(cont. from Page 12)........So Charging Bull Beach is probably the best translation and somewhat resembles the performance of the machine I am riding. It’s definitely going back tomorrow. It’s Dinner at my local which is both wholesome and relatively cheap. .

Monday 10 December

All quiet on Haad Thung Whua Laen……..The motorbike’s needs to go back before 11am so I have time to go up into the village of Ban Saphli. This small market town compliments Haad Thung Whua Laen in having facilities lacking near the beach. Here you will find an ATM and a variety of shops which supply local needs. I only have time for a specialty coffee which at 10 baht is the bargain on the day before taking the ‘charging bull' back to the resort. After a lazy lunch the afternoon slips by terminating in by emersion into the warm shallow waters of the bay. Yes this is popular beach thankfully without jellyfish but today has clouded over a bit, not so hot and despite still being a public holiday much quieter. Finally there is another recent history lesson on offer. While walking along the beach road I noticed a signboard only written in Thai. Curious, I later asked about it. Here was another example of the surprise attack by the Japanese on 8th December 1941 by 700 troops that brought about a swift armistice.

Tuesday 11 December

On the road again……..I still have a few more days before I need to return to Bangkok. I’ve provisionally penciled in Thursday back by train and minivan. If I take the Ordinary service I need to be in Chumphon Railway Station before 7am. I would therefore like to stay in a hotel near the station on Wednesday night. If this is plan A then I can stay in Haad Thung Whua Laen another night. Ok that’s soon arranged so for the rest of the day I’m on the road again. I pick up a usual automatic after breakfast but exactly where I’m headed I’m not sure. Extracting as much information as I can from maps and guides I’m heading north. This is almost a repeat of the plan I had in Ban Krut but this time there’s more of a problem. From Haad Thung Whua Laen in the south of Chumphon’s Pathiew district to the provincial border with Prachuap Kiri Khan it is sparsely populated........ (cont. on Page 14)