THURSDAY 26th (continued):
Well it all started off really well.
Check out at Shantaa, taxi to Ao Salat easy; on board and away on time; sea-state, dead calm. 1hr 40mins.
Bit chaotic at the Trat terminal but we boarded a big 12-seater open taxi into Trat centre. We were dropped off at the service area where we were originally dropped off on arrival 8 days ago. And this is where it all went pear-shaped.
We both assumed that part of the travel package deal that we worked out with Charly included a taxi pick-up from Trat to the airport. After a 20 minute wait, it became clear that something was wrong. Our flight departure was 13:10 and it was already 12.35 and it was 35km to the airport.
Fortunately, we were waiting at a service area with an Amazon coffee shop. Forget that insipid crap that Starbucks serve; Amazon is 100 times better... anyway, I digress.
I got online and found Bangkok Airways details and noted the next flight to Bangkok was 18:30. A quick phone call confirmed a change of flight. So that was hurdle number one sorted. Next one was to get to the airport.
Aom chatted to one of the shop owners nearby and, as ever in Thailand, someone knows someone. A taxi to the airport was duly arranged for a mere 800 Baht (normally at least 1000 Baht).
It was now that the heavens decided to open, and I mean OPEN. It heaved it down, tropical storm type. Anyway, bags chucked in the back of the taxi, us in the cab with the lady driver who successfully navigated some treacherous conditions and with failing brakes got us to Trat Airport.
A 4 hour wait for the flight but the small terminal's nice enough and the bloody sun's back out again roasting everything. I'll miss it though when back in chilly UK.
Well, it's all changed AGAIN. It's now 19:00 and there's no sign of a plane to board. We should have taken off at 18:30 but there's another tropical thunderstorm crashing about and we've just been told the flight's been delayed until at least 20:20. God it's so bloody BORING. It's now dark and the mozzies are around attracted by the humidity no doubt.
Trat Airport is only a tiny provincial airport and not geared up to handling delayed passengers. There's no means of getting a hot meal for instance and there are no shops other than being able to buy a bag of crisps. There's free basic food and drink courtesy Bangkok Airways, and that's about it.
It was 21:20 when the plane finally touched down at Trat. 15 minutes after that we were boarding the twin engine turbo-prop plane. Yes real live propellers.
.No sooner had we climbed to 14000 meters we were served a basic snack, tea/coffee and after 35 minutes we started the descent into Su Airport. The bus from plane to terminal seemed to take longer than the flight. No passport control of course so we collected the bags and hopped a cab into Bangkok and to the Omni Tower in Nana.
It was 11pm and we had wasted a total of 8 hours thanks to missing our original flight. The knock-on effect of that was devastating.
Up on the 29th floor again we simply dumped the bags on the bed, had a wee and were out down Soi 4 to Hilary 1 bar for a couple of beers. In the end we stayed out until 2am just to chill out after a crap day.
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TOP LEFT: Aom getting the iced-coffees in at The Amazon coffee shop, Trat.
TOP RIGHT: A view though the taxi's windscreen in the thunderstorm. 75% heavily tinted glass gives the widescreen effect.
BOTTOM LEFT: Trat Airport.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Our ORIGINAL flight to Bangkok. Now 20:20 estimate. BORED!
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TOP: Bored stiff at Trat Airport waiting for our plane.
CENTRE LEFT: Clever topiary elephants at Trat Airport.
CENTRE RIGHT: The ATR-72 turbo-prop plane coming into the terminal.
BOTTOM: Another photo of the plane and, right, seated in said small plane.
FRIDAY 27th:
Up at 8am and down to breakfast. Checked out at just after 9am and hailed a cab to take us to the Bangkok Bus Terminal.
Aom started chatting to the driver and the question was asked (as usual) what part of Thailand was she from. It turned out the taxi driver’s parents lived in Surin City and he offered to take us to Prasat for 4500 Baht (approx. 90GBP). I mulled this over but stayed quiet for a bit in the heavy Bangkok-going-nowhere-fast traffic. In the end I haggled him down to 4000 Baht and a deal was struck.
Sounds expensive, but it’s not as Surin is a good 6-hours drive on clear roads. 8-9 hours on the bus. This means we get to Prasat in daylight hours and a damned sight more relaxed in the air-con taxi.
Be so good to see our little boy, Jack again.
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TOP LEFT: Our taxi driver from Bangkok to Nhong Rak.
TOP RIGHT: Aboard said cab.
BOTTOM: A haystack on wheels and it's a gas. Crazy loads on the road to Surin.
