THAILAND (6) - TAKE TWO
1 099 Km - 29 Days
12 September - 10 October 2015
MAP
PHOTOS
11 September - Guran, Malaysia – Sadao, Thailand - 105 km
My final day of cycling in Malaysia was a delightful cycle as the rain abated, revealing a vivid blue sky. A scenic minor road running parallel to the main road ensured easy and enjoyable riding. The aftermath of the recent rainy days presented views of the lush green countryside and flooded rice paddies.
My chosen route led northward towards the Malaysia-Thailand border. However, crossing into Thailand proved unexpectedly challenging due to having both my old and new passports. Additionally, Thai authorities demanded proof of twenty thousand Thai baht in cash without accepting bank statements. They also insisted on a return ticket. As a result, I had to make a trip to the bank to withdraw the required amount of money to satisfy the authorities. I explained that I was travelling by bicycle and, fortunately, wasn't pressed for a ticket proving my exit from the country. By this time, it was already quite late, so I decided to overnight in Sadao.
12 September - Thailand/Malaysia Border – Hat Yai - 60 km
Hat Yai was just sixty kilometres away, and I took a leisurely day in the city. While there, I spent time on the computer and, unfortunately, ended up deleting my entire Flickr account. It was quite a shock because I didn't use Flickr for sharing photos but for storing them. Later, I had a conversation with my friend Lois and we made plans to meet up in Bangkok.
13 September - Hat Yai – Patthulung – 97 km
As I was continuing north to Bangkok, I had a heart-warming experience when two young individuals on a scooter offered me a 100Plus sports drink. Their generous gesture truly exemplified the exceptional kindness of the people in Thailand, who are always ready to share what they have.
My route took me past vibrant fruit stalls showcasing an array of tantalizing tropical fruits, as well as intricately designed Buddhist temples that are an ubiquitous sight in the region. To capture the essence of my travels, I attempted to create short video clips, but I found it more challenging than I had initially expected. Consequently, I decided to stick to still photographs instead.
14 September - Patthalung – Thung Song – 97 km
As I cycled along Route 41, I stumbled upon a charming roadside restaurant called “Route 41”. It was the perfect spot to stop for brunch, and I was greeted by incredibly friendly people once again. The owner, who happened to be a photographer, kindly gifted me one of his beautiful postcard books.
Despite feeling a bit sluggish, I pressed on because the overcast weather created ideal cycling conditions. However, my energy dipped after a late breakfast, and I knew it was time to call it a day when I reached the small settlement of Thung Song. Luckily, I found a budget hotel there with spacious, well-lit rooms and ample ground-floor space, which was perfect for storing my bike.
15-16 September - Thung Song – Ban Tha Rua (Surat Thani intersection) - 108 km
As I pedalled along, I couldn't help but notice my pace slowing considerably. It suddenly struck me that I had covered over 1000 kilometres without taking a single rest day.
Sadly, the day was marred by persistent rain showers, prompting me to seek shelter for about an hour before resuming my journey. I ended the day's ride at the Surat Thani intersection, where I found comfortable digs conveniently located next to a petrol station.
17 September - Ban Tha Rua – Bamboo Hotel - 30 km
Upon noticing a gap in the weather, I hurriedly packed up and cycled out of Surat Thani. Shortly afterwards, another storm moved in. Fed up with the weather, I struggled on, but when I reached a petrol station offering convenient accommodation, I pulled in to escape the weather.
18 September - Bamboo Hotel – roadside cottage - 90 km
The weather forecast predicted three hours of cloudy skies before more thunderstorms. I, hence, hopped on the bike early. Midway, a sign to a spa lured me in. The place was somewhat hidden away, and it took walking through the forest before reaching the baths. I didn’t spend much time indulging in these mineral-rich waters as the weather came in and I felt it was best to get underway.
Fortunately, I managed to cycle virtually the entire way without becoming soaked. The weather came in just as I reached a 24-hour joint and couldn’t believe my luck. Typically, these 24-hour places are love motels, and this one sported cute bungalows at reasonable rates. I didn’t argue about the price and was happy to unload my sopping wet gear in their little cottage. Their little shop offered an assortment of goods, including cup noodles, refreshing beer, and crisps, all of which perfectly suited my requirements.
19 September - Roadside Cottage –Chumphon - 90 km
The looming possibility of thunderstorms didn't deter me, and I pedalled as a woman possessed towards Chumphon. Under threatening clouds, I cycled nonstop, skipping sightseeing. The rainy season had transformed the landscape, with rivers overflowing and drains clogged. It felt like every house not on stilts was at risk of getting submerged.
By midday, I reached Chumphon just before the rain arrived and made my way to The Farang Bar. Although the atmosphere seemed quieter than I remembered, the affordability and convenience of the bar and restaurant remained unchanged, providing a comfortable spot to unwind and hide from the weather.
20 September - Chumphon – Nipa Beach Bungalow – 110 km
After cycling for about twenty kilometres, I stopped for breakfast because I felt tired. Despite my fatigue, the breath-taking views of the Gulf of Thailand restored my spirits. It was a delight to continue my ride amidst such picturesque scenery.
To my surprise, I encountered fellow cycle tourists for the first time in months. They were rushing to exit the country before their visas expired. We exchanged stories and tips before parting ways.
As I approached the turnoff to Nipa Beach Bungalows, I felt content to call it quits.
21-22 September - Nipa Beach Bungalow – Prachuap Khiri Khan - 100 km
By morning, the temperature was back in the mid-30s, whereas the previous days had been around 27ᵒC. Even the snakes were out to enjoy the warmer weather, and I kept an eye[VGC{1] out for them basking in the sun. The remainder of the ride to Prachuaup was uneventful, and I bunked down at Maggie's Homestay.
When I woke up the following morning, I was happy to pull the blanket over my head and continue sleeping. I also received word from Lois stating she couldn’t make our Thailand rendezvous. Apart from setting up a new blog (as I couldn’t access my old one due to not having the original phone number), I did little of note.
23-24 September – Prachuap Khiri Khan – Hua Hin - 101 km
The day flew by as I picked up a tailwind. Hua Hin is a popular holiday resort, especially among long-term Westerners. The narrow lanes between the main road and the ocean were lined with Western restaurants and bars. All were frequented by older European men, proudly parading Thai companions on the arm.
My abode of choice was basic accommodation on stilts over the water, and staying an extra day came easily. Unfortunately, little was done as the weather remained rainy for the best part of the day. However, I didn’t mind, as I was snug in my teeny room.
25 September - Hua Hin – Samut Songkhram - 118 km
The stretch between Hua Hin and Samut Songkhram was a most pleasant ride. The weather was excellent as I followed tranquil country lanes. The path led along a river and through luminous green rice paddies, past prominent, brightly coloured temples and one-lane fishing communities where colourful fishing boats lay four deep and sleeping dogs scarcely bothered lifting an eye.
It appeared a rarity seeing a foreign woman on a bike, and welcoming villagers called greetings and kids on bicycles found it fun to give chase. In contrast, others seemed slightly apprehensive, and my every move was watched with great interest. I arrived in Samut Songkhram just as the food stalls were set up.
Hometown Hostel was inexpensive, and although the rooms were tiny, I was the only one there and had the dorm all to myself. The streets were jampacked with food vendors, and one could pick and choose from the numerous dishes on offer.
26 September – Samut Songkhram – Bangkok - 98 km
Instead of following the main road, I weaved along village lanes toward Bangkok. These secondary roads made riding far more enjoyable. Greetings of “Hello, farang!” and scores of food carts dotted the way. The fascinating thing was that all drinks automatically came as a takeaway in a handy plastic bag that could be hooked onto the handlebar.
The last 30 kilometres into town was a complete nightmare along the busy Phetkasem Road. Gridlocked traffic made a slow and frustrating ride. Eventually, I turned off onto a smaller path that required a ferry across the Chao Phraya River. This wasn’t a disaster, but the stairs to and from the ferry made the crossing a whole performance. Fortunately, many hands made light work and I soon reached Peachy Guesthouse, my trusted accommodation in Bangkok.
27 September - Bangkok
The plan all along was to cycle from Thailand via Myanmar to India. As it was Sunday, I did nothing the entire day, and I could only visit the Indian Embassy the following day. Upon reviewing the details, I realized that the application processing time was nine working days. As a result, I estimated that I would be staying in Bangkok for a few more days.
28 September – 2 October - Bangkok
First thing Monday morning, I went to the Indian embassy, application in hand, only to be told that the rules had changed, and foreigners could no longer apply in Bangkok! Have you ever? My disbelief was due to the embassy’s online application beforehand. The previous day, I checked my application, which stated, “Your application was successfully submitted.” In my pea-size brain, this translated to everything being in order. But as always, there was no arguing with embassy staff.
So, to clear my head, I opted to walk to my guesthouse instead of taking a bus, which also allowed me to take a few pictures of typical city life. In the process, I lost a lens cap in the river. This darn blood moon in Aries wasn’t good, at all.
I eventually spoke to the Indian Visa Centre in Kuala Lumpur, and it appeared foreigners could apply in Malaysia. My annoyance with the whole saga was that I stayed at Peter’s on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur and could easily have applied there. But no, I had ants in my pants and wanted to get going.
I phoned Kuala Lumpur to make 100% sure and, this time, the answer was, “You can apply but have a 50/50 chance.” I didn’t quite understand this either, as I assumed the answer would be a simple “Yes” or “No.” However, the Indian embassy in Myanmar was more helpful and confirmed one could apply in Yangon. This suited me perfectly, as I was heading to Myanmar anyway.
It’s no secret I love Bangkok. I love it for a variety of reasons. Where else in the world can one board a water taxi and a few minutes later a modern Skytrain which will drop you right in the buzzing CBD? A walk around the corner of these modern skyscrapers will bring you to where people live in askew homes upon stilts over the water, right in the heart of the city centre. Even in these modern times, the river remains the city’s heartbeat and a place where tugboats, barges, river taxis and longtail boats all jostle for position. Old temples sit snugly amidst modern architecture, and old wooden structures cling desperately to rotting stilts. So, I smiled when I saw longtail boats plying the waters, on the hunt for the unsuspecting tourist. Add the weird, wonderful, pierced, dreadlocked, and tattooed farangs, and I could easily linger awhile.
3 October - Bangkok
Today was a complete nightmare. It began with what was intended to be a simple haircut. Little did I know that it would turn into a total disaster, leaving me with barely any hair left to attach extensions. After that ordeal, I decided to lay low for the rest of the day.
As the sun went down, I mustered up some confidence and decided to take a leisurely walk with my tripod in hand. To my surprise, I found that Wat Po, the temple of the reclining Buddha, was open. While the main temple area was closed, the grounds were still accessible. With not a soul in sight, I had the privilege of exploring these breath-taking temples all to myself.
I kept putting it off, and a whole week went by and I still didn’t take my bicycle in for a service. Considering that I've covered over 8000 kilometres on the same chain and cogs, I thought it high time to have it checked out before I continued my journey to Myanmar and then onwards to India.
4-7 October - Bangkok
I was operating in low gear as the Myanmar visa took a few days. I cycled to Bok-Bok Bike, left the bike in their capable hands and then walked along Bangkok’s old klongs and canals. These ancient waterways still exist, and although several have been filled, a few remain. Here, I discovered people living, trading, socialising, and doing their daily business. I squeezed past narrow doorways, stepping over shoes and chickens as I followed the canal to the guesthouse. I ducked under bridges and through markets, past crooked houses and intriguing restaurants. Bangkok never fails to amaze.
A few days later, I returned to the bike shop to see how far they had progressed, but they were closed. I continued past the bike shop and discovered a host of fascinating things. First, I came upon tradesmen crafting monks’ alms bowls - I understood they’ve been doing this continuously since the 1700s!
I strolled through traditional markets and modern shopping malls until reaching the Goddess Tubtim Shrine. At this shrine were countless oversized phalluses of all shapes and sizes standing tall, proud, and dare I say, erect – proof that size does matter even in the spirit world! The shrine honours Chao Mae Tubtim, a female fertility spirit. Women visit this shrine when trying to conceive. And, if rumours can be believed, the shrine has a tremendous success rate. Women will return if their wish is fulfilled and place yet another phallus at the shrine in gratitude. How weird!
Afterwards, a canal water taxi took me back to my place, an experience in itself, and not for the faint-hearted. It required jumping on board rather quickly as the boat barely came to a halt before moving on. It's not an easy task, camera in hand. The ferry terminal was a few kilometres from my guesthouse and the last few kilometres were by motorbike taxi. It’s best not to look, as my driver weaved through the traffic at high-speed ignoring all traffic rules.
8–10 October – Bangkok – 38 km
I’m constantly hoping to find unusual things, so I set out to an abandoned building. Known as the Sathorn Unique, this 50-storey building was left unfinished in 1997 during the world economic crisis. It was rumoured to become one of Bangkok's most luxurious residential buildings.
I encountered a young couple from Australia who, like me, were aimlessly walking around. We came across a building that was cordoned off. Adjacent to it, there was a small restaurant with a garage-style roll-up door that led to the enclosed area. The Australian girl and I ventured into the yard, but the restaurant owner abruptly shut the door and threatened to call the police. Despite her boyfriend's pleas from inside the restaurant, she refused to open the door. Seeing an opportunity, I tried to take some photos, but the resident caretaker was not at all pleased with the idea.
To my surprise, the young Australian woman switched to speaking in Thai and explained our situation. It turned out that her mother was Thai. Eventually, the caretaker unlocked a side gate, allowing us to leave. Meanwhile, the boyfriend was still attempting to persuade the owner to open the door from inside the restaurant. They were quite taken aback when they saw us again.
The following morning, I emerged to a drizzle that continued all morning, but the rain abated around midday. With lightning speed, I loaded my bike and set out of Bangkok, even though I had paid for an extra night. Halfway out of the city, I decided to hop on a bus to Mae Sot, the border town between Thailand and Myanmar. Having cycled this route twice before, I felt there was no need to pedal the same path for a third time. Covered in mud, I arrived at the bus station, drawing curious gazes from onlookers.
The bus to Mae Sot was only scheduled for 20h00, which meant a relatively long wait—not only a long wait, but a very inconvenient 4h00 arrival in May Sot.
The bus trip was comfortable and uneventful, but our arrival coincided with pouring rain, leaving me to cycle the few kilometres into town in darkness and bucketing rain. I arrived sopping wet at the Porn-The Hotel. Despite the name, it was actually a pretty decent place. LOL.
I was a tad ahead of myself in saying I was going to India. India was more than 1,500 kilometres away, and I still needed to traverse Myanmar (again) to pick up an Indian visa, hopefully without losing my passport this time. At the time, the only border crossing between the two countries was in the remote northern region of India and Myanmar. The area was restricted, and one needed a special permit, which I understood could be purchased in Yangon.
11 October - Maesot, Thailand – Kawkareik, Myanmar – 55 km
I first had breakfast at Krua Canadian, a European restaurant run by a Canadian. The owner has lived in Thailand for more than 17 years and was a mine of information. The food was excellent and came just at the right time when people generally had enough noodle soup.
Afterwards, it was “take two” as I cycled the short distance to the border, where I crossed without drama, drew 300,000 Burmese kyats and bought a SIM card. Once all was done, it was already past midday when I cycled out of hectic Myawadi and then set off over the mountains. Although the new road was open, the ride remained slow, and the climb steeper than it looked. At least two truck accidents occurred during the day, indicating they were obviously not used to the new, faster road.
Upon reaching the summit, the weather took a turn and I found myself drenched as I descended the mountains. Thankfully, I stumbled upon a guesthouse in the quaint village of Kawkareik. It seemed unlikely that many foreigners ever spent the night in this remote locale. After securing accommodation, I ventured out in search of a meal, feeling like a spectacle in this small town. Despite my hunger, most restaurants were closed as electricity was only available after 6 p.m. Nevertheless, I managed to find some unique local snacks that differed completely from the street food I had encountered in Thailand.
