Saturday, 17th April. Well, I've arrived back in HH. Up this morning at 05.00 to get ready and down to Fame bar for 06.30. Actually arrived there at 06.15 only to be told bus arrives at 07.00. 2 small coffees and 1 soda water later [all in 55THB] the bus arrives at 07.05 - 15 mins to get everybody on and off we go. One one 10 minute break on en route, just as well I had my 18 hour bladder on.
The bus was a big blue and white thing and seemed quite old to me. There was on board Thai music and dvd video - well for about 1/3rd of the journey. Leg room was cramped but then again I'm 6.00 ft. The aircon was a misnomer - one overhead vent per seat controlled the air direction but that was it. Intermingled with it was the pervasive smell of diesel fumes plus as I discovered later, no working speedo, no working fuel gauge, in fact no working intruments at all AND the driver only wore socks, [no shoes ].
GF has turned up and I've kept her waiting 10 minutes already which is very bad manners on my part so I'll continue this post later. HT.
HuntingTigers back in HH
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HuntingTigers
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HuntingTigers back in HH
It may be rubbish - but by golly it's British rubbish.
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TypicallyTropical
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Re: HuntingTigers back in HH
There is nothing wrong with driving without shoes, in fact, you can feel the pedals much better without them. I drive without shoes and my second choice would be driving shoes before putting on regular shoes.HuntingTigers wrote:...AND the driver only wore socks, [no shoes ]...
TT
Citizen of The World
"I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather....
Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car..."
Citizen of The World
"I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather....
Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car..."
Re: HuntingTigers back in HH
A lot of shoeless driving goes on here as evidenced by the amount of footwear seen laying on the highways, some with strange shaped chalk outlines nearby. 
On the same subject, some stark naked walking goes on also. Some crazy guy I suspect, naked as a jay bird walking along a busy road on Saturday afternoon. Smiling and wagging his pecker at each passing car. First word out of the wife's mouth, "where are the police...." What are they going to do with him if they pick him up? No ID and probably doesn't even know his name. I guess he eventually found his way home, or to the 7-11. 
Pete 
On the same subject, some stark naked walking goes on also. Some crazy guy I suspect, naked as a jay bird walking along a busy road on Saturday afternoon. Smiling and wagging his pecker at each passing car. First word out of the wife's mouth, "where are the police...." What are they going to do with him if they pick him up? No ID and probably doesn't even know his name. I guess he eventually found his way home, or to the 7-11.
Pete Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: HuntingTigers back in HH
Was this a farang or thai PR?
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HuntingTigers
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Re: HuntingTigers back in HH ctnd
... AND the driver only wore socks, [no shoes ].
I'd paid Fame Bar THB 400 for this journey to Pran Buri. That is the actual fare from Chumphon to Bangkok but was told this was the only bus deal they could get as so many people were heading to Bangkok after Songkran. It took 4 hours to get to Pran Buri. Apart from one recognisable bus station stop [the desolate ruin called Chumphon Bus Station, 13 km outside town], the bus appeared to stop at random picking up and setting down passengers. I'm sure this is all very well organised but to me I couldn't work it out. As we journeyed along it eventually was standing room only.
Fearful of missing my 'stop' I started to read the white stone km road posts - as it turned out it was fortunate I had a nearside window seat and could see them clearly. At no point on the journey was an announcement made as to the next stop. Thais who obviously knew where they were going shuffled to the front of the bus. At 20km away from Pran Buri I thought I'd better to the same.
The English chap next to me was fast asleep. It was like awaking the dead to get him aware that I wanted to get off. Getting to the front of the bus was tricky but everybody helpfully moved out of the way. I asked the conductor for the Pran Buri stop and in good English he replied, "there in 10 minutes".
It was actually 15 minutes as the traffic build up was considerable as we approached Pran Buri. It was during this point I noticed the shoeless driver etc. mentioned previously. I was dropped off on the main road - not sure exactly where - but there was a PR to HH orange bus waiting.
It was a 20 seater vehicle with front and back side doors. I think the best word to describe it was as ramshackle - 3 air fans, only 2 were actually present. After a 15 minute wait and a few more passengers getting on, off we set at walking pace. There didn't seem to be any formal bus stops, the driver just stopped when it looked as though someone wanted picking up.
When we got into full stride I reckon we were bumbling along at 35MPH. Really, really good fun. Coming into HH, we turned left into Soi 88, down to the end, turn right at T junction and rattled past a large assortment of market stalls eventually arriving at the railway station. The jouney ended at Soi 72 - Fare 20 THB for a 20km journey. As I knew where I was, with luggage in hand I walked to Jing's.
In summary, an interesting journey but I prefer the train to travel. HT.
I'd paid Fame Bar THB 400 for this journey to Pran Buri. That is the actual fare from Chumphon to Bangkok but was told this was the only bus deal they could get as so many people were heading to Bangkok after Songkran. It took 4 hours to get to Pran Buri. Apart from one recognisable bus station stop [the desolate ruin called Chumphon Bus Station, 13 km outside town], the bus appeared to stop at random picking up and setting down passengers. I'm sure this is all very well organised but to me I couldn't work it out. As we journeyed along it eventually was standing room only.
Fearful of missing my 'stop' I started to read the white stone km road posts - as it turned out it was fortunate I had a nearside window seat and could see them clearly. At no point on the journey was an announcement made as to the next stop. Thais who obviously knew where they were going shuffled to the front of the bus. At 20km away from Pran Buri I thought I'd better to the same.
The English chap next to me was fast asleep. It was like awaking the dead to get him aware that I wanted to get off. Getting to the front of the bus was tricky but everybody helpfully moved out of the way. I asked the conductor for the Pran Buri stop and in good English he replied, "there in 10 minutes".
It was actually 15 minutes as the traffic build up was considerable as we approached Pran Buri. It was during this point I noticed the shoeless driver etc. mentioned previously. I was dropped off on the main road - not sure exactly where - but there was a PR to HH orange bus waiting.
It was a 20 seater vehicle with front and back side doors. I think the best word to describe it was as ramshackle - 3 air fans, only 2 were actually present. After a 15 minute wait and a few more passengers getting on, off we set at walking pace. There didn't seem to be any formal bus stops, the driver just stopped when it looked as though someone wanted picking up.
When we got into full stride I reckon we were bumbling along at 35MPH. Really, really good fun. Coming into HH, we turned left into Soi 88, down to the end, turn right at T junction and rattled past a large assortment of market stalls eventually arriving at the railway station. The jouney ended at Soi 72 - Fare 20 THB for a 20km journey. As I knew where I was, with luggage in hand I walked to Jing's.
In summary, an interesting journey but I prefer the train to travel. HT.
It may be rubbish - but by golly it's British rubbish.
Re: HuntingTigers back in HH
Twas a Thai. Hopefully farangs haven't gotten that crazy.Rider wrote:Was this a farang or thai PR?
Pete Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
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chopsticks
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Re: HuntingTigers back in HH
I once heard of fines being given out at a police check-point to drivers wearing inappropriate or unsafe footwear eg. flip-flops, sandals etc.