September 7

What a day!
We woke up in time to catch a "shuttle van" from our bungalow on the island to a big charter bus that took us on a ferry back to mainland Thailand. From the ferry we got back on our bus. The bus ride was totally sketchy and involved drop-offs and pick-ups of packages and money. This bus then dropped us at a "rest stop" and Sydnee, me, and a French guy got into another 12-passanger van. This van took us to a shady-looking tour office where we were jipped into over paying for tickets to Singapore (but we wanted to stick with this French guy so we wouldn't be "on our own.") We even made the French guy come with us to an ATM to get money out to pay for changing our ticket to Singapore (not just to Hat Yai). This van then proceeded to drive through southern Thailand and pick up "locals" on the way. Within an hour the van was full of locals, including a baby and two children. When we crossed into Malaysia we were taken to another shady tour "office" that ripped us off again and made us pay more to get on a bus to Singapore (it was about 7 or 8pm at this point and they said the bus that was about to leave wasn't with their company if we didn't pay extra we would have to wait to leave until midnight). It was a pretty frustrating ordeal, but it worked out fine. The bus we got on in Malaysia went straight to Singapore and had the nicest seats of any transportation we have taken yet (big, reclining, included a blanket, footrest). So Thailand was nice, but we were definitly ready to go. We had enough of all the people who try to talk to us "where you going? where you from? what are you looking for?" but not knowing their possible alterior motives. Singapore should be a nice change with English speakers!