THAILAND (19.2)
1261 Kilometres - 18 Days
10
November – 27 November 2019
PHOTOS
MAP
10
November - Jomtien – Chonburi – 65 km
After
months and months of frustration in getting my bank to send me my cards, the cards eventually
arrived. Still, it remained impossible to transfer funds from South Africa to a
Thailand bank account. Eventually, I flew to South Africa, opened an FNB account
and transferred the money, hallelujah! Back in Thailand, it took more than a
month to sort out all that needed sorting out, and to rent out the two units purchased,
phew!
You
can, thus, understand my excitement, locking the condo and getting on the bike to
resume my journey. The first 20 kilometres took weaving through the Pattaya
traffic until the route spat me out in the countryside. A huge weight lifted
off my shoulders, and a big grin crossed my face as I, at last, made my way
past familiar temples and cassava plantations.
Chonburi
signalled the end of the day's ride and where the beachfront was swarming with
holidaymakers as Thailand was preparing to celebrate Loy Krathong, the Festival
of Light. Accommodation was at a discount as owners were frantically trying to
fill their rooms and a ground-floor room, one road back from the beach, came at
only 300 Thai baht. The room was odd and tiled in white tiles from floor to
ceiling, and the toilet flushed with a bucket. I couldn’t care as I was as
happy as the proverbial pig being, once again, on the road to nowhere.
It
took time to sort out the panniers as things were hurriedly thrown in at
random, and there was a considerable amount of sorting out to do, something
which took the best part of the evening.
11
November - Chonburi - Pha Pradaeng – 110 km
What
a long and varied day it turned out. Clearing the northern tip of the Gulf of
Thailand was never a pleasant cycling experience. Sprawling Bangkok stretches
down the mighty Chao Praya River to where it eventually drains into the Gulf of
Thailand. That said, for the first 20 kilometres, the route led along the
shallow waters of the Northern Gulf with its abundance of birdlife and fishing
opportunities. A tranquil restaurant on stilts lured me in for a refreshing cup
of iced coffee, where I sat watching and dreaming, realising how lucky I was to be there until it dawned upon me there was still a way to go.
The
next 10 kilometres, was in hectic traffic along a busy highway, leading into
Bangkok. Mercifully, it came with a service road running alongside; still it
became a lead-laden, fume-inhaling ride. Once across the Bang Pakong River (waiting
to be explored) a smaller road veered off, which became a far more pleasant
ride through rural Thailand, or at least as rural as that part of Thailand can
be.
Eventually,
the road took me back to the dreaded Sukhumvit Road. Surprisingly, a country
lane ran along the opposite side of a canal, which made a peaceful ride past
villagers relaxing in the shade of large trees and past ducks waddling across
the path. Add to that a ferry ride across the mighty Chao Phraya River saving a
long and congested trip via the main road it turned out not such a bad day
after all.
The
day's ride ended when the Rimnam Hotel appeared, and what a lucky find. The
hotel was situated along the Bang Khru canal where Loi Krathong festivities
were in full swing. People were eating, drinking and families bought decorated
offerings in the form of floating flowers, incense and candles, which were lit and
allowed to float downstream. I was impressed to see most were biodegradable.
12
November - Pha Pradaeng – Samut Songkhram – 79km
Leaving
the night's bare-boned digs was without coffee, as the room only had one plug
socket, and the cup water-heater couldn’t make a connection. It didn’t surprise
me as it was a budget room and very few things were in working order. A few kilometres
further, and after clearing most of the early morning traffic, breakfast was from
a roadside stall. This was always interesting as one never knew what was inside
those banana-leaf parcels.
Albeit
trying my utmost to find smaller roads, I remained very much in the thick of
things. Only towards the end of the day, the path cleared the worst of the horrendous
Bangkok traffic. The area between Samut Songkhram and Bangkok mainly consisted
of low-lying, swampy land. Nearly all houses were on stilts, and general
activities centred around fish, being catching it, drying it or manufacturing
nets or boats. I, therefore, coasted along past mangroves, across canals (with
steep bridges), and tropical-looking rivers where one could hear longtail boats
but were unable to see them for the dense vegetation.
The
short distance to Samut Songkhram made an early arrival, allowing plenty of
time to rinse cycling gear and charging devices. At sunset, the famous food stands
made their appearance, and the main street became jam-packed with stalls
frying, grilling and steaming their respective delicacies. There wasn’t a great
deal suitable to vegetarians, but I managed to locate a few nibbles and with my
bounty bagged, returned to my abode.
13
November - Samut Songkhram – Cha-Am – 113 km
The
next day I zigzagged through the countryside along smaller roads, and from time
to time discovered the route ended abruptly. It nevertheless remained lovely to
amble aimlessly, mostly past salt farms where the salt had only just started to
form and would still be a few months before it could be harvested.
I’d
biked this route on many occasions and, stayed over in Cha-Am where I didn’t frequently
overnight. Cha-Am wasn’t significantly different from Pattaya and seemed largely
to cater to older European men on the prowl for young women. This lifestyle
surely seemed to have given the men a new lease on life as the parties
continued until the wee hours of the morning. Good for them, and I hope they
treated the girls with respect.
14-15
February – Cha-Am – Hua Hin – 31 km
From
Cha-Am to Hua Hin was a short ride, a blessing as I felt tired. Once in Hua
Hin, I headed straight to Bird Guesthouse, my old favourite on stilts over the
water. It took no time at all to plop myself down, glass of wine in hand, gazing
out over the ocean.
The
following day was spent doing laundry and shopping for items I didn’t pack, all
of which I found at the well-stocked supermarket. The Huahin bike shop
provided a new back tyre, and being an unfamiliar name (CST Pedium), I wondered
how it would fair.
By
evening, I met up with Gavin, who lived in Hua Hin at the time and, as can be
expected, far too many beers were consumed.
16-17
November - Hua Hin – Prachuap Khirrikhan – 118 km
It
came as no surprise I didn’t feel too bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ummed and
aahed whether to stay another day. Eventually, I dragged my alcohol-soaked body
out of the guesthouse and got on the bicycle in the direction of Prachuap. There
was no display of speed as I forced my unwilling legs to pedal on, stopping
ever so often to fill up with water as I’d the mother of all thirsts.
Eventually,
I pedalled into Prachuap where I bunked down at the old faithful, Maggie’s
Homestay, where a bed was only 220 THB.
As
Maggie’s was inexpensive and centrally located with water purifying and washing
machines, staying one more day was a no-brainer. It allowed doing laundry and buying
a pair of cycling gloves which I miraculously lost. How do you lose your
cycling gloves?
18
November – Pratchuap – Bangsapan Beach – 110 km
Not
much happened along the way, although it was comfortable riding, flush next to
the coast. Once in Bangsapan, it took cycling around to locate an inexpensive
room. In the end, I settled for a 400 THB bungalow - a lovely place with aircon
where I’ll stay again when in the area.
19
November - Bangsapan Beach – Chumphon – 112 km
Following
coffee, the first stop was at a nearby cave. The first one was a bit of a walk
up the mountain, and the overgrown path indicated not many ventured up there. The
cave had plenty of natural light, and one could wander about without a soul in
sight except the many hungry mosquitos who made sure I didn’t linger. The
second one looked lovely, but was pitch dark and not possible to enter without
light.
The
rest of the day was spent searching to find more caves or other interesting
things. Still, there wasn’t much, and I proceeded to Chumphon where a conveniently
situated hotel allowed wheeling the bike right inside.
20
November – Chumphon – Pak Nam Langsuan – 86 km
Following
the previous night’s decision to catch the night ferry to Koh Tao I was slow in
rising, especially as it started drizzling and the ferry wasn’t until 7 p.m. There
wasn’t a great deal to do in Chumphon and, following a few hours of waiting, I loaded
up and pedalled out of Chumphon as I lacked the tolerance to wait the entire
day for a ferry.
The
weather cleared, and it became a pleasant cloud-covered ride through the
countryside. At around 60 kilometres, a conveniently located restaurant called
for a lunch of fried rice, following which the path proceeded along the coast.
No sooner had I left, and a massive storm rolled in from the Gulf of Thailand,
complete with horizontal rain and wind. I pushed onwards regardless, and at
times feared the wind could blow the bicycle from under me. There wasn’t much one
could do but don a plastic raincoat, pull the cap down as low as it would go
and push on. The dirt road became a muddy mess, and the heavy rain made poor
visibility. At around 85 kilometres, I was relieved to spot a bungalow tucked
behind banana plants. At first, there was no one in sight. Still, I kept
calling, “Sawadee! Sawadee!” Eventually, a young lady appeared, obviously taken
by surprise at the presence of a drenched farang on a bike.
She
pointed me to a wooden bungalow situated right on the water’s edge, and I mean
right on the water, to such an extent I feared the tide could take both me and
bungalow into the ocean. The room was no larger than the bed and the bathroom –
clearly, an afterthought as it was a few steps lower than the room and
consisted of a squat toilet and what I call a “mundy” (a concrete reservoir
from which one scooped water to use as a shower). I thought it the most magical
place I’ve ever stayed. Right on the beach and all at 250 Thai baht! I hoped
the tide wouldn’t come in any higher as I could see the sand through the
floorboards! Being low tide at the time, I guessed anything could happen.
I
was equally happy I’d lunch as there were no food stalls and I had to make do
with cup-noodles. The landowner, a fisherman, and his family invited me to
share their dinner, but I declined as their crab and fish looked barely enough to
feed them.
21
November - Pak Nam Langsuan - Surat Thani – 124 km
I
was relieved to wake in the morning and still find the bungalow standing and
the sea considerably calmer than the previous day. The owner brought coffee,
and I drank it while sitting on my little veranda while he inspected the sea
conditions. With only a small boat, I didn’t think there was any chance of him
going out in such a rough sea.
The
route to Surat Thani was a particularly scenic stretch as it zigzagged through
the countryside, mainly sticking close to the coast and past quintessential
Thailand scenery of limestone pinnacles and picture-postcard white sandy
beaches. The day was predominantly cloudy with a drizzle every so often. Five
kilometres from Surat, the weather came in as I made my way into the city in the pouring rain. It’s always a tad stressful biking into a town (even a small one)
in afternoon traffic and bucketing rain, all while trying to read a map.
Surat
Thani sported the My Place Hotel, a bargain at 230 Thai Baht and where I headed
straight to the shower. Supper was from the night market, conveniently located
around the corner.
The
next day was also spent in Surat as the hotel was cheap, and I was in dire need
of doing laundry. There wasn’t much to do in Surat, as the town was primarily a
transport hub and jumping-off point to the nearby islands. I liked places like
that as they were typical Thai towns where people went about their usual tasks
without catering to tourists. Streets were lined with temples and shops selling
temple paraphernalia. Markets sold fish and vegetables, and the alleys were
lined with rice stores where it appeared a great deal of their time was spent
chasing greedy pigeons trying to eat away at their profit.
23
November – Surat Thani – Tha Khuen – 108 km
The
pleasant weather made easy cycling and the main road out of Surat a good one
through scenic countryside. I stayed on that route, planning to exit later but
somehow never did as it was quiet with a good shoulder. The path was littered
with small villages, roadside stalls and the ever-present Buddhist temples. I finished
the days ride at a convenient “24-hour” which provided a bed and this time a “normal”
bathroom!
24
November – Tha Khuen – Hua Sai – 115 km
I
left my luxury accommodation and headed south along my route to nowhere, and
what a delightful day it turned out. I’ve never cycled this particular route,
and the area was thoroughly enjoyable. It wasn’t an area frequented by farangs
as I was stared at to no end and there were a few giggly hellos.
My
route followed the coast and, as can be expected in Thailand, it became another
day of blue skies, bright green rice paddies, ornate temples and colourful
fishing boats. It turned out so pleasant, I hardly realised I was pedalling,
and the day flew by without me noticing.
Seeing
I haven’t spoken to anyone in days, I stopped and chatted with a couple making
cigarette paper from palm leaves. That was my socialising done for the next
week. Soon afterwards, the way ended abruptly. Fortunately, there were ferries
carting people across the river. (I don’t know what cars did as the boat was
rather small.) The ferry ticket was 1 Thai baht, and I wondered if collecting 1
THB was worth the paper it’s printed on, let alone paying the ferry captain and
the ticket seller. In any event, the village on the opposite bank was
fascinating, and you can imagine the interest my presents created as I cycled
off the ferry and weaved my way through the warren of covered stalls lining the
narrow alleyways of the market area.
The
path later reached the coast at an area that appeared a windy one as it was the
location of a wind farm. I thought I must be getting near the end of the Gulf
of Thailand and closer to the South China Sea's open waters. Once again, I was impressed
by these wind turbines' size (if that’s what they’re called).
November
was theoretically winter in Thailand and, albeit still in the mid-30s, the sun
sets far earlier. Around four or five in the afternoon, I started looking out
for accommodation and discovered an abode right on the ocean at 300 Thai baht. Later,
I sat watching the sea a while before biking into the village on the hunt to
find supper. A good day, all in all.
25
November – Hua Sai – Songkhla – 110 km
The
early morning drizzle made me have a second cup of coffee. Once on the road, it
rained on and off for the best part of the day and the camera barely came out.
Only two mentionable things happened: one was I lost my lens hood in the river.
The lens hood has never come off before, and I wondered why it had to happen while
on a bridge. (OK, I admit there was a bit more to the story.) The second was
before Songkhlan where I found a car ferry across the mouth of the Songkhla
Lake, saving riding via Ko Yo. I stand to be corrected, but think the mouth was
opened artificially.
The
day was one of effortless biking, and I slinked into Songkhla shortly past 3
p.m., covered in drizzle fuelled road muck and more than happy to find Bo Yang
Guesthouse. At 450 THB, the room was slightly more than what I have paid before,
but it was worth the extra 100 THB as the room was massive with crisp white
linen, aircon and a bathroom that even had a bath! (I kid you not!)
27
November – Songkhla
I
could see heavy rain through my bedroom window and believe I wore a smile as I
rolled over and continued sleeping. It was, thus, late before finally emerging
to place my laundry in the street-side washing machines and went exploring.
It
didn’t take long to find Old Songkhla, a place that hid many exciting stories.
I learned archaeologists discovered between the 10th and 14th centuries
Songkhla was a substantial city and an important harbour town which traded with
places as far afield as Quanzhou in China. Many decades later, in the 18th
century, Chinese citizens settled in this area, resulting in Songkhla having a lovely “Old town” peppered with old, wooden Chinese shophouses. The area consists
of narrow lanes, typical wooden shophouses and impressive temples. Part of the village's
ancient wall still exists, and the Songkhla Lake remains a busy fishing
harbour.
A
pleasant walk led up Songkhla Hill which provided views over the city. Once
back along the coast, I strolled along the beach and through the sculpture park
and, as was often the case with these parks, it was sprinkled with rather odd
statues.
Songkhla
isn’t without a legend and, as I love legends, I’ll tell you about it. The
story goes that a merchant from China often sailed his junk to Songkhla and
back. While shopping for goods to take back, he bought a cat and dog. As time
went on, the cat and dog got bored on the ship and decided to steal their
master’s magic crystal which prevented drowning. For this job, they asked a
mouse to help which stole the crystal, and the three swam ashore. As things go,
the mouse wanted to escape with his crystal. The cat wanted crystal and, in the
process, the crystal was lost and all drowned. The mouse and cat became the
islands in Songkhla Lake while the dog died onshore and became Songkhla hill, known
as Hin Khao Tang Kuan.
27
November - Songkhla – Padang Basar – 80 km
The
weather bureau put out an alert for heavy north-easterly monsoon rain and flash
floods across Southern Thailand. Instead of heading south to the Malaysian
border, I used the tailwind and swung west across the Malay Peninsula.
Traditionally, Malaysia’s east coast’s rainy season runs from November to
February and has a more substantial rainfall than the west coast. Even though
the wet weather seemed across the entire region, I thought it best to head to
the west coast.
I
flew along with a tailwind and stayed on the main road, which never made
exciting cycling. Still, I wanted to get to the west coast and the border as
quickly as possible. Most of the rain was expected over the next three days,
and if all else failed, one could park off on the island of Langkawi while
waiting out the weather.
It
was evident I was nearing the Malaysian border as mosques became more frequent
and more ladies wore some form of head covering.
Upon
arriving at the border town of Padang Basar, threatening clouds made me call it
a day. Typical of a border town, it turned out a real dump! Afterwards, I was
sorry as the rain was light and I could’ve made a good distance. As the bungalow
was already paid, I took a walk to Pedang’s food stalls and then hunkered down
in my pink windowless room.
