I entered an auction to raise funds for Spurn Bird Observatory, to my surprise and delight I won a 4 day stay at Baan Maka.
I contacted Ian at Baan Maka and negotiated a longer stay. Getting to Baan Maka was an adventure in itself, we had just come out of Covid and I was required to take tests both at home in the UK before travelling to Thailand and then re-test and isolate for a day as they did exactly the same test there.
I flew to Bangkok and from there to Hua Hin and my isolation hotel, after taking the test I settled down to await the results. There was little to see or do in my room (my bedroom window looked out onto a brick wall). Bored rigid I decided to repack my case and camera gear ready for the drive to Baan Maka when I was released. It slowly began to dawn on me as I was doing this that my credit card wallet was missing (the only money I had was some Thai currency for odds and ends).
Phoning all the banks and trying to cancel my cards was a nightmare, they all wanted passwords and account numbers which of course are kept in a safe place at home. I also needed to pay for my stay at Baan Maka. After much anxiety I decided that the only thing I could do was to let them know as soon as I arrived and hope that replacement cards would be issued and sent before my stay ended 12 days later. I had enough cash (just) to pay the hotel and driver to Baan Maka after I had been given the all clear the following day.
I arrived at Baan Maka and informed Ian the manager of my plight, he could not have been more helpful. In the end I phoned my sister and she transferred money to his account in the UK whch saved a considerable amount in fees to cover the remainder of my stay and all was well, but, It is a horrible feeling to be in a strange country and realise that you are in effect penniless.
In hindsight, I hate things in my pockets and I think I put my wallet in to the pouch behind the seat in front on the plane and forgot it when we were disembarking. The airline of course was no help whatsoever. A lesson well and truly learned.
