Kim's bag out and put it on the ground directly behind the van, gruffly indicating that she should leave it for him to load after the larger bags were in. He directed us to find a seat in the van.
Anyone see where this is going?
It was delightfull trip to Trat where the the ferry terminal for Koh Chang is located. We stopped to transfer to another van that would run us to the ferry, aaaaand, Kim's bag has not made the journey.
There ensued much discussion on the road side, phone calls to the fellow who had directed the loading of the van, debate between the two van drivers at the scene, and finally a plan was formulated. The fellow who had loaded the van agreed that he may have a yellow back pack, and if we were to wait at the bus station in Trat he may send the back pack to the station within the next couple of hours. But really, the situation we found ourselves in was nobody's fault but our own as, after being told to allow him to load the bags and get in the van, we should have then ensured it got loaded. Right?
Thai culture dictates that the worst failing one can display are angry out bursts, it brings shame to the person making such a display and embaresse all who wittiness it. So I suppose screaming at the pin head on the phone then kicking our driver in the nuts was out of the question (writing this is very therapeutic). So here we sit at the bus depot. Waiting.
I'll catch you up later.
********
Wow! As I write Kim's bag has arrived! Off to Koh Chang. We will just make the last boat.
********
As we very foolishly allowed the fellow loading the bags not to load the bags (?????), our onward tickets from Trat to the ferry were no longer valid. A songtau driver at the bus station assured us that, once our bag arrived he would deliver us to the terminal. With our bag finally in hand he dashed to his vehicle to come and gather us. For the uninitiated, a songtau is a small pick up truck with two narrow, 5' long benches on either side of the truck bed. As our driver pulled around we noted with some concern that there were already 12 travellers in the back of the truck. With their luggage. They did not pack light. I ended up standing on the back step of the truck for the high speed, 40 minute run to the terminal.
Well, almost the terminal. We stopped about ten minutes from the terminal at, again, a meagre, roadside canteen in order to purchase tickets for the ferry. And sat. For what? Who knows. I assume it was so that we could avail ourselves of the high quality victuals on offer (not). We were told that, when the time was right a bus would come to deliver us to the terminal. A bus. They told us several time that a bus would come.
At about quarter to 7:00 (the ferry was scheduled to leave at 7:00) we were all directed to load our gear into the self same songtau that delivered us from Trat, though this time there were 16 travellers. This time I got to share the back step with luggage.
But we made the ferry. Turns out that for many islanders who had traveled to Trat that day, the whole 7:00 pm departure thing didn't work for them, so we sat. This time on the ferry. Around 8:00, the ferry began the 40 min trip to Koh Chang. Island side, we again over loaded a clapped out songtau and travelled down the coast, dropping quests at there lodgings as we went. Finally we arrived at Blue Lagoon. One of the staff was getting married and the reception was at the far end of the island and all of the staff were at the reception. All of them. There was a note posted to the door of the reception area addressed to us and informing us that our room was ready. It's dark. There is no map and the bungalows are placed haphazardly around the broad grounds. With the help of some of the long term guests, a few calls to the owners, and 45 minutes, we found our room.
We did pretty well. For a trip billed as 5.5 hours, it only took us twelve. Thank all the gods that we only have one travel day left on our journey, the short run to Bangkok.
Blue Lagoon is quickly turning the stress of our travels into a distant memory, and I tell about it in future posts.
No comments:
Post a Comment