BUSARA’S DIGEST #7

special feature: Amazing Thailand Southern Bus Trip ‘00

OK GUYS!!!! TIME TO WAKE UP NOW! And read this report. (Only if you were on Bus Trip 2000 you would understand why that’s in red.) 

Well, I guess I can get rid of the ants in my pants now because my first Bus Trip is over…oh so sad, but yet so true. Just imagine, traveling to over 10 provinces in just seven days to see, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parts of Thailand. On Sun. Dec. 3rd, twenty-four ecstatic youth exchange students from 9 different countries gathered anxiously at 6 am to begin their journey into the land that was before this, only talked about. Thanks to Chai Tour, we traveled comfortably the whole way through (except on our way for rafting) and even had two personal tour guides. One of whom, was just OVERLY hyper. OK GUYS!!! Haha! 

Our first stop, Petchaburi where we visited a palace with a very long name…Phra Ratchaniwate Marukhathayawan. After some exploring, we boarded our bus again and moved onto Prachup Khiri Khan province for lunch. We ate seafood by the sea (as a matter of fact we ate seafood everyday & night which means I can go without seeing it for a while.) We then went on to the province of Chumphon where we visited the National Museum and spent the night. The museum was very interesting and we saw a demonstration of ‘Hurricane Gay’ that hit Chumphon many years ago. In my mind, I wished WE were hit by a hurricane only every 60 years. The first night we  stayed at Chumphon Cabana Resort and when they say ‘cabana’ it’s exactly what they mean. 

Fed with an American style breakfast the next morning, we packed our bags to move onto Amphur Patoh where we would go rafting along the Patoh river. To get to the actual place where we would start rafting, we had to board a ‘songtow’ which is a bus made out of a truck. (They have more than the tuk-tuk here.) This was really good and a bit frightening at first, as we were led down the river on some pipes that made up the rafts. After about 3-4 hours of rafting we had to get dry as we prepared for an extremely long ride with a movie to Surattani where we would spend the night at Chieolan Dam (Ratchaprapha.)

Tuesday was another great day for me. The weather was unbelievably good as we awakened for a short boat ride down the Chieolan Dam. I never even knew I could take so many pictures of just mountains and water. After the very relaxing ride we moved on to Ao Luk. We had a chance to go on Thai traditional long-tail boats and they took us to visit two ‘stalactite-stalagmite’ caves. Boating ended and we went on to Krabi to see a Shell Cemetery and of course buy their market out of souvieniers. Dinner that night… SEAFOOD!!

By the middle of the week, after what felt like hundreds of hours of traveling in a bus, you would think that we were tired. But who could be??? This would be the day that we would go to the world-famous province of PHUKET!!! But first, we had to stop and say hello to the people in Phang-nga province, which of course we didn’t mind. We boarded a cruise to their national park and got to see a close-up of JAMES BOND ROCK island. It’s sooo cool!! At lunch, we went to a Muslim village and ate seafood… but of course!! After all, this village is located in the middle of nowhere…in the middle of the ocean. It’s beyond me why they would want to live on stilts but I guess there’s method to their madness. We did some shopping and then set out for mainland once again. That night we went to Phuket FantaSea and enjoyed the world’s biggest buffet. Ryan and I still haven’t figured out if they mean the size of the room or variety of food. I guess we’ll just have to go there again to ‘analyze the situation’. LOL Anyway, this theme park is Thailand’s Disney World (without the rides). After dinner we went into a theatre and I saw the most beautiful show I have ever seen. It was like a traditional Thai circus with A LOT of ‘chang’ (elephants). I especially liked the glowing acrobats because everybody glowed…even my beaded hair. But it had to end sometime and we had to leave the mystery and magic of Phuket FantaSea.

Thursday… do you know where we went???? Phi Phi Island. All I can say, is “T’INGS MASH UP!!!” If you haven’t heard of Phi Phi, you haven’t heard of Thailand. We got there by boat over the Andaman Sea and even though it took about 2 hours, ‘mai pehn lai’ (it’s nothing), it was definitely worth it. We had lunch at Phi Phi and then…the highlight of Bus Trip 2000… snorkeling in the clear waters around Maya Bay. If only I were a fish or mermaid and could live there forever. Remember Bahamian readers, this is coming from a girl who had the ‘Exuma’ and ‘Treasure Cay’ experiences. On this night we didn’t eat seafood, at least my group didn’t. We were set on our own for a while to explore ‘Patong’ which is quite similar to ‘Patpong’ in Bangkok. We were so happy to see something other than fish and shrimp, that the 7 of us devoured 3 pizzas and some other side orders in about 10 minutes. That’s some little piglets for ya!! Well, I can say that I left a part of me in Patong ‘cuz I had to hit the ATM machine’ 2 times that night and once more before I went home. It’s Christmas time…but of course!!! 

Well, it was almost over. We were moving out of Phuket, after it being the only province we spent two nights at. It would be our last night together for this Southern trip and what better way to finish it off than MORE water activities. I can say that these kids in district 3350, LOVE the water and no matter whenever and wherever, if they see some…they jump right in. I guess it’s not so thrilling for me because I’ve been surrounded by it for all my life but I admire their bravery and excitement. I guess if it snowed here, I would be just like them. Anyway, on Friday we went to Laem Phrom Thep Peninsula. Here we got to go into a Seashell museum and guess what Krissy and Angelo????? I saw CONCH!!!!! I was so excited or would you say giddy, that I just had to take a picture standing on front of the exhibit. Haha. We also went to a Cashew Nut Factory before moving on to the province of Ranong. In Ranong, we got to see and feel Thailand’s very own mineral springs. We even stayed in a Hot Spa Resort that night where every drop of water used and served there was straight from the springs. It was fun to relax in the hot tub and then jump into the pool that was, surprisingly, very cold that night. It was hard to fall asleep knowing that we wouldn’t get another experience like this one until April but eventually we all did. 

Saturday…back to Chumphon. But first, Kra Istmus which is the narrowest part of the Malay  Peninsula. Pictures upon pictures we took before leaving for Chumphon. It was a VERRRRRRRYYYYY long ride back to Chumphon and onto Bangkok and we arrived at our pickup spot about an hour late. Here we all had to say “Sawadee ka/klap” to each other…against our will of course. And, “See you later.” I think that if we had our own way, the bus trip would have gone for at least two more weeks. I know some of us had enough energy and clothes for it. 

Well, thank you Rotary 3350. You did it again!! I totally enjoyed the bus trip, and in fact the beauty of Thailand, at times, left me simply speechless. Simply unable to do anything else, other than look and think ‘What a Wonderful World’. 

Signed: BARBARA ZÁ FRANKS
R. Y. E. 2000-2001
Dist. 6990 (Grand Bahama) - Dist 3350 (Thailand)

P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!