Thailand Page 18/Mal & Lee

Dedicated to a wonderful Mother Jean Noble 31/5/1929 - 20/8/2007 - may we never take our mothers for granted. - Goodbye Mum

THAILAND PAGE 18 NOVEMBER 2008

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Prices in Aussie Dollars

“PEELING BACK THE LAYERS” - has now finished, as we have resumed cycling.

Thursday December 4th Nam Phong to Khao Suan Kwang
Approx. 36.00k's Average Speed 13.46kph Cycling time 2Hr(s) 40Min. Max speed. 48kph Max temp we recorded 28°C
Terrain: Hilly Road Conditions: Good Overnight Accom: (300B) $13.50. Standard, Clean family resort. (Free Coffee)

We hit a few small hills today and on one occasion was down to 4kph... Again this major artery is mostly uneventful, a little noisy occasionally from the trucks.

Today was watermelon country, loads of all colours shapes and sizes everywhere, We stopped and got some of this delicious food....

Little else to show today so Catchya Later...

Friday December 5th Khao Suan Kwang to Udon Thani
Approx. 76.87k's Average Speed 14.54kph Cycling time 5Hr(s) 17Min. Max speed. 40kph Max temp we recorded 28°C
Terrain: Quite Hilly Road Conditions: Very Good Overnight Accom: (500B) $22.00. Standard, Aek Udon Hospital apartments

HAPPY 81^st BIRTHDAY TO THE KING OF THAILAND

We did not intend cycling to Udon as we felt it was pushing it as far as distance, however, the two resorts we called in at around 55 k's were too yucky to contemplate... Very Cheap at 200 Baht (About $9.00) however, we decided we would look for better. We knew the Aek Udon international Hospital had excellent rooms with Cable TV etc.. etc.. at 350 Baht + We found they were full and only had the more expensive Air Con rooms left.. Absolutely no need for Air Con in this part of Thailand Dec/Jan... Rarely gets over 28°C with a low down to 10°C on occasion. Being the kings birthday, many Thais have descended on Udon for the celebrations. It took us 30 minutes to get the last 100 metres to the hospital as we were diverted at the last second...

Seems strange cycling up a multi-storey car park, but that is just what we did... Bikes now safely parked under the watchful eye of 24hr security.

NEXT DAY.... We called in the famous markets, near the railway station... It is simply impossible to describe this place, the sheer variety of local food is astounding..... Lee always seems to catch me off guard... I think she actually delights if photographing me in a variety of poses... I will post this one – and only this one :-)

We are just about to eat a lunch/dinner... The lady behind is cooking for us... I have come to love Asian style food, and we both love, a predominantly vegetarian cuisine... As we cannot realistically become vegetarian whilst on the road, we do eat eggs and fish... When absolutely stumped we will reluctantly eat other animals... Both hope that when this cycling is over, to become total vegetarians.

We will stay here one day two nights, to do our preparation for Laos... Catchya Later.....

Sunday December 7th Udon Thani
Approx. 76.87k's Average Speed 14.54kph Cycling time 5Hr(s) 17Min. Max speed. 40kph Max temp we recorded 28°C
Terrain: Quite Hilly Road Conditions: Very Good Overnight Accom: (500B) $22.00. Standard, Aek Udon Hospital apartments

We remained one more day, On Saturday I attempted to repair our stove, unfortunately it is beyond a repair job. It needs a new “generator” at about $10.00 – of course they are not available here and getting someone to get us one from Perth is impossible to communicate.... So, we got a temporary solution for about $35.00 all up.

We are packed and ready to start for the border tomorrow. We may be off line for a while – we just don't know. However, we are still contactable on our phone – in an emergency. Catchya Later..........

Monday December 8th Udon Thani within 15ks Vientiane LAOS
Approx. 79.76k's Average Speed 14.66kph Cycling time 5Hr(s) 26Min. Max speed. 34kph Max temp we recorded 29°C
Terrain: Undulating Road Conditions: Very Good Overnight Accom: (72,000 Lao Kip) $13.50 Standard, VERY Poor

It is late and we are now in Laos... Our cardboard cutout, showed us the way from our apartment :-)

Along the road, there are mileage markers, approx every kilometre, they are both an indicator of distance and a safety mesure. If you are broken down or lost. Simply tell the tourist police the detail on the side FACING the road.. They will soon be with you.

Someone has made a HUGE one.... You can just see the front of a car, bottom left, to give some idea of it's size.

We did not intend crossing the border today, however, we were so disgusted with the greed at the available accommodation options near the border, we decided to cross in the dark. We have both been to Laos a few times and knew what to expect..

Here we are cycling across the AUSSIE funded and built “Friendship Bridge”,

One is not supposed to cycle across, however, we were just too big for a bus – so they let us :-). Chatting with the friendly immigration guy, he said they have let a few “diamond frame” bikes cycle across recently – it seems it depends on who enforces the rules.

Well that's it for Thailand... I am not going to attempt a synopsis of Thailand tonight... It's just not possible... See you in Laos

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