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THAILAND TRAVELS: A Journal PHANOM DONG RAK (cont'd) Page 8
Friday 27th September 2013:
Reflections of the stay at Phanom Dong Rak: Saturday 28th (continued):
Last full day here in Phanom Dong Rak. Weather still extremely unsettled. Thunder and lightening last night but nothing severe.
News reports speak of many flooded areas throughout mid Thailand, including Bangkok. After all, the rainfall here drains into the local river then to Surin city and from there joining larger rivers that eventually run through Bangkok.
Morning: Aom's mum, Somchit, is attending a funeral so it's down to Aom to cook breakfast for the family. This is fine by me as she is an excellent cook; my waistline can vouch for that!
Afternoon: Went fishing. Complete waste of time... not even a nibble today. A far cry to when fishing in the same place in March when Aom's mum asked me not to go fishing any more as the fridge was full of 1 and 2 kg catches.
The heat (36ºC today) and a strong thirst drove me back to the farm after an hour.
Saturday 28th September:
Up early and finished off packing. Nice big breakfast from Somjit and then a wait to 09:00 when our lift, courtesy of Aom’s cousin, to Prasat was due to arrive.
Yes, life here is by western standards fairly primitive. Food is unusual but most quite tasty and edible so long as you choose carefully. Somchit was switched-on to me being a farang from previous visits and adjusted the menu accordingly. Whereas the family dug into spicy soupy sort of dishes with rice, I was usually offered a nice big omelette made from fresh duck-eggs
It had been said by the family that they are pleasantly surprised that I chose to live with the family. I say this because I hear from friends of the family that most farangs only stick with farm-life for 48 hours then bugger off to the nearest hotel (wimps!). So, I do have something going for me as I definitely prefer to stay on the farm.
One thing I did notice after several days spent on this remote farm is how utterly relaxed I’d become. Going to bed sometimes as early as 20:00 was odd at first but once in the rhythm of early-to-bed, early-to-rise it seemed set in, I felt fine. In any case the cacophony of farm noises at 05:30 put paid to any thoughts of a lie-in. The racket that 40+ ducks, and crowing cockerels make is very considerable.
So I leave PDR with some regret but look forward to the comparative hurly-burly of that manic city called Pattaya. So, we’re on the road again ….
Very wet morning and reports of severe flooding again around Surin city 70 miles away.
Farewells said to the family and we were on our way down the cratered roads, some of the potholes resembling shell-craters, to the town of Prasat.
Arrived at Prasat bus-station in good time and on buying the tickets to Pattaya we were told the bus was delayed for an hour because of the floods.
Left a wet and rainy Prasat and settled in for a long journey. Weather picked up after 20 miles out of Prasat and the scorching sun made its presence made. Bus OK with a/c; not really a bus but more a coach. Double-decked and reasonably slick.
Going relatively straightforward up to Nakhon Ratchasima (short name Korat) where there was a 20 minute break for “refreshments”. However, things went rapidly downhill; the usual 8-hour journey took 11.5-hours in the end. Very slow going made worse by a severe traffic accident near Chachoengsao.
Way behind schedule now and journey getting tiresome, but eventually arrived at Pattaya at 22:30 instead of 19:40. Luckily Aom grabbed a passing empty so-called Baht-bus (a sort of open-sided seated pickup-truck which abound in Pattaya. Wave them down and they’ll pick you up on the street and when you want to get off, press the bell-button and that’s it …. all for 10 Baht/person any distance on its route which is usually random) [see photos on page 8].
Anyway, Aom made a deal with the driver and he took us straight to the Citin Garden Resort hotel off Pattaya Tai (south Pattaya Road) for 200 Baht. (ca 50 Baht to the GBP).
Received a warm “welcome back Tony” from reception staff. It’s great coming back to somewhere like this …. almost like a second home!
We literally dumped the cases without even opening them and shot straight out.
Caught a Baht-bus at the end of the road and were downtown in next to no time. A couple of Changs in a bar where I’m known to frequent (more “hello Tonys”) and then off for a bite to eat.
01:00 by now and both a bit weary so it was back to the Citin for sleeptime.
