Southern Thailand and Malaysia

After we had set up our plan B in Bangkok and were hopeful that the visas would be waiting for us in Jakarta, we decided to travel on to Malaysia.

On the way, we spent a few happy days just before the border with Malaysia in Songkhla (Thailand). The beach was almost deserted. Only a few "sea gypsies" (Moken) lived in simple huts made of organic material, which they only used for sleeping. You hardly saw them during the day - they were out at sea all day. In the evening they came back, sold us fresh fish and grilled it on simple fireplaces - simply delicious.

One evening we went out to eat at the night market. No foreigners, just locals. Very good and cheap food. A couple of young Thais joined us and offered us their Mekong whisky. We also bought them a bottle, but drinking it neat quickly gets into your bones. So we soon said goodbye.

Surprise invitation to a birthday party

The next evening we wanted to go to the night market again to eat something. That didn't happen. Suddenly, a tuk-tuk with three young women pulled up next to us. They told us to get in - they were having a party. They spoke good English. The tuk-tuk stopped in front of a large, beautiful house and there was a huge birthday party going on. It was already early in the morning when we got back to the hotel. Little sleep that night.

Over the next few days, we got on the bus and drove on towards Malaysia.