Surat Thani Overnight Train to Bangkok

There was no GPS coverage while onboard the train so I manually plotted a couple of blank map steps so they kind of follow the train line and didn't look like we jumped in a plane.

We boarded the train right on time at 10.24pm. The last two hours of waiting at the train station had been not so pleasant. It was so bloody hot and there weren't any seats under fans. The evening temperature was around 32 degrees. Eventually a train loaf of people left and we grabbed a new seat that had a fan and then grabbed another seat that had a better fan. That and the cooling towels made things more bearable and we could at last do some reading without making the pages/screen wet. 😂 At one stage Sarah went across the road from the station and came back with the same passionfruit flavoured ice block that we had had when leaving the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Yummy and refreshing. 

This train is super flash in keeping with the flash packing theme. It's a Chinese built Special Express CNR service which has all air-conditioned carriages both 1st and 2nd class. The aircon is set to a cool but nice 22 degrees. I've read people complaining about it being too cold and you need a sweat shirt. I did use the blanket provided but found the temperature great. In 1st class you have a room with beds just for the two of you. In 2nd class you share the carriage with up to 44 other people. We went flash but at the lower price end. Our tickets are costing about $50 each. When we board all the seats are already made up into bunk beds and all the curtains of the other passengers who got on at earlier stops are already closed. We find our two bunks and I decide I should probably take the top one this time. Sarah is more likely to need to get up in the night and she's not as agile as she was on the China trip. 😳

Once up on my top bunk it's noticeable how much the train rocks from side to side and we will be laying length ways to the train so it feels possible a big jolt could launch me into and over the small barrier arm. Let's hope that doesn't happen. It would make a lot of noise and a big mess if I end up on the floor. 😂 I had already brushed my teeth at the station so all I need to do is change out of my shorts and change my shirt and I'm ready for sleep. I take a whole sleeping pill while Sarah opts for half of one. A few pages of my book are read but then it's eye mask on and ear plugs in. Laying sideways feels a bit precarious so I try sleeping on my back, something I never do. Not sure I stayed that way but I was pretty quickly asleep and didn't wake again until after 4am. Tossed and turned for a bit, dozed off, woke up, dozed again, next thing it was 6.15am and I felt like I had been asleep. You can't ask for much better than that on moving beds with super thin mattresses and a train driver sounding his horn every few minutes.