Thursday 6 October
Introduction....... Following our 2-day trip at the weekend down to Chonburi there have been 3 days to prepare for our next trip, a long 2-week trip down to Thailand's south but a couple of essentials have to be completed before we travel. On the Eve of travel, we first head for Fashion Island and the IT centre there to try and fix an issue with a laptop I bought from the UK especially for my travels in Thailand. The said laptop is a Chromebook which has so far proved difficult to set up due to incompatibility with the software I normally use. Having dropped it off, we now proceed to downtown Bangkok where I can change some money. The rates are much better there. Due to volatility in the currency markets affecting the UK pound I'm not too disappointed to get over 42 baht for the pound at present.
This job complete I can now relax a little and do something I like to do in Bangkok and that's head for the train station not far away and you can't get much better than Bang Sue central station to see trains. Arriving at Bang Sue station we use the underground car park in the new terminal. This gives us the chance to have a good look around even though at present the terminal is only used for commuter trains. Long distance train trains still use the old stations nearby. Looking around the new terminal building I cannot help to be impressed by the layout and the way it will handle multiple services in the future. These include long distance trains, airport rail link, commuter services, the BTS underground and the MRT sky train services. What an incredible terminal this will be when it fully opens. However today There are platforms for long distance trains running alongside the new terminal building. The old building is a magnet for me and I'm surprised by the amount of traffic passing through Bang Sue mainline station at this time of day. I could spend hours here but in an hour with plenty of activity to make my visit worthwhile, I'm more than happy but we need to head back to check on progress with my laptop.
Heading back, we take a late lunch along the 351 arriving back at Fashion Island in late afternoon. Here I'm in for a big disappointment. The Chromebook I brought with me cannot be modified or updated to my convenience. I have to revert back to bying a windows machine to allow for compatibility with programmes I need, especially as concerns my website. This puts an extra strain on my budget but I have no real option. It's well into evening by the time we've completed shopping for tomorrow's departure as well as collecting the new laptop after programme instalation. Arriving back at the residence quite late there's very little time left to make final adjustments these will now have to wait until the morning.
Day 1, Friday 7 October
Heading South.......I'm now into my second week in Thailand and this is an all-important day for travel as I prepare for our 2-week trip to southern Thailand. Understandably there is still the preparatory work to do. Travelling light for 2 weeks is not an option. Besides, planning ahead we'll save time and money during this trip. Final checks complete we are ready to depart at 10am. Finally, after filling the tank and checking tire pressures, we are on our way. Connecting with the Chalong Rat expressway we head through the centre Bangkok then journey west heading towards the Rama IX bridge. It's here I witness an amazing engineering project underway, a completely new bridge over the Chao Phraya River running alongside the existing bridge. Here we connect with Rama II highway which is also being upgraded involving an elevated section which carries on for some distance. The sheer scale of this work is mind-blowing. I know from travelling this way in the past it is notorious for its traffic congestion. This is after all a major route out of Bangkok for all Western and Southern regions. Quite how far this elevated highway will extend I'm not quite sure but certainly work is progressing well into Samut Sakhon Province. However, as we complete a distance of some 40 kilometre from Bangkok there is little evidence of construction work but in any case, this far out from the city the traffic is much lighter. By this time, I have an idea about lunch.
Don Hoi Lot.......There is a location in the next province of Samut Songkhram on the coast known as Don Hoi Lot. It's been on my wish list for some time but I must calculate how much time it will delay us in reaching our next destination. Well, it's seemingly OK and I decide to go for it. The village of Don Hoi Lot takes its name from a local shellfish and as you might expect there is an abundance of seafood restaurants right on the coastline. Taking lunch here would be a wonderful addition to our itinerary on what could be a somewhat tedious day of travel. Arriving at Don Hoi lot the first thing you notice is the abundance of stilted restaurants hugging the shoreline each trying to compete with one another with low footfall at this present time. From a shaded parking lot, a wonderful viewpoint presents itself. It's available for those who just like to come here to relax but of course the abundance of restaurants is an added attraction. Near the parking lot is a shrine to Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon considered to be the father of the Royal Thai navy a son of King Rama the V. Shrines to him are located all over Thailand particularly along the coastline. They are mentioned in many of my travel bogs. So, it's time to try the local seafood and give my dear Katoon the opportunity to indulge in local delicacies especially the local shellfish known as hoi lot to which She adds another speciality dish boo phat pong galee (crab in a mild curry sauce). To me it seems a bit extravagant so early in this tour but boy is it delicious. It's now about 1:45 and we really must press on to reach Cha-am by 3 at least. It's a stopover on our way south today but I have a particular reason to be there.
A Spot of Business.......Many moons ago I had a strong association with Phetchaburi province and Cha-am in particular. Accordingly, I did my banking there having have some property in the area. However, these days my bank accounts there are just for convenience to keep an account open in Thailand because as a tourist now this is not possible. Reaching Cha-am I first locate Kasikorn bank. The purpose is to update my bank card which has now expired which due to covid I have not been able to renew but by 3:30am my business in Cha-am is complete and I can continue my journey. This will take me south into the next province through the town of Hua Hin. At this point our final destination for today is not much more than an hour away. With no immediate need to press on I have in mind an interesting excursion which will not add too much additional time. However, sooner than I expected another opportunity arises to visit a tourist attraction.
Rajabhakti Park.......Just 10 kilometres south of Hua Hin is Rajabhakti Park described as a historically themed park honouring past Thai kings from the Sukhothai era to the current house of Chakri. The park was opened on 26th of September 2015 and houses bronze statues of great Thai kings having an average height of 13.9 metres. Yet while the statues themselves are spectacular enough, the park also provides information on the reign of each king and the feats which made them famous.
This impromptu visit has come at no cost which includes a tram to cover this massive site which clearly has substantial development potential as a tourist attraction. Our visit to this site has occupied nearly an hour so the question arises now should we head straight onto our final destination or take a detour towards the other attraction which I had hoped would be possible.
Sam Roi Yot National Park.......At 5pm I decide to go for it, a detour that would take us through some spectacular scenery in a National Park known as Sam Roi Yot. Turning off the main highway in Pranburi we head to the coast. The most obvious initial destination is Sam Roi Yot beach where I stop to take some photographs but we cannot dwell too long here so press on deeper into the National Park amid some spectacular scenery noting the location of other beaches and a number of cave systems, finally stopping at Wat Khao Daeng. This temple is located on the Khao Daeng river where there is also a pier where boats depart to explore the scenic river system. Of course, with hardly a half hour left before dusk there is currently no activity here so it's now time to take a bow and head on to our final destination still skirting the coast until we reach the Petchkasem highway which takes us straight into Prachuap Kiri Khan. At 6:30pm we arrive at our pre-booked destination with darkness having descended.
Resting at The Rest.......The Rest Hotel on the outskirts of the city is just 60 meters off the main highway so it's easy to find. The rooms are modern and spacious but against this convenience of easy access there are no shops or other conveniences within walking distance requiring another trip out in the car to obtain a few provisions. The plan is to take dinner in the room since we have food left over from lunch.
Transition Complete.......So, this interesting day ends with a few interesting attractions visited proving that the day was much more than transition from point A point B. Before I close, I should just like to add another first that was achieved today. I managed to go the whole day using voice to text on my mobile device. This will need considerable editing later but seems more efficient than spending hours typing on the keyboard. It has also allowed a good amount work to be a compiled in real time rather than being conpleted retrospectively as has happened in the past. This is the first of two nights we will spend in Prachuap Kiri Khan.
Next Page.
Introduction....... Following our 2-day trip at the weekend down to Chonburi there have been 3 days to prepare for our next trip, a long 2-week trip down to Thailand's south but a couple of essentials have to be completed before we travel. On the Eve of travel, we first head for Fashion Island and the IT centre there to try and fix an issue with a laptop I bought from the UK especially for my travels in Thailand. The said laptop is a Chromebook which has so far proved difficult to set up due to incompatibility with the software I normally use. Having dropped it off, we now proceed to downtown Bangkok where I can change some money. The rates are much better there. Due to volatility in the currency markets affecting the UK pound I'm not too disappointed to get over 42 baht for the pound at present.
This job complete I can now relax a little and do something I like to do in Bangkok and that's head for the train station not far away and you can't get much better than Bang Sue central station to see trains. Arriving at Bang Sue station we use the underground car park in the new terminal. This gives us the chance to have a good look around even though at present the terminal is only used for commuter trains. Long distance train trains still use the old stations nearby. Looking around the new terminal building I cannot help to be impressed by the layout and the way it will handle multiple services in the future. These include long distance trains, airport rail link, commuter services, the BTS underground and the MRT sky train services. What an incredible terminal this will be when it fully opens. However today There are platforms for long distance trains running alongside the new terminal building. The old building is a magnet for me and I'm surprised by the amount of traffic passing through Bang Sue mainline station at this time of day. I could spend hours here but in an hour with plenty of activity to make my visit worthwhile, I'm more than happy but we need to head back to check on progress with my laptop.
Heading back, we take a late lunch along the 351 arriving back at Fashion Island in late afternoon. Here I'm in for a big disappointment. The Chromebook I brought with me cannot be modified or updated to my convenience. I have to revert back to bying a windows machine to allow for compatibility with programmes I need, especially as concerns my website. This puts an extra strain on my budget but I have no real option. It's well into evening by the time we've completed shopping for tomorrow's departure as well as collecting the new laptop after programme instalation. Arriving back at the residence quite late there's very little time left to make final adjustments these will now have to wait until the morning.
Day 1, Friday 7 October
Heading South.......I'm now into my second week in Thailand and this is an all-important day for travel as I prepare for our 2-week trip to southern Thailand. Understandably there is still the preparatory work to do. Travelling light for 2 weeks is not an option. Besides, planning ahead we'll save time and money during this trip. Final checks complete we are ready to depart at 10am. Finally, after filling the tank and checking tire pressures, we are on our way. Connecting with the Chalong Rat expressway we head through the centre Bangkok then journey west heading towards the Rama IX bridge. It's here I witness an amazing engineering project underway, a completely new bridge over the Chao Phraya River running alongside the existing bridge. Here we connect with Rama II highway which is also being upgraded involving an elevated section which carries on for some distance. The sheer scale of this work is mind-blowing. I know from travelling this way in the past it is notorious for its traffic congestion. This is after all a major route out of Bangkok for all Western and Southern regions. Quite how far this elevated highway will extend I'm not quite sure but certainly work is progressing well into Samut Sakhon Province. However, as we complete a distance of some 40 kilometre from Bangkok there is little evidence of construction work but in any case, this far out from the city the traffic is much lighter. By this time, I have an idea about lunch.
Don Hoi Lot.......There is a location in the next province of Samut Songkhram on the coast known as Don Hoi Lot. It's been on my wish list for some time but I must calculate how much time it will delay us in reaching our next destination. Well, it's seemingly OK and I decide to go for it. The village of Don Hoi Lot takes its name from a local shellfish and as you might expect there is an abundance of seafood restaurants right on the coastline. Taking lunch here would be a wonderful addition to our itinerary on what could be a somewhat tedious day of travel. Arriving at Don Hoi lot the first thing you notice is the abundance of stilted restaurants hugging the shoreline each trying to compete with one another with low footfall at this present time. From a shaded parking lot, a wonderful viewpoint presents itself. It's available for those who just like to come here to relax but of course the abundance of restaurants is an added attraction. Near the parking lot is a shrine to Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon considered to be the father of the Royal Thai navy a son of King Rama the V. Shrines to him are located all over Thailand particularly along the coastline. They are mentioned in many of my travel bogs. So, it's time to try the local seafood and give my dear Katoon the opportunity to indulge in local delicacies especially the local shellfish known as hoi lot to which She adds another speciality dish boo phat pong galee (crab in a mild curry sauce). To me it seems a bit extravagant so early in this tour but boy is it delicious. It's now about 1:45 and we really must press on to reach Cha-am by 3 at least. It's a stopover on our way south today but I have a particular reason to be there.
A Spot of Business.......Many moons ago I had a strong association with Phetchaburi province and Cha-am in particular. Accordingly, I did my banking there having have some property in the area. However, these days my bank accounts there are just for convenience to keep an account open in Thailand because as a tourist now this is not possible. Reaching Cha-am I first locate Kasikorn bank. The purpose is to update my bank card which has now expired which due to covid I have not been able to renew but by 3:30am my business in Cha-am is complete and I can continue my journey. This will take me south into the next province through the town of Hua Hin. At this point our final destination for today is not much more than an hour away. With no immediate need to press on I have in mind an interesting excursion which will not add too much additional time. However, sooner than I expected another opportunity arises to visit a tourist attraction.
Rajabhakti Park.......Just 10 kilometres south of Hua Hin is Rajabhakti Park described as a historically themed park honouring past Thai kings from the Sukhothai era to the current house of Chakri. The park was opened on 26th of September 2015 and houses bronze statues of great Thai kings having an average height of 13.9 metres. Yet while the statues themselves are spectacular enough, the park also provides information on the reign of each king and the feats which made them famous.
This impromptu visit has come at no cost which includes a tram to cover this massive site which clearly has substantial development potential as a tourist attraction. Our visit to this site has occupied nearly an hour so the question arises now should we head straight onto our final destination or take a detour towards the other attraction which I had hoped would be possible.
Sam Roi Yot National Park.......At 5pm I decide to go for it, a detour that would take us through some spectacular scenery in a National Park known as Sam Roi Yot. Turning off the main highway in Pranburi we head to the coast. The most obvious initial destination is Sam Roi Yot beach where I stop to take some photographs but we cannot dwell too long here so press on deeper into the National Park amid some spectacular scenery noting the location of other beaches and a number of cave systems, finally stopping at Wat Khao Daeng. This temple is located on the Khao Daeng river where there is also a pier where boats depart to explore the scenic river system. Of course, with hardly a half hour left before dusk there is currently no activity here so it's now time to take a bow and head on to our final destination still skirting the coast until we reach the Petchkasem highway which takes us straight into Prachuap Kiri Khan. At 6:30pm we arrive at our pre-booked destination with darkness having descended.
Resting at The Rest.......The Rest Hotel on the outskirts of the city is just 60 meters off the main highway so it's easy to find. The rooms are modern and spacious but against this convenience of easy access there are no shops or other conveniences within walking distance requiring another trip out in the car to obtain a few provisions. The plan is to take dinner in the room since we have food left over from lunch.
Transition Complete.......So, this interesting day ends with a few interesting attractions visited proving that the day was much more than transition from point A point B. Before I close, I should just like to add another first that was achieved today. I managed to go the whole day using voice to text on my mobile device. This will need considerable editing later but seems more efficient than spending hours typing on the keyboard. It has also allowed a good amount work to be a compiled in real time rather than being conpleted retrospectively as has happened in the past. This is the first of two nights we will spend in Prachuap Kiri Khan.
Next Page.
Rama IX Bridge, Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway, Bang Phong Phang, Yan Nawa, Bangkok
Rama II Road, Highway 35, Bangkok
Don Hoi Lot, Bang Cha Mueang District,
Samut Songkhram Province
Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon Shrine, Don Hoi Lot, Bang Cha Mueang District,
Samut Songkhram Province
Rajabhakti Park, Bang Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Sam Roi Yot Beach, Sam Roi Yot District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
The Rest Hotel, Mueang District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province