Friday 7 December........(cont. from Page 8)

A plan to do nothing........Waking early I consider my options for today. Just after 7am the owner of Proudthai is preparing coffee for his guests. I pop out to 7Eleven for something I will call breakfast then return the motorbike keys. Whatever, I don’t need transport today; it’s time to give it a rest. After a chat with the resort owner I’ve decided to stay another night. The resort is occupied by other foreigners who content themselves by simply lazing around. Suitably impressed I will do the same today. Why not? I walk into the village for lunch but otherwise I work on my website taking a late afternoon break to go for a swim in Ban Krut Bay. The main thing I’ve noticed from my swim is the relatively deep water because of the size and shape of the bay. That makes it unsuitable for smaller children and may explain a lack of activity and sports. I’ve also managed to do some research. Tomorrow I’m heading for Chumphon. As if by sign of farewell I order a Korean style BBQ which I consume on the veranda. Wonderful!

Saturday 8 December

Bang Krut farewell……..I wake early eagerly awaiting my pot of coffee. I consume the remaining leftovers from my stay here and order transport to the main road, the standard motorbike and sidecar. I figure that arriving earlier at my next destination will improve my chances of getting accommodation to my liking. That rules out using the afternoon Ordinary train service as this doesn’t arrive in Chumphon till 6pm. While I wait for my transport I engage in conversation with my neighbor, a German, who works as a doctor for the International Red Cross. It’s strange that you take the opportunity to engage with someone just as you are about to leave. He did offer good advice and conversation. My transport arrives but the onwards journey by road becomes tedious and expensive. After my arrival at Petchkasem road it’s some time before any suitable form of transport arrives. When a minivan does arrive it’s not going all the way to Chumphon so I have to change at Chirach near the Chumphon provincial border. I arrive in the town just after 1pm and, after a simple meal, am directed to the markets area where a songtheaw (converted pick-up) can be found to take me on the final leg to my planned destination, Haad Thung Whua Lan, 16 kilometres from Chumphon........ (cont. on Page 10)