16 January 2015 - We nearly miss our train and feel streetwise and savvy!

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast again and I drank two mugs of the naturally sweet, almost chocolate like Cambodian coffee which, in hindsight, was not wise given the wait ahead of us. Our journey from Siem Reap to Bangkok should have been more simple than our outward trip as we didn’t need to have visa for Thailand because this time we were staying only a week - should have been...

Breakfast of fruit, eggs and baguettes at V and A Villa, Siem Reap

Good Bye trusted tuk tuk

As the return train left from the Thai side of the border at 1355Hrs we thought we should allow 4 hours minimum for the journey to Poi Pet and the border crossing. We were confident that we would make the train in plenty of train with time to spare for a snack at Aranyaprathet but we were getting rather tetchy as the minutes and then hours ticked by at Passport control!.

Andy from the hotel organised a local trustworthy taxi driver for $30US who drove mostly more safely than our previous taxi driver.  En route we saw water buffalo wandering through the rice paddies, Brahman cattle, pigs, and plenty of the long legged chickens that seem to be ubiquitous here.  We suppose these chickens are not bred for meat and super egg production but breed when they want, live free range lives and yield eggs for their owners.  The eggs we have had in Thailand and Cambodia are really tasty so this may be why.  They seem to make up a big part of the local diet.

Pigs on their way to market.

Along the highway we saw many little communities and schools in between the fields. The taxi driver made good time having left about 0900 hrs and we joined the passport queue by 1110 hrs.   The queue was enormous and ridiculously slow moving with only 4 check through desks.  We finally emerged through to Thailand from no man’s land at 1325hrs knowing that the station was 6 kms away and our train for Bangkok would leave at 1355hrs and we still hadn’t bought the tickets!  More than a little stressful.

As we ran on to the street the vultures were there: “Taxi, Madam, your train will go at 1330 hrs”, etc…never let the truth get in the way of a good earner…”300 Baht each, OK, 250 Baht each”.  However, we had our facts and knew we could squeeze into a tuk tuk for 100 Baht and so we did.  We felt very streetwise and savvy knowing exactly what to do and not stopping to listen to various offers.

Chaos at the border - and remembering which country drives on which side of the road!

I bought the tickets whilst Karl took the big kids to buy some supplies for our 6 hour third class train trip.  Phew!  We found seats that weren’t broken and settled down.  Not quite sure about Plan B but we didn’t have to put it into action as we thankfully got on our train.

Ice creams after an extraordinary rush to make the train back to Bangkok.

 Our co-passengers were a friendly bunch and the guard remembered Luke from our outgoing journey.  What a job!  Parading up and down the ricketty old train on two 6 hour (or longer) journeys a day, stamping tickets.  The food and drink man was a different one today and we were very glad of cold water.  I bought some packages wrapped in banana leaf with banana and red beans which were filling but no one wanted to share them with me!  I also bought a "goobly" rice/coconut/pandam jellyish package which was tasty even though I didn't know what it was.  The others complained and their mood was not improved by Karl telling them he was reading about how Buddhists miss meals.

Our train - note open windows or shutters.

Annika chose a breezy doorway for a large part of the trip!

Sheep taking a risk!

Sunset over rural Thailand - only 2 hours left of the journey!

We did pull into Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station on time and started the hunt for taxi drivers who were willing to use their meters instead of charging huge prices.  It was late by the time we got in and as the kids were ravenous and all the little street carts were closed, we let them have McDonalds.  I know it goes against the grain but every now and then a bit of Maccas and some happy kids is worth it all!

Just as she was about to go to bed, Annika accidentally locked her room door and we had to call the host of this apartment.  Nuisance having doors that lock and no accompanying keys!!  Pin's father graciously came over and gave us the bedroom keys in case it happens again!!  The joys of travelling and staying in different places!