My Egg Noodles

Yesterday I moved out of the hotel and into an apartment on the school grounds to save time ferrying me to and from the school every day – to say its basic is an understatement – there’s no air con and no shower. But I’m happy here.

Last night my friend Pe had some paper work to sort out, so after a few beers over some fried rice and fried vegetables, I asked if there were any pubs around were I could get a night cap. After a few phone calls, it turns out that there is a small karaoke bar 2km drive away. No one else wanted to go, so I though fuck it, I’ll go and hunt this bar down by myself. I was given the “Rayong is dangerous, you be careful, Rayong not same same Bangkok, you understand?” spill from my new found friends, a map and a motorbike.

I drove past a place that vagley resembled a karaoke bar, although I kept on driving as the bar was in someone’s garage!! After continuing driving for 5 minutes, I realized that the place I had driven past must have been it. So I turned around and started driving up the drive way and was greeted by 2 ladies around my age, shocked to see a foreigner, alone, enter their hut (It was a hut, not a bar!!).

Anyway, we started chatting over some beer, while watching a small group of people on another table singing on an accent karaoke machine. I asked if there were any other clubs/pubs/bars in the area and one of the two ladies said there was and that she and her mate would like to take me after they finished work at 1am – Great, some new friends can show me around!!

Sure enough, after they finished work, the 3 of us hoped onto my friends motorbike and we were on our way. I didn’t ask how far it was but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to know the details, it was exciting enough as it was! I was pissed, sandwiched between 2 beautiful girls, driving up and down mountains, into clouds, no helmets on and we were giggling the whole way. It was perfect, a moment that I wanted to last forever.

One hour later!!! We arrive at the club. I haven’t got a clue where I was and I didn’t get to find out. The club was full of Thai’s and what seemed like it was located in a little town. After a few beers and some dancing, we started to make our way back – but for those that know Thai’s well, there is always food on the mind after clubbing, so we stopped of at a little road side restaurant and munched away on some food.

Driving back up and down the mountains at 4am, it was freezing cold. The clouds meant that visibility was very poor, but we all snuggled up to each other and kept on joking and laughing the whole way back. What a great night.

After my friends were warning me that Rayong is dangerous, I did wonder if I was doing the right thing by going alone, however I’m so glad I did – I wouldn’t have had such a great experience and I wouldn’t have met 2 new great friends.

I guess the moral of the story is: off the beaten path travel is so much better than hanging out in the tourist traps centers! And traveling alone opens up lot’s more opportunities.