It was in a standard local bus that we set off from Kanchanaburi to Ratchaburi to get an ongoing local service to Petchaburi, where we intended to stay the night. As always the conductor helped us get our gear on board and everyone nodded and smiled. These local buses have good seats facing forwards, glass in the windows and ceiling fans all the way down the bus. They are designed for people travelling with cargo, like big boxes, sacks of rice and in our case, rucksacks. So there is plenty of room inside for storing that kind of stuff and the other passengers help you on and off.

The local bus naturally weaved in and out of the small towns and villages on the way, so we saw a good deal of the countryside. We noticed that there was rice being grown on every available piece of land.  One local man, Sakda Prompat, told us that the rapidly increasing price of rice was a problem for everyone except the farmers, who anticipated a bonanza. One farmer had even ploughed in his orange orchard to grow rice.

Passing through the provincial market town of Ban Pong we smiled at a huge banner strung across the main street that announced “Ban Pong, the Town of Really Nice People.”  We agreed that you couldn’t beat that as a town motto.  If the people on the bus were anything to go by it was probably true.  They chatted to us about our destination and discussed it at legth among themselves in Thai. We suspected that our route had been agreed – but not with us.

Approaching the outskirts of Ratchaburi we were let off in the suburbs. The conductor explained in halting English that this was the best place to get the connecting bus to Petchaburi. After a few exchanges in Thai we were encouraged by nods and smiles to alight there. Allan was counting on getting to the toilet in the bus station, but it’s always rash to ignore local advice.  The bus driver told a local man at the bus stop where we were going and he nodded. Sure enough the Petchaburi bus arrived and many people got off and we were nodded onboard. So we had good seats for the onward journey.  As we progressed into town more and more people got on. By the time we reached the bus station the bus was crammed and we just swept into it and back out again.

A young man, Somsak Chaikasem, who was delighted to practice his English, enthusiastically advised us to go beyond Petchaburi to a seaside town called Cha Am. “It’s absolutely beautiful” he said, “long sandy beach, lovely trees and magnificent mountains behind.”  OK we thought Cha Am it is. We were in good time and Allan was keen to inspect the toilets at Petchaburi bus station. 

Our friend, Chaikasem, explained to the bus conductress that we wanted to go on to Cha Am. An exchange with the driver led to our being deposited in a side street in Petchaburi, where the Cha Am bus was waiting ready to go.  Our conductress rapidly outlined our plans to the Cha Am conductress and our rucksacks were efficiently transferred from one bus to the other in a blink of an eye.  It was a bit like allied airmen being passed down a French resistance escape chain. Everyone else knew our route and encouraged us on to the next step.

But Allan’s ever stronger desire to find a toilet was becoming urgent. The Cha Am conductress however was the master of the situation. “Follow me,” she called over her shoulder, and marched purposefully down the side street away from the departing bus with Margaret onboard, wondering what was happening.  The conductress led Allan round the corner and into a Pagoda where she explained the emergency to a saffron robed monk. He nodded and smiled and beckoned Allan to follow. In this religious sanctuary Allan found serene happiness. After profound thanks to the monks the waiting Cha Am conductress then led Allan to another gate of the Pagoda where the local bus full of smiling passengers, including a relieved Margaret pulled up.   

We pulled into Cha Am an hour later in a tropical downpour. In the cloudy light of the next day the beach really wasn’t all that special after all. The town though was full of really nice people.   

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