Author: thelasthurrahsite

Whereas the Thais have a fairly cavalier attitude towards such things as litter and planning regulations etc, they do seem to be obsessively keen that we don’t feed the monkeys. There are signs everywhere but in any case, the monkeys seem very capable of feeding themselves. The one that has taken up residence near my room came back to finish off the pineapple

 and later this morning I just couldn’t get my camera out in time to witness a singularly aggressive monkey attack a lady’s plastic shopping bag, ripping it so the contents went all over the road. Mr Monkey then ran off with a mega sized bag of crisps in his mouth. All done in the space of about 5 seconds!

I am staying in a small hotel with only around 20 rooms. It’s built in Balinese style using lots of wood

much of which was, according to the owner, Mr Harley Davidson, brought over from  Bali, together with a lot of the furniture. It’s in a beautiful spot close to the water’s edge,

 

backing on to a hillside full of lovely tropical trees and plants.

Halfway up the hill, there is another small pool

complete with waterfall. I have, however, yet to see anyone using it!

At one time there was a restaurant on a kind of jetty over the sea but the authorities said this was not allowed and came and pulled it down. Now only the foundations are visible at low tide.

Considering what abominations have been built and still exist  on the other side of the bay, this is yet another example of the planning double standards!

If you’re not into scuba diving then the major attractions on Koh Chang really are just a few waterfalls (which, in the dry season are really not much to look at), the views both at sunset

and during the day which are pretty spectacular

(but why a postbox shaped like a space rocket has been placed at this viewpoint is anyone’s guess)

and of course, the beaches.

This one, sadly, is infested with sea urchins which the locals have the daily job of trying to scoop out.

And that’s about it really. All very lovely but not much more to explore for Phileas. As I mentioned before, I did think of stopping off at another island on my way to meet up with Ollie but all the places I have researched seem to be similar in exploring activities to Koh Chang. I could, of course, drop by Pattaya on my way but as I have no tattoos, I think I would feel really out of place! So, I plan to have one more day here and then we’ll see.

Richard

STOP PRESS! 

I have just become a grandfather again. Elodie Fairhurst arrived this morning much to the delight of her mother and father, Jon and Fiona and, of course, her sister, Mia. Congratulations!

It’s now just over a week before my son, Ollie, arrives. Yippee! So, having spent almost a week here on Koh Chang, I was thinking of moving up the  mainland coast to some other area for the remaining few days before he gets here. I have, thus, spent endless internet trawling hours trying to find another ‘perfect’ spot. As it’s high season, availability is a bit thin on the ground so there’s nothing that I’ve seen that has really ‘grabbed’ me. Therefore, on the basis of the devil you know etc, I have extended my stay here for a few days – and got a free upgrade in the process!

So, I’ve now got a seafront room complete with hammock

and a very naughty monkey who ate the pineapple I was about to devour!

The only downside of this decision is that there isn’t an awful lot more exploring to be done here. So I might just have to resign myself to whiling away the days with a bit of swimming, a bit of sunbathing and a bit of  reading.

What hardship!

Richard

Koh Chang (Elephant Island) is so named not because of the elephants that live here but because, apparently, part of the island’s shape looks like an elephant’s head. Frankly, I can’t see it and I’ve yet to see any elephants either despite now having travelled around the entire perimeter.

The difference between the west side and east side of this island is chalk and cheese. Most of the beaches are on the west side and thus the tourist developments. As mentioned before, where I’m staying is quite quiet but head a couple of miles north and almost the entire west coast becomes a rag tag and bobtail set of urban sprawls,

this being one of the better ones!

As soon as you head away from this side at the island’s northern tip,  however, you enter a different, almost entirely unspoilt, world.

The contrast was so marked that I just had to stop a while to enjoy the view and the peaceful surroundings. And then blow me, out of nowhere, an oriental couple arrived, sat right next to me and started taking selfies.

 I just don’t get it! So, off I went

through tropical forests and past acre upon acre of rubber plantation interspersed with some spectacular views.

Eventually, I came upon one of the more unspoilt beaches

complete with one bar/restaurant

and a few bungalows where you can reside for just over £7 per night. Very tempting, especially as some of the residences come complete with an innovative hot water system!

My final stop was at the southernmost tip of the island in a fishing village as yet untouched by mass tourism.

It’s quite a pretty place

but could be made so much more attractive

if the Thais were a bit more tidy (no pun intended!). They just dump rubbish everywhere and seem to be totally unaware of the negative impact such actions have on this otherwise beautiful island.

A pit stop was required on our way back; me for a cooling drink and Scott for a refuel.

£0.80 for a bottle of petrol isn’t bad I guess although I’ve no idea how much was in the bottle.

Scott and I have got on famously today. He has worked ever so hard so I shall plan an easier day tomorrow.

Phileas

 

 

 

 

The common cold (aka: man flu) really is a misnomer, especially in tropical climes as I don’t feel cold at all. But I’ve got an absolute stinker of one which kept me awake most of the night. So today has been a bit of a struggle. I did, however, toddle into the little town of Bangbao to buy a few essential provisions  which didn’t include these odd items

but did include some lovely fruit for lunch.

Close by the restaurant I liked the look of yesterday (but haven’t been to yet) there are a couple of fresh fish eateries showing off their wares which looked very appetising. I now have quite a long list of ‘must try’ eating places.

On the way back, I stopped off at the little bach close by the hotel

and promptly fell asleep!

The late afternoon sunlight on Bangbao  across the bay is really rather special

whilst an hour or so later, directly behind my hotel, the sunset is just picture postcard stuff. A wooden walkway has been erected over the rocks

leading to a platform where the hotel has installed a small bar

from where you get the chance to enjoy the ever changing colours

as the sun goes down.

Awesome!

Tomorrow I plan to explore the unspoilt east side of the island. Actually, the southernmost part of that side  is not so far from here but as the main road doesn’t quite go around the whole of Koh Chang I have to go the long way round.

In the meantime…

zzzzzzzz, I hope

Richard

 

 

 

 

Male monkeys are either completely stupid or they are so used to the tourist traffic they just ignore it, often just sitting in the middle of the road whilst the traffic goes around them.

On the other hand, the females are a little more wary of human activity, especially when they are protecting their young.

And when I returned to my hotel, one of them had taken up residence next door!

The locals say that to see a monkey brings bad luck but to see a snake brings good luck. Sadly, I haven’t seen any snakes today. The locals also say that if geckos start making a noise, it’s bound to rain.  They have and it hasn’t!

I got talking to the hotel’s (English) owner earlier today – an ageing, Harley Davidson riding hippie type! He told me that business is very good this year but that last year was a disaster not only for him or Koh Chang but all over Thailand. Perhaps this explains why there are a number of unfinished or empty buildings around.

This resort ‘village’ project was started (and almost finished) by some German guy who went bust in the process. It’s now up for grabs for US$50 million or thereabouts if anyone is interested!

Projects of this size are actually few and far between on this island, especially in the south where I am. Neither are there many ‘luxury’ hotels, much of the accommodation being of the lower cost bungalow type

or the beach side ‘shack’

both of which appeal to the large quantity of backpackers around here.

I get the strong feeling that this whole area was, not that long ago, a backpacker and hippie paradise ,the legacy of which still continues in some places.

Scott (my scooter, as you may recall) and I are beginning to get along nicely – but carefully. This is more than can be said of many of the scooter riders I have seen. I have lost count of the number of entire western families on a single scooter with not a helmet in sight.

And of course, you have to have the unprotected child sitting right at the front, don’t you?! Sheer madness and something, I’m sure, these lunatics would never think of doing back at home!

I’ve seen a restaurant not that far away which looks quite inviting.

I shall give it a whirl this evening.

 

Phileas

Scott (my scooter) and I didn’t get on very well at first today. Going in a straight line was no problem but being a hilly island, there aren’t many straight line roads. There are, however, lots of twisty twiny bits, some of them quite narrow. That’s fine when there’s oncoming traffic but not when there’s a big articulated truck thundering towards you on a hairpin bend! Anyway, we survived and returned to the hotel in one piece.

The decor of my residence is rustic. The rooms are full of antique style furniture

and in the bathroom there’s something I’ve never seen before – a concrete bath!! Odd.

Outside,  there are a lot of signs reminding guests not to encourage and feed the monkeys. Clearly this advice has been heeded as I’ve only seen two so far which is two fewer than my sightings of snakes. I am reliably informed that these are not poisonous (?) and that they just like to lie on roofs and sunbathe. I have had a thorough check of the inside of my roof to ensure there are no gaps!

This morning Scott and I explored the more remote part of Koh Chang – i.e. further south from where I am staying. Up to a point the roads were OK

but did get increasingly bumpy and potholed before ending up at this idyllic beach.

What a marvellously secluded spot. No jet skis; no banana boats; no paraglider. Just a few bungalow cottages and a couple of bars

where  guests were busy doing –  absolutely nothing.

Beyond my hotel going north on the west coast it’s a slightly different story. The road which is set back  from the beaches is almost one continuous line of bars, market stalls, restaurants, banks, beauty salons and massage shops erected with little or no thought to the beauty of the surrounding countryside.  It could be so, so different if the few planning rules that exist in this country were strictly adhered to. But they’re not. Corruption is rife  and if the statistics are to be believed, getting worse. In the short term this will not substantially effect tourism here but I fear that in the long term it might if the more discerning travellers find alternative and more authentic spots to visit. There are some beautiful and exclusive resorts in Thailand but building more of these is not the answer. Better control of the mass tourist market would ensure that Thailand’s reputation for being the No 1 long haul destination remains intact.

Surprisingly, the beaches adjacent to this long, long winding road were not as crowded as I had anticipated

but I still much prefer the quiet, uncluttered solitude of the place I found this morning.

This rustic furniture in my room may look good in photos but my chair is bl**dy uncomfortable. So it’s time for a shower and off for food and watering. I’m not sure yet where I will eat but it’s not going to be anywhere near where they were preparing for cockfighting earlier.

Phileas

I received an email this morning from  cousins Don and Joyce in British Columbia who were concerned that, as I had not posted a blog yesterday, I might not have arrived safely at my destination last night. Well, yes I had but it was a long a fractious day so I was too kn**kered to do any blogging when I finally checked into my hotel.

Yesterday didn’t start too well. My last chance of renting a car disappeared when the company finally admitted they had no cars available – 36 hours after I had made my booking. Charming! Anyway, Uber to the rescue at what appeared to be a reasonable price. The car turned up at 10.30 am on schedule. Luggage was piled on board and we were about to set off when the driver said :”where are we going?”. Although I was slightly surprised by this question as I had made the booking with the destination, I replied: “Koh Chang” to which he smiled and said: “Sorry, this car is only allowed to drive inside Bangkok. You have to hire a Uber SUV”.”! A few expletives deleted later and I was back to square one, booking a much more expensive SUV which dutifully turned up and we were on our way. As the journey progressed I became more and more pleased that I hadn’t rented a car  because not only was the journey very long (app 400km) but also my Thai driver with all his sophisticated sat nav stuff and frequently asking for directions, got lost! Anyway we finally made it to the sleepy little ferry terminal somewhere near the Cambodian border

where my luggage was unloaded and Mr Uber SUV set off back to Bangkok again, poor guy.

The old rust bucket of a ferry, full of tourists and children returning home from school

took 45 minutes to cross to Koh Chang at a cost of slightly less than £2. This gave ample time for the young boys to have a game of kick about football and one sweet little young thing to do some reading homework.

The spectacular setting sun as we we neared the island certainly raised my slightly jaded spirits.

Koh Chang’s ferry port is not exactly Dover, Calais or Folkestone being slightly uncoordinated.In short, there was just one taxi waiting. Thankfully though, a kind Indian couple who got to it first, offered to share it. By all accounts, Koh Chang is quite a big island, bigger than Koh Samui. And of course, my hotel was “far, far away” according to the driver. I thought this might be to justify his high price but it took nearly 1.5 hrs to finally reach my destination at the end of what had been a long and expensive day. Chartering a helicopter back to Bangkok would probably work out cheaper!

Driving on the main (only?) road to get to my destination I was struck by just how ‘samey’ everything seemed to be. Market stalls selling the same tat that you find in Bangkok, the same kind of restaurants and bars you find in Koh Samui or Phuket . Not quite the idyllic tropical island I was hoping for but my hopes were raised as the roads became narrower, the traffic less and I had finally arrived – about 8 hours after starting out!

After a sleep deprived night, courtesy of some thumping bass sound coming from the middle distance, I was ready to check out this morning and move on. But then I opened the curtains and took in the view

and decided to stay for a while!

This place is really quite isolated

 

so you just can’t pop out to the shops, restaurants or bars which is a problem I will have to to  overcome later. But there is a tiny beach, complete with seat on which to rest weary limbs (yes, it’s hot)

and it’s tranquil, quite peaceful (except for the ubiquitous motorcycles zooming past your door) and much more typically Thai than most of the resorts I passed last night on the way here.

Across the bay is the small town of Bangbao which can easily be reached by road or by walking the short cut which I did.

By all accounts, this  used to be a sweet little fishing village but has succumbed to the relentless demands of tourism which now accounts for about 85% of the business here, much of it being in sightseeing boat trips

and dive excursions.

The old fishing pier has, fortunately, been retained so there is still a certain quaintness about the place

so lacking in many of the other tourist ‘hot spots’.

Although there is a small road directly outside my front door leading, I think, to a couple of backpackers hostels, my hotel is really quite far from anywhere. Fabulous up to a point but if I am to continue my Phileas exploring I need transportation and, from what I have seen and experienced, taxis are not in abundance here. So I have taken the plunge and hired a scooter plus helmet!

It’s quite a sweet little thing and doesn’t seem to go very fast so I should be OK. All pretty scary stuff though so fingers crossed  and we shall see.

 

Phileas

 

 

The official mourning period for Thailand’s dearly loved and recently departed King Rama IX is a year. During this time there are no official celebrations. I should have known this before trekking to Chinatown last night where nothing was happening. There was little or no cock a doodle doing. So, a bit of a wasted journey really.

Tomorrow I’m due to depart to Thailand’s eastern seaboard, towards the Cambodian border, where I’ve never ventured before. Although most of the hotels are fully booked at this time of the year, I managed to find one on the southern coast of the island of Koh Chang in Trat province. I thought that was the difficult part. What is proving to be a giant hurdle to overcome is how to get there!! The flight option (to Trat) is not on as all the flights are booked, trains don’t go there and I really don’t fancy being cooped up on a bus for 7 hours! So, in a flash of inspiration I thought that hiring a car (with sat nav!) would be a great idea as this would give me the flexibility of exploring not only Koh Chang but other areas in the vicinity.

The internet is usually a marvellous thing but sometimes……Grrrrrrr! It would appear that most of Dr Google’s suggestions for car hire companies in Bangkok aren’t really the companies’ websites at all. They are more like the ‘Go Compare’ sites in the UK. So I have spent some time yesterday and a good part of today being pushed around from one website to the other trying to a) obtain prices and availability and b) trying to book something. I have now been ‘successful’ 3 times with the website advising me that my booking has been accepted ‘subject to confirmation by the supplier’. And then, a few hours later the actual supplier emails me to say they haven’t got any vehicles left. There is one company yet to revert back to me. As I plan to depart at 11.00 am tomorrow morning this is cutting it a bit fine as I have no Plan B. According to Google maps, it will take 1 1/2 days to walk to Koh Chang so maybe, if all else fails, I can persuade Uber to come to the rescue.

All in all, a most frustrating 24 hours. I did venture out of the hotel for a stretch of the legs at one point where I noticed an interesting way of crossing the busy streets. Unlike in the UK where vehicles generally stop at crossings to let pedestrians pass, in many other countries around the globe, including Thailand, this just doesn’t happen. In Bangkok, though, someone has thought of a brilliant solution. At many of the crossings you will see red flags in a tin.

The idea is that when you want to cross, you pick up a red flag, march onto the crossing waving it madly, the traffic will immediately stop, you will get to the other side safely and deposit the flag in the tin located there. Genius! OK so it was Sunday and there wasn’t so much traffic around but the people I saw crossing never used a flag. I did. I marched purposefully onto the road waving my flag like some demented demonstrator. No vehicle stopped. They just swerved around me.

There is one thing I am certain about: tomorrow I will be in Thailand. Exactly where? I haven’t a clue!

Phileas

 

 

Happy Chinese New Year to you all – the year of the Rooster. There is, of course, a huge Chinese community here in Thailand with many Thais direct descendants from Chinese. So, the celebrations started early.I think the real celebrations, though, will be tonight as, during the day, there was little evidence of this event. In fact it was a quiet start. The mobile fruit sellers were plying their trade with not much luck

and business wasn’t so brisk in this place either,

whatever it was selling!

The Khao San Road is the centre of the backpacking community and was a little bit more ‘buzzy’,

 full of cheap lodgings, cheap clothes, cheap food and drink. In short, brash but functional. A couple of streets away though is Soi Rambuttri which is still at the cheaper end of the market, full of the inevitable clothes stalls and on street massage parlours

but altogether more characterful.

Although the cost of property has escalated dramatically over the years, in comparison with many other major cities, I think Bangkok prices are still reasonable. This new build in the heart of the commercial district will set you back just over £150k although you might need binoculars to see the river. I suspect that prices are negotiable as business is perhaps not so brisk as it should be,

the property sales company employing a number of youngsters to (half heartedly) wave promotional flags at the roadside.

Having been to Bangkok more than just a few times, I have, of course, visited a lot of the major tourist attractions (Grand Palace, Reclining Buddha, Emerald Buddha, Gold Buddha, river tours etc etc). But no visit would be complete without popping into a temple and there are so many of them to choose from.

This one is considered only a ‘level 3’ place of worship by the Thais and tucked away so you would hardly notice it is, but I think it’s just lovely..

Buddhism seems to me to be quite a jolly  religion. Of course, people come to the temple to pray and bang drums (communicating with departed relatives perhaps?)

but also they come to meet friends, to chat, to listen to stories being told

to remember those who have passed away perhaps

or maybe just to pay homage to the particular god of their  choice.

It’s a fascinating religion, so full of symbolism .

I would just love to know what this young boy was doing. Maybe I’ll download a Beginners Guide to Buddhism and try to understand a little of what it’s all about.

Tonight I’m off to Chinatown to see if I can catch more of the Chinese New Year celebrations. It could be fun.

Phileas

 

 

 

Lumpini Park (Bangkok’s Hyde Park) is usually a quiet oasis in the middle of this frenetic city,

surrounded by high rise blocks many of which are still festooned with tributes to the recently deceased king.

However, for the next few days about 85% of this space has been taken over by an exhibition promoting tourism in Thailand aimed, it would seem, largely at the local population.

It’s a huge and vibrant event with Thailand’s various regions competing with each other to attract greater numbers of visitors.

Regional food and craft stalls not only made for a very colourful and aromatic environment but also was a very pleasant change from the usual  ‘tat’ seen in the tourist night markets. In the foreground of this photo you can see a fairly basic spice grinding machine in action.

Each region also put on some cultural shows,  most of which were high energy music and dance routines that, in a way, were self explanatory.

However, the meaning behind this performance by  a group from way up in the north of Thailand was completely baffling.

 4 young ladies and 4 young men stood facing each other playing ‘catch’, all accompanied by some rather soulful (and possibly out of tune) warbling . And when the performers had finished this riveting routine and turned to depart

you could see that all the ladies had wicker baskets strapped to their backs which served absolutely no purpose at all. Very strange.

Clearly a lot of effort had gone into making this a most eye catching event

even though the meaning behind some of the costumes was a little obscure!

My  slightly less impressive headgear nearly came to a sticky end, blown off my head whist tuk tuk racing back to the hotel and into the path of oncoming traffic. My enterprising driver happily saved the day though.

It’s been hot and thirsty work today but happily the sun has nearly gone  down behind the yard arm.

Phileas