On Koh Samui we made the big decision to abandon a Vietnam New Years and push on to India. We were getting frustrated with the slow pace - it seemed at times we were staying extra days in a place just to spend the time so we could make it at the right time to Vietnam. We worked out we could make it to India still travelling the same route where we would meet mum and Tom (older brother).
We set off from Samui and quickly learnt we weren't going to be able to catch a boat to Surathanni, instead having to go back to Donsak, 80km south of Surathanni. We stayed the night there and instead planned to make up the kms the next day with a big push up the coast line. The sun rose and so did the boys. We rose to the challenge of 142kms into the howling Thai wind on 46kg bikes, arriving in Tha Chana shortly before sun down. The large distance meant we were riding through the forests past temples at 5pm, prime snake time. Two snakes narrowly missed our train. Fortunately they appeared more scared of us than we were of them although we were fairly unenthused by their presence. The roads were so long and straight I found time to make a call home to Patrick while cycling. It was quite a novelty being on the other side of the world, cycling a back road, and talking to a friend back in New Zealand. Tha Chana promised little more than a place to stay, a passable IBT we hoped. It was much more than that. We had to ask a lady for directions to a hotel. She spoke no english and instead indicated we follow her on her scooter. She took us through town (and what a town it was!) to a great hotel which cost 380 Baht per night complete with water filter and aircon. The town was alive with a weekly market. We endulged in all the local treats. Fried tofu in seasame and chilli, Thai pancakes with egg and condensed milk, deep fried vegetable sandwiches, and samosa style pastry pockets were on the menu along with an odd salted pineapple smoothie.
The market at Tha Chana, a classic IBT.
The next day was a big one too. More than 120kms were covered to Chumphon, a town known for being an access point to Koh Tao. The day was painful. A constant long straight on the side of the main highway, wind strong and blowing around us. Sometimes it was behind us but predominantly we had a swirling side wind. Any cyclist knows this isn't a fun condition to ride in. With a great local street food market we enjoyed some amazing local food and sipped a cold Singha that night to celebrate knocking off 270kms in two days.
A typical Thai temple
From Chumphon we cycled to Ban Hin Kong, a small seaside town 103kms in the direction of the capital. We struggled to find accomodation and, at 5pm, were forced to take on another 10kms to make sure we found a roof over our head. The town had nothing in the way of tourism (which was actually really nice). We managed to order a papaya salad and sticky rice each at a local restaurant. The two ladies working there were completely bemused by our presence. They took photos with us and seemed to enjoy the novelty of having us there. The locals outside tourist spots were always so nice and so genuine. Too often in the main tourist centres the only interactions with locals is about money. In these spots you have genuine interactions and those moments are the most special of the trip.
Prachuap was the next stop up the coast. It was actually a really lovely town. A town on the beach that had some elements of Seatoun (for all you Wellington readers) in it. The town was based around a monastery on the hill and the beach. We decided to climb the many steps to the monastery to get an arial perspective of the town. The rock towered above us like Amon Sul, commonly known as Weathertop, a far reaching outpost of the Numeanor empire. Crows circled the dilapidated structure, a loose piece of iron from the run down 'Hollywood' style sign flapped in the breeze, creaking and groaning. The place was overrun with Monkeys who were engaged in a territorial war. We struggled through the conflict and to the top of the eerie structure to overlook the town. The fight escalated to the point where even the monks with sticks fled the scene like Nazgul engulfed in flames with their orange robes billowing behind them as they ran. Dear lord we were afraid but we got out. Dark forces operated there.
The evil monkey watch tower
The harrowing experience gave way to the typical Thai evening market experience. The next day we rode to Hoi Hin. At 9 30 in the morning we set off. We had 100kms to cover before 1pm if we were to make it for the All Blacks game. It was a tall order, given the nature of the bikes. With a slight tail wind and a cracking pace we were checked in, showered, fed, and with beer in hand at an Irish pub by 1 30 pm to catch the entirety of the great match. Hoi Hin is the expat capital of Thailand. It certainly felt like we had made it out of South Thailand and were closing in on the capital. Once a holiday location for the King, Hoi Hin has developed into a modern playground for the wealthy living in Thailand. There is little you can't get and it caters well for westerners.
Bangkok was 200kms away at that stage. The next day we rode through one of the most uninspiring pieces of land on the planet. It wasn't helped by our headwind that we battled but the scenery was certainly poor. Shrimp farms that had dried out and left a pungent smell of rotting fish spread as far as you could see. The day was grey and the land was too. It was all a bit bleak. I got to one stage on the ride, hungry from lack of food, where I just sat up and yelled "This place is a disgrace to the earth!". A little bit extreme but I wasn't feeling good at the time. It was a war of attrition and it felt like we were slipping. A good lunch later and the roads changed. They started twisting and turning (extremely long straights are soul destroying on a bike, particularly into a headwind) and we made a big turn to the east and Bangkok. After a small mechanical (Sean hit a nail blowing the tire) we made it to Samut Songkram, a market town that supports tourists who leave Bangkok briefly to see the countryside and explore the floating markets. We enjoyed great food there from an extensive market on the railway track and through the streets. It rained like it had never rained before that night.
The local market. It was difficult moving between stores in the pouring rain
When we awoke it arrived. The day we were to ride into Bangkok. For me this was special. Bali to Bangkok. It really felt significant. Bangkok was also the first place I ever went overseas so it holds a special place in my heart. I was most excited to be heading back there with Sean and Arthur to show them the little I know about the city of 13 million people. Riding into said city was slightly less exciting and slightly more daunting. We rode the backroad as long as we could and then had to join the main road, a 4 lane each way monster. A few times we found ourselves having to cross high speed lanes to avoid exits and stay on track. With a roaring tailwind we were able to travel faster which actually made things far safer. The faster you go the more time cars have to see you and the easier it is to cross lanes. After a good few hours slog we got onto another back road, one that we road all the way to the Temple of the Dawn on the edge of the river through Bangkok. I had the biggest smile on my face. We had ridden into the largest city in South East Asia! It's very hard to describe that feeling.
With the hard work done (770kms in 7 days) we had a few days set aside to get our visas arranged for the next few countries and take in the sights of Bangkok. What a week it had been and what a week we were about to have!
The Temple of the Dawn on the day we arrived
