Thailand
(8.1)899
Kilometres – 26 Days
8
August – 2 September 2016
Map
Photos
Thailand (8.1)
8 August – 2 September 2016
94
Thailand (8.1)
899
Kilometres – 26 Days
8
August – 2 September 2016
7-11
August - Bangkok
Tania
returned home, and time for me to think about where to head next. However, shortly
after handing in my camera and lenses, an email from Canon stated that the work
would take three weeks.
I
needed to figure out what to do and rented the room for an entire week, allowing
time to explore options. Unfortunately, a minor running injury stopped me in my
tracks, and I thus couldn’t even jog in the morning. The camera was my only
toy, and I, consequently, had little to entertain myself. I’d clothes repaired,
did laundry, and spent more money than intended buying a rear rack bag. But, of
course, when bored in Bangkok, there’s only yourself to blame as there’s plenty
to do. Still, I wasn’t motivated to do much.
After
a significant amount of deliberation, I decided to head to China, as I believed
there remained one or two months of relatively good weather up north. As a
Chinese visa was easiest in Vientiane, Laos, the plan was to cycle to the
border via a different route and hoped the camera would be ready on reaching the
border. The plan was to take a bus to Bangkok, collect the camera, cross the
border into Laos, get the Chinese visa, and then bus myself to Kunming, where I
left off last time.
These
plans were only ideas, as I wasn’t good at sticking to schedules. So in the
meantime, I paid a visit to the hairdresser, had a pedicure, had new sunglasses
made, and took the bicycle for a service.
12-17
August - Bangkok
12
August was a public holiday and the Queen’s birthday. Massive celebrations were
held in the country, and I considered it wise to stay away in the light of
recent bombings. The touristy Khaosan Road area revealed a heavy police
presence that was uncomfortable. Instead, I walked to the MBK building, not all
far away if one walked straight, but my walk practically took the entire day due
to my wanderings. While pushing past garland makers, food vendors, and begging
bowl-makers to the modern and busy MBK building, I again realised how
fascinating and diverse Bangkok was. I returned, clutching a new Panasonic
Lumix compact camera to entertain myself.
Returning
was thoroughly enjoyable since I took the wrong turn and ended up amongst
people living next to the railway line—what an intriguing area. The way out was
only achieved with the help of residents. I would never have managed on my own
in the labyrinth of narrow alleys. Judging by the reactions of citizens, no
foreigners ever stumbled in there.
The
impressive part of my walkabout wasn’t the camera but discovering, right in Banglamphu,
a small community of holdouts famous for making and selling fireworks, breeding
fighting cocks and making elaborate birdcages. The 50 households (comprising
the Pom Mahakan community) have faced eviction for years. In the meantime, life
remained as usual. The area was still the place to buy fireworks, although the
fireworks were made in and imported from China. Some of the original homes were
well over 200 years old, and I understood that people from southern Thailand
migrated here in the old days. They brought their skills of making zebra dove
and red-whiskered bulbul cages and were still practising that skill. The centre
housed a 200-year-old
fig tree people believed could protect them. The oldest house in the community was
a beautiful wooden house featuring a high ceiling. The house belonged to a gold
merchant. He’d collected gold dust by buying clothes and rugs from gold
ornament shops, then burnt them down, collecting the gold. How fascinating to
think all this was right under my nose, and I never knew about it. Sadly, a few
years later, the government evicted the community to establish a park.
I
was more than ready to roll out of Bangkok and couldn’t resist one last bowl of
wonton soup from Hong Kong Noodle. But, sadly, the universe had other plans as
the bike shop was waiting on a derailleur jockey wheel from SRAM.
The
following day the bike shop messaged to say the bicycle was ready, bless them.
Bok Bok Bike is by far the best touring bicycle shop in Bangkok.
Time to head out of Bangkok.
In
the morning, I first made a turn in Chinatown to enjoy a final plate of dim
sum. I was surprised how one could go from one highly touristy area, where
busses were parked two or three deep, to a place where people carted their
wares in woven baskets, all in the space of two city blocks. I walked past
traders burning offerings, ensuring a good day of business and past shops selling
incense and paper offerings. My meander took me past food stalls, richly decorated
Chinese temples, and boy monks en route to school.
Dim
sum stuffed, I headed in the opposite direction to collect the bicycle. I scarcely
recognised the bike as it looked brand new, and I’m always surprised at the shop’s
effort.
18-19
August – Bangkok – Kanchanaburi – 100 km
Departing
Bangkok was by taking a taxi 25/30 kilometres. Whether worth it, I wasn’t
entirely sure. The cab dropped me outside the city limits,
but I remained very much in the thick of things.
Soon
enough, a minor path lured me off the busy road. I love these rural paths as
they take one through weird and wonderful places, to such an extent that I
landed at the rubbish dump. Unfortunately, on a day when I should’ve felt full
of energy, I’d a most dreadful day. I’d zero energy, aches and pains all over,
suffered leg cramps, and generally felt unwell. Praying I wasn’t coming down
with another virus, I pushed onwards and rolled into Kanchanaburi just as the mobile
food carts appeared. Not hungry, I searched for a place to be horizontal and,
in the process, came upon an A-frame bungalow at Rainbow Lodge, right along the
River Khwae.
20
August - Kanchanaburi - Suphan Buri – 100 km
The
first stop was at the famous bridge over the River Kwai in the morning. The
setting wasn’t all picturesque and I understood why South Korea
was chosen as part of the movie. However, the day provided considerably better riding
than the previous day, partly due to a tailwind. I flew along past rice paddies
and ruins dating to the Ayutthaya period.
The
terrain was primarily low-lying river plains, and therefore pan-flat, making pleasurable
pedalling. In U-Thong, I stopped briefly at a few ruins and was astonished at
the history of this part of Thailand (U-Thong was the first king of the kingdom
of Ayutthaya, reigning from 1350 to 1369, and the district thus named after
him).
Towards
the end of the day, I weakened at the thought of a room and turned off into the
town past the striking Pillar Shrine adorned by an immense dragon statue. The
shrine was once a Thai-style wooden shrine but later renovated and converted to
a Chinese style. Today, the complex houses the four-handed god Vishnu, worshipped
by Thais and Chinese. Locating digs was effortless, but the
appearance of the Mind Hotel fooled me. The building seemed acceptable from the
outside, and being a ground-floor air-con room, I considered the price a
bargain. However, once inside, I realised the room wasn’t the deal envisaged.
The curtains were old and shredded, but one could live with that; it was the
bed that got me! The mattress was so worn, sitting upon it, I wholly
disappeared, I kid you not! I wanted to take a selfie, but you would have been
unable to see me. The snow-white bedding was in no better condition, and I
feared bedbugs would be part and parcel of the deal.
21
August - Suphan Buri – Sing Buri – 81 km
Before
getting underway, I popped into a few temples. First up was Wat Phra Rup. It’s
said the temple dates over 600 years and that the reclining Buddha has the most
beautiful face in all of Thailand—umm, I guess beauty is indeed in the eye of
the beholder. Next was Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, situated in the heart of
the old city and the temple housed several ancient ruins. Finally, Wat Khae, on
the outskirts of town, was home to a 1000-year-old tamarind tree. The tree is
now spread out and adorned by Buddha statues (as can be expected).
The
day was a pleasant one of riding as the entire route to Sing Buri was along farm
roads and, albeit blistering, the ride was an absolute pleasure. At first, my
path followed a river, a fascinating ride through rural communities going about
their daily chores. Butterflies and dragonflies accompanied me as I biked past
rice and sugarcane plantations. The day would’ve been perfect if not for a
puncture. Fortunately, I was good at fixing flat tyres by then and was soon on
my way. Ornate temples and Buddhas, one larger than the other, filled the day. The
route passed buffalo villages and the Monument of Bang Rachan Heroes, built in
honour of the villagers of Bang Rachan who bravely fought the Burmese army in
1765. Each day I learn something new. Regrettably, I quickly forget these
facts, and thus my primary motivation to keep a journal.
22-23
August – Sing Buri – Lop Buri – 30 km
The
day turned out surprising as I left Sing Buri intending to head toward the Lao
border, about 560 kilometres away.
My
chosen route provided little in the line of facilities as I set off through the
market area and soon landed on a small side road along a canal. The closer to
Lop Buri, the more I started dreaming about the food at NooM Guest House. Thus,
all my plans went up in smoke, and I turned down to Lop Buri and headed to NooM
Guest House.
Lop
Buri, or Lopburi, is an ancient town housing many old ruins. The original part
of the city is still occupied by ordinary Thai people living and working
amongst ruins dating to both the Khmer and Ayuthaya periods. Even though I’d
explored the area several times, I still marvelled at the idea that one could
cycle into a town and slap-bang in front of you is a 600-year-old temple home
to a resident troop of monkeys. Old ruins were everywhere and unexpectedly jutted
out behind modern buildings. It was hence not surprising to find them forming
the main roundabout. The remainder of the day was spent eating, doing laundry,
and fixing punctured tubes.
My
laundry wasn’t ready by the morning, and I stayed one more day doing truly
little.
24
August - Lopburi – Roadside camp – 96 km
Feeling
energised the day turned out a lovely ride, at first along a canal and then
along Route 205. Not a great deal happened, apart from farmlands and small communities,
food carts and shops to keep me fed and watered.
In
the afternoon, dark clouds gathered, and one could hear rumbling, the tell-tale
sign of an approaching storm. Soon big drops started falling, and I took
shelter at a police booth. Although no one was around, the building looked well
used and offered a perfect camping spot at the rear, undercover and sporting an
electrical point. On the opposite side of the building were two toilets, one containing
a drum
of water to wash and coupled with a nearby eatery, I stayed put. The lady at
the food stand indicated its OK to camp and it appeared I wasn’t the first one,
as she understood my intentions well.
I
set up camp, bought a beer and a mosquito coil, and at around 18h00, was called
to join the restaurant lady and her daughter for supper. How sweet of them, and
how interesting the meal! A salad of fresh green beans and bamboo shoots was
served accompanied by fried fish, a pork and cassava dish, an omelette, rice,
and an extremely spicy chilli sauce. The food was delicious, and I wished I had
spoken the language.
25
August – Roadside camp – Ban Kok– 106 km
Camping
adjacent to a busy and noisy highway didn’t make sleeping in. I waved goodbye
to the family from the restaurant and headed over the misty hills. The road
stretched far in front of me, and I’d a feeling of an immense sense
of freedom. The road was my home, and I was thrilled with that.
At
a water point, a lovely Thai couple stopped and mentioned they’d seen me along
the way the previous day and inquired where I was from and where I was going. Where
I came from was easy, but where I was heading remained a mystery. However, they
kindly gave me their phone numbers in case of needing assistance. How sweet of
them.
All
day the weather seemed threatening, and at around 15h00, there was no escaping
it. I waited under one of the bridges before proceeding to the nearest settlement.
I arrived drenched and cold and opted for a guesthouse. My walk to the market made
me feel like the town’s most important attraction. I doubted whether any farang
had ever overnighted in Ban Kok.
26
August – Ban Kok – Kaeng Khro – 108 km
On
certain days, I couldn’t get going; if not one thing, then it was another. The
previous day every 10 kilometres or so, things needed adjusting. At times I
stopped to take pictures and other times to pop into a supermarket. Before realising,
the time was midday, and I’d barely done 50 kilometres. There was no rush as an
email from Canon stated the camera repairs would take an additional week. However,
being less than 300 kilometres from the Lao border, I needed to drag my heels a
tad. Unable to decide what direction to go, I took Route
202 but soon changed my mind and veered off onto Route 201.
My
chosen path crossed a picturesque part of Thailand, sporting rolling hills and
rocky outcrops. The weather was sweltering, without a cloud in the sky. The
mushrooms sold were a clear sign I was in a wooded area. A sign indicated a
1000-year-old cycad forest, but 45 kilometres off my route, and I wasn’t sure
whether the detour would be worth the 90 kilometres.
As
I neared Kaeng Khro, clouds moved in, and rain soon came bucketing down. I was
pointed to SK Place, a lovely hotel sporting good quality rooms behind a
school. The corner restaurant provided typical noodle soup and beer. All this
happened to villagers' great amusement. There’s no hiding if you’re a farang
travelling by bicycle and the entire town was aware of my whereabouts. Needless
to say I was grateful for a room and the opportunity to close the door and get
out of the public eye.
27
August - Kaeng Khro – Ubolratana – 109 km
The
day turned out another typical Thai day. Rice fields, sugarcane plantations, temples,
Buddha statues, and scrawny white cattle with very long ears abounded. I passed
the ever-present noodle and chicken barbeque stalls, turned off, and headed
toward Ubol Ratana Dam, a magnificent ride. The ride was scenic with the dam to
one side and a national park to the other.
Tiny
settlements, where the streets smelled of cow dung, lined the road, and farmers
looked up in surprise from their afternoon naps as I pedalled past. I kept an
eye out for lodging overlooking the dam, but couldn’t find any and instead came
upon perfect digs in town at the Reaun Araya Spa, so-called, due to a rather lovely
swimming pool. At times I lived a good life.
28-30
August – Ubolratana – Udon Thani – 115 km
I
was pleased to find a complimentary breakfast and well fed, I loaded the bike
and slowly made my way to Udon Thani—not that I initially planned to go there,
but that’s where I landed up. Three times during the day I got rained out, and biking
into Udon Thani, the heavens opened once more. I donned my bright orange poncho
and pushed onwards into the city centre—cape flying in the breeze like a superhero.
What
a mess! The rain came down to such an extent, that streets flooded in no time,
traffic came to a standstill, and shop owners frantically tried to divert water
from their shops. Finding accommodation in the heavy downpour was a real
challenge. One could barely see where to go, let alone look out for a hotel.
Hectic stuff! Eventually, it was safer to push the bicycle as the water became
stronger and covered a large area without indicating where the street ended and
the canal started. I imagined it entirely possible to disappear down an uncovered
maintenance hole or accidentally land in the canal spotted earlier. Phew, what
a mission. Drenched, I located the King’s Hotel, which offered huge rooms
(albeit on the worn side) at a budget price. I was happy to discover the shower
warm and a place to change into dry clothes.
The
entire following day was spent eating. I started by devouring a massive plate
of green curry from the market. I continued snacking through the day on
doughnuts, chocolate brownies and pastries. As the sun set, I was down to my
last bag of fruit, and had no intention of giving up, until all was finished.
Hahaha.
31
August – Udon Thani – Nong Khai – 54 km
I
woke long beyond 08h00; it must’ve been all the eating that exhausted me. Then,
fuelled by an excess of calories, I flew to Nong Khai, only 50 kilometres away.
Nong Khai is a border town
(with Laos) and has a lovely location along the Mekong River.
I
practised the speech I would deliver to Canon arriving in Nong Khai all day.
The repair work was initially said to take two weeks, but I was still waiting a
month down the line. Nevertheless, the ride was marred by giant Buddha statues,
feather duster and broom salesmen, and coconut vendors. The juice of the roasted
coconuts is wonderfully sweet, as cooking concentrates the natural sugars and
loosens the flesh. The meat can easily be peeled off and eaten without using a
spoon, and I chewed on it a good couple of kilometres.
In
Nong Khai, I headed to Mut Mee Guesthouse, famous for its good location on the
Mekong, its substantial variety of budget rooms and its lovely garden
restaurant. The speech I’d practised during the day came to nothing, as an
email from Canon, stated my camera lens was ready for collection. Hallelujah.
They must’ve heard my speech coming. I thus bought a ticket on the night train
to Bangkok.
1
September - Bangkok
The
train arrived in Bangkok at 6h00, but the MBK Centre (where I was headed) only opened
at 10h00, which called for a coffee at the station prior to strolling the two
kilometres or so to the city centre. Once the lens was collected, I headed to
the Human Body Museum, an extraordinary place and easily one of the weirdest, with
14 dissected human bodies on display. I found it disturbing seeing them so life-like
but without skin. Weird. I spent much money buying things needed and things I
didn’t need at all (but assumed essential at the time). The return trip was again
a night train, and I’d the whole day to kill. Bangkok never failed to amaze as
I strolled past sweet-smelling flower garlands, street musicians and a one-armed
lady, noisily selling small birds for release. I’d a 10 THB shower at the
station, drank more coffee, and played online.
2
September- Bangkok – Nang Khai, Thailand – Vientiane, Laos - 27 km
I
slept well and the train arrived at Nong Khai station at around 7h00 from where
I walked the three kilometres to Mut Mee Guesthouse. Once all were done in
Thailand, I loaded the bike and headed to the border. An uneventful crossing took
me across the Friendship Bridge into Laos. From the immigration, a short cycle
ride led to the capital, Vientiane. En route to the centre, I stopped at the
Chinese Embassy to inquire about a visa and collect the forms. To my surprise,
I learned that a visa application took two weeks. After that, there wasn’t much
one could do, so I headed into the city where I settled for a room at the Dhaka
Hotel, and as it was infamous for bedbugs, I first gave the bed a good spray.
I
did what I usually do in a new country; drew local currency and bought a SIM
card. Walking, I heard someone call my name, and lo and behold, wouldn’t it be Ernest,
indeed a voice from the past.
