01.06.2004

Trat

Neatly sorted and cooked insects on a barrow attracted more digital snaps than customers in Bangkok last night. At least from the traveller crowd. The converted red combi van serving spirits attracted more. Of course.

Bangkok is apparently a city of sin. and smog. We've avoided the earlier, but the latter...

Lead-filled lungs ready for something else - Danielle and myself set off to sort out last-minute purchases before making a move in the direction of Ko Chang. Caught a taxi across to the Ekkamia eastern bus interchange. The traffic lights are curious. Every light has a coloured countdown timer so you know how many seconds till it is likely a tuk-tuk will take you out from the side.

We unwittingly purchased a VIP government bus ticket to Trat and set off just after midday. At 189 baht each it worked out at around $7 per person. I could tell it was a VIP bus because above the passenger door as we hopped on it said VIP, and a hostess served water, coke, and sweets right through the five hour journey. I was sickened by our excesses - we were meant to be roughing it and here we were clearly enjoying five-star service.

Now we are in the city of Trat, around 20 000 people, and the provincial capital of a province called...Trat. We've decided to stay the night before catching a saeng thaew (taxi) to Laem Ngop for the ferry ride over to Ko Chang. Our cheap traveller image was slightly redeemed by choosing a little alley-way guest house for 100 baht. The family, home-stay feel is what sold us though and we're well on our way to learning a little Thai.

Trat is famous for its night markets that seem to clutter almost every alleyway and street with any type of fruit, or fish, or vegetable that you can imagine.

It's 8pm and time to meet up with a Dutch guy for dinner and a wander. Ko Chang here we (almost) come.