A day on Khoa San & our first over night train

We landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok at around 8am.  We cleared imergration, had our passports stamped and collected our bags without to much trouble.  We left the airport and walked to the metro station (MRT).  We took the MRT into the city centre and got a tuktuk to Hua lamphong train station to buy our tickets for the overnight train.  We checked our bags into the luggage safe at the train station and walked to Khao San Road, which took quite a while as we had no idea where we were going!  When we found Khoa san, we wondered around for a while, bought each other friendship bracelets and generally took everything in... After a while we settled in a bar where we logged on to facebook to 'check in' to the famous street and let people back home know that we had arrived safely.

Scoffing the best pad tai in the world!

..then we ordered a beer, then another, then another.
We bought somemore friendship bracelets, I dont know why, we had already done this earlier! We had a fish pedicure, (I hate fish!) which was discussing and I couldnt keep my feet in the water for more than a few seconds!  We went to another bar and chatted to other backpackers.  They told us about the over night train and said we should take some food and plenty of water as the shop on the train opens and closes at random times.
After a few more drinks and some street food (which was awsome!), we decided we probably should get to the train station.  We staggered into a tuktuk which took us back to the train station.  Our train left at 19.30, they ask  you to be on the train 30 mins before it leaves, we were late and just about made it in time.

When we arrived at the platform, after retrieving our bags, one of the train station staff had obviously noticed that we didn't know where we were going and he offered to walk us to the train.  He actually walked us on to the train, and right to our seats!

We had bought tickets for the 2nd class sleeper train, you get a bed for the night and air con.  Inside it looks like a train back in the UK, then around midnight, a man came along to change the seats in to beds.  These were comfortable and a blanket and pillow was provided.

In the drunken rush to get from Khoa San Rd, get our backpacks and find the train, we had forgotten to pick up any food or drink.  I was starving all night, I felt sick from the constant rocking and jolting of the train and the amount of Chang I had swilling around my stomach.

Sam, shufflin'!

  Backpacking Lesson no1; Do not get to drunk to remember to feed yourself when your about to board a 12hr train.

One last thing I should mention about the over night train...the toilets!  There were 2 at the end of our carrage, one either side of the isle.  One is a western style toilet, the other is a 'squat hole', the latter is exactly as it sounds; a hole in the floor, you can actually see the track! Which ever you choose to use, you'll need your own toilet roll, a steady pair of legs and a strong stomach.  On that night I had none of the above!