Friday 1st December - Koh Lanta to Chiang Mai

We left Koh Lanta early and got a result on the old accomodation as they only charged us for 3 nights instead of 7, what a touch!

So, 0730 hrs we were met by Michael Schumacher of the Thai Mini Bus Racing Team and ventured off to collect other unsuspecting travellers on our way to Krabi, and Surat Thani. After catching 2 car ferries to cross the waters to the mainland we arrived, rather quicker than expeced, in Krabhi for our first drop off. We had been warned that many tour companies send bus loads of people to their 'Sister' companies in other towns to boost a bit of profit and exploit the tourist and it started here and got progressivly worse.

We were dropped off at the travel company's 'Other' branch and has to wait 20 minutes for another mini bus to transfer us to the 'Big' bus station. This place was like a large cow shed and we had to wait for a hour to board the bus and then we were on our way.

We were tired and hopeful of a good run to the journey but we were soon on edge when the sign posts for Surat Tani were pointing left and the driver went right. Then we were heading down smaller roads and our suspitions were heightened when we stopped and were told that we had to wait for another bus to take us the next step of the way.

Conveniently, for someone other than us, we had been dropped next door to another 'Sister' agency that had drinks and food available. So, we had to wait. Luckerly, our timing schedule allowed us the pleasure but others that were on the bus were not so lucky. They had connections with the ferry and were causing a storm with the girls on the travel desk, and rightly so. This was full blown exploitation at its best.

We waited for a while and then a van pulled up to transfer people to the railway station. We hopped in the back and started another leg of an interesting journey to the railway station, or so we thought. We we taken to a Bus Station, a normal, everyday, stop at every stop bus station. They dropped us off and we boarded the bus with our luggage headed off once again.

As the journey had already been rather 'different' we were glad to be heading in the right direction and hoping everything would be ok from now on. We were, of course, wrong!

As we relaxed on the bus, it was then that Amanda asked about the 3rd bag of ours and if I had it. I didn't! We suddenly realised that we were a bag short and it was the small wheelie suitcase containing all our medicines etc. I sat and thought for a minute, where we had left it. Then it dawned on me, I hadn't put it on the bus in Krabi, I'd loaded the rucksacks and then got on the bus, it was still in Krabi!

DOH!

We remained silent for a short while, contemplating our situation and by the time we had arrived at the Railway Station I had devised a plan to get the bag back, or at least try anyway.

So, with a few hours to kill, we waited at Surat Thani Railway Station for our overnight train and passeed the time, observing the locals and going over our trip so far. It had been a good one with harley any hiccups, so we had to be glad that it had taken a month before anything had gone wrong.

Our train arrived and we located our sleeping compartment. 1st class I may add! Only 20 quid each for our own bunk room with wash basin. Result. Anything less wasn't worth thinking about. We may be backpacking but we have our limits now that we are no longer so young!

Shortley after the train moved off we were greeted by a friendly waiter who advised us on the evening meal, something we did not know about in advance and so we greated our Sweet & Sour Chicken with rice as a luxury and enjoyed every mouthful, along with a couple of large beers for me.

It was already dark by the time we were moving so we got settled and prepared for our sleep. It wasn't at all bad really, woke up every couple of hours when my iPod finished an album and fell silent. Arriving in Bangkok at 0630hrs we disembarked and caught a taxi to the airport, where we waited out for 8 hours until our flight after unsuccesfully trying to get on standby for the earlier flights.

We passed the time, surfing the web, having our hair cut and drinking coffee. We eventually checked in early and mad our way to the gate. Stopping off at the wine bar for more drinks before flying out to Chiang Mai as the sun set over Thailand.

The flight was only short so we were looking forward to getting to Chiang Mai town early to see some sights in the early evening. This, however, was when our second problem arose. Although Amanda's rucksack turned up, mine didn't. We found a representative for the airline who, through contact with head office, found my rucksack, in Chiang Rai, the town further east from us, 4 hours drive away!

Great! We arranged with her to organise its delivery to us after remmonsrating to her that we needed it tonight and not to send it back to Bangkok. We gave her the hotel details and took her number, leaving her to deal with it and headed off to our hotel.

We arrived in good time and found a nice night market going on right outside the hotel which we were looking forward to visiting after we had settled in. Now, when you walk into a hotel and after 5 mins of looking for your resevation the receptionist needs to ring someone else, you know that something is wrong. Our 3rd thing in the space of 24 hours. Our resevation had not been processed with the hotel and they had no rooms.

We had only booked one night as we had set ourselves up at the Sheraton for 2 nights following our arrival. However, we were now stuck and although they tried to persuade us to go with some bloke they said was her brother, to another hotel, we declined and called the Sheraton and explained our situation.

As we were already booked in for the next few nights, they found a room for us and we headed to the Sheraton for an extra night of bliss. This, with all it's added pleasures, posed a possible problem with the airline as we had told them where we would be staying and now we had changed. We called them and tried to explain but were not convinced that they understood.

So, With the 2330 arrival pending, I caught a Tuk Tuk to the previous hotel and Amanda stayed at the Sheraton and we both awaited the imminent arrival of my luggage. When I arrived at the previous hotel, the manager had found our resevation, in his Junk Email folder and apologised for the inconvenience. I accepted his apology with a smile because Amanda had text me, with extreme amazment, that my rucksack had arrived at the Sheraton in one piece and I made my excuses and went back.

So, our journey from Koh Lanta to Chiang Mai had started at 0700hrs on the Friday and this was now 0015hrs on the Sunday morning. It had been a long journey. We checked in, got our room and relaxed for the first time in 41 hours.