Pretty low bar but.
Following up our recent bruising experience with Tigerline Ferries, we took what looked an even scrappier boat for our trip to Krabi on the mainland. At first it wasn’t too bad – the sea was less choppy than on the earlier trip, so the impacts were less severe. You wouldn’t call it fun, and a few presumably first timers were grimacing some, but with our previous experience of GBH by ferryboat, we were actually quite relieved.
It was after lunch, and a change of boat, that it all went a bit pear-shaped, when we made an unscheduled stop at one of the stops, when, it appeared, they realised they’d overbooked. We guessed this, by the newly-loaded passengers standing around in the aisle, and a ferry woman trying to persuade people to get off with the promise of another boat ‘in about ten minutes’. They looked sceptical. We were too. No-one actually told us anything. Then the crew all went AWOL, presumably contracting HQ for further instructions, while we all sat there under the awnings in the blistering heat for what must have been half an hour.
Eventually they reappeared, and – again without explanation, apology or anything by way of relief (water, perhaps?) got some of the fitter looking young fellows to sit out front in the sun, (which probably meant we were technically overloaded, and couldn’t hav been a lot of fun for them) and off we went again. Oh, and the ‘other boat’ never did appear. Cowboys.
V amused herself during the wait by reading reviews on TripAdvisor, featuring some real horror stories, including this belter:
DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE.
Quite simply one of the worst experiences I have had the misfortune of having. This is the worst company – avoid at all costs. Before the list below, the key thing is for me: I thought we were going to die. This is not a joke. We were over 3 hours late and ended up in the sea in the pitch black. We got caught in very choppy waters and the tiny boat was being throw around everywhere. People were frantic. There was shouting, confusing, fear… waves smashed over the boat and wet everyone. The driver couldn’t speak any English to explain what was happening. We were working out how to escape when the boat went down – including who you’d have to compete with for a life jacket. On top of this: 1. The ‘ferry’ was not a ferry but a battered old speed boat 2. Our 4hr 45 mins journey was over 8 hours 3. Paid for a direct transfer, ended up stopping at 8 islands 4. No one spoke English to explain why we were running SO late 5. No response from emails / calls to the company 6. We were overcrowded and it was SO hot 7. The smell of the petrol was making people ill 8. One woman was crying, one man threw up it was so rough / choppy – the driver seemed to take pleasure in this 9. There were not enough life jackets and those that there were were broken DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE. DO NOT USE.
Tigerline Ferries. If you’re ever out this way folks, remember the name.
Finally, and seriously late, we arrived at Krabi, which at first sight looked like another of those drab, tired ferry towns – one of those non-places on the way to places. But then things started to improve.
First, I managed to find a dentist, who, hearing we were off first thing in the morning, replaced my lost filling now – very professionally, in a strikingly modern, high-tech, super-reassuring clinic, for the princely sum of 1500 baht – about £34. Then we took a wander through the night market, feasting on bits of this and bits of that, including some absolutely delicious fried chicken, with rice (35 baht – about 75p), before going down to the front, where a band was playing a highly enjoyable medley of old jazz and Latin classics (“TEQUILA!”), while children painted in an area set up nearby – all part of what appeared to be the town’s long weekend festival.
Which made a wonderful end to a crappy-start day. Isn’t it nice when that happens. 🙂