Travel Blog

We're sitting in the Hua Hin train station waiting for the train to take us to Sam Roi Yot where we will be spending the next three days. This is the third time we'll have gotten on a train, the first trip took us from Bangkok to Phetchaburi and the second from Phetchaburi to here. We've been taking a 3rd class train and I honestly cannot tell why they are 3rd class. They are regularly cleaned during the journey, they collect trash and the people are very friendly. So far I have only seen and met thai people on these trains, probably because train stations and tourist agencies try to sell you, as a westerner, expensive 1st or 2nd class train tickets or private cars. In most cases it's not malicious and it is often just assumed that we have the money to spend. But we have learned that we have to be persistent. In Bangkok we were herded into a travel agency by a very friendly thai lady where we were told that this part of the trip (Bangkok - phetchaburi - Hua Hin - Sam Roi Yot - Kanchanaburi - Sangkhlaburi- Bangkok) was VERY difficult and could only be done in a private car for 18 000 thai baht (~ 320£) each. Nope. Next we went to the train station and had the best chicken pad thai so far in a little cafe across the street called @Siam. Anyway after the pad thai we checked out the train station and discovered how easy and simple it would be to hop on a train to our first stop for only 36 baht (~ 0.65£) each. Next 13 baht to Hua Hin and 5 baht to Sam Roi Yot. That's half way through this part of the trip and not anywhere near 18 000 baht each. Please don't misunderstand: the Thais are really lovely people (even when they are trying to sell you something). They are smiley, and happy, very chatty and try to help you out in they way they think is best for you. It also helps if you know hello and thank you in Thai and greet people with a smile and a nod. The level of English varies but is generally good enough for us to get by. Vietnam is going to be interesting where I will need to unpack my rusty old French....

Check out the link to jonny's Instagram for some of his photos of the trip so far!

On your marks, get set, travel blog! I’ll do my best to upload some photos soon. Currently we are in Hua Hin, a sleepy little coastal town. Normally not so sleepy but wide awake with tourists coming to party, however monsoon season deters most party animals and they tend to flock to Bangkok. Bangkok was our first stop. Arrived there on Monday night and stayed a week. After Bangkok we took a train down to Phetchaburi and then a train to Hua Hin. Updates soon!