Day 29 - strict

05/29/19
Day of departure. After an extremely relaxed packing process, we leave the accommodation and quickly go to the supermarket to shop for the journey. When we leave the market, we don't have to wait a minute for the bus to Krabi. We sit with the locals and enjoy the picturesque limestone cliffs for one last time.
Upon arriving in Krabi, as soon as we leave the bus, we are besieged by taxi drivers - if you look like we do and have a backpack on your back, you are fair game; you could also carry around a yellow glowing arrow with the inscription: 'Tourist! I really want to spend money'.

We have 2 1/2 hours left until our bus to Bangkok departs, so we sit by the water and play Yahtzee, just like we did on our last visit to Krabi. After wasting enough time, we go to the food market to eat, then go to the bus stop and take a slightly expensive bus (€1.15) to the central bus station. When we arrive at the central bus station, we check in for our ride, load the bus's storage space with our backpacks, and then take our assigned seats. Finally, at 4:00 PM, we finally leave.

The 'flight attendant' of the bus is either having a bad day or is always as rude and strict as we perceive her. An attempt to separate us, for better sleep, into two rows (the bus is only 20% full) is unequivocally and very forcefully rejected. At around 10:00 PM, we arrive at a huge rest stop - only now do we realize that a small travel snack is included in our bus fare. We follow a Thai couple - the man speaks English somewhat - and sit at a round table in a cafeteria-like hall. Rice soup is served, which tastes like less than water, and small bowls of pork and chicken meat, offal, and green beans are offered. Let's just say: if our stomach and intestines should feel good here, then nothing can happen to us anymore. As expected, it is the worst meal we have had so far. However, it is free and fills the stomach. We go back to the bus and continue doing what we have been doing: playing mobile games, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, writing blog posts. According to the schedule, we still have more than seven hours of driving ahead of us. It becomes night; everyone can somehow sleep, except me.

...

I absolutely have to learn that.

- Alex