Ao Menang Sunrise

Nach einer durchwachsenen Nacht mit viel Hundegebell konnte ich dann doch noch vier Stunden durchschlafen. Ich habe meinen Wecker extra auf 5:30 Uhr gestellt. Es lohnt sich: Vor mir erlebe ich einen wunderschönen Sonnenaufgang. Noch bin ich der einzige auf dem Strand. Als es heller wird, packt mich nochmal kurz die Nervosität: Der Schutz der Nacht ist jetzt weg.  Hoffentlich kommt kein missgelaunter Soldat und verscheucht mich. Aber im Gegenteil: Die ersten sind nette Jogger. Wir grüßen uns.

Als es bereits ganz hell ist gehe ich duschen - also in den Golf von Thailand.

Nach einer Weile tauchen auch noch ein paar einheimische Kinder auf, die ihr Englisch ausprobieren. Ich verabschiede mich.



Dann beginnt die Trampzeit - so früh wie nie zuvor. Abermals fahren wir über die Runway des Militärflugplatzes. Tong lässt mich in Prachuap am Nord-Sud-Highway raus. Perfekt! Naja - ich stehe eine halbe Stunde! So lange wie noch nie! Dann spricht mich ein Thai hinter mir in gebrochenem, aber verständlichem Englisch an. Mit Bar und seinem Bruder fahre ich in deren LKW bis nach Chumpon mit. Ein gutes Stück auf dem Weg nach Krabi!

Lift with Military Police. Wow.

Lu Pot (name changed) is apparently the highest rank officer of the group of military police personnel. They notice me wandering about the beach. Lu offers his help. As he inspires confidence I tell him my needs. He's willing to help. After a short blah with his colleges he asks me to jump in the police car.

It's a short two km hop to a camp site. The old guy at the reception asks for 50 Thai baths. I tell my story. Lu repeats:

"No money? You like Backpacker correct?!" 

– "Extreme backpacker!"

We see a smile on the the reception guy and he shows me two trees for my Hennessy. Lu leaves me and I can merely manage to take a decent shot of the car. Usually policemen are not allowed to be photographed and I sense that I'm actually not allowed to take any photos on military territory. It's called Area Wing 5. I enjoy a very special sunset with a maximum horizon-to-horizon rainbow.

My first police car lift (police car on the road, left).

Good morning Thailand. Sunrise wakes me up in my Hennessy.

As I set up my hammock Lu comes back: "Hey Krag. You remember me? I come back because I have to see. Eeeeh. Do you have passport? You know better for me. Better for you. Better for Area Wing 5." He takes a shot with his mobile and we exchange mail addresses. From our conversation I think that if I was hungry, he'd take me to a restaurant. The people are so friendly!

I fall asleep. What a gorgeous place to fall asleep. Thank you Thailand!

Ning & Ning

Ning folgt der Strategie von Beer - meinem letzten Fahrer: Er erzählt mir, dass er mich schon vor zehn Minuten gesehen hat und umgekehrt ist, um mich abzuholen. Sapalott - soll das jetzt immer so laufen?! Ning heißt übersetzt 'der Erste'. Diesen thailändischen Spitzenamen bekomme ich dann konsequenterweise ebenfalls.

Wir haben eine gesprächige Tour zur nächsten großen Stadt. Nur wenige Touristen kommen hier hin. Das Highlight: Auf den Schienen, welche die Stadt durchqueren, ist ein Markt aufgebaut. Bei jedem der vier täglichen Züge müssen rasch die Zeltplanen abgebaut werden.

Nach einem netten Mittagessen gemeinsam mit Nings Freundin, bestand er darauf, mir eine Busfahrt zu meinem endgültigen Ziel Prachuap Kiri Khan auszugeben. Diese nutze ich, um etwas Schlaf nachzuholen. Zunächst bin ich von dem Ort hinsichtlich Strandatmosphäre ein wenig enttäuscht. Daran können auch die netten Kalksteinfelsen und die süßen Fischerboote nichts ändern. Es ist die schmalste Stelle des Isthmus von Thailand: 15 km Breite misst er auf dieser Seite der thailändisch-burmesischen Grenze.

Ich schlendere die Strandpromenade entlang. Als es anfängt zu regnen, weiß ich immer noch nicht, wo ich schlafen soll. Im Gespräch mit der Dorfjugend erfahre ich, dass es hier nicht weiter geht, da hier ein Flugplatz beginnt. Macht nichts! Am Eingang fangen mich zwei schüchterne Soldaten ab. Sie bitten mich, eine Unterschrift zu hinterlassen. Gesagt getan. Dann passiert mir etwas, dass mir zum ersten mal passiert:

"Ich werde praktisch zum Trampen aufgefordert."

Mit einem Kampfpiloten der Royal Thai Air Force fahre ich über die Landebahn und anschließend zu einem schönen Strand auf der anderen Seite des Flugplatzes. Wetterbedingt ist er menschenleer.

With Beer to Samut Sakhon

Beer and Craig.

No - U remember correctly - I don't like beer! But in his case I like beer!

"Getting out of Bangkok seems to be a suicidal idea for a hitchhiker."

The city is full of highways that are off your limits and BKK is full of taxis that make your task more difficult. Anyways if you use three different means of public transport you can easily get to he beginning of the Rama 2-highway bound for southern Thailand.

"I stood on the most stupid place a hitchhiker could go."

I toppled my own advice to others who want to try thumbing: I was barely visible for the fast cars and there was no real space to stop. But luckily Beer saw me and did a U-turn five kilometers down the highway to pick me up. Thanks beer! Yes! His name was Beer. A young tax officer from Bangkok. He took me 25 kilometers to Samut Nakhon and dropped me next to two police officers. Good to know: Don't try to thumb up rides next to police! I even saw one car escaping from the officers who had ordered him to stop. Wow!

Bangkok Prison Choir

As Phil is busy with his work I go explore Thailand's capital on my own. After having visited the megacities of Istanbul, Teheran and Mumbai - to name just a few - I can't really describe the size of Bangkok. Let's put it this way: It's really big! I leave the MTR station and stumble over a huge golden Buddhist pagoda. I don't have any guide. So how can I know it's the famous Golden Buddha temple. I love the decoration and architecture. No wonder Thailand is one of the premier tourist destinations in Asia.





Further down the road I take a glimpse of a backlane market. Obviously I try to find Durian - to no a avail. It's this thorny fruit that definitely makes me come more often to the Malay Peninsula. Anyways I will find the Queen of Fruits sooner than later.

The beauty of the Grand Palace wows me just as another pagoda next to it. At this point I notice that Bangkok is really full of tourists and western people. In the morning the metro was packed with business men from all over the world and now the tourists sometimes outnumber the Thais on the road - and not only in a small area. I love the road atmosphere and the food stalls along the way remind me of Malaysia. I'm getting closer!

Now I want to see at least once in my lifetime the world known Kao San Road - the Backpackers Mekka and site of many movie scenes such as 'Hangover'. It's not as bad as in India but still many people (surprisingly Indians!) here ...

... try to fool you. The most frank instance: "Hey there, you're lucky man!"

Trust me! You do not want to be the lucky man! Try to escape! Kao San in plain English: colorful advertisement illumination, Asia's Mallorca, reggae, beer flatrates, overpriced souvenirs, Indians (yes!) and Thai massage.



I head to the ferry pier to go back to the metro. The monsoon meets its name as the rain falls in sheets when I board the long-tail boat. It takes longer than expected. Back at Phil's office he's so kind to give me his emergency clothes to replace my wet summer outfit. We take a short walk to he Thailand cultural center - the venue for the Christian Prison Choir Bangkok. It's amazing that even the nice of the king - a member of the royal (!) family - is attending a choir of drug addicts and criminals, organized by a Christian missionary in a mostly Buddhist country!

The choir is awesome, the philharmonic orchestra interior majestic and the celebration of the royal family most authentic: All Thais are awestricken as the representative of the royal family enters the hall - of course ...

...he's not x-rayed and his bag not checked ;-)

In her speech  the show master emphasizes that the missionary did quite some good in recruiting inmates even if they could barely sing. I found the acoustic performance great, the dancing just fair. We blame on the lack of practice opportunities for men and women together. In contrast to Thailand's sexy image and also in contrast to the sexy Thai fashion style (Women go to work in hot pants!) the society is really conservative: I didn't see people kissing in public. I didn't even see couples holding hands or just any symbol of being couple!

Of course I don't know what's happening behind closed doors ;-)

Back to the concert: The show master underlines the importance of care for the inmates' children. The missionary is raising funds for a new building. Before going home we have a nice dinner together with two Thai friends. I'm doing badly at finishing up the extra spicy papaya salad. Phil's doing great at his Thai karaoke performance.

The restaurant is partying hard as he hits the beats of a traditional schmalzy song.