Dashing through the southern states

There have been escalating problems in the Southern states of Thailand, which are largely muslim with some people wanting to be independent of Thailand.  Westerners aren't targets as far as I have heard, but I thought it wise to avoid the train and took a bus to Had Yai, the main city in the area, instead.

The difference is obvious - many women wearing head scarfs, and vandalised bill boards of the King - a very big deal here I can imagine when stepping on money is an offence as it carries the picture of the King.  The bus ride was through an amazing monsoon storm, making the 4 hours go by quickly watching the lightning.

It was still raining very hard when I got to the bus station at 9pm, where I was dismayed to discover that the onward buses to the border on the east side of the peinsular went at 2.30am or 1.30pm.  A nice taxi driver told me about the minibuses that go at 7am, which was exactly what I wanted but weren't advertised anywhere in the bus station or in the Lonely Planet.  He then ran around in the rain carrying my pack for me trying to find me a cheapish guest house to crash the night in, and refused a tip!

The minibus the next morning was fine, it dropped me off at the border and I walked into Malaysia.  I love border crossings, must be something to do with being a NZer where you have to fly 3 hours to get to another country - just being able to walk over a border and immediately see the how the people and infrastructure change is very cool.