Hickory Dickory Dock, What’s with the clock?

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, point me to a place to go.

Where shall we go?

Ah! An island in the Gulf of Thailand. Koh Samui. Time to put on a sun hat and sip a cold piña colada.

There were no direct flights into Koh Samui Island the first time I went there. Since Doc and I enjoyed train trips and had extra vacation time on our hands, there were no second thoughts about doing rail travel. After making sure it wasn’t monsoon season in East Thailand, I made plans and secured the train tickets. Boy oh boy, I was pleased with myself for laying the groundwork for our trip ahead of time. With transport and accommodation pre-arranged, our six-day, five-night beach break would look like this:

Schedule	Transport	Itinerary	Estimated Duration	Stay	Payment Method
In Bound
Day 1	Local Malaysian train	Night train: Kuala Lumpur à to Hatyai via Padang Besar checkpoint	12 hours	On train 2^nd class sleeper	Purchased in Kuala Lumpur KTMB station
Day 2		Immigration clearance at Malaysian checkpoint	1 hour
Day 2		Immigration clearance at Thailand checkpoint	1 hour
Day 2	Local Thai Train	Day train: Checkpoints à Hatyai city centre	1 hour		Purchased in Kuala Lumpur KTMB station
Day 2	Tuk Tuk	Explore Hatyai. Buy roasted cashew nuts.	Rest of the day	Hatyai	Hotel’s website
Day 3	Express bus	Bus ride: Hatyai city centre à Surat Thani Pier	4.5 hours		Arrangements made through local agent
Day 3	Ferry	Surat Thani Pier à Koh Samui Pier	1 hour		Arrangements made through local agent
Day 3		Check in to hotel. Piña colada @ Lamai Beach, Koh Samui. Chill!	Rest of the day	Koh Samui	Hotel’s website
Day 4		Explore Samui Island. Chill!	All day	Koh Samui
Out bound
Day 5	Ferry	Koh Samui Pier à Surat Thani Pier	1 hour		Arrangements made through local agent
Day 5	Express bus	Bus ride: Surat Thani Pier à Hatyai city centre	4.5 hours		Arrangements made through local agent
Day 5	Train	Evening train: Hatyai City Station à Padang Besar Checkpoint	1 hour		Purchased in Kuala Lumpur KTMB station
Day 5	KTM (train)	Night train: Hatyai à Kuala Lumpur via Padang Besar checkpoint	12 hours	1^st class sleeper	Purchased in Kuala Lumpur KTMB station
Day 6		Arrive home and report to work on the same day.		Home

The trip to Hatyai was as smooth as a clockwork, and I couldn’t wait to get to our hotel in Koh Samui – the ocean view was said to be spectacular. Since there were a limited number of rooms at this family-run resort, I felt on top of the world when I was told I could have the one with a large balcony overlooking the gulf.

At the checkpoint

We reached the bus station, dragged our carry-ons (which by the way were several pounds heavier since we left Kuala Lumpur), and waited for the bus to arrive. Inside our suitcases were several kilograms of deliciously roasted cashews and several pairs of export-but-defect quality jeans which we had picked up in Hatyai. Great bargains! The helpful agent in Hatyai was already at the station with our tickets. “This is what you call ROYAL treatment, Doc,” I said happily. The bus was a little late, but hey, relax. We were on holiday after all.

Do you see the sea?

As the bus left, I couldn’t help but wonder why the other passengers didn’t have any backpacks, wear beach hats, or have shades on.

“Bus to Surat Thani?” I asked the passenger who only had several bags of grocery on his lap.

“Yes,” he nodded and turned away. I was relieved to know we were heading in the correct direction.

Though the fare was cheap, the seats were comfortable. I also noticed short-legged stools under every seat. Superb, a place to rest my aching feet, I thought. How thoughtful of these guys. Just as I pulled out a stool, another bus employee came by to check the passenger’s tickets. When she approached me, she told me in sign-language to put away the chair back to its original position.

“Why?” I asked.

No reply. I decided to stop asking questions to avoid a scene, as all eyes were on us. The time on Doc’s watch showed nine. The day was getting warmer even inside the air-conditioned bus. We had a long way to go.

“Another four hours before we get any lunch,” Doc said. It also meant no coffee in the meantime.

Coffee on the ferry

As the hours passed, I realised the express bus wasn’t operating in the expected “express” way. I could feel the aura of the edgy person next to me. The bus driver was cutting through small towns and picking and dropping off people along the route. Soon, there were no empty seats left. Then out came the stools, creating another row of seating. (Luckily, this happened pre-COVID-19.)

The new batch of passengers were much merrier than the ones we initially boarded with. One passenger even brought in two brown hens tied tightly to their feet so the birds wouldn’t fly away. Another passenger brought in sacks of vegetables and fruits. They were islanders, I learnt. The one with the fruits offered us some slices of papaya, but it was well past 2 pm, the fresh fruit couldn’t satisfy our growling stomachs. We needed some coffee, food, and most importantly a toilet break.

But after four hours on the bus, we were still far from the Surat Thani pier.

A couple of hours later, we reached Samui Island. The total journey to the pier took about 8.5 hours, not 4.5 as the local agent had informed.

At the pier, we hired a songthaew to the hotel. The driver stopped at the foot of a steep sloop. He refused to go farther but pointed to the roof above. Holy guacamole, you must be joking! That, my friends, was the place promised to have the spectacular view of the ocean. It was on a cliff, and to get there we had to drag our treasured cashews up a steep, winding path.

Chill and resting up in the balcony

Later that evening, we made our descent to the beach. On the way, Doc took an inventory of boo-boos that ‘I’ made in this trip.

Buddha keep us safe

We enjoyed our pizza and drinks at the beach, leaving us with only one thing left to do – make sure we made it on time for our return train trip (on day-5). Due to the ferry and bus schedules and recent travel experiences, we knew that if we did the same in reverse fashion, we would miss the train to the checkpoint.

So, the next morning, we headed to town and spoke with various people about faster travel options to Hatyai – the airlines, travel agents and bus operators. Everything was negative. There were no flights to Hatyai, and the overland travel options were the same as what we already knew. We could take a taxi to Hatyai to save some time, but that would cost us a lot of money. Then, a local passer-by suggested another option – cross over on a cargo boat that very day (day-4) instead of the next and save a couple of hours there. We agreed to this instantly and grabbed ourselves the boat tickets.

We took one of these boats to the mainland

Looking back, the cargo-boat experience was like watching a comical action movie. The cargo boat was essentially a slow overnight boat that left Samui late at night and arrived at its destination in the wee hours. These boats were used to transport dry foodstuff like rice, sugar, and flour between the island and mainland. They also allowed a limited number of passengers in for a low fare. Tickets had to be bought early. Each registered passenger was entitled to a mattress and floor space to sleep. Luckily, the boat was extremely clean.

Upon arrival at Surat Thani, a bunch of police inspectors got on board, flashed torch lights at our faces, and verified our travel IDs against their list. I guess they had to ensure there were no fugitives on board. After the authorities inspected the boat, they told us politely to stay aboard. The town was still asleep, so for safety reasons we were required to remain in the boat until 5:30 a.m. (sunrise).

We eventually made it to Hatyai on time and then to work the next morning, my head still rocking to the waves of the gulf.

And the numbers are ...... 10 and 11

What I learnt:

You are bound to come across people who find your time is immaterial. Share your views on its importance; if they still refuse to appreciate its significance, learn to accept they are different and move on.
Carry a flask with a drink of your choice on long trips. If you get fresh coffee on the way, well, that’s a consolation; otherwise, you can pour some of your own.
Have some light snacks handy for long-distance trips.
Limit your liquid intake, especially when you suspect there will be no toilet breaks in between. Know a phrase or two for your emergency toilet needs.
When things don’t work out as planned, don’t fret. Handle these obstacles calmly, and be prepared to make quick alternate decisions.
When vacation time is limited, but the travel distance isn’t, be prepared to increase your budget for much faster and convenient travel options.
The term “express bus” varies from place to place. Do some research on the local interpretations beforehand.
Always be friendly to your fellow travellers, and they will make any unpleasant experiences easier to handle.
Carry small local denominations to pay for purchases from local traders on the bus or train.
If you have health problems, it wouldn’t be wise to climb up a steep slope unprepared. So, double-check the location of the hotel before booking.
Avoid hotels on the cliffs if you want quick escape to the shore.
Avoid making rigid travel plans – factor in some time for delays and rest. Get adequate rest before heading to work the next day. My head still felt a low buzz of the boat engine and train screeches for days.
Lastly, be open for unexpected adventure, because these opportunities don’t come by often.

A note on planning : There are two sides of me. While I do plan in a professional capacity, I am quite the opposite when it comes to personal travel. I welcome the unknown and unexpected. That means Doc ends up being the plan fixer. 😉

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

Hickory Dickory dock.

Footnote:

Regardless of whether you are a business traveller or vacationer, a one-time or frequent traveller – if you travel, you are exposed to risks. It’s important to understand that some of us are easier targets than others.

Doc was a sensible traveller, while I, quite the opposite. Through Watch Out! Travel Mishaps from Reaching Delphi Travellers Alert series, I will share some of our travel misadventures with you. My aim is to create the awareness of such incidents and some useful suggestions to reduce the occurrence of unpleasant events.

This series is dedicated to Doc - SV Narayanan, who constantly reminded me and many others to 'Watch Out!.

Follow Coffee Trail – Counting Stars, Reaching Delphi for travel updates and tips.

Also in the WatchOut! series:

Watch Out! Keep Your Eyes on the Passport
Watch Out! Watch Those Pryfing Eyes
When a Stranger Offers You Something
Watch Out! When It Sounds Too Good to Be True
Hopscotch, Hopscotch, Hop Your Way to the Entrance.
Hickory Dickory Dock, What’s with the clock?
To know or not to know… yours truly, Confetti
Trick or Treat, Watch Out and Decide Wisely.
Watch Out! What the Heck! You told me you were close by!
Watch Out! Excuse me, say that again - No reservations?
Watch Out! Secure Your Belongings Before You Leave the Room.

Watch Out! The Banquette Seat Ride

To know or not to know… yours truly, Confetti

To know or not to know… yours truly, Confetti.

’Tis the season to be jolly, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!

’Tis the season to celebrate, (safely), mate!

Confetti blessings and celebrating life.

Confetti is just small pieces of coloured paper thrown to amplify any event's spirit. That's why you see them rain down during sporting victory ceremonies, entertainment finales and festive celebrations.

Ever wondered how this idea of paper throwing started?

Well, the tradition of throwing things (like mudballs and eggs) began in northern Italy long ago. According to records, it was in the late 19th century when paper confetti was introduced in Milan by an Italian businessman, Enrico Mangili.

One of the things Doc and I enjoyed as much as watching colourful confetti was our visit to see Antoni Gaudí’s astonishing work at Park Güell in Barcelona. Just as expected, we were both absolutely mesmerised by this architect's style and structures. Everywhere we turned, we saw something refreshingly unexpected and welcomingly unusual.

Note: this article is not about Park Güell, but I have included some pictures from this trip.

ReachingDelphi, Gaudi, Guell Park, Watch

Our everyday Gaudi cookies .

Wow! What was Gaudi thinking, we asked each other enthusiastically as we headed back to the metro station with the other mesmerised visitors. Along the way, we noticed many souvenir shops and cafés. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon, so naturally, we were incredibly grateful for the shade these shops provided. We stopped at a couple of them for a bargain or two. Whilst here, I took the opportunity to put my limited Spanish vocabulary to use. Doc showed off his too, which by the way, was far more advanced than the ten words I knew.

reaching delphi. park guell, gaudi, coffee

A playground for everyone.

We decided to grab a bite at one of these local cafés.

Buenas tardes.

Dos cafés por favor.

Si.

The waitress (thankfully!) understood our order for we got the coffee we requested.

Sagrada Família, reaching delphi, travel alert, watch

Can you spot Sagrada Família?

After some warm sandwiches and two cafés con leche (Spanish hot espresso and milk), Doc performed another round of the usual travel health-check. Money. Keys. Camera. Passport. Backpack. Nothing lost, Uma. So far, you are doing well. We continued our descent to the station.

Mesmerised at Park Guell.

"Hold on!" I heard Doc call out. He kept touching his head.

"Something wrong?"

"Something's on my head."

"Confetti?" I looked up.

"No! Pigeon dropping?"

I realised that there were many apartments with balconies on the next level. Families and friends occupied the tiny outdoor space, basking in the Mediterranean heat—reading, chatting, sewing, sipping coffee and beer. I noticed happy heads bobbing from some balconies. And true enough, there were hordes of pigeons above.

Just then, I realised that my back and head too, were wet. Doc's new beige backpack (the one you see in the first picture was after it was cleaned up), where he had our passports and money, now looked like an amateur’s mosaic piece. Unlike Gaudi's art, this wasn't pretty—it also smelled rotten. The two girls behind us too stopped as we stepped aside. They looked just as puzzled, their jackets and scarf also stained. It looked like someone from one of the apartments above had dropped something on us.

People watching you watch people. It works both ways.

The nice girls offered us some tissues and said something more complicated than uno, dos, but we understood when they mentioned agua pipe about 30 meters away from the passing crowd. We followed them to a nearby park. Agua is water by the way.

At the park, these nice girls were very eager to clean up Doc’s backpack instead of their own belongings. We noted that the only water pipe did not have running water.

"Policia. Policia!" Doc shouted when he suspected something was amiss.

The girls did not expect this. They immediately stopped offering their tissues, took their things and left. That's right, they just walked away!

There were a couple of other people watching us around at the park, but they appeared unfazed.

reaching delphi. travel alert, watch, pigeon poo

Unfazed else where. This was not at the park.

I later found out that this incident was not uncommon and that usually syndicates worked in split groups. We could have lost a lot of valuables that day. Luckily, we realised the foul play early and were able to avoid it. But this incident left us both in shock for a long time. Hard lesson learnt, not everything that falls is confetti! So do watch out!

reachingdelphi, travel alert, watch, coffee

Picking a yacht to Reaching Delphi

What I have learnt:

Laugh if you wish, but the sad fact is that pigeons do poo on our heads.
Not every dropping on your head is party confetti . It is essential to distinguish what is and what isn't.

Not all strangers who offer help are scammers but do be cautious when one takes you to a remote corner or tries to establish physical contact with you or your belongings.
There are both good and bad apples in a basket. Most people in the world are generally sincere and nice. It’s sad that a few bad experiences can change our perception of the world altogether.
If being nice is your first nature, exercise it with caution.

This incident is what we classify as premeditated and organised crimes. They operated in split teams. Reread my experience—you’ll note several players.

Keep within the public crowd and avoid being separated. Do not follow strangers asking for or offering help to a remote location, no matter how near or safe it may look.
Do not allow any stranger physical access to important belongings like your backpack or handbag.

Stay safe, stay focused, remember the landmarks.

Be aware of the nearest police/security personnel or station. Report such incidents.
Know a few handy local words wherever you travel—in this case, verbalising aqua and policía at the right moment allowed us to stay safe.
Pigeons are found everywhere and so are incidents such as this. So, watch out!

Be jolly. Be safe. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. Watch out, be alert always! Wishing you safe and peaceful confetti travels, and remember - pigeons do poo on our heads. Do wear yours masks and practice social distancing when you are in public areas. Enjoy your coffee, and here is my very own latte art.

Yippee....my heart!