Thoon and I went for a trip to Koh Samui via a detour to Ranong in March 2002.
For the hotels/guesthouses/bungalows, I use Shinji's (Bkkriders) marks of my opinion.
(A) I'd love to stay there again
(B) I don't mind staying there again
(C) I want to avoid this place if I can
March 13. Ban Huay Pla Do (Ban Dung)-Bangkok (650 km)
I started from home at 7.15 am towards Bangkok. I needed to go to Siamsuperbike to change oil and filter. Thoon wanted to go by bus so she started 9.45 am from Ban Dung.
Hw 2 to Khorat is divided and quite boring. But, it was possible to keep a high speed, so I was mostly riding at 140-160 km/h. OK, considering I was bringing a 45 L top box and two 36 L side boxes taking a lot of air resistance.
Rd 304 is nicer to ride on. Before Kabin Buri there are some mountains to climb down from (leaving the Khorat plateau). The speed was decreasing to 100-120 km/h. I saw a few burned out tank trucks along the road. There were a lot of heavy trucks going 10 km/h downhill, with smelling brake pads.
After Chachoengsao, I did the mistake to follow Rd 304. I realized it when I reached Min Buri (2 pm).
Looking at the map, I should go straight south to come to Ekkamai. So I did, but the traffic was, as always in Bangkok, horrible. Drive 50 meter, stop 5 minutes, drive 5 meters and stop 2 minutes. This is a typical Bangkok tempo.
Bangkok has three seasons; hot, very hot and damn hot. In March it's damn hot.
3.20 pm I reached Siam superbike at Ekkamai. I spoke with Mike (a mechanic) and told him what was needed to do and went by sky train to
Street Lodge hotel (B) at Soi 1, Sukhumvit Rd. 550 Bath/night for a room with A/C, cable-TV with movie channels, bathtub, fridge. The staffs were a bit chilly, though.
Thoon showed up at 7.40 pm. She likes shopping, so we walked at Sukhumvit Rd a few blocks. After one hour I got bored of it, so I grabbed Thoon and went in to a place were they having cold beers and live blues. Well, she said she enjoyed the place, too.
March 14. Bangkok-Hua Hin (250 km)
Thoon went by taxi to southern bus station. I told her to check in at Ban Pak Hua Hin (A). I went to Siam superbike at 8 am and waited there for half an hour before someone showed up and opened the shop. Peter (the owner) showed up at 9 pm and we chatted a bit before I took off. I messed with the Bangkok traffic for one and a half hour and came out on Hw 9 (outer ring road). Still a lot of traffic, but the tempo increased to about 100-120 km/h.
Hw 35 south west of Bangkok had a strong side wind leaning my bike, but I was able to drive about 120 km/h.
After Samut Songkhram, I came out on Hw 4 and the traffic was not so hard. I speeded up and at 2 pm, I reached Hua Hin. I went straight to Ban Pak Hua Hin hotel (A). Thoon was out shopping (surprise, surprise) but the nice young man working at this family hotel gave me the key, so I could get a shower and unpack my stuff. He also let me park my bike in the lobby (!). Thoon got a quite big, clean room at the second floor, 250 Bath/night for a room with fan. They do also have A/C rooms for 350 Bath/night. (But, if you're going there, avoid the rooms at the ground floor. They are small and have no windows).
Later I called Thoon. She had manicure at a place nearby. We walked around a bit, ate lunch and went to the beach where Thoon bought some useless stuff.
4.30 pm John Hamilton called. He's a guy from New Zeeland, lived in Australia for some 20 years and the last three years at Koh Samui.
He brought a friend, Bob, from Wales but now living in Khorat province. They had checked in at Ban Pak Hua Hin. But coming there in the afternoon, they were only able to get rooms at the ground floor.
Thoon and I walked back to the hotel to meet them. John's BMW 1100 GS and Bob's Honda Phantom 150 cc was parked in the lobby. John drove from Koh Samui and Bob from Khorat that day, so they went for a shower and a shave.
In the evening, we walked around having some beers and looking at the night market. Thoon wanted to do some more shopping so we agreed to part while we boys were having some more beers. We sat down at a bar near the hotel so Thoon easily could find us. A katoy (transvestite) flirted with us without success. At 10.40 pm we went back to the hotel for sleep, 11.30 pm Thoon went out to get some night food.
March 15. Hua Hin
We met the other guys at 9 am getting some breakfast. John, Thoon and I went up to a mountain west of Hua Hin to check out the view. At noon we spent an hour at the main beach. Bob didn't join us; he had some banking and internet contacts to take care of.
After an afternoon nap, we all joined at 6 pm. We grabbed some burgers at the new opened Burger King, went to the night market. We found some useful software for 150 Bath/CD, DVD for 200 Bath and VCD for 100 Bath.
Later we went some bars for refreshments. Thoon got bored at us and went to sleep. At midnight she showed up, checking us good behaving guys up.
March 16. Hua Hin-Ranong (370 km)
7.20 am we were ready to go south. Bob didn't need to do any visa-trip, so he was going straight to Koh Samui, where his fianc�e was waiting for him. She went there by train from Khorat.
I left Thoon at the train station as she planned to go by train to Chumpon and bus to Ranong.
The road (Hw 4) to Chumpon is quite boring. At the intersection Hw 4 (going west) and Hw 41 (going south) we waved goodbye to Bob. John and I were on our own, going to Ranong. Hw 4 after Chumpon is much more fun. There were mountains, nice views and some waterfalls along this curvy road in good condition. We kept good speed at this winding road, about 80-130 km/h. John did almost hit a big dog, but avoided it with good brakes and a good presence of mind.
We reached Ranong at noon and went to Asia hotel (C). It was really hot so we needed to have a shower. We asked for two rooms. The male receptionist was pissed drunk, tired and harsh. He asked for a passport. John and I gave him our passports but he was only looking at John's, so I told him again that we wanted two separate rooms and that my wife would arrive later in the day. He didn't seem to listen and it took him a while to understand we wanted two rooms. John registered, and when I wanted to do the same and passed over my passport, he waved me away. The rooms were 290 Bath each so he wanted 680 Bath (!). We gave him 290 + 290 Bath and he seemed pleased with that and handed over two keys.
My room was quite filthy and had a water leak from the washbasin. It had a roof fan and a TV (Thai channels). I stayed here two years ago, but the place seems to have been falling down since then.
After showering we went out to have a great and cheap lunch at a place I think is named Chaon Thong food and drinks, at the opposite, right side of the hotel.
We walked around the city for a while, looking at the market where they sell clothes, meat "growing" in the heat, hardware and other things.
I tried to call Thoon a couple of times, but there was no answer. After checking our e-mails, I went back to the hotel to have an afternoon nap.
5 pm I called Thoon again. She did also stay at Asia hotel, room 233, next to my room! She arrived to Ranong at 3 pm. At the hotel, she asked what room I had but my name wasn't in the register book. So she assumed I hadn't arrived to Ranong. Explaining this to the new receptionist (sober) she had 210 Bath refund of her room. The new receptionist said the other one is drunk most of the time.
Thoon didn't go by train, as there wasn't anyone leaving Hua Hin before noon. So she went by bus to Prachuap Khiri Khan, changed to one going to Chumpon and did one more change for a bus going to Ranong.
We spent the evening walking around, eating and went to bed early.
March 17. Ranong-Koh Samui (300 km)
7.30 am John and I was ready to go for a visa-trip to Kawthoung, Burma. The immigration office in Ranong opened 8.30, so we had to wait a while. We "checked out" from Thailand. A fixer waited outside and after bargain down the price for the boat trip (400 Bath down to 300). We took the fixer to the harbor (one km) and he got us on a boat. The immigration office expects 5 US$ for a day visa. They didn't accept Thai Bath, so I had to do an exchange at the harbour. I had 5 US$ for 300 Bath (at a bank I should get 7 US$, but never mind).
The longtail boat took us to a small house just outside Kawthoung city where we had "in and out"-stamps in our passports. 9.30 am we were back at the immigration office in Ranong to get an in-stamp in our passports. We picked up Thoon at the hotel, went for breakfast and back to the hotel for packing our things. Thoon decided to go with me; on the condition we were going slowly. 11 am we had filled up gas and were ready to go and John said we could easily catch the 4 pm ferry. From Ranong to Don Sak (ferry station to Koh Samui) it's 290 km. We went Hw 4 south about 20 km. Turning east on Rd 4006, John told me to take the lead and decide the speed, considering I had a passenger and was heavy loaded with stuff in my three boxes. Rd 4006 was a nice ride similar to Hw 4 between Chumpon and Ranong. The speed was 80-130 km/h and Thoon didn't hit me, so I thought she was OK back there. Coming out on Hw 41 the speed increased to 140-160 km/h, and Thoon still didn't complain. We stopped to fill up gas north of Surat Thani and John said that if we can keep this speed we could catch the 2 pm ferry. He said next ferry after that would be the one leaving 4 pm, so I told him to take the lead since he knows the way to Don Sak.
Going 120-150 km/h on the outer ring road of Surat Thani and the small road leading to Don Sak is not what Thoon means going slowly, but she understood we wanted to catch the ferry. 1.50 pm we bought our tickets but the ferry was full.
Knowing that and told that there is a ferry leaving at 3 pm, Thoon said she didn't want to go with me on the Hayabusa again. Yeah, I've heard it before.
The three o'clock ferry was delayed because they had filled up diesel. We left Don Sak 3.40 pm. We met some other big bike riders at Don
Sak. One Thai man, riding a home made chopper (a rat bike) and a guy from Brazil on an Aprilia 650. The latter had been on his bike for two years, travelling around the world.
5 pm we reached Koh Samui. John took the lead to Lamai beach. First he took us to Mira Mara bungalows. Seemed like a nice place, situated at the beach. 300 Bath for a room with fan, but they were all occupied. Next place he took us to was Amadeus bungalows. Placed 100 meters from a busy beach and a trail leading to the beach that was full of garbage was not what Thoon and I was looking for.
John showed a great patience and took us to Coconut Beach Bungalows (C). A place with nice environment and by a more quite part of the beach. They charged 300 Bath for a small hut with fan and Thai-style toilet, 400 Bath for a little bit bigger hut with fan and western-style toilet. I paid for two nights for a 300 Bath hut, mostly because it was closer to the beach. We said goodbye to a tired John and took a well-needed shower.
The hut was really filthy with a smelling mattress, no towels or I should say one small towel meant to be used as a blanket. When we flushed the toilet (with a plastic bucket) an awful smell came from it. But, the beach was nice.
We spent the evening walking a bit at the shops and restaurant area.
March 18. Lamai beach, Koh Samui
This day Thoon and I went looking around with the bike. She wanted to look for seashells. We went north and I stopped at a small beach just north of Lamai. It was called Thong Ta Khian beach. No seashells, but the bungalows seemed nice (and expensive). So I asked the staff how much they were. 400 Bath for a room with fan.
Later we went farther north, through Chaweng beach and later to a deserted beach were Thoon finally found her seashells. After one hour we went to the Big Buddha at the north side of the island and later to Na Thon, the city at the north west side. Afternoon was beach time.
In the evening, John joined us for a dinner and some beers.
March 19. Thong Ta Khian beach
We moved in at Thong Ta Khian Villa (A) and both Thoon and I loved this place. I paid for three nights. The room was real clean, had what you can expect from a good hotel room as; clean towels and blankets that were changed every day, soap, a nice western-styled toilet and more. It had a big veranda where we could sit down and read books or looking at the beach. It was about 20 meters to the beach. The beach was only 200 meters long and had a few rocks. Daytime it was about 10-15 persons at the beach. A great place to relax, but not a place for those who are looking for parties (I'm married, you know).
We spent the day and evening at the beach and its surroundings.
March 20. Thong Ta Khian beach
In the morning we went to Butterfly garden, not much to see, actually. We spent the afternoon at the beach. John called and wanted to show us the transvestite show at Chaweng beach and we met at our hotel in the early evening. We took our bikes to Chaweng and strolled around. I bought 12 music CD's for 100 Bath each and John looked at a Playstation that he bought later. We had dinner and 11-12 pm we looked at the transvestite show that was quite fun.
March 21. Thong Ta Khian beach
Thoon and I went to check out John's place. He's got a nice bungalow at Lamai beach for 4000 Bath/month. We went to buy some beers and soft drinks and went to see Bob and his future wife. He had also a nice bungalow, but situated at a not so busy area as John's place. Bob paid 3000 Bath/month, but as he had built a house outside Khorat, he was going to move his belongings up there. We stayed there to the afternoon. Back at our hotel, I had some more beers. John wanted me to help him pick some of the free games coming with the Playstation.
Thoon and I went by taxi to Chaweng, but the shop hadn't brought the Playstation, so John didn't pick any free games. After a short walk, we went back to our hotel.
Thoon missed our home so she wanted to go back home the next day. She said if I wanted to stay longer, it was OK for her. At first, I wanted to stay, but somehow they got a grip on their husbands, those little darlings. So I decided to go back home the same day.
March 22. Koh Samui-Hua Hin (500 km)
In the morning we went to the post office at Lamai to send all stuff we didn't need to our home. I bought a bottle of Amaretto (pussy-opener) to John as some small compensation for his great hospitality and we went to him to say goodbye.
Then we went to Na Thon to buy a ticket to Bangkok for Thoon. 11.40 am I left Thoon and went to the car ferry pier and got on the 12 o'clock ferry.
It was a fast but boring trip to Hua Hin. I went to buy some seashells for Thoon (she uses them in our garden). I went to bed early.
March 23. Hua Hin-Udon Thani (800 km)
7.40 am I started from Hua Hin. I wanted to drop by Peter's at Siamsuperbike, but it was damn hot and closing up to Bangkok I realized that it wasn't a very good idea to mess with the Bangkok traffic.
So I decided to go back home. I expected Thoon to catch a morning bus from Bangkok. 2 pm I called her from Khon Kaen. She said she started from Bangkok 11 am so she wouldn't be able to catch the last bus from Udon Thani to Ban Dung (6 pm). So we decided to sleep over in Udon. The last half hour before reaching Udon it was raining hard so I had use for my rainsuit.
3 pm I checked in at Siwitchai Palace (C) next to the Charoensri Complex. It's a 250 Bath dump, but it's very central. Thoon showed up at 8.30 pm. We went out to have a nice dinner (noodles, fried pork and vegetables) and after that we went to bed.
March 24. Udon Thani-Ban Huay Pla Do (92 km)
Back home in rain. Driving on Hw 22 I saw a young man on a small motorbike coming from a crossing dirtroad on my right side. I've learned now that Thai's usually doesn't stop or look when they are driving out on a highway, so I started to brake and used my signal horn. He didn't see or hear me and went right in front of me, about 20 meters from my front. Then he saw me and it seems like I scared the shit out of him. He went over the highway and down in the ditch. I hope he's clever enough to learn something from this, but probably not.
