After the leisurely time in Bangkok today's 7.00am early start came as a shock to the system. When I got to the bus our new guide Tami was impatiently enquiring about our leader Leighton and seemed very miffed that he was not the first out of the hotel to meet her. When the clock passed seven and he'd still not appeared her impatience turned to anger. Eventually Geof pulled him out of his pit in a terrible state and the battle began between them. I was probably the last to see him the night before when he approached me as I sat using the Internet at 12.20am and he reminded me of the altered start and said goodnight he was retiring. When he eventually came round in the late afternoon he said he was hungover but how is a mystery to me. I think he was so embarrassed that he'd overlaid he used drink as an excuse. Out of all the people on the bus he's without doubt the wost at getting up and now that Marcus has gone it's beginning to show. Quite often Marcus would go back to their room to wake him. It was interesting that Sue tried to get Tami to leave him behind saying it's what he'd do with one of us and I have to say she's right he would. She related the story about Ben in Romania and very nearly convinced her to depart without him. So Tami got the wrong impression that he had a drink problem. He does have a problem but it's pride and admitting he's wrong or apologizing is seen as weakness.
The first part of the journey was fine with Tami telling us about Thailand and Leighton now
asleep at the back of the bus. The early start was needed because the group had asked to give tonight's scheduled stop a miss so that we could have longer on Koh Samui island.
Once we were out of Bangkok and over the river the road was straight and reasonably well maintained as was the countryside. The fields contained Palm trees hanging with either coconuts or bananas, rice with the occasional vegetable patch which Tami told us is a way of allowing the paddy fields to recover. What few houses we saw looked clean and comfortable sitting on the edge of the palm groves.
The lunch stop at a transport type café was memorable for the hotness of the food which caused many including myself some discomfort. Tami dismissed the complaints, some (Anne) felt she should have been forewarned and when she dismissed the criticism the gap between the two leaders narrowed. The first fight back from Leighton came as Tami was shouting at us to hurry for the ferry and he told her to shut the f... up.
The ferry journey lasted 90 minutes and although pleasurable was slow and dark so there was not much to see. The transfer from the port to our beach resort (Home Bay) consisted of two pick-ups and a minibus. I was lucky (it was now raining) to be allowed to sit in the cab of the pick-up and talk to the young driver who smoked and coughed like an old man with consumption whilst the rest of the men hung on to the rucksacks and cases on the back.
Our first real view of the resort was from a large dark wooden dining area set just off from the beach and surrounded by gardens and palms. This became the venue for some excellent breakfasts and a couple of good evening meals. Our accommodation consisted of a wooden beach hut with double bed, toilet and shower and central fan that constantly turned all the four days. The word paradise was used by our new guide on a number of occasions but it certainly couldn't be applied to the accommodation. Sue and Mary stuck it for one night and moved into town to get away from the resorts dogs and nearer to shops etc. I chose shark from the menu and Anne settled for chicken and cashew nuts in a source and both were good. I got a telling off from Leighton for ordering shark after I jokingly asked the waitress if it was caught off the beach? She answered seriously 'no from the deep' and he said he was disappointed with me for not being more environmental. Goodnight from a rainy paradise.
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