When 6:30 came we were packed into a mini bus and dropped off at Samsen, Bangkok train station with a 45 minute wait for our train. We were the talk of the station as we were pretty much the only white people (Farangs) there. The station was hot and sweaty but there were plenty of benches and the 5 of us took up too many seats! We had been left in the hands of the station-master to tell us which was our train and where our carriage would be. The whole experience was nothing like being in the UK or anywhere else I have been on a train. When there are no trains coming people walk on the tracks to get across to the other side for trains in the other direction. There is no platform as such just a painted line which you need to keep behind when a train comes and often cargo trains rush through with seemingly no notice. As expected the trains run on Thai time and when our train eventually arrived - just over an hour late - we had to walk to the very last carriage and had about 2 minutes to get ourselves up onto the train. Pulling yourself up to the steps - about half a meter off the ground - is not easy when you have a rucksack on your back and a backpack on your front as well as a handbag! Although 2 of the girls I was with had suitcases and struggled - sleeper trains aren't built for suitcases!

We found our way to our beds and as I got to mine there was a member of staff making it up for me, cute little bunk-beds with blankets and curtains. Next to each top bunk there is a metal mesh basket type thing which you are expected to get your luggage off the floor onto - this definitely takes two people, fortunately there was a nice man willing to help us! Just like getting on to the train, getting up onto the top bunk is a bit tricky (especially with an injured foot) but once you are up you can sit up with your legs over the edge. Emily and I took advantage of this and sat on my bed with some salted broad beans and a slightly warm Chang! As we were going to be on the train for 12 hours sleep was definitely needed and surprisingly I had a brilliant nights sleep. I was woken by a Thai lady walking through the carriage shouting morning and we got our stuff together as we were worried we might miss our stop and end up in Malaysia! The toilets on the train were interesting, one side was a western toilet which ended in a hole straight onto the tracks and the other was a squat toilet - must remember never to use the toilet when the train is in the station… not pleasant for the people waiting on the platform!

Eventually we arrived in Surat Thani and as we jumped off the train (literally) we were hounded by sales people asking where we were going as it's a big port with links to many of the islands. After explaining again and again that we had a mini bus waiting for us we finally found Ohm who was taking us to our placements. After about another 5 hours on the road having dropped one guy off we arrived at our accommodation which was basic but modern with a lounge, 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and a wet room for a bathroom. Our landlady - who is called C - can't speak much English but she drove us around the town to show us where things are and took us to a Tesco Lotus and showed us the ever important 7/11 (if all else fails you know you can have a toasty from there for pretty much any meal of the day!). C is a teacher at Emily's school (Phrasaeng Vet) but she is pregnant and due this month so she won't be teaching! Thai people have short nicknames which usually involve their family or where they were born - a girl who taught us some Thai at orientation was called Sax, short for Saxophone and her brother was nicknamed Triangle because her mother is a musician! I have since found out that C's husband is called B and her daughter is called D - we think that the new baby will be A or E!

After being in Phrasaeng for about an hour, we booked to go to Ao Nang in Krabi for a few days, partly due to the shock of being in a non-tourist/non-english area, and partly because we weren't due in school for another week.

We went for a walk to discover the local shops and found what has become our favourite café, it has wifi and the most amazing iced coffees! After coming home to pack we decided which bus to get and tried to sleep on the rock solid mattress - apparently Thai people like a hard bed!