The goal was to cross the Thai Border south of Trat on the coast and catch a fast boat to Sihanoukville in Cambodia. The boat left at 8.00am and the border opened at 7.00am. The bus left from Trat at 6.00am.
Met touts (lots of em) surrounded us. Bags got ripped off us. Pam got upset and from there it was all down hill. Health 20bhrt. visa 1200bht bags 100bht and the boat was not running what to do?
Along comes a friendly taxi driver among the touts. Taxi to the bus which leaves at 8.00am. It is now 7.50am the bus is god knows where. The fare 300bhrt, negotiated back to 250bhrt still a rip but it is raining shit loads and the place is a god-forsaken border post in the south of Cambodia not a good place for a self respecting real estate agent & his wife to be sitting waiting for a bus. The cabbie says he will call ahead to fix the bus seat. So of we go in a clapped out toyota with the windows stuck on down and the wipers not working in the pouring rain. The driver takes several detours and the time is now 8.30am. The police appear and we go off the road real quick. stop at the money changer OHH yeah you guessed it another con. Arrived at the bus station Bus gone and the minibus negotiations begin. the mini bus seats 18 the cost is OK. By the time we go the bus has 27 persons on board and half a ton of cargo. The whole thing from start to finish was coordinated and the touts copped a payoff for the lot. Yeah man we are now supporting two families in Cambodia. Never mind orphanages or the blind. Pam does not agree.All part of the territory ! On the road again.
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