DAY 32 - KO PHANGAN TO PHUKET

Our 'Luxurious' Bus from Dunsak to Surat Thani

After 2 days of recovering from the New Years Full Moon Party, it was time to head back to Singapore to collect the car and get stuck in to the Asian leg of the journey. However we first had to endure a day of travelling back to Phuket in order to catch a plane back to Singapore. Expectations of a quick trip were low considering our last journey from Phuket to Ko Phangan but we were promised that we would be put on a ‘fast ferry’ this time. So we reluctantly paid the tour operator 700 Bhat each for our fare to Phuket.

As usual, our trip to Phuket began with a tuk tuk taxi from our resort to the ‘fast ferry’. Unfortunately this ferry was all but fast, especially considering there was some swell in the sea from a New Years storm. The ocean waves made the 20 year old boat’s long and narrow structure sway like see-saw much to the disdain of the 200 or so hung-over travellers onboard.

We arrived at Donsak at what we thought was an hour ahead of schedule only to be shown to a bunch of chicken buses and hauled off on an hour long drive to another bus station at Surat Thani. Heads sunk as shoddy Thai food was rolled out on makeshift counters. At this point we realized that we were in for the same ordeal again.

After a two hour wait at Surat Thani, a tuk tuk arrived to take us to yet another bus station/ restaurant/ internet café/newsagent for another 2 hour wait. Patience was running seriously thin at this stage. It was now 7.30pm, we had now been travelling for over 8 hours and we still hadn’t even gotten to the West side of Thailand! The 50+ travellers in the station were either going to Phuket Town or Patong Beach so the arrival of a single 25 seater coach prompted mass commotion. The tour guides truly had us by the balls and charged an extra 200 Bhat to anyone who wanted the privilege of catching this first bus. We were too tired and concerned about being stranded to argue this 200 Bhat/4 Euro charge and chinned it to the delight of the Thai chancer.

4 hours later our coach finally arrived in Phuket. It was now midnight and we were all knackered and smelly so we bailed to the nearest cheap hotel for a few hours rest before our early flight to Singapore tomorrow.