Hello from buzzy Hua Hin which is about a 4/5 hour train trip south–west of Bangkok but still on the Gulf of Thailand. This town, population, about 49,000 is like a big Surfers Paradise without the massive number of high rise condos and hotels and not as “sanitized”.
The beach here is superb with mile after mile of gorgeous white sand. But, unlike the other two seaside spots I’ve visited, Chaweng and Choeng Mon, the beach area is much wider and it’s not as busy. Trade here must be good too, because, aside from numerous tailors shops (say one every 30 metres!) they don’t hustle for business. Now I am tempted to stop and browse in the shops and stalls, or even flick through the tour office brochures without being hounded. It’s refreshing after Samui where the vendors antennae are tuned to perfection – a glance at their wares from 100 metres distance will result an approach.
I like Hua Hin. Because it’s so close to Bangkok, I expected the beaches to be much busier than Samui but although there are masses of tourists here, there is room to spread out on the beach. Beach access is a problem though. The beach frontage has been taken over by various tourist enterprises and hotels so to reach the sand, its necessary to go down one of the streets and there aren’t that many of them.
On my first mornings walk I stopped to take a photo of a huge jelly fish – about the size of one of those cheap wee outdoor café style tables - about 80cm across. I thought I’d stumbled across a rare thing and got chatting to an American couple who confirmed that they would leave a nasty sting if you met one while out for a swim. I realized very quickly that they are plentiful and I began to be VERY careful about where I put my feet as I strolled along in the shallows getting my pretty pink toe nails wet.
On my way back to the hotel, I met up with a German couple I had chatted with on the train coming down from Bangkok. Just after arriving in Hua Hin he took his 5 year old down for a swim to cool off. He was stung by a jelly fish and he confirmed what the Americans had said; it was extremely painful. Luckily for him there was someone on the beach able to administer remedial first aid. He was taken to the local hospital for an injection and a supply of tablets. The rash was extensive; it probably covered about half his forearm and looked very red and sore.
Little did I know that not 24 hours later I’d be making a visit to that same hospital (they take urgent and non-urgent cases). Thankfully my reason for visiting was the latter.
I’ve decided its not much fun being away, and by yourself, when you get sick.
Firstly, and the reason for my visit to the hospital was that I had developed an allergic reaction to something unknown. The itching was driving me crazy and I’d become extremely lethargic, which I had put down, erroneously, to the heat. The body was definitely on a “go slow”. Then I developed a nasty bout of traveler’s diarrhoea. Yikes!! That laid me rather low, and feeling rather sorry for myself, for 72 hours or so.
Back to my hospital visit. After being greeted and the forms filled to identify myself and next of kin etc, I was told to wait on comfy chairs. Soon I’m called by a nurse, weighed (still too heavy – but dropping), blood pressure taken (excellent), and temperature taken (normal). I’m then escorted to a Doctors room for the consultation. He prescribes some medication. I’m told to go back to the waiting area whilst he completes the prescription. I am then escorted to the cashier to pay the bill, and then to the pharmacy where the ointment and tablets are ready for me and an explanation is given to me. All of this is done without an appointment, takes about one hour, costs me about $43 and is done in perfect English. I was very very impressed.
So between these two conditions, I’ve seen very little of Hua Hin which is a shame because there are a couple of places nearby I wanted to visit like Cha-am beach. I’d also wanted to visit a couple of National Parks, particularly Kaeng Krachan which is the largest park in Thailand – you can see elephants in the wild and it’s the home to about 300 bird species but that will all have to wait for another time because I have a date in Cambodia. I have found two absolutely fabulous coffee places here though and that was a treat for me to savor for the first two days.
What I’m missing…..my own bed and couch …..well I have been unwell!
What I’m enjoying…..the thought that weight just must be dropping off since I’ve eaten very little food over the past several days.
What I’m looking forward to…….feeling great again and exploring the temples of Angkor Wat.
The beach here is superb with mile after mile of gorgeous white sand. But, unlike the other two seaside spots I’ve visited, Chaweng and Choeng Mon, the beach area is much wider and it’s not as busy. Trade here must be good too, because, aside from numerous tailors shops (say one every 30 metres!) they don’t hustle for business. Now I am tempted to stop and browse in the shops and stalls, or even flick through the tour office brochures without being hounded. It’s refreshing after Samui where the vendors antennae are tuned to perfection – a glance at their wares from 100 metres distance will result an approach.
I like Hua Hin. Because it’s so close to Bangkok, I expected the beaches to be much busier than Samui but although there are masses of tourists here, there is room to spread out on the beach. Beach access is a problem though. The beach frontage has been taken over by various tourist enterprises and hotels so to reach the sand, its necessary to go down one of the streets and there aren’t that many of them.
On my first mornings walk I stopped to take a photo of a huge jelly fish – about the size of one of those cheap wee outdoor café style tables - about 80cm across. I thought I’d stumbled across a rare thing and got chatting to an American couple who confirmed that they would leave a nasty sting if you met one while out for a swim. I realized very quickly that they are plentiful and I began to be VERY careful about where I put my feet as I strolled along in the shallows getting my pretty pink toe nails wet.
On my way back to the hotel, I met up with a German couple I had chatted with on the train coming down from Bangkok. Just after arriving in Hua Hin he took his 5 year old down for a swim to cool off. He was stung by a jelly fish and he confirmed what the Americans had said; it was extremely painful. Luckily for him there was someone on the beach able to administer remedial first aid. He was taken to the local hospital for an injection and a supply of tablets. The rash was extensive; it probably covered about half his forearm and looked very red and sore.
Little did I know that not 24 hours later I’d be making a visit to that same hospital (they take urgent and non-urgent cases). Thankfully my reason for visiting was the latter.
I’ve decided its not much fun being away, and by yourself, when you get sick.
Firstly, and the reason for my visit to the hospital was that I had developed an allergic reaction to something unknown. The itching was driving me crazy and I’d become extremely lethargic, which I had put down, erroneously, to the heat. The body was definitely on a “go slow”. Then I developed a nasty bout of traveler’s diarrhoea. Yikes!! That laid me rather low, and feeling rather sorry for myself, for 72 hours or so.
Back to my hospital visit. After being greeted and the forms filled to identify myself and next of kin etc, I was told to wait on comfy chairs. Soon I’m called by a nurse, weighed (still too heavy – but dropping), blood pressure taken (excellent), and temperature taken (normal). I’m then escorted to a Doctors room for the consultation. He prescribes some medication. I’m told to go back to the waiting area whilst he completes the prescription. I am then escorted to the cashier to pay the bill, and then to the pharmacy where the ointment and tablets are ready for me and an explanation is given to me. All of this is done without an appointment, takes about one hour, costs me about $43 and is done in perfect English. I was very very impressed.
So between these two conditions, I’ve seen very little of Hua Hin which is a shame because there are a couple of places nearby I wanted to visit like Cha-am beach. I’d also wanted to visit a couple of National Parks, particularly Kaeng Krachan which is the largest park in Thailand – you can see elephants in the wild and it’s the home to about 300 bird species but that will all have to wait for another time because I have a date in Cambodia. I have found two absolutely fabulous coffee places here though and that was a treat for me to savor for the first two days.
What I’m missing…..my own bed and couch …..well I have been unwell!
What I’m enjoying…..the thought that weight just must be dropping off since I’ve eaten very little food over the past several days.
What I’m looking forward to…….feeling great again and exploring the temples of Angkor Wat.
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