5am wedding music................aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh, no comprehension whatsoever of our ride ahead today, the music thumped through the hotel and no one batted an eyelid other than it seems me. Even G seems impervious to the throbbing, wailing and thumping noise that seems to permeate ever molecule of my body...anyway a good ride out and back into the swing of things with a break at 20miles and lunch at 30 then into Sisophon and a Lonely Planet recommended guesthouse, shower, wander, dinner, chat, sleep. A pattern I will become used to I am sure. The only thing to disturb a much needed nights rest were the explosions. Fireworks we assume but from under the sheet difficult to ascertain clearly.
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| She stands proudly over our 4th roundabout in Cambodia..the lady of Sisophon..at a guess |
22nd November - Sisophon to Watthana Nakhon (Thailand) - 47.71 miles - Temperature 47c (53c when not riding!)
A day of 2 halves - the morning spent belting along at an average of 11.2miles an hour in Cambodia and then an afternoon doing the same in Thailand but a tad faster. A change from dollars to baht and I grace the saddle in my second country.
Part one was Sisophon to Poipet on the border of Cambodia and Thailand. This is where the first of a couple of big changes happened within the space of an hour. Developing world to developed. Passport control in Cambodia – a window and no smile. 100 metres further on not only a smile but the man behind the desk mimicked the sounds of machines applying stamps to my passport. Each sound different dependant on the size of the stamp. Clearly he enjoyed his work!
The difference between the 2 nations is as simple as road surface and signage. Oh and now we are on the left. The highway is broad, wide and fast and the hard shoulder is the preserve of cycles and scooters. Oh and when you feel like pulling over in a truck or car just get about 20 metres ahead of us and pull in taking up the entire space so we end up in lane 1 of the highway…
We arrived at in Watthana Nakhon and after some searching (thai alphabet intriguing) found a hotel well off the main road, bikes securely inside, shower and out for a wander. Amazon Café attached to the local petrol station and iced coffee before introducing G to the delights of 7eleven. Now is it me and my advancing age or did we in the UK have 7eleven grace our streets in the 1980’s? I am pretty sure we did, they did not last long but they are in Thailand in force and very very welcome. So if you do remember and it is not my mind playing tricks then please comment…
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| my dream bike he was thinking as he drove past! |
23rd November – Watthana Nakhon to Prachin Buri (with some help!) – 58.73 miles – Temp 47c – Av spd 12.9 – Fastest 24.1 – Ride time 4hrs 32mins
We left at 8.05 and 42 miles later stopped for lunch in Sa Kaew at Groovy’s. That is the most mileage covered before lunch and just goes to show the difference in road surface, you can really blat along, not much chance for conversation as the highways are busy, just head down riding. My knee is playing up, G’s eye was leaking gunk and her knee was out in sympathy with mine so don’t quite know what possessed us to cover such ground but we did. We stopped late afternoon to look at the map, as we had just passed a hotel and it was the first we had seen and a series of events happened that still make me smile.
We were suddenly asked in English if we needed any help. After a brief conversation we were invited into the business of Whoppii (not sure how you spell her name but this is my version). Coke and water followed with a sit down on some of the furniture she sells. The business was just like one I used to work at – cross between a timber yard and furniture manufacturer. After we explained what we were doing and where we had come from our new found host insisted, and I mean insisted, that we travel in her brothers pick up to a town with much better hotels for us than the one we had stopped outside of. Bikes and kit loaded we set off in aircon luxury to Prachin Buri about another 20km from where we had stopped.
I doubt if we would have found the hotel, negotiated the rate, unpacked everything up to the room in the time we did without her help and she left us with a gift from her store. I was amazed at her kindness and thank her immensely for this. It was not cheating really as in the morning we knew we had to go 10km’s north before rejoining our route.
A wander through the night market and purchase of donuts and freshly cooked chicken sorted any aches and pains.
24th November – Prachin Buri to Thanyburi – 57.83miles – Temp hot – Av 10.9 – Max. 19 – Ride time – 5.15hrs
I had an uncomfortable start to the day which delayed setting off proper but after an hour or so the speed and energy was back and we were off. Many drivers tooting and thumbs up, many pick-ups and in fact this is the chosen vehicle in Thailand. If you have money you pimp it up but all are tinted on every glass surface. Our lunch stop in Ongkharak was an amusing show and tell by the owner of food he was serving to other customers and telling us in Thai what it was so we could learn. Then on our second leg the largest grasshopper ever landed on me, in fact hit me and would not depart my shirt until I stopped and forcibly removed it. 3 minutes later had first puncture and being at the neck of the valve means not repairable and will have to find a replacement.
Made the mistake of leaving gloves and helmet on the ground, so spent next 5 mins shaking and picking ants out of all 3 as they bite. As we pulled back off the hard shoulder a driver stopped to give us fresh pineapple. Awesome.
I rode today with the water bottles loaded on the front panniers for the first time, adds weight but much needed so now carrying just under 4 litres on my bike and have mastered the art not only of drinking whilst riding but the more precarious bottle swap over.
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| A big Wat |
The major education points for me in this part of Thailand are pick ups are the mode of choice for transport, U turns happen in the fast lane, car component bling shops line the highways, wood yards and garden centres vie for your attention and the transportation of whole trees seems to be very common practice from sapling to forty foot complete with foliage – all zinging past at 70mph plus.
We are nearing Bangkok and the traffic has definitely got busier and heavier. We spent about an hour trying to find somewhere to sleep tonight and eventually lodged in student digs in Thanyburi. A wander along the street, noodles and 7eleven.
25th November – Thanyburi to Bangkok – 34.04 miles, Av 9.8, Max 20.8, Ride time 3hrs 26mins
Just before I tell you about this next part of the experience I just wanted to point out that the ride time is the time calculated by my onboard computer that the bike is moving. So when we stop for refreshments, lunch or at the countless traffic lights and junctions as we have today it really does not mean that we only did stuff for 3 and a half hours…honest.
We left at 8.15am and by 1pm we were sitting down for lunch in the old part of the City for lunch watching the many back/flash/sad/should know better packers wander past with their myriad of body art and for many the newness of art covered in cling film.
This was a bit of a stress ride for me as this was my first time riding into a major city, so why not pick Bangkok eh! Fortunately my companion takes both my stresses and safety into consideration and is becoming a master at telling me what to do and not to do! There is no forgiveness in Bangkok, on a bike you are the lowest of the low. Buses will nudge you, cars will pull out and stop infront of you and your response is to be patient. I am learning as my natural inclination would be for finger and vocal gesturing my the energy that would use would be fruitless.
We arrived almost without knowing it in the heart of traveller country in Bangkok. Over lunch we met Fed and Daniel from Australia, a bike mechanic from Seattle and a guy from Holland all curious and interested in what we are doing and more importantly why.
We spent an hour or so after lunch looking for accommodation and settled by good fortune at the ‘Secret Garden’ – no an establishment recommended by lonely planet or Footprint but awesome and unspoilt gem near enough to everything but quiet enough so sleep can takeover when needed.
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