Day 8, Tuesday 11 February 2014 - Bangkok

Nosedive..... Over the last three years I have kept a blog of my travels, much of the detail not appearing in any travel brochure. If it were, I would not have the freedom to express my opinions. Most of the time these opinions are an expression of gratitude for the privilege of travel. Occasionally things go pear-shaped, nowhere more obvious than my North Vietnam tour two years ago which came to premature end just when it was getting interesting. This Krabi tour will conclude this evening with my arrival back in Bangkok, but today will sum up the mood of this tour. It's certainly gone out of shape in a big way. Yesterday I was hopeful that the cellulitis was in check. It wasn't. There are no signs of improvement. In fact, it was getting worse. By morning the redness in my leg had travelled above the knee. It is clear that whatever medication I am taking, isn’t working. I decide to phone a friend deal or no deal. I hope to get some advice from my companion's relative in the medical profession, a trick I used before. I get a reply back immediately and news is not good. I read out the medication I was given and it was clear I'd been ripped off. The pills I was given were nothing I couldn't get in the pharmacy at a fraction of the price. Worse was the fact that they were totally unsuitable for my needs and causing a crucial delay in getting the correct medication. I'm tamping mad by now. It’s nothing short of professional misconduct and I must let that be known. I collect up the unused packs and gels and send them back to the clinic asking for a refund. The nurse practitioner explains that she doesn't give refunds. She does now, but only a fraction of what I was expecting. This is far, far short of what I normally receive by the medical profession in Thailand and is a neglect of patient care. My condition now needs urgent treatment and I've already decided to head for the government hospital I'm familiar with as soon as I get back to Bangkok. They should have my notes from last time.
Koh Lanta exit..... I order a minivan back to Krabi which should arrive just after lunch. I still have plenty to complain about. That should give Victor Meldrew fans a good laugh. Yesterday at Lanta Paradise the power went off for a couple of hours, preparation for a more lengthy cut-off today. This I understand will affect the whole island while work is carried out to the main grid. At 9.00 the power is cut and with it the air-conditioning. After 10 am it becomes pointless to stay in the room. It's another very hot day and I'm sweating in the airless lobby. It's become very uncomfortable waiting around like this and more grief is to come as the van company explains the driver has forgotten to do a pick-up from here. It will be 1 pm before another van arrives. I just wonder when I will ever get a break. I should call this tour 'forsaken paradise'. The van will leave Koh Lanta loaded to the limit. It's not really designed for airport luggage, but most passengers are heading to Krabi International Airport. At least as the van makes its way back across the two ferry crossings, the air-conditioning brings a welcome respite from the intense heat. Once on the mainland it's only an hour to the airport. I arrive in the terminal a good 2 hours before departure. At least at this stage I'm not overly concerned. I will be in Bangkok soon.
AirAsia Flight FD3220..... This Airbus A320-200 is on time and ready for departure at 5.30pm. The flight is uneventful and touchdown is well before 7 pm. With no hold luggage to collect I make a quick exit from Don Mueang terminal where I head to street level. Here I have more transport options. A van is the first to arrive and I jump aboard starting my journey to the hospital. This Krabi tour is at an end but under the circumstances, as with my Northern Vietnam Tour there is a Postcript.
Conclusion..... This Krabi 8-day tour is hard to summarize. To make sense of it all means first to strip out the abnormal factors.The principal factor was the health issues affecting the latter days of the tour without which there would have been two amazing offshore trips including activities of snorkeling and kayaking. These would add enormously to the success of the tour. The unfortunate issues with my camera lost me time and caused me to change my plan but generally were not critical. What else could prevent me recommending Krabi to others? Well nothing, apart from the cost. In the last few years the cost of a pleasant stay, especially on the islands here has risen dramatically but curiously, Krabi is attracting more tourists than ever. Resorts have replaced older structures that backpackers love so much, catering more for families and beach-lovers. I really struggled to find suitable accommodation within budget and was forced to compromise everywhere. Not using the advance booking system doesn't work here in high season. I decided to come to Krabi on the back of a visit to offshore islands further down the coast. I felt that these quieter locations were more in keeping with the spirit of my site. That's not the case in Ao Nang, and Koh Lanta is no longer a hideaway location either. Most of all Krabi, employs aggressive dual charging or gross overpricing which ranges from food shops, transport, tour offices, hotel receptions and even, my favourite, a clinic. This all boils down to one thing, Krabi is expensive. It costs more than I care to spend. There are value tours in many other provinces. I don't really need to return.
Transport used
Bangkok to Krabi International Airport (AirAsia)
Krabi Airport to City, 90 baht
4-island tour, 400 baht
Krabi to Tesco Lotus, tourists pay more but still small change
Krabi to Koh Lanta, 250 baht
Boat to Koh Por, 200 baht (300 baht return)
Private transport, Lanta pier to Khlong Nin beach, 300 baht
Koh Lanta to Krabi International Airport 250 baht (Lanta Paradise private hire, 2500 baht hmmmm!)
Krabi International Airport to Bangkok (AirAsia),
Motorbike rental:
In Krabi and on Koh Lanta, 250 baht/day (Honda automatic), fuel about 50 baht/day
Implications..... Normally as one tour closes and a conclusion reached, it then becomes history on this site and the slate is wiped clean. Deciding on subsequent tours is a matter of research, success of previous tours, availability of time and resources and sometime just a hunch. Because of current problems so early in my current stay in the Far East, the knock-on effect of the Krabi tour is enormous. Of three significant tours planned, the second is now cancelled indefinitely, the third likely to be affected in some way. The latter, a long Northern Laos Tour, is now subject to me regaining health after my ordeal. This is likely to take 10 days from discharge from hospital. The tour is planned to allow my exit from Thailand within the required 30 days so if recovery takes longer then that tour won't go ahead and it will have to be replaced with something less ambitious such as a city break. The other factor is psychological. This second spell in hospital in 2 years with a health issue that can recur anytime has ground down my confidence. Certainly Krabi has left its mark in a big way and will go down in infamy with me.
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