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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