Day 1, Thursday 14th February - Cha-am

Out of the blue..... After two days of complete inactivity accept for sitting behind my computer, I thought I'd take a break. With another long tour less than a week away I ponder what to do. By 10 am on the third day, despite options, I still feel weary of travel and still remain undecided but by dusk I will be nowhere near Bangkok. Before 11 am I'm packed and ready for another 2/3 day trip; hopefully one far less demanding than my last. My first job is to change some currency which is hampered by a rate deteriorating ever since I arrived in Thailand, then off to Victory Monument where I can take transport out of the city. I head for Phetchaburi Province, a couple of hours from Bangkok but instead of aiming for Cha-am the province's principle resort, I head for the city itself hoping to find a base to explore this interesting town and to secure independent transport. I arrive in Phetchaburi well before 4 pm. Phetchaburi is a busy provincial city but does not serve as a tourist base despite it's many historic and natural attractions. It's not dissimilar to some of the provincial cities and towns I passed through on my last trip. Sadly I draw another blank. It will cost too much to hire independent transport and there are no motorbike rental establishments or comfortable hotels or guesthouses nearby that I can find.
I don't want to make extra work for myself so take an easy option. Conveniently a short-wheelbase orange bus is passing. It's going to Hua Hin via Cha-am. Instinctively I jump aboard. In Cha-am I will be well within my comfort zone as this resort town is perhaps the most familiar to me than any other location in Thailand. It also offers me perhaps the only chance this trip to be near the beach. The old bus, decorated lovingly by its driver, slowly makes its way out of Phetchaburi, collecting many students on the way. This is surely the most curious way I've ever travelled to Cha-am but around 5 pm I arrive. I make it to Soi Bus Station where I know I can rent a motorbike at Noi's Guesthouse but being a busy part of town I prefer to head along the beach road where I find Cha-am Villa Hotel which has a swimming pool. At last maybe I can now relax and just do what the majority of other tourists do: Practically nothing! In the evening I wander down to the port area famous for its seafood restaurants but after a spicy seafood dish here I'm in for another disruptive night with diarrhea. That'll teach me: Should have had a cheese sandwich.
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