The ride to Koh Chang Island...and the island- August 5

 Mr. Niwat came before 8 a.m. to pick us up for our trip to Koh Chang Island.  He's a real friendly, very talkative Thai...and we didn't understand him all the time...but he'd keep trying.

He was calmly in stopped traffic for quite a while when I told him there were no cars up ahead.  He said, "The King..the king is coming."  Sure enough, just a few minutes later, there are lights and I guess the king was in one of the cars.  As soon as the entourage passed, traffic on the freeway resumed.

 Toll roads...I never saw so many as I did in Europe this summer, but they're also alive and well in Thailand!

 I think in my first post on Bangkok, I tried to describe these on the overpasses.  They are not on all of them...not even on most...but just on some of them.  We were heading out towards the airport...which, of course, is the same roadway we were on after we flew in.

 Just in case you want to be a fan of the Bangkok motorway....

 This was to be the first of approximately 1000 temples Mr. Niwat pointed out to us today.  (slight exaggeration)

 Towards the end of the trip today, Mr. Niwat pointed out how full his face was in this picture.  Then he told us he lost 100 kilograms... which is about 220 lbs.  He said it took him a year to do it..."lots of exercise I do, not sit around, no sleep"

We pulled into a gas station...and he pointed over to an area and told us we could go over there and rest.  Rest?  Sure enough, there were lots of people over there resting...  The term "rest stop" took on a whole new meaning.  I guess it's too hot to sit in the car while waiting to get gas?  I'm not sure.  But we got out, went to the restroom, bought some different snacks and water...and rested until Mr. Niwat swung by to pick us up.  

 The gas station even had it's own spirit house.

 Mr. Niwat...and our taxi that brought us to Koh Chang.

 Another temple...

 Many of the street corners where there are lots of lights, these guys will try and sell these while your light is red.

Driving through the countryside (which I love), we passed farm after farm after farm...fish farms, prawn farms, mango farms, rice farms, papaya and pineapple farms.

Mr. Niwat say, "big farm...many big farm!"

No favoritism with Mr. Niwat, he even stopped to show us a Chinese temple...and an Islamic temple (we didn't actually stop for that one, but only because it was on the opposite side of the road)...

This is the one we can't figure out.  Mr. Niwat kept saying "tire"... and he'd moved his hand in a circle. Is this a rubber tree?  I don't think so, but he kept saying the same thing...

Palms...

Most times we passed someone selling along the road, Mr. Niwat knew exactly what they were selling...

Another one of the thousand we saw....

Whatever that tree is, Mr. Niwat directed us into the field to take pictures...

and yet another..........

"many temple... Thai people have many temple...beautiful temple"

A small load?

So very typical...

another decorated overpass...

Different truck ... looks like he might be in trouble!

Trat is where we were heading to catch the ferry to Koh Chang...

Ah, a temple!

These yellow topped buildings are everywhere...they're bus stops!

and another....

Look at these pineapples?  YUM!

Pineapple fields.....

This is a taxi...not the taxi we were in, but a taxi nonetheless!

Finally, after close to 5 hours, we were at the dock...

Cars were loaded...people got on...and we were off...

That's Koh Chang...

Some people rode the ferry by standing down below...

We unboarded the ferry, and hopped in a taxi.  The taxi was a white pickup..and they pile your luggage on top and squeeze in people on 2 benches on each side of the back.

I videoed this leaning out the side of the taxi!

THIS is the view from the porch of the villa!  I was standing on it to take this.  It is so, so beautiful!

It came with a stocked refrigerator... and not expensive to use the items from it.  A Singh beer is 45 baht (about a $1.50)

Now, I have to explain.  Thalia and I walked out to test the water....and I asked her to hold this beer while I got my camera ready to use.  She looked so beautiful next to the water, that  took the pictures.  She did not ...not...drink a beer!  :)

This is the restaurant at the resort where we had lunch.  They also have a bar you can swim up to.. we haven't done that.

This is where we sat for dinner and the fire show.

 After swimming and floating in the ocean all afternoon...we walked along the beach and went for dinner at one of the many restaurants.  These guys came by and did a fire show... they were good!

 As you can see, the sunset was beautiful..the colors kept changing...so I kept taking pictures!

Once again, I can easily say, it was another great day in Thailand!