I would just like to point out that this is not a finished website by any manner of means. I’ve put it up here as a diary, and if the images are not right, the text is all over the place and the overall look is a bit shite, I’m sorry. Please just bare with me and read it if you want to – or not! As I say in the text, it’s just a diary really, and if you want to come with me, you are more than welcome! That said, if you have any positive criticisms or questions, feel free to get in touch.

Leaving Home

We’ve had some stressful times on our travels ‘how are we going to get out of this’?’ moments, but never before we left the house.
The train is at 12.55 and the taxi is arriving at 12.40. It’s that awful limbo moment between having everything ready to take out of the door and the lift arriving.
‘Ooh, I might need that’ – squeeze it in. ‘Do I really need that?’ – fond and discard. ‘Did I actually pack those?’ – rummage around in several bags, messing up all the neatly arranged items.
‘I’ll just do a final passport and ticket check’ says Peter.
He looks through the wallet that we keep passports, vaccination cards and driving licences in
‘Where’s your passport?’ he asks in ‘that tone’. One is the general, flat, unconcerned query that isbenign and no it in the slightest by it worring. The other, with a rising tone, higher pitched and, for me, panic enducing. It means ‘I can’t find the fucking thing and we’re in trouble!’
I don’t know – I haven’t seen it or used it for ages’ I say, trying to sound calm. ‘He’ll find it’ I think to myself ‘we’ve been here before – ‘it’s just in a random pocket.’
He goes through all the bags – several times. I look through pockets and other bagsandcwe scour his desk ‘what was the last thing you did with it?’
Just getting the international driving licence at the post office. Yesterday, wasn’t it? Call Tesco Express.
I call them , but the man says that the post office is all locked up and they can’t get in.
‘maybe it’s been handed in – try the police’ – have you ever tried calling the police for anything other than 999 thses days? Couldn’t even find a number
‘Call Tesco again and tell them how urgent it is’. I did and Peter pleaded with the man who starts looking at the CCTV footage. ‘Ther were two of us – my wife’s in a long red cardigan, posting Christmas cards, I’m six foot, grey curly hair and in my early sixties (really‽😂)
The taxi driver’s here – I go out and explain (we’ve also searched the car three times) – he waited until we’d missed the train and then we had to pay him and he left .
I just don’t know what to do’ said Peter, head in hands. I’ve only seen him like this once before and that was a last week when his doctor still hadn’t signed the fit to travel form which is mandatory for the Antarctic trip.
Nothing. Are you sure it’s yesterday – this was all very long winded with lots of going and froing, working out that it was in fact Friday. They found us, whilst we were in the car driving to the police station – Peter had had to call 999 just to ask how to get in touch. Our police station got rid of their counter some years ago but they assured us that if we banged on the door someone would answer. They did, but still no passport. Lauren at Tesco had found us on the CCTV, bit nothing was left on the counter
So. Without the passport our entire trip is ruined. When we first got together, over thirty years ago, we agreed that we’d spend a year travelling round the world when I retired. Then the government moved the goalposts and, by the time I’m retired, Peter will be 74 and unlikely to do some of the stuff that we so enjoy. So this trip is our ’round the world’, the highlight being an expedition to Antarctica, preceded by a week in Chile and followed by Christmas and New year in Auckland with Peter’s neice Rosie and family, then onto Japan and South Kore followed by Singapore, a train through Malasia and ending up in Thailand. So this was a disater.
‘All we can do now is calmy go through everything we did in the last copule of days and search your office’
Welooked through drawers, again. We looked on chairsantables sgai. We we not to his desk and went through papers – had it fallen on the floor?
‘Has it slipped under the printer?’ asked Peter, lifting it up. No.
‘Did you scan it for anything?’ Iaske lifting the lid.
Ther it was – splayed out for scanning! Couldn’t believe it!
I called the taxi firm ‘can you get a taxi to take us to Heathrow?’ Sorry, no one available.
‘We could try and gat another train’
‘Could someone take us to the station?’
‘No one available for half an our’.
Think
How about Mario? He might be able to give us a lift? Our lovely next-door- neighbours, already charged with watering the plants.
No one home.
‘How about Ben? He’s in’. Our lovely neighbour Ben is often offering us a lift on his van.
I knocked on his door
‘Of course maid, no trouble at all’.
We piled out rucksacks into the back of his van and all say in the front. Half way to the station
‘Did I actually pick up the passport‽’ Ben stopped the van and Peter rummaged through his bags again. Success.
We got to the station and the next train to Paddington was 2.57
That’s okay. We’ll be fine. Flight at 7.50, check in closes at seven. Train gets in at 5.27. Heathrow Express goes every fifteen minutes and the trip is fifteen. It’ll be tight
”We’re fine. Plenty of time ‘ reassures Peter.
The train got on a few minutes late and we rushed to the Heathrow Express – both laden down with one large heavy rucksack, one heavy camera bag and one ‘personal item’, mine, as always the famous ‘Muti-coloured Bag’, a Christmas present from my then future mother’in-law over thirty years ago, it’s been all over the world, can hold loads of stuff and oubles as a pillow.
‘No Heathrow Express’ said the guard at the gate. No apologies. No explanation and, until prompted, no alternative suggestion.
‘How are we suppose to get to Heathrow?’ implored Peter
‘You take the Harlsdon and then there’s a bus’
Where do we catch that?
‘platform 11’
Got to the gate for platform eleven
‘If you run you’ll just make it – oh n – you’re too late’
What now?
We looked mournfully at the overhead train timetable
We’ll have to get a taxi – even if it’s a hundred quid’
More stairs and escalotors to the taxi rank.
It’ll be about 70 – the chap said. Sounds like a bargain now!
We remembered godly the day that we asked how much a taxi from Heathrow to Paddington would be and told the guy he could keep his taxi when he quoted 35. We got the bus. But it wasn’t quite so urgent
We told the taxi driver where we wanted to go and he was quite calm and blasé that we’d get there in time. It soon became evident that he was probably the slowest taxi driver in London – quite proud of it in fact – as he did the classic non-stop talk of poitics, crime, inflation and football as we partly joined in and partly sat in secret panic.
‘This road’s been closed, we’ll have to go the other way – it’s only slightly longer’ our driver told us ‘it’s not usually as busy as this’ he chirped.
‘We’re not going to make it’ said Peter – several times.
‘How many flights are there to Santiago?’ I asked, thinking that if we did, we still had dmsix days to get there in time for the star of the trip – Antarctica
‘About one a week’ he said
‘We’re stuffed’ I said ‘how far now?’ Only a couple of minutes
More like ten!
Peter paid as grabbed my stuff and ran tiwasrd the terminal. ‘Air France?’ we asked anyone who would listen.
‘B’ the said and we ran – Mt mouth has never been so dry – I couldn’t even say ‘Air France’.
‘Just here’ said a friendly chap and we dumped our bags on the conveyor belt to check in
‘We’re late’ I said apologetically
‘You’re fine’ he said and proceeded to put our bags through.
Then the lady who was checking the clear plastic bags for liquids said ‘you’re fine…but when you get on the other side – run!’
Which we did – and got to our gate as passengers were boarding the plane!

Chile
1

Antarctica

Falklands

Get shit-faced for Paul

South Georgia

Too many locals

Antarctica

New Zealand

Japan

Japan

Well, we’re finally on another planet.
After a ten hour flight, two hours at Narita airport (at least we didn’t have to wait by the carousel for or rucksacks). Soooo many checks of our entry requirements, and about two hours on two trains and a taxi, we finally get to experience the famous hot loo seat!

This one’s at the airport

You can watch telly in the back of the taxi, our teeny compact room (a bit like a caravan, apart from the bizarre window into the bathroom), where we went for a couple of drinks round the corner and a coffee machine that I think I took to show Peter Howard and Rosie Howard !

12th This morning’s first task – trying to work out how to use the loo! Still can’t figure out how to turn off the very hot seat or the dribble of water that happens as you sit down, presumably to cover up the sounds of your own dribbles!

Epic fail! After planning our trip, we navigated our way to Tokyo station to get a rail pass only to realise that we’d forgotten our passports!
Back at the ranch again. Luckily, tickets between here and there are only 170 yen

12th Selection of – dunno – got pissed!


13th Tokyo

Got the rail passes. Had lunch in a traditional restaurant (on the fifth floor of a skyscraper!) Walked to see the Imperial Palace gate. Went to the Shibuya crossing. Found a teeny tiny bar. Some Australians came in. Then it got messy! Somehow we made it back to hotel. We did, however miss our stop and had to get off and look for the way back, but somehow we were at the right station.

Woke up feeling slightly ‘dusty’, so took it easy today. Organised travel and accommodation for tomorrow then lunch at the little nepales restaurant round the corner – a third of the price of yesterday’s lunch. Then, another epic fail as we arrived at the bus place for or planned tour of the city at 3.30 – last one went at 3.30

So, went to the nature park as it got dark, came back and got tonight’s ‘dinner’ which we’ll have watching telly. Aren’t we good‽

Watching some sort of song contest. This lot must be boiling in the studio!

14th
Tokyo to Hakone

About a dozen of these passed us and we thought of you, Derek Benner-McNulty
Peter says that they must be unionised, as they all arrived back at exactly the same time!


All reactions:4Derek Benner-McNulty, Tracey Landles and 2 others

A little mooch around, a spot if birding and a beer at a tiny cafe/bar whilst doing some laundry.

15th

Took the bus to Lake Ashi. Had a black egg, kindly donated by Mark who we met at the hotel with Andy (from the UK – and, it turns out, I’ve probably taught his friends’children!) and Ariel. A lovely mooch around birding as the weather got worse. Found ourselves at the golf course restaurant, where we had a lovely, but rather pricey meal – hence tonight’s ‘bed picnic’!
Took the ropeway and couldn’t see a thing!

(The ‘star’ of the view is, apparently, Mount Fuji)

This system beats ours of waiting for the train to come in only to have to run up half the platform to get to the right carriage!

15th Hakone Hmm. Don’t think that we’re going to get to see Mount Fuji today – or much else on our journey!


16

Shinkansen from
One local bus, a bullet train and two subway trains later, and we’re here in Kyoto.
A lovely walk by the river, with a few birds, a walk around the market, a few drinks in a dinky, eclectic bar, dinner at a Japanese pasta restaurant and a visit to an off licence for a bottle of red – until we saw the price of whisky! So sought out the vodka!

(Sorry folks, but due to my lazyness, this is now my travel diary thing, as I’ve not written in it for weeks!

)

17

Walk by the river.
Visit to the Bamboo Grove.
Wild goose chase to find ‘The Wave’, which was on permanent display here in Kyoto, but not for three years.
Walk in park.
Dinner Japanese style.

Thoughts on Japan so far:
Clean – no litter whatsoever. No chewing gum on the streets, no smoking on the streets (apart from the odd ignorant tourist)
Public transport is top notch – always on time and aways frequent. Also, once you know the drill, easy.
Clothes and buildings are beige, black, cream and white.
The people are very quiet but there are always beepings, announcements and/or piped music everywhere. If it’s not ‘easy jazz’, it’s disneyesque, musical box version of popular tunes or well-known classical. This is piped into the street, the toilets, restaurants – everywhere.
The people are lovely – polite and welcoming.
There were hardly any non-Japanese in Tokyo. There are all sorts here in Kyoto.
The loos are ever more ‘space-age’. Today I encountered at least two where the lid rises as you enter the cubicle and goes down as you leave!
Telly is shite

Might add more later as I think about it!
18
Subway, train, bus and several hours, but here we are in Nagano, having just had a little walk by the river, seeing three dippers (braaaahn dippers, Margot Holland ) mergansers and eastern spot billed duck.
Went out for a curry at this amazing place! ‘India The Spice’. The owner/artist had no idea that he was in The Lonely Planet and was delighted. He also has a gallery upstairs

19 Reserved seats for trains to Sapporo on Saturday then took the bus to the Snow Monkey Park. They’re not always there, but we were lucky!
We asked a little local bar/restaurant if they could do us a vegetarian meal tonight, so it might be interesting!

20 Karuizawa Nagano
After a leisurely start, thinking that we’d mosey on down to the Temple for a gander, we changed our minds, having found a bird reserve fifty miles away. By the time we’d faffed about, half decided on one train, realised that we could get another one and taken a bus from Karuizawa station to the reserve, we had little more than an hour there before we had to make our way back. We hardly saw any birds, either! Still, it was interesting to see a smaller town, and we had a lovely meal at a pasta restaurant, where I had a lovely vegetarian Japanese spaghetti. The lovely lady there used to work in Wellington, New Zealand and didn’t look her age – 75.
Since there was not much to photograph, here’s a picture of a snow monkey mother and her baby from yesterday.
(That’s weird! Really fuzzy. It was sharp on the computer – oh well. Can’t be arsed to change it now!)
Sapporo tomorrow – long day.

21st

Woke to snow

Shinkansen (Bullet train) to (Omiya)

The 9.59 to Hakodate is three minutes late!
On our way between Omyia and Hokadote

Just been through the second longest rail tunnel – The Seikan Tunnel. Looks a bit nippy out there!

from Sapporo to Abashirii – almost total wipeout
22 Abashiri, Hokkaido

Had a long spiel about this – but having problems, so will get back later.
After yesterday’s long trip from Nagano to Sapporo via two changes – 8.00am til about seven pm – we had a slightly more leisurely day (had intended to have a couple of hours in Sapporo this morning, but got taxi latish and had breakfast in a French style place at the station – there’s no restaurant car on Japanes trains). Only two changes – the second one, I got outo of one train, turned around and Peter had got into the next on the other side of the platform!). It was snow6 so hard that apologies were made for the tardiness of the train.
Itwas a fascinating journey, as the snow got thicker and thicker. The sound of the wiheuels on the rails made an eerie noise going round the meanders of the hills, a cross between whale song, a distant howling wolf and a whining puppy. We liked our for wildlife and saw many tracks, and eventuallnumbers of deer – sika?
Now we get to our hotel only to find that Booking com had sold us a pup of a ‘discount’ and requested that we pay more.
Off to the Abashiri Beer restauran.

23rd

Lateish up, and a walk along the river to the ports. Harlequin duck, white-tailed sea eagle and Stella’s sea eagle were highlights.
Tomorrow we are due to go on the ice-breaker, but don’t think that there’ll be any ice floes. It seems to be a pretty short trip.

After last night’s attempt to order a meal in this restaurant, using their iPad ordering thingy, we thought that we had it sussed. We went back tonight and finished up with plates if raw food in front of us, which we then had to cook ourselves!

Thank goodness we’re up some steps, or we’d never have got anywhere!

Severe weather expected Japan

Storms and freezing weather all over the west of japan

24th Another beautiful morning, but will it last?
Very disappointed not to be able to get to see Blakiston’s fish owl, but with the weather coming in, time running out and the only options bus or hire car, discretion was the better part of valor.

24th Wandered down to the boat for a trip that we knew would not have any ice.
Why do they have to bombard you with music and/or constant instructions‽
Then tried to take a bus up the road, but the next one was too late to do o anything. Finished up having a couple of drinks in a ‘pub’ (not really – more a ‘fish’ restaurant with suspicious images of whales on the wall) and then dinner at ‘our usual’.

Japanese telly

25th All aboard the Express train from Abashiri to Kushiro!
Just over three hours on this lovely trip.
White tailed eagles and quite a few sika deer on the way.
When we got to the hotel, we tried to book a car for a couple of days, but there were none left! So now we’re going to have to be up before dawn tomorrow for a taxi to where the cranes are.
Had a brief, and very chilly walk almost down to the docks and back in time for complimentary wine and (for Peter) venison stew.

26th Kushiro, Hokaido Up at 5.30 to go and see the ‘dancing cranes’.
First spot very distant, but atmospheric. Went to another spot where they were much closer, but fed.

26th Came back to hotel, took taxi to station to reserve seats for Hakodate in a couple of days, brunch in cafe/bakery, taxi to
do birding

27th January

Surprised that our next train was a steam train

Oh dear

We appear to have a problem – wheels slipping? Have only got as far as the next station. Announcements in Japanese.
Edit. Was fine – bit we were really late into Toro, which gave us very little time there. Unfortunate, as there was a kingfisher at the bridge and we didn’t have time to watch it. Also, a much closer Stella’s fish eagle
Then, my phone is full, so no more pics on here, but we had a great day, finishing off with a visit to a restaurant just for a drink, but they also made us a special vegetarian meal. Excellent!

Until the phone could take no more!
There was the most horrific stench. And there was a ‘cafe’ on the train, which on itself is almost unheard of. The best you’ll get (rare) ISA snack trolley. But here, as well as a couple of beers/ciders they appeared to be selling very flat fish in plastic packages
Turns out, it’s the thing to do to cook your stinky old fish on top of the stinky old coal fired stove! I’m pretty sure that we still pong of the stuff!

28th January Yesterday:Oh my god! What a journey!
Got into hotel at about 1.00am
More later!
We had a leisurely breakfast and took a taxi to the station at 10.45 to wait for our train at 11.25. Had a cup of tea and bought a spot of lunch for our two train journeys, the first getting into Miname Chitose at 3.05 for a connecting train to Hakodate nine minutes later. We’d be at Hakodate for about 6.30, in time for a freshen up, a drink and to look for somewhere to eat. We’d also be travelling along a very scenic bit of coastline.
11.25 came and went. We waited. On the platform. It was -11.
The train eventually turned up at 12.40 – so, we’ll miss the connection. All would be fine, however, since the Miname-Chitose ran every hour, we could get another one.
Arrived in M-C too late for the last of the hourly trains and were told that the next (and last) train to Hakadote was at 7.18! So, more than two hours, nowhere to eat, nowhere to drink, Peter bought the last KitKats at the tiny shop as it pulled down the shutters at 6.00. I dad a tinned coffee from the vending machine.I ate half my doughnut filled with bean paste and the other half of Peter’s egg sandwich made with sugary bread.
During our wait, we met Daniel Cook from Wales.Doing his Phd in economics, he’d attended a two week conference in Tokyo and made good use of his location by having an extended holiday. He’d flown up to the northern most pint of Japan and back again, and was on his way to Hakodate, so we passed the time chatting until it came time to go down to the platform. In one of the waiting rooms, the train was due in at 7.18 and we moved to another one closer to where we should board .
‘Where’s the 7.18 to Hakadote?!’ It had disappeared from the board. No announcement. Nothing. Just other trains arriving.
Dan went to have a word with another man on the station who spoke English – but not Japanese! He and his wife were Korean, had just flown in from Seoul for a ten day holiday and were as confused as we were.
7.18 came and went…
Then the Korean man told us that the train had been delayed for at least an hour. Something to do with an accident.
Then, after waiting for an hour or so, we were told by the staff, in English, as promised that the train would be at the station at 9.18
We’d spent the hours waiting and then in the train, swapping travel tales – including near disasters.
How relieved were we when it finally turned up at just gone 9.30.
We’d had to phone our hotel several times to let them know that we’d be late, and then Dan discovered that they wouldn’t open the doors after 10.00pm! Peter called again and they said that there would be someone on the desk – despite it being likely near 1.00 am – and Dan booked into the same hotel.
When we finally got to Hakodate, there were a lot of very relieved, tired and chilly people who alighted from the train.
A lie in for us and a lazy day – Dan has more plans – he has a few other things to squeeze in before heading back to Uni! Thanks for the company, Dan, and safe travels!
Tbc’d

-7 degrees

29th January The journey from Kushiro to Miname-Chitose

Peter’s just been out to reserve tickets for tomorrow. It was sunny.
It’s not now!

Yay! We found the Beer Hall!
Last orders were at 2.30
But we’ll be back this evening. Also, yummy veggie food!

Off for a lovely meal, more beer and some surprise entertainment at The Beer Hall.
Bear is, apparently, American but been living here for twenty years. He was great!
Lovely end to our trip here.

‘The flight’s at 9.00 so we won’t have to get up too early.
It’s an airport hotel, so there’ll be loads to eat’!
Anyway, here we have tonight’s dinner and we have to get up about half four to be at a bus stop to take us to the airport!
(The clue should have been in the name ‘hostel’!

) Dinner was more egg sandwiches, wine, beer, orange juice, tomatoes, green salad, dried soya beans

Our host took us to the bus stop for the local bus at 5.35
Peter had a teeny knife confiscated in Japan.

Singapore

Singapore

31st Jan – flew to Singapore

We made it!

The plane was el cheapo – no telly, had to pay for food and water and quite a bit of circling round in the clouds, which was disconcerting!
It was hot and pissing down, but we got the train into the city, then the MTR trains (only one change). Waited ages for a taxi – then hotel unhelpful.
Walked to hotel (hardly raining by now but very sticky).
People on desk beyond indifferent. Didn’t even tell us which way to the room, and when I said ‘which way please?’ the woman said ‘where do you want to go?’!

Anyway, straight to the Italian restaurant around the corner. It’s happy hour. They’re very friendly. We might just stay here for a while!
By the way – discovered that ‘hapihapi’ means ‘careful!’ Another one to remember.

1st Feb Took the MRT to Bishan park, where we saw three types of kingfisher, shrike, parrot, several types of heron, lots of odenata, monitor lizard, variable lizard, a squirrel and an otter family!

2nd feb
Lovely morning first in First Canning Park, where we saw, amongst other things, hornbill and sea eagle.
Then a green tea croissant.
Then the botanic Gardens where monitor lizards abound.
Now Raffles – the famous Long Bar had a massive queue – and a Singapore’s Sling is 37 Sgd – so a different drink in a different bar.
Train to Penang is getting tricky, so having to book a flight


2nd Feb – using the restauant as the office to book accomodation and flights.

£10.50 for a pint of beer at Singapore airport

Malaysia

3rd Feb Flew to Penang

Found a fantastic vegetarian cafe! Food was scrummy!
Then a spot of bird-watching from the bridge before we attempted to find the ‘Tesco Express’ to buy some wine. It didn’t look much a Tesco Express! So we had a beer with a rather drunken proprietor of a – bar?

A spot of birding before getting up!

4th Feb
So far today…
Took the bus to get tickets for the train from Butterworth station. Then, in ‘the middle of nowhere’ it stopped and we all had to get off. Same as the people on the bus in front. The reason? The road was blocked due to ‘prayers’. A Hindu event that hadn’t been able to happen for three years. No taxis – nothing to flag down. Tried waiting for the bus on the other side of the road to return whence we came. Tried ringing a taxi. Nothing.
Found, thanks to Maps.me that there was a KFC about 600 metres away, so we got there, had a drink and downloaded Asia taxi app and, thankfully, were able to get one – Vincent was very helpful and friendly. He also said that there’s be no point in going to the Botanic Gardens today, as planned, as it would be packed with thousands of people. He took us to the ticket counter, which was closed, so had to take the ferry across to Butterfield. Luckily the ferry was just going – the next would be another hour.
Obviously the ticket counter was closed for lunch, so went and had some of our own as we waited.
Ticket counter opened and woman said we had to book online! And pick up at first change. First train didn’t need to be booked. We would have got the ferry in the morning but they don’t start until seven – train is 6.30, so elwould have to get taxi there.
Got back to ferry to go back to Georgetown and next one isn’t until three. So we’re sitting here waiting and Peter is trying to book tickets.
What a waste if a day


4th Feb Here we go again!
After taking the funicular up to Penang hill and seeing quite a few interesting birds – Thick-billed green pigeon and a few other nice ones, a quick trip to somewhere for a beer on the way back and we were too late for anything to eat! Had to go to 7 11!

4th Feb All gone tits up. Can’t make the trains work. Or the buses. Part of this is to do with the internet/software not working. Was so much easier in the old days.
Going to have to fly. We’re both mightily pissed off.

5th Feb Well, it was a good day.
We got up later than originally intended as we were up til 11.30 with Peter trying to book flights.
We walked to the funicular railway station (it was already packed by 8.30) and went for a three hour walk around the top of Penang Hill, seeing many bird species, macaque and langur monkeys and a small and a giant black squirrel. Then we decided to walk down to the Botanic gardens – 5km but down a very steep windy road. By about 4.30 we reached the botanic gardens and had a drink at a cafe, asked about WiFi to call a taxi – knees, ankles, feet, backs – everything hurt.
‘The taxi won’t be able to get here’ to he man said. ‘The road is blocked’
Again!
‘It’s a twenty minute walk’. So off we set and found ourselves in the middle of the Thaipusam festival. It stretches for about six kilometres – extremely loud, colourful and fun. But we were too tired to stay, so walked a couple of km until we got off onto a side street and tried to find s bus stop. Luckily a taxi went by, so we were able to flag it down to take us back and we stopped off at our cafe for another vegetarian feast.
We’re bloody knackered!

5th Feb Last night of Chinese New Year from our window. Just a snippet. Also lots of lightening and some thunder.

6th Feb – arrived in Krabi Airport, and got taxi to Au Nang
Place so nice decided to make it nine days rather than the seven that we had booked.
7th Feb
Really lazy day. Legs ache so much and bodies have realised that they’re getting a break. Beds super comfy so slept really well.
Good breakfast, swim in the sea and then a couple of beers followed by some really lazy birding.
Interesting refreshments round here too!

Cannabis bars everywhere – the equivalent of twenty quid for a joint’s worth

So tired – can barely be arsed!
Went to A large posh hotel, where we had been told the gardens were full of birds. They were, but the hotel was also closed down, so bang went our plans of a cool beer there!
After a few hours there in the oppressive heat we walked to the Mangrove Boardwalk – about a km away. Had a beer opposite and then did the boardwalk – but no life there!
Remind taxis ..
Then went to the Indian that we went to the other night, and that was a bit of a disappointment.

Got car last night and took a trip up to Khaopra Bangkhram Wildlife Sanctuary. Dozens of birds heard but hardly any seen! Most photos were of dragonflies and butterflies, but we did see a massive python!
Hot, sweaty and knackered!

Yesterday vwe had a very lazy morning. Very tired and did some ‘housekeeping’.
In the afternoon we went on The Monkey Trail – which was rather disappointing. Huge numbers of people on a tiny walkway, which became more of a ladder. All the monkeys were at the bottom as people were feeding them, despite it being prohibited with hefty fines if you’re caught. Not to mention the utter stupidity of doing so!

Ban Ao Nang, Thailand ·

Went to ‘Chang Bar’ where quite a lot of well dressed ladies hang out!

Morakot resort Klongtom Krabi Thailand.
· Krabi, Thailand ·

Only started this after about two hours. Seven walking in total.

Kao Phenom Bencha National Park
What a day! The steepest ‘walk’ that we’ve ever done, but the swim was fantastic! Only one other couple there.
Not a bird in sight, but butterflies, dragon and damselflies, and other insects as well as a few reptiles.
Back to Ao Nang for a few beers and another lovely swim.

Last day in Ao Nang. Car went back yesterday and we’d booked a trip to Kho Phi Phi island. Ferry late, over two hours to get there. Massively touristy. Like Paignton.Went to go to a ‘National park’ but, having climbed more than a hundred steps and couldn’t see the top we said ‘sod it’ after yesterday!

12 February · Krabi, Thailand ·

Hot, sweaty and knackered. It’s all a bit ‘Ice Cold In Alex’ round here!

Train to Bankok

‘I really don’t want to do this anymore’ I said to Peter as we hurtled down a three lane carriageway in a tuk tuk. ‘I’ve had enough of the stress. Not the travel. Not the transport. The tight connections’

The morning had started off lazily and chilled enough. We had a taxi booked for 3.30pm to get us to Ao Nang bus terminal for the 4.30 bus to Surat Thani. There would be plenty of time for us to catch the 8.00pm sleeper to Bangkok. There, we had an hotel booked for two nights as the plane home departed Bangkok International Airport at 7.30pm the following day.

We had a leisurely breakfast – the same huge deal as nearly every day at The Krabi Forest Homestay – eggs, bread, massive amount of fruit, muesli and yoghurt, fresh orange juice and tea/coffee. Off we went to get some more shots of a few birds, have a couple of beers at the lovely Virat’s charming little beach bar and back in plenty of time for the taxi. The taxi arrived on the dot, took us to the bus terminal and the lady said that she’d call us when the bus came in.

4.30 came and went. Not a good start – can you see where this is heading?

4.36 and the bus turned up, we loaded our big rucksacks in the boot below and climbed aboard, clambering over a couple of big boxes in the aisle. It wasn’t long before it pulled out of the bus station – in a rather elderly fashion.

Within a few minutes, in front of a petrol station around the corner, the driver pulled over. He got on his phone. He chatted and looked out and around. We waited. Eventually a couple of girls turned up. They got on and we chugged off, super slowly up a tiny incline. My Maps.me app showed that we’d be at the railway station at 6.30pm – but that would be in a car and not an old jaloppy making numerous stops.

Time went by and the bus struggled up hills and speed up a bit going downhill

‘We’l be lucky to make the train at this rate’ I said.

The driver slowed down and pulled in again. This time picking up a young woman with a huge checked laundry bag.

Further on, and we pulled into another petrol station.

‘What the hell’s he doing now’ said Peter
‘He’s stopping for petrol – and buying oil’ I said as I saw him saunter off for a couple of bottles – needless to say, the engine continued to run as the fuel went into the bus via a pump unattended by the pump attendant who was serving another customer at the same time.

Monetary transaction sorted at snail’s pace, we set off again in similar fashion, each time, the incredibly slow self-closing door had to be waited for until he’d pull out.

Throughout this, the driver’s phone kept ringing and he’d chat away on it. Then he pulled over again (‘a couple of stops on the way of only one or two minutes’, the blurb had said).

‘He’s having a fag’ I said as I saw him hanging around the bus stop, having let on another passenger. He slowly finished his cigarette and got back into his seat. Our heads were in our hands by now, and Maps.me said we’d arrive at 7.30. We had to pick up the tickets at the station before we could board the train, and had no idea of the size of the station. Almost certainly one with about 20 platforms, hundreds of shops and miles between everywhere.

‘Now he’s having a swig of rum to keep him going’ Peter. A joke, but didn’t really help!

Another stop. This time the driver got out, after more phone conversations and came round to the passenger door and took out the parcels to deliver them. This is quite common in so many places, but when time is of the essence…and another fag. ‘I can’t believe this – we’re never going to get there on time’

‘Surely he’s not going to pull in at that restaurant’

‘He bloody is!’

‘Toilet!’ announced the driver

‘No! Just keep going – we’ll miss our train!’ said Peter

I unbuckled my seat let and dashed off the bus and ran back doing up my shorts.

‘200baht for a tuk tuk’ said Peter. He’d told him that we were going to Bangkok – we’d assumed that the bus would take us to the railway station. Clearly this was not the case.

‘Is he going to order one for us?’ I asked

‘No. He just said 200baht’

Of we sped – yes, sped. The driver was suddenly putting his foot down. Instead of being passed by everything from lorries to tuk tuks, we were now hurtling past cars, lorries – often weaving between two. I put on my sunglasses and closed my eyes ‘Just don’t look’ said Peter.

By now it was getting dark and each time we went past a sign, we both peered at it to try and make out the distance to Surat Thani.

We turned into a side road

‘Where the fuck’s he going now‽’

I looked at Maps.me

It’s a short cut to the main road.

We hung on, but it was obvious that we were almost certainly going to miss our train.

‘What are we going to do?’
I don’t know! What can we do‽’

We came to the outskirts of Surat Thani. The station was on the other side of the city – and there was a lot of traffic.

‘He’s going to start dropping people off now’ said Peter. If we get to where we’re going by 7.30 we might just make it’.

And sure enough, we turned up another side street to drop off the two girls. They took their tim.

‘Please hurry! We’re going to miss our train’ we said to them, as they got their money out – after the bus had stopped!

Another stop up another street. Two more got off.

Then up another street. He stopped again and the big laundry bag was taken off.

The woman got off.

‘It’s quarter to eight. We’ll never make it!’

The driver’s at the passenger door.

‘Come!! Come!! Quick!! Here!!’ He said.
We leapt off the bus, threw our day sacks (i.e. camera bags) and smaller bags into the back of the tuk tuk – the tuk tuk man thought that they were all we had – ‘Hurry. Hurry!
‘Get the bags. Get the bags’ yelled Peter and we bothe ran to the boot and managed to open it. My rucksack fell out, and, as the bus driver said ‘no’ as he moved forward to help me, I slung it over my shoulder and ran to the tuk tuk and threw it in as he stood there open mouthed.

Payments were made to the bus driver.

Kop Khun ka’ I said to the bus driver, several times as I ‘waied’ (the gesture used in Thailand as a greeting or thank you)
‘Kop Khun krub’ said Peter (the male form’

‘Quick! Quick! Said the bus driver
‘Quick! Quick!’ said the tuk tuk driver.
‘Quick! Quick’ said Peter and me
‘Our train leaves at eight o’clock!’ I said

8.15 said Peter.

The tuk tuk driver set off at speed as we held on, all our bags shoved up the back towards him. We hurtled past and weaved in and out of traffic.

‘I’ll get the passports out. When we get there, you find out which platform it leaves on and find the tickets. They’re at the parcel office. Here’s my notebook with the booking number, I’ve got it on my phone’ He also wrote it on his hand and his leg, in case it rubbed off

‘I expect it’s gone eight now’ said Peter after we’d been travelling in the little vehicle for miles. And it was. We both kept sticking our heads out of the side of the tuk tuk, like dogs with their ears blowing in the breeze from a car window, hoping to see some sign of a station.

‘We’ve passed the airport’

‘We’re really not going to make it’

‘We’ve had it’

‘We’ll have to get a night bus – if there is one. Or a flight – if there is one’

‘We’re going to miss the flight home’

‘I really don’t want to do this anymore’

Heads in hands and resigned to the inneviatable.

We rounded a corner ‘there’s a neon train. Is that the station?.

We crossed the road, almost on two wheels.

The train was in the station.

As we pulled in , Peter leapt out of the back, dragged his rucksa out, threw it over his shoulder and ran in. I grabbed mine, threw it over my shoulder and grabbed my daysack and the famous multi’coloured bag and ran in after him leaving his two other bags behind.

‘Where’s the parcel office?’ asked Peter

‘Tickets’ requested the guard – or whoever. There were several uniformed men together, some guards, some railway police

My husband has to get the tickets’ I said to the men ‘please don’t go without us’ I implored with a wai

‘Parcel office?’ asked Peter and shot off in the direction he was pointed.

‘Please don’t go without us’ I begged again ‘We have tickets – here’s the booking number’ I said, showing the several uniforms. They consulted it and nodded between them

‘Please!’ Wai.

Peter, meanwhile had been redirected from the ticket office to the parcel office and stood while about forty brown envelopes were gone through twice

‘Is this you?’

‘No’

‘This?’

I looked up and saw Peter running towards me, waiving the tickets

‘Look! He’s here. He has the tickets!’

The guard looked at the tickets.

‘Car 2’

‘Get on! Get on! Here’ Car 8 – Never mind about running up the station to the right carriage.

I threw my bags in and hauled myself into the train. Peter followed and we saw the platform moving beside us

‘Kop Khun ka’. Wai. ‘Kop Khun ka’. Wai. ‘Thank you soon much!’ Wai.

A kindly guard asked to see my ticket and grabbed the multi-coloured bag, as I managed to jam myself between two ladders in car 7. We ‘ forced’ our way up through all the other sleepers andd the kindly guard opened the door to our cabin and put my bag down.

Another passenger said ‘toilet’ as I was looking behind me for Peter

‘looking for my husband’ I said

‘Santa Claus! He said as he saw the grey-beard approaching. It was way better than Christmas to have actually got on the train!

One night in Bangkok…
Got to the station at 9.25 – not the one that we were expecting, so was about half an hour away from the hotel by tuk tuk.
Relief that the room was ready. Relief that we got here at all!

Boat trip in the morning.
Afternoon stroll around the market – insects to eat
One night in Bankok
17 February · Bangkok, Thailand ·

What a fitting end to our trip. Three hours spent in the ‘new’ park in Bangkok, where we had about 30 bird species, including an owl, open billed stork and bee eaters, two reptiles (water monitor and a red chameleon) and about half a dozen (at least) species of dragonflies/damsel flies, as well as quite a few butterfly species.

Flight home. Flight late partly due to strikes in France. Legged it through to Paddington but missed the train. Got another one, which was fine.