Leaving Bangkok

I am leaving Bangkok today and heading for Aranyapratet on the eastern side of Thailand and then join a group of senior cyclists riding to Nong Khai. I am looking forward as I have been inactive for about a week already. Nothing is certain on a journey like this and sometimes things just fall in place.




After Nong Khai I head to Vientianne and then north to Luang Prabang and if all goes well enter China at Boten and head for Kunming. But then again nothing is certain.

I miss home and all my friends in PJ . You know how to get in touch with me, so let's hear from you too. Cheers and take care.

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Me and Mike from South Africa at Velo Bicycle outlet in Samsen Rd Bangkok

Staying on in gloomy Bangkok

Monday, 17 th October 2011

We checked out of the hotel in Samsen Rd ; Din heading back home and for me it will be a few days before I can be sure of what to do. I cannot cycle out to the north as the road leading out is still impassable and I hope I don't have to wait too long. I am lucky to have Somchai who is willing to put me up for a few days till I am able to resume cycling.




I have sent my bicycle to this shop in Samsen to have it serviced and checked so it is not a total waste of time. I may even need to change some parts.











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Petchaburi -maybe 2 days to Bangkok

We left Hua Hin quite late, later and later by the day and it is not helping us gain kilometers. We really must be up early to be able to ride comfortably in the cool. You see, that's what happens when you travel with a partner. If your partner likes to sleep and get up late, you just can't leave him behind.
When I continue from Bangkok I shall be alone and from then I can leave as early or as late as I like.


We also went to the seaside to check out the happenings there and Din decided to take a ride on one of the horses that is provided to visitors on the beach. Hua Hin is a vibrant city with a large foreign community especially from the west. I also noticed that many of the 'white' men are married to local women. Such associations I find very common in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and to a certain extent in Malaysia and Indonesia.
The other noticeable feature is that these foreign visitors or tourists from the west are mostly middle - aged and 80 percent of them are excessively obese .Many of them find it difficult even to walk short distances. It is very different with the Japanese. Wherever you go you meet Japanese ladies or men young and old very small and petite and neat, trim and proper.My Japanese friend, Nishimura, in PJ will tell you why.


Hua Hin also boasts of luxury hotels like the Hilton , Sofitel, Marriott and others.And to top it all you can hire luxury yachts and sail the seas.

Leaving Hua Hin we had to get back on the same way we came in for more than 20 km before we were back on the highway to Bangkok. In other words we cycled an extra 50 km just to be in Hua Hin but it was well worth it. It rained for some ten minutes along the way but that was no excuse for arriving late in Petchaburi . We reached it at about 7.00 pm local time, which is 8 pm Malaysian time and it was already dark. We somehow managed to find a 'cheap' hotel along the Highway leading to Bangkok. We did not go into town as we were not sure how far it was -we don't want to cycle more than required, at least for today.


To those who are wondering about not seeing pictures in my blog will have to wait a little longer. I promise to post many pictures when I get to Bangkok. And to those who post comments, too, need to wait for me to respond. This 'old man' is still learning how to use this ' new toy.'

Bangkok is still about 200 km away and tomorrow we have about 100 km to ride. Poor me. Cheers to all.

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Prachup Khiri Khan to Hua Hin

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Left Prachup Khiri Khan around 10.00 am and hit the highway towards Hua Hin about 92 km away. It was very hot all the way and we had to make several stops for drinks. It is the hottest day so far and it really drained our energy. 25 km from Hua hin we passed a town that has a structure (building) that is made in the shape of a pineapple. The building must be the biggest replica of the pineapple in the world. It is at least 6 to 7 stories in height and it must be the office of the agricultural dept. We reached Hua Hin around 5pm and called 'Gai' , the sweet Thai lady (girl) who was with the group of Big Bikers in Chumpon. She came to meet me and Din and checked us into a comfortable hotel and also took us out ( in a tuk tuk) to dinner at a muslim eating stall, at a very large area, where there were many eating stalls serving many kinds of food including western fare besides Thai dishes. We had seafood tomyam, kangkong belachan and a chicken dish that were all very tasty but it was very 'hot' because we didn't specify that we prefer a milder version. She paid for everything. Our stay in Hua Hin was sponsored by the Malaysian Big Bikers that we met in Chumpon a few days ago. God bless them. I am indeed grateful.

Hua Hin is quite a big place by the sea and there are lots of tourists and foreigners who have made the place their home. I have not seen much of the place but it is similar to Penang.
Bangkok is still about 250 km away and I really can't say when we will reach it.

Chumpon and northwards

Sunday 9th October 2011


Going for breakfast to what must be the only muslim restaurant in town we were pleasantly surprised to meet 5 Bikers (motorcycle Big Bikers). 4 of whom were Malaysians going for breakfast to the same place. All were excited to meet at a most unlikely place and to think that that the bikers took only a day or two to reach Chumpon while Din and I took 12 days to reach the same place. They were in Chumpon taking part in some motor show and from the way they were dressed, they looked awsome in their leather outfits. Among them was a lady rider Nor Zaridah (Lady Biker) from Jitra, Kedah. She also has a place in Surrey, England. Then there's Olaf Bartelsen from Norway ; Mohd Said bin Johari from Sungai Udang; Sanglee, a Director of Bike Riders Sdn Bhd; and Azizan Mat who must be the leader of the group. I believe he is a Dato' or Datuk. He is the former Political Secretary to Tan Sri Kadir Sh Fadzir. And best of all the group was in the care of a gsweet young Thai lady Naruemon (Gai) . We all had nasi goreng udang for breakfast and and it goes without saying that Din and I had a free breakfast. Thank you guys for the sweet memories. I hope to be seeing Naruemon (Gai) when I get to Hua Hin where she stays. She's supposed to play host to us, if I am right.


We finally left Chompon at 11.30 by the coastal road as we wanted to experience the rural areas and avoid the highway. While the roads were mostly quiet, the beaches and the sea were beautiful and inviting. We actually travelled more kilometers than intended and failed to reach our intended destination. We made a number of wrong turns and had to backtrack losing precious time and distances. We moved on and ended in Amarit, 6 km away in the opposite direction. Here again we had to stay in a Motel that looked like a garage. Well, at least we had a roof over our head.


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A Rest Day In Chumpon

Saturday 8th October 2011

Breakfast was at (Tum's) place where his wife Sani Suwansiri also runs a Florist shop. Interestingly the flowers are from Cameron Highlands. Most of the morning, Tum's daughter helped me out with my email and tried to post pictures in my blog. We didn't completely succeed though.



Din who was having a bad toothache the last few days had his tooth pulled out and as it rained in the afternoon we did nothing but rested in the room.

At 4.15 pm Din and I rode to the beach which is about 15km from Chumpon. The beach is very similar to that found in the East Coast of Malaysia and it is a favourite among the locals and some westerners who can spend several days just lazing around. Thailand has such a long coastline and the many beautiful islands around it that it is a favourite among holidaymakers who find them very affordable. We didn't spend too long on the beach as we had to rush back to town for dinner with our friends.


We had a sumptuous dinner hosted by my generous Thai friends and I am indeed indebted to them.

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Chumpon

We reached Chompon just as it got dark and headed for my friend's house, but unfortunately Somchai had moved to Bangkok. I know Somchai from 2008 when I was in Chumpon on my cycling attempt to Beijing . I however lost contact with him and when I get to Bangkok I hope to see him again. We then went to Wirayuth's (Tum's)place and was really glad to see him, his wife and daughter who is back from Bangkok for the school vacation. Wirayuth and Somchai are cycling friends and so are Anucha and Teerapol .They were In Malaysia cycling last year but unfortunately were unable to get in touch with me. Meeting these nice people again was indeed a happy occasion.There were lots of stories to tell and catching up to do. All Thais have nicknames, eg. Virayuth Suwansiri is Tum, his wife Sani is Ni and his daughter Pikjira is Ai.

Din and I then checked into Suriwong Hotel nearby and after a simple dinner settled in for the night. We plan to stay here for two days.

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Tha Chana to Chumpon

We left Baan Suan Lee Homestay around 10am with a heavy heart because we were so comfortable and well taken care of by Pongsiri and her helpers who made us feel so at home. Even her mother who lived across the road came over to bid us safe journey. She even gave us some 'dokong' fruit picked from her tree for us to take along.After a breakfast of toast, omelette and coffee we left for Chumpon. We had about 115km to ride and we knew it was going to be a hard day.

It was very hot most of the way and we kept to the routine: stopping whenever we felt tired or needed food and refreshments.The km markings along the way seemed to pass ever so slowly as the day wore on, but we persisted and eventually 10 km before Chumpon we found renewed energy and the final 1 km was a real breeze.

I was in Chumpon in 2008 on my cycling attempt to Beijing and I have some friends here .I made a beeline to my friend's (Mr Somchai) House in town but unfortunately he had moved to Bangkok for some work and would only be back at the end of the month. Luckily I also have other friends here and managed to meet some of them before checking in into a hotel. We ehchanged news of things that happened in the 3 years that we were not in contact and would meet again the next day . We decided to stay in Chumpom for two nights before moving on as we really need to recover, especially physically.

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Tha Chana to Chumpon

We left Baan Suan Lee Homestay around 10am with a heavy heart because we were so comfortable and well taken care of by Pongsiri and her helpers who made us feel so at home. Even her mother who lived across the road came over to bid us safe journey. She even gave us some 'dokong' fruit picked from her tree for us to take along.After a breakfast of toast, omelette and coffee we left for Chumpon. We had about 115km to ride and we knew it was going to be a hard day.

It was very hot most of the way and we kept to the routine: stopping whenever we felt tired or needed food and refreshments.The km markings along the way seemed to pass ever so slowly as the day wore on, but we persisted and  eventually 10 km before Chumpon we found renewed energy and the final 1 km was a real breeze.

I was in Chumpon in 2008 on my cycling attempt to Beijing and I have some friends here .I made a beeline to my friend, Mr Somchai's house in town but unfortunately he had moved to Bangkok for some work and would only be back at the end of the month. Luckily I also have other friends here and managed to meet some of them before checking  into a hotel. We exchanged news of things that happened in the 3 years that we were not in contact and would meet again the next day . We decided to stay in Chumpon for two nights before moving on as we really need to recover, especially physically.



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Surat Thani to Tha Chana

WE left Surat Thani around 11am not quite sure where our next stop would be. We just continued cycling by watching the highway signs and on some occasions had to ask the the locals to make sure we were on the right route. Whenever we felt tired or needed a rest we always look out for the 711 store sign that are also at the petrol stations. There you have the toilets, 711 store, eating stalls and rest areas. On some occasions when the weather looked like it was going to rain, we had to make adjustments to our panniers to make sure it would not get wet if it rained. The petrol stations/711 stores are around 10 or 15 km apart ,so you don't need to worry about going hungry and going without food or drink.

I had my second puncture on this journey some 50 km after leaving Surat Thani and instead of patching up the tube I used a new spare tube that I bought in Hatyai. I would patch up the punctured tube when I stop for the night.

When it was getting late and we were not sure of our stop for the night, we saw a sign that says 'Homestay Resort' 10km. ,and true enough we found the place just as it was getting dark. The place is about 10km from Tha Chana and it is run by a lady ,Pongsiri, a mathematics teacher who just retired a few months ago. The place is a very nice bungalow with two rooms upstairs and a room downstairs. She has two helpers who keep the place spick and span. She serves very good food but be sure to indicate your preference ,or you'd get very hot and spicy dishes that can see steam coming out of your head.

If you are at her place during the fruit season there would be plenty enjoy, like durians, mangosteen dokong ,'chempedak' and others. She also plants her own vegetables without useing insecticide or chemical fertilizers. In other words it is organic by nature.

Travellers passing the area should check out the place, you certainly won't regret it.

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Surat Thani to Tha Chana

WE left Surat Thani around 11am not quite sure where our next stop would be. We just continued cycling by watching the highway signs and on some occasions had to ask the the locals to make sure we were on the right route. Whenever we felt tired or needed a rest we always look out for the 711 store sign that are also at the petrol stations. There you have the toilets, 711 store, eating stalls and rest areas. On some occasions when the weather looked like it was going to rain, we had to make adjustments to our panniers to make sure it would not get wet if it rained. The petrol stations/711 stores are around 10 or 15 km apart ,so you don't need to worry about going hungry and going without food or drink.



When it was getting late and we were not sure of our stop for the night, we saw a sign that says 'Homestay Resort' 10km. ,and true enough we found the place just as it was getting dark. The place is about 10km from Tha Chana and it is run by a lady ,Pongsiri, a mathematics teacher who just retired a few months ago. The place is a very nice bungalow with two rooms upstairs and a room downstairs. She has two helpers who keep the place spick and span. She serves very good food but be sure to indicate your preference ,or you'd get very hot and spicy dishes that can see steam coming out of your head.


If you are at her place during the fruit season there would be plenty enjoy, like durians, mangosteen dokong ,'chempedak' and others. She also plants her own wegetables without useing insecticide or chemical fertilizers. In other words it is organic by nature.

Travellers passing the area should check out the place, you certainly won't regret it.

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Thung Song and Northwards

Tuesday 4th October 2011

Thung Song: Breakfast at Shareef Restaurant (a muslim restaurant run by ladies). Owned by Chalor Srisuksai, tel:075-420442 mobile:089-4741754. Food suits most Malaysians though 'chilli' hot with most dishes. It may seem strange to us but even for breakfast iced water is served alongside your order. Seldom do you see Thais having coffee or tea.

We left Thung Song around 10.30 and headed for Ban Na San a town about 100km away and about 60 km to Surat Thani. After about1 hour of riding we stopped for a drink at a roadside stall and without any warning the sky opened up and it started to rain heavily. We could do nothing but to wait out till the rain stopped. Unfortunately the rains persisted and although it was very light it continued for about three and a half hours. We continued cycling after the rain stopped, for about three hours, when it started to get dark. We managed to find a motel in the middle of some obscure rubber holdings. From the outside the Motel looked more like a row of garage for trucks but on a closer look what looked like the back wall of the garage, a door opens to a room complete with TV and air-conditioning,a toilet, and to top it all a condom is available on the bedside table,' he he'. Once checked  in a blind is pulled down to hide whoever or what vehicle is parked there. Apparently the place is just right for those who want to get 'lost' for a while.

WE were charged 300 baht for it, but when leaving the place in the morning, the sign outside says 250 for air-con and 150 for fan. Suckers.

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Patthlung to Thung Song

Monday 3rd October2011

Patthlung: Out to town looking for breakfast when approached by a man on motorcycle. Recognising us as foreign cyclists,Slipcahai Paichit(59) helped to take us to a muslim eating place. Slipachai is a trader selling plastic bags for food and he is also an avid cyclist owning a mountain bike and a touring bike. Joining us for breakfast and a chat, he belongs to a local cycling club and in November 60 of its members will travel in 7 trucks to Chiang Mai with their bicycles and then cycle all the way down to Songkhla. The journey will take 10 days and it is part of the King's birthday celebration. Slipachai has a son and two daughters and five grandchildren.

We left Patthalung around 10am for Thung Song ang once on the highway its back to the familiar conditions: almost straight and flat except for hill 23 km from Thung Song, not quite 'Bukit Berapit' but tough enough for someone who had cycled for 8 days.

No incidents with the bikes but made several 'rest' stops and twice due to rain. At one stop for a drink I spoke to one sweet young lady manning the sundry shop adjoining a dress and a hair saloon. She runs all the three operations all by herself. She also takes care of her two children one boy (3) and a girl (1). It is really admirable for one so young (24) playing so many roles. Her husband is a sales personnel working in Bangkok.

We finally reached Thung Song around 6.30pm and managed to find a hotel.It was difficult finding halal food so we ended up with 'murtabak'. I had an early night as the body just shuts down. No fixed destination tomorrow. We'll just have to keep pedalling.


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Hatyai to Patthalung

Left Hatyai at 9am local time and getting out of town was quite slow with heavy traffic and having to go through the several traffic lights at several junctions before you get on to the highway. Once on the highway all went smoothly.

Being a Sunday most places along the way were closed except for a few family-run 'coffee shops' and noodle stalls. Again the route was almost straight with a wide m/cycle and bicycle lane and no toll booths anywhere.

'Din' had another (4th) puncture at km 55 about halfway to Patthalung.We were lucky that it happened near a family-run warung so we managed to patch the puncture (a basin of water was provided by the lady manning the 'warung ' to detect the hole without much problem. We now consider ourselves 'experts' mending punctures.

From km54 to km51 we passed no less than 50 stalls selling pineapple fruits. Heaps of pineapples and whole fruits cut in half are displayed at all the stalls. Each fruit sells for 100 Bhat each. This must be a pineapple growing region. Interestingly all the stalls are manned by ladies. I wonder why.

We reached Patthalung around 5 p.m and managed to find a hotel run by a husband and wife team. Again hearing of my arduous journey, we were given a small discount. The place doesn't have much to offer tourists but the area surrounding it boasts of a captivating inland lake and a heaven for birdwatching. We are not rushing and tomorrow we head to Thung Son.


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In Prachup Khiri Khan.

Tuesday 11th Octiber 2011

Left Motel (19 km from Thap Saphe) at around 9.30 am and as we were back on the highway all were quite straightforward. We were again delayed for one hour due to the rain and after that,having cycled for about 70 km we reached the beautiful seaside town of Prachap Khiri Khan. Through the Tourist Information Centre we were guided to a very pleasant hotel by the beach (with a beautiful view of the bay). We were on the 4th floor and you have to be here to really enjoy the scenery.

Although we reached here early (around 3.30 pm) I was too tired to explore the places featured in the golssy tourist brochures. Anyway I also had a bit of washing do.

The seafront is quite similar to what we have in the the Esplanade and Padang Kota (Elizabeth Walk) in Penang.. There is also a lookout point on a small hill nearby that gives a panoramic view of the bay.

Dinner was some tomyam and seafood by the beach stalls and then to bed.Tomorrow to Hua Hin. Goodnite.

Across the Border

Friday30 Sept 2011
After b'fast at the Hotel in Changlun, we started at 9am with a photo shoot by a Cycling Asia photographer beginning with my preparation before cycling until I started cycling the stretch right up to the border complex at Bukit Kayu Hitam. We only parted ways when I cleared Thai Immigration and cycled on.


As it was almost noon, we had an early lunch at Danok on the Thai side. You get the same kind of fare as in Malaysia and you can even pay in Malaysian ringgit. The only setback is The Ringgit is now weaker than the Thai Bhat as compared to three months ago.


The route to Hatyai from Danok is about 60 km,almost straight all the way,
and the gentle undulating terrain all the way can be quite boring and monotonous. The plus side is, roads in Thailand have lanes for motorcycles and bicycles and most drivers are courteous towards cyclists. Like Malaysia, roads in Thailand have improved a great deal over the last 30 odd years but unlike Malaysia Thais don't pay as much toll as we do. But they pay a much higher price for petrol.
We reached Hatyai at 4.30pm and many tour buses from Malaysia are seen all
over town and especially at the usual hotels frequented by Malaysians like the Lee Gardens Hotels. We may not cycle tomorrow as our systems really need a rest.

Changlun

Thursday 29th Sept. 2011
We left 'My Hotel' at 8.30 am with a light breakfast and after 6 km passed the town of Sungai Petani. The town has developed quite a bit over the years and a huge shopping complex sits right in the centre of town. The old familiar clock tower still stands majestically on its main street. The route to Alor Star is also quite pleasant except for the scorching heat from the sun.

While taking a break at a bus stop( shelter) after Gurun, I stopped a young cyclist (Ng See Chun,24) from KL also cycling to Alor Star.The young man has quit his job to go cycling around Malaysia. While his father is very much against it, his mother who is also an active Hasher and trekker is very supportive of his ideas. he also has an aunt in Melaka who has gone backpacking almost around the world. He has also met another cyclist who also quit his job to go cycling for several months. The guy ended up marrying a girl from a far away place from home. You can check these to at: Facebook: seejun@hotmail.com and www.zahariz.wordpress.com.We had lunch at Alor Star after which we parted ways.
After Alor Star we continued to Jitra and while the distance travelled was not that far the journey seemed endless. We pushed on until we reached Changlun. Given a choice I would rather cycle on a winding road than a straight one because on a straight road you can see for many kilometers without seeing your destination.
I stopped at the Jitra Police Station hoping to see some of the police personnels who rode with me to the border during my ride in 2008 but to my disappointment none of them are still serving in Jitra. Some have been promoted and posted to a new place.No more active cyclists in the police force in Jitra. What a shame.
We found a hotel 'T Hotel' right across the police station to stay the night.

Tomorrow we ride to Bukit Kayu Hitam and cross over to Thailand.