4 December 2016. Train to Aranyaprathet

For some reason, I slept really badly with lots of vivid dreams - including Trump and Putin leaping around on sofas with their nuclear buttons saying 'these are real boys' toys'; it was horrific! So I very nearly thought I'd stay an extra day in Bangkok to recover. However, a couple of coffees had me in a more positive mood and I packed, checked out and got the MRT to Hua Lamphong station in good time to buy a ticket for the 13.05 train. I sat in the waiting area and fortunately at about 12.30 thought I'd go and see what was happening. The train was already there and filling up rapidly. luckily I got a seat which by sheer chance was the better (northern) side of the train and rear facing. Better because the other side  was the sunny one which meant the metal blinds immediately went down; and rear facing worked well because with the open windows forward facing meant being blown to bits. So I was lucky.

It's a somewhat slow but very pleasant journey to Aranyaprathet through mile upon mile of paddy fields and then woodland.

People on the train were very friendly. There were lots of Thais wearing black and a fair few number of farrangs who I got talking with, including a Swiss couple, a French couple and a Spanish couple, the last of whose eyes picked up on my Spanish grammar book and started off on 'habla espagnol? - which I hadn't bargained for on a Thai train!

The stations along the way were very well kept and featured extremely smart officials.

We got to Aranyaprathet about thirty minutes late and I negotiated with a tuk tuk to take me to the hotel I had booked. It was getting dark and proved definitely too far to walk. Still, it seems crazy that this short shuttle cost me more than the ticket for the entire train journey - which was itself the same cost as the four apples I later bought in the local Tesco. Weird thing, pricing.

The hotel is pleasant if a bit run down and I decided to stay a further night rather than rushing in and out. I will then go for an early border crossing on Tuesday. This seems much to be preferred to the Spaniard's (and most people's) choice to cross the border immediately. All I've read suggests one needs one's wits firmly in place at this crossing! We'll see.