Hitchhiking in Thailand: Hat Yai
23rd of November, 2024.
I fuck up. Typical. First, by not accepting the lift of a lovely family, who stopped right when I arrived here, early morning. They only had space in the trunk, and as at that time the sun was shinning strongly, I refused. Second, after waiting for a long time, I get really pissed about nobody stopping, and in all my fury, I just make everything worse, by attracting a massive storm. Out of nowhere, the sky gets dark and this heavy thunderstorm starts pouring so strongly, that even when me and other people try to hide in a restaurant, we must stay right in the middle of it, because the rain would get inside until 2 metres or so from the sides, due to the strong wind. Well done, Lei!
I try to calm myself down, and while I am waiting for the rain to stop, I start asking the customers of the restaurant if they are going to a town called Hat Yai, the last “turn” before the border crossing which I am going, Sadao. No luck!
When the rain finally stops, a really nice man called Adum stops, and even though he is not going that far, only until Thung Song, I take it anyway. He is very keen to help me, and even though he has eaten already, and I try to tell him not to buy me any food, he stops at a PTT Station and buys me some bread buns filled with different things, and two delicious corn and pineapple pies. He also buys me some water. I eat everything only keeping one pineapple pie for tomorrow’s breakfast. Now I am in saving mode. He drops me off in a very strategic point for hitchhiking.
As I wait in front of some food stands, many cars pass by but nobody stops. At some point, a young man comes out of a pickup which was parked for some time right behind me. He tells me they are going to Hat Yai. It’s not the border, but it’s already great. At first, I was supposed to ride in the trunk, and I even arrange The Hulk there, but as we spend a few minutes discussing where exactly they are going and where can I come out, for some reason they decide I should come inside too. Or perhaps they meant that my backpack should be in the trunk… whatever!
Dao, Pui and Ali are actually going after Hat Yai, and in the direction of the border. They know it as well, of course. The town where they are going is called Ban Phru, and they are coming back from visiting a client, as they work all together in a company called Panel Plus. It’s funny how things work, at first, they are a bit shy, but soon we are chatting and singing the nice old songs playing on the radio. They are all very nice guys, super kind and generous.
I explain to them about needing a pagoda for the night, and they promptly decide where to take me. The place is Wat Suep Suk, a bit further away from their final destination, but they seem to know that here is a better place for me to stay. But even before we got here, they bought me a lot of food (delicious dumplings, grilled pork, instant noodles, and a chocolate donuts!) and water. I am all settled for dinner! We take a photo before they return and I tell them how much I appreciate their immense help!
There is some celebration going on at the temple. Well, actually they are preparing for tomorrow’s celebration. There’s quite a lot of people. I ask one solitary monk (most likely the only one I’ve seen the whole time here) if I could camp by the temple tonight. He calmly and immediately said yes, and slightly showed me where I could have my tent. I chose a small hut, so I’m protect from the rain, bugs, and the wet grass after the rain.
When I come to ask for some hot water for my instant noodles, some nice men if I need anything else, and even offer me some coffee. I should’ve taken! If not for tonight, I could’ve kept for tomorrow’s breakfast, because as I would figure out next morning, there wasn’t any coffee available anymore. Sometimes I am so stupid!
In the morning I have my delicious pineapple pie with hot water. Laugh. I start walking right after, in what would be my last day crossing the whole fucking Thailand towards Malaysia. Finally!
10 Years Around the World 