Hi Everyone

Well we are now in Bangkok to make our connection to Cambodia. We had a very long and eventful journey from Koh Samui, the whole day was a total mess!!

We got up early to wait for our pick up at 12 to catch the 1.30pm ferry to the maindland. It never came, and whenw e phoned the office they said we had told them the wrong name of our hotel and so hadn't bothered with us! So we grabbed a cab to try and race to the ferry port- and the cheeky swine curb crawled deliberately to try and boost his fare to 600baht ( it should be 100) so we told him to forget and jumped out- stuck in the middle of town with all our bags in the baking heat of midday and in a bit of a rage- so we decided to march down to the tourist shop that booked our ticket and vent.

At first she was having none of it, but we were not in a modd to be messed with and in the end she sorted out our ticket for a later connection and gave us 200baht towards our taxi to the port- result!

So off in a tuk tuk we raced across to the other side of the island to get the 3pm ferry. Our tuk tuk driver then dumped us on some bridge and we had to trudge to the port- only to find him parked outside the ticket booth letting off other passengers- we were not amused, especially as him doubled our fare last minute!

We got to the ticket office to be told our ticket was invalid and we'd have to pay another 180baht each and that none of our connecting buses would be there on the other side to meet us.................... We lost it! .................then were allowed through with our existing ticket with no other costs- its pays to be hot and bothered in thailand!

So we got some strange shuttle to the ferry- and got our bags off and then he drove off with our backpacks- so we were running and calling after him- he thought it was hilarious- we were starting to become slightly hysterical about this day!

Eventually got to the mainland and got on our bus to Surathani and then another Tuk Tuk across town to a cafe where we watched some strange tv for an hour or so before being taken to another cafe and waiting for an hour for our coach.

Our coach was actually really nice and we had 2seats each cos it was so empty so we could sleep and we had lord of the rings. But the lady at the office warned us to be alert and never let go of our valuables- and fortunately we listened because at 1am, we were all chucked off the coach- no choice, to have our one and only stop. They then drove the coach round the corner- and we when we were allowed back on my bag had clearly been rummaged in- and later when we arrived in our hotel, both of our backpacks had been rifled through- despite having 2 padlocks and our steel packsafes in places- we have no idea how they manage it but its really creepy!! Nothing taken, but i did have some gross vehicle grease and oil on my stuff- nasty people!!

So we're in Bangkok- we've sorted out Cambodia- we fly out 7am Monday to Phnom Pehn. We were hoping to bus it, but apparantly that will take 2-3days of connecting buses and they rip you off with visa's and tax at the borders and various scams about vacinations- and we just couldn't be bothered with all that hassle! So a few days there then a bus to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat etc, before back to Bangkok!!

I'm really looking forward to some travelling again after being so lazy the last few weeks, but what i have seen of Bangkok today looks great too and there is plenty to do and see so looking forward to ending our trip here as well!!

Fingers crossed we don't have any drama in Cambodia, not sure we will be back online until returning to Bangkok now- i will keep you updated!

tasha

xxx