Often it is as much the journey that captures the traveller's imagination as it is the final destination. An overused cliché? Probably.

But clichés are a reflection of others observations and this is one that certainly rings true when travelling in a group of four very money conscious students through Thailand. It was sitting atop my pack in the back of a ute in southern Thailand doing over 160km/h that this experience became far more than a cliché.

We had arrived too late to catch the ferry to Koh Samui for a week of relaxation after a week of cheap and ver basic hostels in northern Thailand and Cambodia.

A weary group huddle and we were resigned to having to wait the night in yet another room with a fan louder than a helicopter rotor until the next boat in the morning.

Rather, our taxi dropped us outside a peculiar looking building with travel agent scrawled surreptitiously on the awning and a memorable journey began to unfold.

The offer of a boat to the island that evening proved too good to refuse and we loaded into the back of the ute for what was to be a half our drive. True to their word, we expectedly arrived at a port 30 minutes later. Unexpectedly, by this time we had sped nearly 80 kilometres clinging to the tray railings.

This was the kind of distance that can only be covered by a driver skilful, or crazy, enough to weave through busy expressway traffic while not losing the cargo loosely placed in the tray.

Whichever it was, the only things lost were a few nerves as and were delivered promptly (and safely) at a small commercial port. With a minimum of fuss, and a small fee, we were whisked aboard and delivered safe, if not a little bemused, on Koh Samui less than two hours later.

As is often the case, this journey proved far more unique than the final destination. This journey had the added bonus of delivering us a stunning island a day early.