Every once in awhile it's good to shake-things-up and do something you wouldn't normally do. This year I chose the resort town of Hua Hin as my Spring Break destination because it is only four hours from Bangkok (down the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand) and is a short enough distance where I could take the train for a change of pace.
Turns out friends from school also planned to go to Hua Hin so we decided to travel together. No complaints about the expense of this 4 hour journey: the cost for each of us was 44 baht, or $1.36 (US). Granted, we traveled 3rd class but that only added to the 'shaking things up' part of the journey =) I think we can all get used to living with the comforts of life, like air conditioning, so it was good for me to learn how the majority of Thai's travel -- with open windows, rotating fans and non-reserved seats on buses and trains.
I heard a lot about the vintage railway station in Hua Hin and it was great to see it firsthand. I understand why travelers say it is one of the country’s most beautiful train stations, marked by its architecture and built during the time of King Rama VI who was the sixth monarch of Siam reigning from 1910 to 1925. By the way, this king's name is typical of Thai names that seemingly go on and on:
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua.
After a hot and sticky ride, I must admit I was glad to arrive at the Novotel hotel located on the north beach of Hua Hin to shower and cool down. It turned out to be a real relaxing and rejuvenating stay, especially in the mornings when I could enjoy the sunrise over the Gulf of Thailand.
