Set off from Siam Reap, hoping to get close to the Thai border by the day's end. Was going to be tough, heard so much about this next section of road; pot holes big enough for cars, face masks to counteract dust, many other riders blogs mention taking a pickup truck instead. All psyched up for a groovy dirt ride, but the road was only moderately bad, having been repaired a few years back. So, a pleasant ride in the sand & gravel, and fortunate that the wind blew dust from passing trucks away from my 'cycle lane'.
An enjoyable ride, I crossed into Thailand, scouted around and found a fantastic guesthouse in Arunyaprathet, the owner kindly donated a whiskey on the rocks. The next stop Chachoengsao, and a crap motel with expensive rooms, no choice. But a good shopping mall nearby meant a pleasant wonder amongst the food stalls and shopping for breakfast, which as usual was consumed the night before. Good news is the beer's cheaper, bad news you have to search around for cheaper accommodation. Spoilt with incredibly low prices in Cambodia, 5 dollars gets a good room. If I drink more beer, it'll save money here in Thailand. All the modern conveniences of Thailand, 7/11 stores, lots of yummy food. And I found a weighing machine, so happy to report 84kg, yehah, and that's with the money belt too. So, a well deserved tub of lard...
Bangkok for New Years
Reached 20,000km from Istanbul, shouting and cheering madly as I did, luckily no one else around to see the exhibition. A final cruise into Bangkok, staying in the Sukhumvit area, chuffed that it was so easy. Followed the toll roads, asked a few locals, just kinda homed in. After cycling to Hong Kong, this was a piece of cake, no problems with car drivers or traffic. Good to arrive here early, plenty of time for hotel hunting, eventually settling for a bargain room (above a shop) and away from the main drag. Good natured laughs from the local shopkeepers when I was whacking the red clouds of dust from the cycling bags, like to keep a tidy room. A shake, a beer, and Thai green curry, and it's new years eve, must go, see you later...
A few beers with fellow travellers, trying not to mention the cycle trip here, hard to avoid. Travellers in smaller towns understand better. In fact, lots of people ask if I'm writing a book, although I'd love to, which'd be great, but there are far more interesting stories. Full on party town this is, strange being here in the middle of a bike ride, guess that I'm savouring the fact that I made it here on a bike, as before I'd been here many times by airplane, Bangkok being a great travel hub for South East Asia. And it's 10,000km by plane, cycling overland cames out at over double that, perhaps slightly more time consuming, ok, hundreds of times more. Gazing from the plane window, always used to wonder what was down there, so now I know, he he he.
Lots to do and see for the first time visitor, skytrain to the river-boat and onto the Grand Palace, the MBK shopping complex, and Lumphini Park, a green oasis amongst the skyscrapers, many people come here to unwind, jogging, tai-chi, yoga, aerobics, brilliant, however I've done all that before. To be honest, been here one time to many, having a quiet time, good food, shopping, yes and even cable TV for a good 'veg' out session. Plus that book purchased in Cambodia, a good read about a true story surviving the Khmer Rouge. Tomorrow's challenge is to buy a map of Malaysia, collect a non-urgent bicycle part replaced under guarantee and kindly posted free of charge.
Enjoyable Bangkok Exit
Bloody brilliant ride out of Bangkok, very glad to be here, an average town Pretchaburi, perfect (for me), temple on hill, roaming cute monkeys, great cafe and hotel, good prices, o wow, getting out of Bangkok, you have to go there to know how it feels to leave. To be fair, Bangkok's interesting, I've been there before on many occasions, a good stop-over and travel hub for South East Asia. So left the big smog today, and love it here;- good accommodation, good everything here, reasonable prices, hassle free, just a normal decent Thai town, pleasant & curtious, and no tourists (other than myself).
Exhilarating to arrive Bangkok and also to leave Bangkok. Another aspect to travel perhaps, it's as much about the process of moving, as it is about the being there. The contrasts between city and province, rampant consumerism in Bangkok, too many people/tourists, everyone feels the pressure, so many people want you take their tuk-tuk, taxi, buy a rolex, a suit, bla bla bla.... they gotta earn a living, and you gotta bargain, get that room price down...
Rewarding to navigate in and out of the city so well, don't worry, don't care, relax and enjoy, so literally:- it was thru the tobacco company, along Rama IV, past Lumpani Park, intercept and follow the skytrain to river the bridge, and dead reckoning using the compass. Lots of traffic but the drivers are considerate, however, some road rules are different in Asia, you get used to it. The urban sprawl thinned after 30km, and autopilot came on.
Travelling parallel to the coast, and a distance away, I wondered if there are pleasent roads by the sea coast. Turned inland a few times and enquired with the moped-taxi crowd, no chance was the answer. It's probably quite marshy near the coast, as I remember surveying this area from the plane window prior to landing at Bangkok (not this trip!). Further along and the roadside got watery, actually:- more like race paddy fields filled with water, and much salt being sold at the road-side, ie salt production paddies, many square miles. Next time you land at Bangkok, please have a look for me, is there a secret coast strip, hidden from prying foreigners, is it a conspiracy?
Lots of express-way getting here, 16 lanes at one stage, and fast conditions today, super smooth road, sheltered from wind, the fastest conditions since Istanbul, amazingly fast and once I'd turned south with the wind, cruising was 30kmh and with a little effort even faster, something I love to do. Would have great earlier on in China when doing 262km in a day (not enough daylight now for that). Anyways, whatever, today was fantastic & looking forward to tomorrow, a doss along quieter coastal roads, no rush, and a visit to the palace on the hill before leaving here.
Monkey Magic
Early morning walkies, makes a change to start a cycling day this way. Up the hill to the temple 8:30am just as gates opened, and wow, no entrance fee: not used to this, as in China everything had an entrance fee, well over the top. Temples are places of sanctuary for animals, and there's heaps of monkies, hyper-active, constantly scavenging for food; their social interactions interesting to watch, a strong heirachy, the dominant monkies getting first choice of food, the lesser urchins running away with their catch, to eat hidden.
Cunning too;- as usual vendors are selling crap, including food for the monkies, so as bags of bananas were thrust in my direction, a monkey who'd ben lying in wait, stole the outstretched bag. The same happened to the next vendor as she thrust a bag in my direction. Cheeky monkey. It was hilarious, a kinda payback for all occasions I've said no to tuk-tuks, taxis, rolexes, various useless bangles and trinkets,... Anyway, did buy a bag of bananas, as I enjoyed myself.
Lifes a Beach
As most foreign beach-goers choose to stay at nearby Hua Hin, Cha-am is very much a Thai resort, quiet on weekdays and busier on weekends. With no real center, the town stretches along the length of the white-sand beach, said to be Thailand’s longest. The beach has plenty of deck-chairs and umbrellas for rent, and beer, soft drinks and tasty seafood are available all day long from local vendors. There is a good selection of accommodation set back from the beach, with small hotels for budget travelers and more luxurious big-name chains for those looking for something a bit more comfortable.
A shorter ride to here, first day riding along the sea coast since Iran, could have gone to Hua Hin 25km further, but this places looks good, as you can actually see the beach here in Cha Am. Hua Hin is big/busy with buildings up to the beach, you'd never know it was there unless you walked through a hotel lobby or some shack, that's how I remember it from a previous cycle tour, o yes, and all those unsubtle "British Pubs"; draping union jack flags, football match on bar TV, bald fat men wearing Chelsea football tops. What is it with wearing football kit out here? Helps us normal people identify those with inferior genes, which reminds me, "come on you Wycombe Wanderers", fantastic football team from my home town.
Good doss along coastal roads, some detours and well worth it, beside the sea, shades of blue, boats in harbours, lots of salt water paddies, shrimps perhaps and salt. Need a few good long bike roads, but it's too nice here to zoom through, and these sort of places don't grow on trees. Cheap room at 300 baht (66baht=1pound) southern end of town.
Interesting new years resolutions from Lindsay, fellow cycle tourist, his resolutions are reverse of ours back home, ie "to gain weight and do less exercise", he he he. We cycle tourers could eat a tub of lard, cream cakes, you name it... no effect.
Are you writing a book?
Next stop Prachuap Khiri Khan, a room with a view of the bay, good price, and rest day tomorrow. More dossing along coastal roads, wrong turn into the Thai Air Force base and double backing. The resort of Dolphin Bay looked great, too early to stop and I just felt like riding. Quiet, idyllic & accommodation if you can afford it, great place for the family. In fact, everyone looked like they'd just stepped off the plane, scary, the sort of place where I'd be asked if I was writing a book (In fact, I'd love to write a book, next time someone asks, I'll ask for payment in advance).
Wonderful riding the coast through the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, and apologies for the long winded places names, they do that in Thailand. Flat with the wind behind, gliding between limestone mountains, swamp and forest. Every time I stopped to photo a heron they took off, little bu**ers. Then a wonderful camp-site, unfortunately it wasn't for naturists, no birthday suits allowed, or again was too early to stop. A park ranger made me stop and asked where I was going, to which I replied "wheres the next hotel?". Good, that's the challenge for the day, 70km before sun-set. And jolly glad to be here old chap.
Meanwhile: posted this question on a cycle touring forum, about where to go after Singapore.
Coastal Backroads
Taking the main road would be too easy and quick, so tracking the coast, a rewarding route along quieter roads, asked locals, determined to see it all, lots of compass and not minding having to retrace a wrong turn, going with the flow and wow, this coastline is fantastic, pristine, thai fishing villages. First day out of Prachuap Khiri Khan was the best.
Paradise, a coastal dreamland: blue sky, white sand, torquose water, the sound of surf gushing, palm trees swaying. And a natural coastline, locals live here, fishing villages, fresh shrimp sold on the road-side, the big expressway is 15km away from the coast, smaller roads with little traffic. There are tourist resorts, bungalows by the beach, spread out and tasteful, you may however be held captive to their resturant prices, as there aren't many shops near by, ie undeveloped, good business for some nearby village. The big resorts used to be like this, however, you'd need to hire a car to get here, or buses and tuk-tuks. It's amazing really, considering that this is not a tourist area, relatively close to Bangkok.
Happens occasionally that I ride along in a dream like trance, absorbed by the surroundsings, a tunnel of palm trees, inches away from the beach, blue sky, you couldn't paint a better picture. Didn't feel like stopping for night, exploring is fun, passed a few places to stay, till eventually there was nothing. Didn't care, it's an adventure, besides there's the tent as backup. Locals pointed the way to what I presumed was nearby accommodation. The route veered in all directions, hilly and remote, kept going. 20km later I found a resort, sat down, cold drink in hand, and watched the sunset over the sea. Um, thats not meant to happen, this is the East coast? Turns out that this is West coast of some big headland, makes sense now that I look at the map.
The bungalows were expensive & the owners kindly let me pitch the tent, eating at the restaurant in return. Had the whole place to myself, the resort had barely opened, too far out for most western tourists, and long small roads to get here. Very kind, not everyday a western cyclist turns up, in fact the children were excited to a western pale face. Including the showers and facilities, a good deal, Thailand re-discovered. Tent by the beach, and idylic as it sounds, it was like sleeping in a bleeding sauna, lying in pools of sweat. Eventually I opened the doors, thankfully few insests bites. Don't you hate when you hear the wine of a mosquito stop, very close by. It's landed, and its time to get the b*****d. 2am, got the towel out, slept on that, soaked away the puddles of sweat.
Now in Chumphon, a good place, cold drinks, planning on switching tot he west coast tomorrow, bla bla bla, more later...
Same Same but Different
Now in Ranong, staying a funky little place called the TV Bar, where you don't watch TV, you sit on them, and the loudest guesthouse ever, and only 100Baht (just over 1 English Pound). Money saved was spent on a good meal, may stay tomoz. Ranong is an interesting town with lots of Burmese and Chinese influence.