Bangkok to Chumphon by train

 MONDAY 2 AUGUST 2010

The train arrived about 8.00 a.m., only an hour late, and after a wash at the station I went in search of breakfast and then wondered into Chinatown. There wasn’t much going on, as most happens later on, but there were a lot of shoe shops! I was saved from carrying a pair of lovely red shoes around and adding to my luggage problems because the woman wouldn’t sell me less than 6 pairs – it was wholesale only.

I then got a tuk tuk to Wat Traimit, which is very near the Station. The temple was lovely, and inside is an amazing 3 meter high Buddha made of SOLID gold. It was only found about 40 years ago when it was being moved and accidentally dropped from a crane and the plaster covering it fell away. It weighs 5.5 tonnes! What’s the price of gold today?

I boarded the 1 p.m. train to take me to Chumphon, further south, ready to catch the boat to Koh Tao.

Wat Traimit which houses the Golden Buddha

Although it was in theory a day train, arriving in Chumphon about 9 p.m., it was also a sleeper train. The seats were changed into beds about 7 p.m. – making it very comfortable to lounge back and read.

 

The train arrived in Chumphon about 10 p.m. and two women met us off the train and organised boat tickets for myself and 2 other passengers, and then took me to Chumphon Hotel; the two men were going to catch the night boat to Koh Tao. The hotel was 310 baht (about £6) for a basic room with fan, TV (all in Thai), bathroom, two double beds and a resident gecko. A fitted bottom sheet was on the bed, no top sheet but a ‘blanket’ made out of towelling which served as the top covering.