Following the highlights of Pancho’s trip to Loey he recuperated and relaxed for a quiet two days at home before heading off to the Kingdom’s capital, Bangkok. Pancho had booked the over night train. It had several advantages over the overnight busses in Thailand. First of all he would be able to actually sleep in a bed (or bunk) instead of being squeezed into a seating position for 10 hours. Additionally he had the choice to book different classes and his choice wisely fell on the electric fan cooled class instead of the usual Thai air conditioning induced death by freezing.
Pancho had informed his host mother of his departure on that Wednesday evening as he required somebody to drive him to Ubon Ratchatani. This had the wonderful benefit of not having to leave many hours before the train departure, while catching several busses. The train departed at 7:30pm officially. Pancho, his usual highly effective/efficient self was thus ready to leave at around 6, his bags fully packed and dressed to go.
His host parents had been gone on a short trip to Laos but his host mother had asserted that she would be back in time to fulfil her sacred duty of supplying transportation. That Wednesday a hint of worry settled on Pancho’s mind when she had still not returned towards 6pm. Nevertheless with a hopeful disposition he carried his bag to the outside living area and decided to wait there. Kunyay, his host grandmother was busy entertaining one of her friends at the time. The question she asked Pancho as she saw him carrying his packed bag unsettled him further. “Where are you going?” In his broken Thai responded confidently that he was heading to Bangkok. But he could not help the impression dawning on him that something was not quite right after all. Like the bright minded chap he was Pancho got out his train ticket and showed it to Kunyay, hoping to make himself better understood. It worked fantastically. Kunyay got a hold of her mobile phone and called her daughter, Pancho’s host mother. She was evidently determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. When Pancho was finally put on the phone it turned out that there had been a slight misunderstanding in terms of dates. His host mother had thought he was departing on the following day. The thought of having to wait another day for sweet sweet freedom mate Pancho’s stomach sink. Doubt finally crept into his optimistic demeanour. He called his advisor. After thinking about driving Pancho herself, looking at the time, she responsibly decided it would be wisest to cancel the train ticket and get a refund. It was close to 6:30 now and the drive to Ubon usually took an hour. In addition the train station was on the other side of the city…
But Pancho was not in the frame of mind to be responsible. In fact, as one of his many gifts irresponsibility had served him very well throughout his life. This lack of responsibility was partly due to the unclear conversation he had had with his host mother on the phone. From this conversation he maintained the slight hope that one of the family workers would attempt to drive him.
The worker showed up at about 6:40pm. By now Pancho was getting a tad worried about not being able to make it on time. His levels of responsibility were clearly on the increase. As much as he liked it in Phunee, he had been looking forward to a break and some freedom for one and a half weeks. Then, as he loaded his bag into the car his advisor called again and informed Pancho that the train was running late, so that there might be the possibility of making it. Responsibility once again vanished from Pancho’s vast and impressive vocabulary. They got into the car. The driver looked at the dashboard and said something to himself in Thai. Pancho was not sure what it was, but there seemed to be no inclination to start the journey. Instead the driver called out for Kunyay who had disappeared off. After an agonizingly slow minute she finally came hobbling along and the driver repeated what he had said earlier. Pancho was being sucked into the depths of desperation now. He really did not want to miss this train. So he applied his infallible brain to the issue at hand. The result was that it guessed that there must not be enough fuel in the car and that the driver was asking for money. Not in any desire to wait any longer Pancho asked how much money was needed. The grey matter had seemed to have interpreted the situation correctly. 500 Baht was the reply. Not willing to risk a longer wait Pancho decided that catching the train was worth the money (irresponsible really…). He gargled a bunch of Thai words out that corresponded to “I have plenty of money, I can pay for the petrol”. Kunyay had still not appeared back with the money. Thus the driver correctly interpreting the lack of time in this dire situation and set out on the road.
On the way, Pancho was his absolutely delighted and relaxed self when they had to additionally stop for petrol. Of course Pancho’s intellect caught on about the notion of sliming chances to catch this train. When they finally reached Ubon the clock already said 7:35pm and now there was the slow traffic to circumvent to get to the train station. Pancho giving up hope at an ever increasing speed was starting to accept the inevitable. But a glimmer of hope remained as the driver said he could always catch a bus. Deciding to give in to fate Pancho leant back and watched as events unfolded. Fate had won this time. They arrived at the train station at 7:45pm. Devoid of close to all hope they semi heartedly rushed inside and asked at the information desk. Pancho hung in the balance, half hopeful half resigned (there was always the chance of an unexpected ally having popped up to save the day for him). They were told the train had not left yet. And there it was! The break Pancho had been hoping for. They rushed to the platform where the train stood and along the carriages. Pancho was delighted. He had made it after all. It turned out that his carriage had not even been added to the train which meant they had to wait a further 10 minutes. Oh how Pancho rejoiced in the bad organisation of the Thai Railway Authority. Despite everything being poised against his success, he had made it after all. And finally, 10 minutes later, actually it was more in the vicinity of 30 minutes later, he was off, lying down in his just big enough bunk, riding the train towards a much needed holiday, fate having taken another blow from the most irresistible force of the universe, Pancho Wodehouse.
Pancho had informed his host mother of his departure on that Wednesday evening as he required somebody to drive him to Ubon Ratchatani. This had the wonderful benefit of not having to leave many hours before the train departure, while catching several busses. The train departed at 7:30pm officially. Pancho, his usual highly effective/efficient self was thus ready to leave at around 6, his bags fully packed and dressed to go.
His host parents had been gone on a short trip to Laos but his host mother had asserted that she would be back in time to fulfil her sacred duty of supplying transportation. That Wednesday a hint of worry settled on Pancho’s mind when she had still not returned towards 6pm. Nevertheless with a hopeful disposition he carried his bag to the outside living area and decided to wait there. Kunyay, his host grandmother was busy entertaining one of her friends at the time. The question she asked Pancho as she saw him carrying his packed bag unsettled him further. “Where are you going?” In his broken Thai responded confidently that he was heading to Bangkok. But he could not help the impression dawning on him that something was not quite right after all. Like the bright minded chap he was Pancho got out his train ticket and showed it to Kunyay, hoping to make himself better understood. It worked fantastically. Kunyay got a hold of her mobile phone and called her daughter, Pancho’s host mother. She was evidently determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. When Pancho was finally put on the phone it turned out that there had been a slight misunderstanding in terms of dates. His host mother had thought he was departing on the following day. The thought of having to wait another day for sweet sweet freedom mate Pancho’s stomach sink. Doubt finally crept into his optimistic demeanour. He called his advisor. After thinking about driving Pancho herself, looking at the time, she responsibly decided it would be wisest to cancel the train ticket and get a refund. It was close to 6:30 now and the drive to Ubon usually took an hour. In addition the train station was on the other side of the city…
But Pancho was not in the frame of mind to be responsible. In fact, as one of his many gifts irresponsibility had served him very well throughout his life. This lack of responsibility was partly due to the unclear conversation he had had with his host mother on the phone. From this conversation he maintained the slight hope that one of the family workers would attempt to drive him.
The worker showed up at about 6:40pm. By now Pancho was getting a tad worried about not being able to make it on time. His levels of responsibility were clearly on the increase. As much as he liked it in Phunee, he had been looking forward to a break and some freedom for one and a half weeks. Then, as he loaded his bag into the car his advisor called again and informed Pancho that the train was running late, so that there might be the possibility of making it. Responsibility once again vanished from Pancho’s vast and impressive vocabulary. They got into the car. The driver looked at the dashboard and said something to himself in Thai. Pancho was not sure what it was, but there seemed to be no inclination to start the journey. Instead the driver called out for Kunyay who had disappeared off. After an agonizingly slow minute she finally came hobbling along and the driver repeated what he had said earlier. Pancho was being sucked into the depths of desperation now. He really did not want to miss this train. So he applied his infallible brain to the issue at hand. The result was that it guessed that there must not be enough fuel in the car and that the driver was asking for money. Not in any desire to wait any longer Pancho asked how much money was needed. The grey matter had seemed to have interpreted the situation correctly. 500 Baht was the reply. Not willing to risk a longer wait Pancho decided that catching the train was worth the money (irresponsible really…). He gargled a bunch of Thai words out that corresponded to “I have plenty of money, I can pay for the petrol”. Kunyay had still not appeared back with the money. Thus the driver correctly interpreting the lack of time in this dire situation and set out on the road.
On the way, Pancho was his absolutely delighted and relaxed self when they had to additionally stop for petrol. Of course Pancho’s intellect caught on about the notion of sliming chances to catch this train. When they finally reached Ubon the clock already said 7:35pm and now there was the slow traffic to circumvent to get to the train station. Pancho giving up hope at an ever increasing speed was starting to accept the inevitable. But a glimmer of hope remained as the driver said he could always catch a bus. Deciding to give in to fate Pancho leant back and watched as events unfolded. Fate had won this time. They arrived at the train station at 7:45pm. Devoid of close to all hope they semi heartedly rushed inside and asked at the information desk. Pancho hung in the balance, half hopeful half resigned (there was always the chance of an unexpected ally having popped up to save the day for him). They were told the train had not left yet. And there it was! The break Pancho had been hoping for. They rushed to the platform where the train stood and along the carriages. Pancho was delighted. He had made it after all. It turned out that his carriage had not even been added to the train which meant they had to wait a further 10 minutes. Oh how Pancho rejoiced in the bad organisation of the Thai Railway Authority. Despite everything being poised against his success, he had made it after all. And finally, 10 minutes later, actually it was more in the vicinity of 30 minutes later, he was off, lying down in his just big enough bunk, riding the train towards a much needed holiday, fate having taken another blow from the most irresistible force of the universe, Pancho Wodehouse.
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