So last night I get on the train, and I’m shown to carriage five. As the train’s pulling away, I realise carriage five is full of upright seats, with Thai’s jammed into them like sardine cans, sleeping almost bolt upright with their heads on each other’s shoulders, in that way that only Asian people can! I turned around and headed into the sleeper carriage (number four!), and settled into an unoccupied bed assuming it was a ticket misprint or something. Not too long later, I get woken up and asked for my ticket. I show him the ticket and he points me back to the carriage with the seats. I argue that I bought a sleeper ticker, but he says the ticket isn’t a sleeper. So, I spent about ten minutes in an uncomfortable seat next contemplating sitting bolt upright for the next 8 hours until the train arrives at 6 a.m. the following morning before and then having to go take care of business with no sleep! I attracted the attention of the attendant and asked if I could upgrade. Two minutes and two hundred baht later, and I’m back sleeping in the same sleeper I had snuck into previously :)

I arrived, and a short taxi ride later, I’m at the Immigration Office. It’s 6:30 a.m. I steal about an hour’s sleep in front of the building, and I’m then invited in by the cleaners. Another hour later, 8:30 a.m., and I get dealt with. A quick photocopy across the road later, and I have a visa stamp in my new passport. The official told me in no uncertain terms that this visa had already expired and that I should leave the country immediately. The British Embassy told me they’d give me about ten days breathing space to make the necessary arrangements to leave, so that was disappointing. I will of course leave as quickly as possible, but not before I’ve acquired the necessary paperwork to re-apply for my working visa once I reach the Thai Embassy in Penang. I do not want to waste even more time and money coming back in on a 30-day tourist visa if I can at all help it.

Another short taxi ride later, I’m at Sai Dai bus station, booked onto the same bus as I used last week when I went to report my passport missing. Home just after 4 p.m. Knackered. I’ve just about caught up with e-mail, which I’ll deal with tomorrow morning. I’ve pencilled up a plan to head off towards Penang on Saturday, and come back on Wednesday. I’ve also made a list of things I will need to acquire or photocopy or request sent from my lawyer before then, which I’ll need to get in motion first thing tomorrow morning. But for now, I need to recuperate. I feel a deep sleep coming on.