Sleeping at the train station in Hua Hin

We bought our tickets for the train back up to Hua Hin (160 baht each – the cheapest we could get, since at this stage we had 1000 baht left in our wallet) and started our long wait for the train. We were supposed to leave at 16:00 and the train arrived at 20:00.

Finally when the train arrived we scrambled to get everything we had with us on the train (the train only stops for 5 minutes and we had looooaaads of stuff) – Steven and I just finished throwing our belongings into the train when it started moving. Now we had to do some magic tricks to get all of our luggage on the small rail above our heads. We ended up just scattering our bags throughout the train (some of our stuff was at the very back of the train and some in the middle, some with us and some at the very front – but at least everything was in the same coach.) This is what it looked like:

 With everything safely somewhere in a compartment Steven and I made ourselves at home on the VERY small seat (even the miniature Thai people complaint that it is too small – think fitting a number 10 foot in a number 3 shoe…). And so we started out the 6 hour journey back up to Hua Hin. At every station a bunch of vendors will walk up and down the aisles with food (that is what the eyes say it is – but the nose disagrees…) and coffee and cool drinks and  stuff – very cool if you could afford it, very annoying if you fall asleep and a mad banshee screams : “KAAAAAOOOO PHHAAAAT KAAA!!! SAAAM SIIIIP KA. GAAAFFFEEEE GAAAFFFEEE KAAAA!” (Fried rice – 30 baht, coffee).

At each station as the people around us got off, before the others got in we ran through the coach to collect a bag or 2 of ours to move it closer to us – noooo of course we did not look crazy and of course the Thai people did not look at us funny…

So to get rid of the worst hunger we sipped on the water (that we got for free at the hotel) and went for a smoke every now and again. Going for a smoke on the train is very cool – you stand between to coaches and then try and inhale some of the cigarette before the wind blows it away while you jump every time a railing or something flies by.

All of this was very tiring for Steven:

 After what felt like forever we eventually arrived in Hua Hin and we texted and called and called and texted our friends to tell them that we have arrived and they can come get the bag. (Well silly us not to specify that we will arrive at 2 in the morning and not at 2 in the afternoon.) So since we were given the voicemail treatment and we had absolutely NO money for a hotel, I told Steven that we should just sleep at the train station. We had pillows and blankets and enough luggage to build our own little fort. So after setting up camp (eat your heart out boy scout wannabe’s) we went to 7/11 to buy ourselves a scrumptious dinner/breakfast/whatever you call it this time in the morning. Our meal consisted of VERY cheap chips and dry bread and VERY cheap orange fizzy drinky stuff.

Our camp site at the train station:

 We slept until 8 o’clock the next morning – it was actually quite comfortable once we got used to the noise and the idea of sleeping at a train station. We packed up and then we started our big move (we thought it wise to take our stuff in two trips). We first took the bags (we left the house in the red bag there as well) the 5km from the station to where our friend stayed. WE just kept on telling ourselves that all this effort will be worth it as soon as we arrived there and were greeted with a friendly smile and some coffee and maybe some breakfast. Weeellll…. You know that awkward feeling when you visit family and they were planning a party you were not invited to? Well that is EXACTLY the hospitality we received (I just think why do people invite you over to their place when they don’t really want you there in the first place…?) Anyhow we had no other way out, and we had nothing to complain about – someone at least offered us a place to stay.  So we left our bags outside and walked back to the station to get our stuff (since we were not invited in – the only thing we got was “I did not expect you at this time” and he disappeared back into the house). On our way out he yelled from behind that we can use his scooter. So Steven dropped me off at the mall (to try and sort out my credit card so we have some money to survive with) and he and the other guy went to pick the rest of the stuff at the station.

At the mall I had to wait outside – it only opens at 9:30. So there I sat – looking like a hobo, smelling like a hobo and feeling very sorry for myself. After what felt like hours Steven joined me and we went to the bank together (he decided not to wait for me at the house since he felt as welcome as a rock band at a yoga session). After visiting several banks we realized that we would not be able to get “emergency cash” from my credit card as the person at the call center promised. (Now we really felt sorry for ourselves – no money and not really being welcome at the place we were offered to stay for two days.) Steven and I wandered around the mall – the more time we spent here the less time we have to feel unwelcome. After a while we decided that it will look very odd if we just leave our stuff there and wander around in the mall the whole day. So we headed back to go face the awkwardness.

Our host showed us where we can put our stuff and said he is going to work. So we took our bags inside – this was another story since everything was full of mud (we had to move our stuff over a dirt road in the rain) - FUN TIMES! Hahaha.

So after de-mudding our belongings we showered and then just sat around – discovering “Plants vs Zombies” on our laptop. And we prayed – a lot… At one stage we opted for going to a Buddhist temple and sleep there – you can stay one night at a Buddhist temple (for free). And out of the blue our Thai friend said that she will give us 2000 baht. Thank goodness – now we have money for the train, a place to stay in Min buri (our next stop) and some food.

So came night time we went to the bank to draw the cash and buy a cool drink for our host. When we got back they were eating dinner – AKWAAAAARD MUCH. Hahaaha. Luckily both Steven and I are carefree and lighthearted people. With God on our side and the support of each other we will make it through this tough time – no strong-willed, hard working person is poor forever right. Being ravenous at this stage we ate the scraps that were offered to us and drank tons of water and smoked a few cigarettes – always helps with the hunger pains.

The next day we were alone at home and we made 2 packets (of the 6 packets we had left) of our 2-minute noodles (I HATE 2-minute noodles at this stage). Had some awkward conversation that night and the next morning very early we packed up to start our journey to Min buri.