THAILAND (9.1)521
Kilometres – 43 Days8
April – 20 May 2017
MAP
PHOTOS
8-13
April – Bangkok
Janice
grabbed a taxi to the airport, and at a loss at what to do next, I handed in my
laundry. Bangkok was steaming, resulting in me doing little apart from said laundry.
An elderly lady in a dark and narrow alley operated a few machines under a
makeshift shelter. The entire Soi (lane) was crammed with laundry bags except
for a tiny space where she, seemingly, slept all day and night. On my return, she
hauled out mine from underneath the hundreds of bags. Though given a paper stating
the amount and time, it didn’t indicate any name or number. The slip wasn’t
required, and you can thus understand my slack-jawed surprise as she handed me
my laundry. I’d no idea I was that odd!
The
following day the search was on to find more affordable accommodation and, in
the process, discovered a room at Sleep Inn. It was dirt cheap, and the price
reflected the quality of the rooms. I didn’t complain as it featured a fan,
air-con and a window plus “bathroom inside”. Bargain.
Hanging
out in Bangkok was to wait for a new jockey wheel to arrive, and it was nice to
do absolutely nothing a day or two. Still, I went for my morning jog, which
wasn’t as enjoyable as usual. It could’ve been the heat or the fact I didn’t run
often enough. In the morning, my hamstrings were so tight they were painful. Stopping
in a park to join others doing their stretches brought some relief (not sure
what they made of that).
The
next day my walk to Chinatown took me through the fish market offering its unusual
produce and through the flower market. The building was nice and cool and smelt
divine, especially after the fish market. The vegetable market was equally intriguing
as there’s inevitably produce I’ve never seen.
Chinatown’s
“New Market” wasn’t so new as it had about two decades under its belt but
remained a remarkable place that sold practically anything. Sadly, it became one
more blistering day, and best to return to my humble abode by river taxi. At
least the room was air-conditioned.
By
evening, I opted for a massage to see if it would solve my hamstring problem. Although
it felt miles better afterwards, the pain soon returned.
Most
evenings, I searched out a café where one could’ve a beer and a bite to eat. If
the establishment offered (working) Wi-Fi, it was a bonus an
excellent place to spend a few hours editing photos and updates. But, unfortunately,
I didn’t have the patience to sit long and typically left before all was done.
During
the following days, I searched for interesting snippets and came across the
Holy Rosary Church. The Portuguese built the church in 1786, four years after the
establishment of Bangkok, with a grant from King Rama 1. Sadly, the church was constructed
due to a rift in the Santa Cruz Church in Thonburi. It seemed not even churches
were immune to in-house fighting.
Songkran,
the Thai New Year’s festival held during April, was in full swing. The festival
runs for three days and is celebrated with a water festival. The word “Songkran”,
I understood, came from the Sanskrit word “sakrānti”, literally “astrological
passage”, meaning transformation or change. It coincides with the rising of
Aries on the astrological chart and is celebrated in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar,
and Cambodia.
The
13th was a busy day, as Thais traditionally visited temples to bathe
Buddha statues. The temples were crammed by devotees pouring fragrant water
over rows of Buddha statues, making wishes, and receiving blessings from the
monks. Nearly all businesses were closed, as New Year celebrations, or “Rot Nam
Dam,” are typically celebrated in family members’ company. In general, people return
to their hometowns to spend the day in the company of friends and family.
As
mentioned, Songkran is a water festival, and every man and his dog was equipped
with a water gun. There was no escaping it, as large water containers were
strategically placed for this purpose. The streets were crowded by both Thais
and foreigners, shooting, and throwing water; as a result, there wasn’t a dry
corner in all of Bangkok.
14–28
April – Bangkok - Songkran Festival
A
full-scale war occurred in the alleys as all were armed to the teeth with
plastic water guns. Both
adults and kids were having the time of their lives. It appeared if you give a
grownup a water gun, they instantly turn into kids. The best part of Songkran
is people are out in the streets, laughing and having fun, and not sitting staring
at their phones like zombies. It’s easily the best fun anyone can have.
Once
Songkran was over, I ambled to the amulet market, where trade was based around
tiny talismans. The amulets are purchased mainly by monks, taxi drivers and
anyone who needs good luck. Some are tiny, barely a centimetre or two tall. Vendors
claim some were antique and clients peered through magnifying glasses at the
pieces. The market sold weird voodoo-like looking figurines and I wondered what
they were all about. For apparent reasons, fertility sprung to mind.
My
search for a good spot for night photography didn’t pan out. I eventually returned
to the Gecko Bar, which had become my nightly hangout. I hooked up with Silvia
(from Germany) and Patrick (from India, who lived mainly in England but now in
Spain). The Gecko Bar was
our unofficial meeting point for breakfast or a beer in the evening. There, we
met Jeff, an English chap teaching in Myanmar. I love the diversity of Bangkok.
The
days passed quickly, and shortly after Songkran, a message from Bok-Bok Bike stated
the jockey wheel had arrived. While they serviced the bike, I scanned the
internet for an inexpensive condo to buy but couldn’t find any at the price I’d
in mind. Eventually, I noticed one and contacted the agent. The next day I grabbed
a bus to Jomtien to meet Benn, an agent from Immobilien Pattaya.
I
like the little rabbit hole shown, as it was located close to the beach
(one kilometre) and had a lovely pool. The building was an older one but low
rise with only five storeys. However, the price mostly drew me to this
particular unit. I paid a deposit to secure the sale and held thumbs all would
work out.
28
April - Bangkok – Bang Saen - 80 km
Time
to leave the Big Mango and head south. A task easier said than done. In trying
to avoid main roads, I soon found myself amongst dubious-looking food stalls
and intriguing shrines. April is a hot and dry month in Thailand, but midway to
Bang Saen, the heavens opened. A golf driving range made the perfect shelter,
and in the company of a few motorbikes, we waited out the storm. It lasted
surprisingly long but eventually could be on our way. I followed the signs to Chonburi
and along the coast to Bang Saen Beach, which turned out lovely.
29
April - Bang Saen Beach – Jomtien, Pattaya - 56 km
A
pleasant ride took me to Pattaya, where I first popped into the Immobilien
office. We discussed a few things and I realised it would be a while until all was
in place. But, unfortunately, buying property in Thailand can be a legal
minefield, and I was much at the mercy of the Immobilien company. This wasn’t a
feeling I enjoyed and was understandably uncomfortable and rightly so.
A
bed at Beachspot Hostel became home the next two weeks and where the dorm only had
two beds, and me the lone occupant. Not a bad deal for a dorm with a door to a
balcony overlooking the beach. The place was like a sauna with merely a fan,
but one couldn’t complain about the price.
At
around sunset, I sauntered to the night market, bought a beer from 7-Eleven,
and sat on the beach, enjoying the evening.
30
April - Jomtien
My
morning jog was an immense pleasure on a beach that stretched quite a few
kilometres both North and South. A dip in the ocean made me realise the water
was so warm it could never cool me. Still, I wasn’t complaining and waddled in
the lukewarm water like a contented hippo.
I
was fast learning the Thai ways. A coin-operated laundry allowed doing easy
laundry and the remainder of the morning was spent running the usual errands.
By midday I retreated to the relative cool of my room, only to surface at
around sunset.
1–6
May - Jomtien
Hanging
around Jomtien wasn’t what I wanted to do and was keen to get underway. Still, it
took some time for the condo to be registered in my name. The words condo, flat
or apartment doesn’t describe the unit as it was merely a room. The reasons for
buying it were nevertheless multiple. I felt I needed to secure a more
permanent abode as my money was dwindling super-fast. I thus searched for the
most inexpensive place available as I didn’t want to worry about it not
bringing in an income. Doing this would give me a place to stay (virtually
free) forever (if needed). Thailand further made an excellent central base and was
still one of the few places in the world where foreigners could buy property
(not land).
The
flat was tenanted (something I was thankful for), and there was thus no playing
house-house in my new apartment. Immoblien helped me open a bank account, which
made convenient depositing of the monthly rent. The only problem was the internet
banking password would take two weeks. But, by far, the truly extraordinary
thing was I paid for the unit using my bank card. I’ve never bought a property using
a bank card! Suddenly I was the proud owner of a property in Thailand and, in
one fell swoop, went from traveller to ex-pat!
7
May - Jomtien
The
days passed slowly as I waited to sign the relevant documents at the land
office. In the meantime, I took the ferry to Koh Larn island with Emmy and
Katae from the Immobilien Office. It was a lovely day out, and upon my return,
I ordered a bowl of mushroom soup from a food vendor and enjoyed it sitting on
the sand, watching the sunset.
8
May - Jontiem
The
previous relaxing day must’ve done me good as I was up at 5h30 and pounding the
pavements by 6h00. I even took three minutes off my usual time. Still, no
faster than a crawl, but it made me happy. Afterwards, a swim in the ocean and
coffee on the beach made a perfect start to another marvellous day.
9
May - Jomtien
It’s
pretty amazing how much we experience in a day and how many exciting things we
see if only we have time to reflect. Jogging, I didn’t just see fishing boats return
following a night at sea, but ladies sold whatever was caught during the night.
Food vendors, in turn, sold noodle soup to the fishermen. I stepped carefully
over troubled souls, non-compos mentis upon the pavement, empty bottles beside
them. I jogged past sad-looking ladyboys returning from a night out, shoulders
hunched and high heels in hand, dragging heavily on a cigarette, and past monks
collecting food.
My
route took me past where Thailand played Afghanistan in the Asian Beach
Handball Championships. Later, I signed papers at the Land Office to transfer
the unit into my name. Eating spicy noodle soup and doing laundry in a wastepaper
basket was merely a tiny part of the day.
10–11
May - Jomtien and around
My
daily ride took me off the beaten track, out towards the hills and past the
airport and the turtle conservation centre before returning home—easy cycling
and not far, about 80 kilometres or so. I returned around 3h30, a good time for
coffee and cake.
A
jogger went past while sitting staring into space, and it looked good. I ambled
to my room, donned my running shoes and headed out the door. It was such a good
run; I even went slightly further and ran 11 kilometres instead of my usual 10
kilometres. It wasn’t a great deal further and relatively slow, but still, I
felt remarkably energetic. Maybe I should’ve coffee and cake more often.
12–15
May - Jomtien and around
So
inspired was I by the previous day’s running and cycling I did it again (this
time without the coffee). It turned out quite an exciting day. The weather was overcast
and it drizzled from time to time, making perfect cycling weather.
Most
places in Pattaya turned out fake, like the cultural village and the floating
market. I did, however, come across an unusual, let’s call it, “park”, for lack
of a better word. The area was around a large and beautiful lake, sporting fountains,
manicured
gardens and plenty of temples (wats) and stupas. From there the road continued to
the “Big Buddha Mountain”, which turned out a Big Buddha with a difference, not
a statue but an image carved (lasered) into the side of a mountain, known as
the Khao Chi Chan Buddha. It’s an image of Buddha sitting cross-legged, one
hand resting on his knee and the other in his lap. The image is 109-metre-tall
and 70-metre-wide. I understood the image was designed using computer software
and drawn onto the side of Khao Chi Chan by laser. This was done entirely at
night. During the day, the image was fixed and adjusted, and when completed,
gold was used to fill in the sculpture.
Rain
came gushing down, and I returned to Jomtien for a large plate of green curry.
The
following morning, I emerged with a stiff neck/shoulder and feared I was getting
to the stage of needing a caregiver. It must’ve been a pulled muscle even
though I didn’t swing from any chandeliers. I thus didn’t go for my jog but
took a walk along the ocean. It was a pleasure wandering amongst the boats and anglers.
As no vessel in Asia would ever dream of going out without its prow adorned by colourful
ribbons, sashes, and/or garlands of flowers, they made a colourful sight. It’s
believed numerous spirits and deities watch over the boats and fishers, and the
prows are decorated to respect “Mae Yanang,” a female spirit who resides in the
boat’s body. As Mae Yanang is the goddess of travel, I thought of adorning the
bicycle with these coloured ribbons. My neck pain improved, but still, by
evening, I could barely lift a beer, a real pain in the neck.
16
May - Jomtien
Impatient,
I cycled to the bank to enquire about the password and was told there was one
more form to sign and I wondered why they didn’t inform me? In any event, I wasn’t
going to wait a further week
and cycled to the property agent, paid the transfer fee and gave them a copy of
my bank account to arrange the rental payment.
Finally,
I was ready to make my way out of Jomtien and returned to the dorm, did the
last laundry, and packed up.
17
May - Jontiem – Rayong – 80 km
A
storm came in during the night and by morning, it looked as if a mini typhoon hid
the area. Pot plants, banners and branches were strewn across the street. Still,
the weather didn’t put me off. Under heavy skies, I cycled out of Jomtien and managed
exactly five kilometres before being forced to take shelter. Nevertheless, it
was good back on the bike and amongst simple roadside stands and chasing dogs
(never dreamt I would say such a thing.). The weather looked threatening all day,
and on reaching Rayong, I discovered I’d cycled myself right into the mouth of
the storm. The wind, by then, was storm-strength, and it took clawing onto the
handlebars using all my strength, dodging flying corrugated iron sheets,
plastic tables and chairs. Cycling became downright dangerous, and no good
looking for camping. The Mee Dee Hotel saved me, and it was a relief to be out of
the weather.
18
May - Ranong – Kung Wiman Beach – 101 km
The
weather looked marginally better, making it possible to continue. Everywhere
people were busy cleaning debris from the storm. Branches, trees, but mostly
trash coughed up by the ocean littered my path.
Still,
it turned out a lovely ride, terribly humid but with a good cloud cover and no
rain. A scenic route offering a bicycle path led along the coast, making
enjoyable riding past chicken barbeque and durian stands. It must’ve been
durian season as vendors made and sold surprisingly tasty durian crisps.
My
route spat me out at Kung Wiman Beach, sporting a convenient Wat/temple for
camping. The only problem was the heat and humidity, and the tent instantly
turned into a sauna. There, however, was no other choice but to crawl in as the
mosquitos were eager, giant, and plentiful.
19
May - Kung Wiman Beach – Trat – 98 km
The
heat made a speedy departure, and I thanked the monks and followed a scenic coastal
route. Sadly, the weather was miserable, and rain came pelting down the best
part of the ride. A lady travelling by scooter stopped and handed me a
raincoat. How sweet of her. I’d one but found them too hot. Still, I donned the
raincoat she gave me. My route went past many interesting sights but I only stopped
once to look at mud sculptures. Sopping wet, I rode into Trak and was happy to
find Pop Guesthouse, a lovely set-up with a friendly vibe that came at a budget
price.
20
May - Trat, Thailand – Koh Kong, Cambodia - 106 km
My
unhurried departure was due to pouring rain. At the first break in the weather,
I was out of Trat to cycle the short distance to the Thailand/Cambodian border.
The
section between Trat and the border was exceptionally scenic and offered mountains
and coastal vistas, making enjoyable riding. Unfortunately, it was too wet to
do anything and I pressed onwards.
The
border crossing came with the usual exit and entrance stamps. I pedalled into
Cambodia and onto Koh Kong, the first Cambodian town along the opposite side of
the Koh Poi River.
In
Koh Kong, an inexpensive room gave me a bed and shower. I dressed in dry clothes
and searched for a Cambodian SIM card and food. Both sounded more
straightforward in writing than what it turned out in a country where not much
English was spoken. Mercifully, restaurants generally offered pictures from
which to order as I was hungry and in no mood to flap arms and cackle like a
chicken or snort like a pig.
