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Travel Blog: A trip form Shanghai to Koh SamuiPublished on Feb 1, 2008 by Marc888 |
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1. Chapter: Shanghai to Samui |
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I had about 5 days free whilst in Shanghai and since it was cold and wintry, and there was ice on the streets, I dreamed about a trip to Koh Samui in Thailand. It would be hot and sunny there even though winter time was most certainly gripping the east China coast with a vengeance and so I went to my local travel agent which was located in the main street just behind the Bund. It was a busy time of year for travel especially as the Chinese New Year holiday was approaching. Indeed in China this is the time that mass movements of people takes place, and getting a seat on a plane or even a train can be difficult or even impossible.
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2. Chapter: Booking a flight a travel agent near to the Bund |
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I was fortunate enough t get a flight to Hong Kong with Dragon air and from there a flight to Bangkok with Cathay Pacific Airways. The booking was confirmed and I paid straightaway, The only part of the trip that wasn’t available was the flight from Bangkok to the island of Koh Samui, but I was advised to try to book one when actually in the airport in Bangkok. The flight was to take of the following morning and I really couldn’t wait to escape from Shanghais bitter temperatures. I returned to my hotel room in a rather old taxi and managed to pack everything that I thought I would need for my trip.
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3. Chapter: A Japanese meal in Shanghai |
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That evening I had a Japanese meal in downtown Shanghai with one of my friends. After a few beers we had a small competition as to who would be able to eat the biggest lump of wasabi. Of course I was certainly up for the challenge and was quite keen to upstage my friend. It was truly a mad thing to try and do, but the ever larger lumps of extremely spicy wasabi certainly took their toll. So much so, that we ended up drinking far too much beer in order to try to relieve the effects of this super hot sauce. I had actually wanted to get an early night, but alas this was anything but.
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4. Chapter: Getting a taxi in Shanghai |
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The next morning I got up later than I should have done and I was reeling from the rather strange and unique combined effects of light beer and wasabi! I was now certainly in a rush to get to the airport too. The last thing I wanted to do was to miss my flight. Still I was used to getting a taxi quite quickly and felt confident that I had time to spare. With a bitter wind blowing I stood in the ice-laden street and tried to hail down a taxi. This appeared to be the only day during several months of staying in Shanghai that not a single taxi was around. It was just my luck that this would occur on this day, and the bitting winds made the wait ever more difficult!
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5. Chapter: Getting to Shanghai International Airport |
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After nearly 20 minutes I was starting to feel very concerned, as I would not expect not to wait more than 2 minutes for a cab. My departure time was also looming, and if I didn’t find a cab quickly I would certainly miss my flight. In the end I spotted a taxi coming in the opposite direction. Some nifty and daring, but still of course safe, road crossing was required on my part in order to cross the street before the taxi passed by. I just managed to hail it down and after a brief exchange managed to persuade the taxi to do a u-turn and take me to the airport.
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6. Chapter: Flying from Shanghai to Hong Kong |
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Fortunately the driver was a budding Michael Schumacher and so I was able to get to the terminal just in time. I managed to board the flight to Hong Kong and was pleasantly surprised by Dragon Air’s service. This was the first time I had flown with them, and the plane was very new. Apparently they are majority owned by Cathay Pacific, and are considered one of the better carriers flying out of Shanghai. The plane left on time and the flight to Hong Kong was very pleasant even if somewhat uneventful. Although less than 4 hours in duration, it felt far too long. Maybe with the warm and sunny island beckoning, I couldn’t bare to wait!
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7. Chapter: Hong Kong’s new international airport, |
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At Hong Kong’s new international airport, I was able to make a direct transfer, however I had about an hour and half to wait and was able to browse around the shops and restaurants in the terminal. The actual building was also quite an impressive place and I certainly found that my transfer time went quickly as there was plenty to marvel at in terms of the structure of the new airport. I was able to make my connecting flight to Bangkok whereupon I boarded and took off again. The flight to Bangkok was only 2 and a half hours and even though I had already had a long day, it was still only 3pm when I arrived.
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8. Chapter: Arriving in Bangkok |
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Bangkok Airways was the small airline that provided flights that connected Bangkok to Koh Samui, and so I headed to their office in order to see what was available. Sure enough all flights were full, and so I was unable to get a flight on that day. Worse, was that all flights for the entire week were also fully booked and so this really did look like my plans could be scuppered. With only 5 days available for my dream break, it would not be possible to fly in the week after. Nor would it be realistic to take a bus as the bus journey is close to 18 hours and so would ruin my already short break.
Tags for this Travel Blog Chapter: bangkoktosamui |
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9. Chapter: Booking a flight to Koh Samui |
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I was just about to leave the office, sad and dejected, when I remembered that Bangkok Airways not only operated a Bangkok to Koh Samui flight but also had flights departing from an airport close to Pattaya, an tourist area only 2 hours drive from Bangkok. The Airport was called Utupoa Airport and was originally a military base, but was now open for commercial passenger flights. I returned to the desk, hopeful that an Utupoa to Samui flight would be available and sure enough the early morning flight did have seats on it. This was an excellent piece of news, and I was very happy that I remembered about this small but crucial airport.
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10. Chapter: Taking a Taxi to Pattaya |
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There were also return flights back from Samui directly to Bangkok airport and so it seemed as long as I could get to Pattaya I would be able to enjoy my much anticipated Koh Samui holiday. I booked the two flights and left the airport. The plan had changed, but not by much and so I was now heading to Pattaya. I caught a taxi from the airport terminal and headed aliong the main highway to Pattaya. The taxi looked as if it had seen better days, and so did the driver too. Indeed, after about an hour or so I wstarted to notice that the driver was veering off to the left hand side of the road.
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11. Chapter: Checking the taxi driver! |
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I also noticed that he looked sleepy, and on further investigation of his condition it looked as though he only had one functioning eye!./ I am not sure if it was a previous accident that had put his eye out of action, but still I was in no mood to risk having an accident due to his poor driving. I question him, and he admitted he was very tired and could barely see. I pulled the taxi driver over and actually was contemplating changing to another one, but alas this was a motorway and there simply were no other cabs around to hail. I decided to drive the cab myself!
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12. Chapter: Arriving in Pattaya |
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With this decision I ushered the driver out and in to the back of the taxi and with some sign language indicated that I would take the wheel. Actually this was not a sensible option as if there was an accident I would be responsible, however at the time I was more concerned with avoiding what I felt would be an almost certain crash if the driver was to continue in his poor state. Well, in the end I made it to the beach resort of Pattaya, and along the main busy beach road got many looks from the Thai people walking around, as I was probably the only westerner to be driving a taxi!
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13. Chapter: The Siam Bayshore, Pattaya |
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Once I reached my hotel which was the Siam Bayshore hotel near to the beach I paid the taxi driver and let him go on his way, suggesting first of course that he get some sleep. I checked into the Siam Bayshore which was a very nice hotel and had some time to relax to contemplate about what was another eventful day. It was quite late, and I also felt sleep after a long day of travel so I managed to get an early night. The next morning I, again got up later than I wanted to and cut it fine. I was able to check out of the hotel but finding a tuk tuk or taxi to take me from the hotel in Pattaya to Utupoa Airport proved difficult.
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14. Chapter: Getting to Utupao Airport |
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In true Thai laid back style no one seemed to have a concept of time , and whilst I was in a rush it was hard to convey any sense of urgency in regards to get a car. Eventually, right at the last minute I was able to hail an open air minibus which was simply passing by and negotiated a fare to go to the airport. I actually didn’t realize how far away Utupoa Airport was from Pattaya. The fact that it is sometimes, though not often, called Pattaya airport seems to suggests that it would be on the outskirts of the town… however it is actually closer to the Satahip p[peninsular some 35km away.
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15. Chapter: Arriving on Koh Samui |
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I just managed to get to the airport on time and fortunately since this was a quiet airport and a quiet flight, the check in formalities and barding was quick. The small turbo prop took off on time, and I was finally on my way to Koh Samui. The 1 hour and 15 minute flight was quite noisy, but pleasant enough and I then found myself descending to Koh Samui’s airport. This was quite a quaint place, with the airport terminal looking more like a log cabin than anything else. Still I had made it and I was very happy to be setting foot on to the Island.
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16. Chapter: Chaweng Beach |
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I spent a little time looking at hotels and eventually chose the Chaweng Beach Resort which was located on the main Chaweng Beach, quite close to the airport. It is a well known beach and the busiest on the island. A road ran parallel to the beach and this was very well used, but it did allow the transfer from the airport to be quick. The Chaweng Beach Resort was a nice place. Mid priced rooms hugged a large pool and the entire site was right on the beach. I checked in and managed to get a room very close to the pool. After a short nap it was time to get something to eat.
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17. Chapter: Dining at Chomtalay |
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The staff at the hotel were very pleasant and I finally felt that I had arrived. I was able to order a very nice meal in their Chomtalay restaurant which was my first real taste of Thailand since arriving. The seafood there was excellent and the live music was also a very nice touch. Actually it was a close choice between the Chomtalay and the resorts other restaurant the Red Snapper Bar and Grill. However during the rest of my stay I was able to try them both out and I was not disappointed in the food at either. The hotel also had a garden bakery which was an unusual thing to see, but was a great extra.
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18. Chapter: The Green Mango and Lamai Beach |
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On my first evening I went to the very famous Green Mango bar on the island which has been a Koh Samui icon of sorts. It did live up to expectations as a lively and popular place and I had a great time there. For the next two days I simply enjoyed my time on Chaweng Beach and had some quiet unhurried evenings at the resorts and at some of the other bars nearby including the Sweet ‘n Soul Bar and Mario’s Austin Powers Dance Bar. On my third day I ventured slightly further a field to neighboring Lamai beach and this provided me with an even quieter more laid back day, though I was happy with my choice to stay at Chaweng as it had more facilities.
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19. Chapter: Returning to Koh Samui Airport |
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On my final day I checked out quite early but still had most of the day available to enjoy by the pool. It had been a perfect break, and I only wished it could be for longer. After some final drinks at the pool bar it was time to separate myself from the resort. I found a tuk tuk to take me back to the small Koh Samui airport, and it was there that the reality truly hit me that my dream break was all but over. My flight back to Bangkok was scheduled to leave at 3:30pm and this was most certainly a busy flight that appeared to be a little bit overbooked.
Tags for this Travel Blog Chapter: kohsamuiairport |
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20. Chapter: Returning to Bangkok |
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There were crowds of tourists, many with large back packs which made the small plane look even smaller! I could see that some people were being turned away, which is something that can happen on flights that are on small planes. Still, I arrived early with my ticket in hand and was able to board the flight. After a short charge down the runway, I could see Koh Samui slowly disappearing out of view. By sundown I was back in Bangkok and stayed at the Majestic Grand Hotel in the Sukhumvit area of the city. This was a pleasant stay but markedly different from my Chaweng Beach experience.
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21. Chapter: An Evening in Bangkok |
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I was back to the land of normality, that was for sure! In the evening I went to nearby Tony Romas for a large steak meal, which was very well received. Although it was on the expensive side it was one of my best meals of this short break. A walk around the markets which spanned the entire length of Sukhumvit Road from Soi 3 to Soi 19 allowed me to walk off my meal whilst at the same time browse at some interesting goods. I got a bargain on a watch and on lightweight jacket that I though would be perfect form my return to Shanghai’s sub zero temperatures.
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22. Chapter: The return trip: Bangkok to Shanghai |
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A walk around the food stalls nestled around Soi 7 marked the end of another long day, and I headed back to my hotel for a well deserved night's sleep. The following morning I woke up early, and incredibly, on time! I made my way back to the Bangkok’s International airport whereupon I was able to board the flight to Hong Kong and then onto Shanghai. By mid afternoon I was back in the wintry streets of Shanghai, thinking how much I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday in Koh Samui. It was truly a shame to be back in the wintry weather, in the same place that I had departed, whilst no longer able to look forward to an imminent beachside break!
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