First class problems

On the way to the train station there was a girl in my tuk tuk with bracelets from Vang Vieng (given free with drinks during tubing), so I started a conversation and we chatted as we got the 15-minute train across the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge to the Thai border. We went through passport control and waited for our main overnight train to Bangkok.

I'd paid about £10 extra to be in a separate first class carriage so we agreed to meet on the train later for some food. I was amazed how nice my room was. Comfortable, great A/C, lots of space, a sink and I was on the lower bed with no sign of a potential bunk-buddy. As we pulled away from the station I got excited that I'd lucked out and managed to get a room to myself. I was given a food menu by a waitress and asked if my new friend could join me for dinner, which she said was fine. So we sat in the private room, listening to music, waiting for dinner to arrive and planning which film we were going to watch.

Then we realised the train was stopping at a big station and more people were getting on. There was more than enough room for three people while we ate though, so it wasn't a problem. Then my new bunk-buddy arrived and he was a monk. A MONK! Not that I have anything against monks but they aren't allowed to touch or directly speak to women, so that meant we had to leave immediately. We went in search of the waitress and explained the situation and she found us a table where the staff sit and we ate our surprisingly delicious train food.

In the end we had to watch a film cramped up in a second-class upper bunk and when I left at 10pm to go back to my luxury bed, the conductor stopped me and asked for my ticket but I'd stupidly left it in my room after fleeing from the monk man. Luckily the conductor believed me but then I discovered that each of the six doors between me and my room were locked and staff were sleeping in between the carriages. I had to wake up four people (I apologised constantly), finally got back to my room and had to get in to bed in the dark to not wake my saffron-robed friend.

The bed was more comfortable than most of the cheap guesthouses I've been staying in, so I drifted off at about 11.30pm looking forward to a decent night's sleep. Mr Monk had other ideas. At around 3.30am - 4am he got up and repeatedly came in and out of the room, turning on the light, chatting on his mobile phone and doing his best to stop me from sleeping. I'm sure he's a lovely Buddhist chap but he's now my sworn enemy. (Love you really, monk-face! x)