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 7 JULY 2008

Thursday July 16^th 2008 Hua Hin to Phetchaburi.

Approx. 66.19k's Average Speed 16.34kph Cycling time 4Hr(s) 03Min. Max speed. 34kph Max temp we recorded 36°C
Terrain: Flat to undulating Road Conditions: Good Overnight Accommodation: $15.50. Standard Very Good. (Cycle Friendly)
Real early start, before dawn saw us on the road with rear lights flashing.. After 10k's or so we stopped for breakfast... The shop next door was feeding the Monks...

A ritual performed each day by Monks is to walk the streets, villages, etc.. with their bowls.. People put rice, etc... in, which they eat before noon – I understand they do not eat solids after midday. The monks do not (except on dangerous ground) wear shoes, also the person offering food, takes off his footwear. It is way beyond the scope of our diaries to extrapolate the dynamics of these rituals.

Saw a guy walking with his bag, just before we stopped for breakfast. Whilst we were eating he walked past – Lee went to see if he would join us.

He said he was walking to Phetchaburi some 40-45K from where we were. He accepted the breakfast but preferred to eat alone – sadly we cannot tell his story.

We are having some difficulty with vehicles travelling the wrong way on the Highway...

Some Trucks, many Cars, Ute's and hundreds of motorcycles pass us each day. We are forced left OR into traffic... As we will not go into traffic lanes, except where no option is available, we end up stopping and waiting until the irate driver(s) pass us... We figure this as the safest option...

We were stopped by the traffic police who wanted to know what our cycling plans were. Lee took the opportunity to ask what we could do about the oncoming vehicle situation?... They said they were policing the problem and had caught one today...

I guess they must have only been there a few seconds.... We got no answers other than they are trying their best.....

We reached our planned destination just before lunch and booked into our Hotel.... It is called “Happy Inn”....

We are happy with the room and price... Not much more at the moment – NO internet available anywhere today... We plan cycling tomorrow then getting transport (of some kind- not sure yet) into Bangkok.. Internet and phone opportunities will improve once we are in BKK..... Catchya Later...
Friday July 17^th 2008 Phetchaburi to Samut Sakhon.
Approx. 86.20k's Average Speed 16.48kph Cycling time 5Hr(s) 14Min. Max speed. 41kph Max temp we recorded 39°C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Good Overnight Accommodation: $10.30. Standard Very, Very Good. (Cycle Friendly)

Hotel Address 99/2 Moo 1 Rama2 Rd near Talay Thai Market Tha Jeen Ampur Muang TEL: 034-425382/3.

We do not usually put the hotel address, however, this one treated us so nice that we felt we should advertise... Almost all cyclists, cycling to BKK will pass this hotel... We recommend it...It comes complete with Huge bathroom with full size bath, air conditioning, CLEAN room with EVERYTHING clean and fresh... Cable TV with English and various other languages. Room service where most meals were one price B38 (About $1.20) At B330 (About $10:15) it is tremendous value...

Remember the price is for the room NOT the number of people using it.... Thailand does not do “Per Person” rates... Your home country(s) may do it to YOU, when you book with a travel agent – we NEVER book with a travel agent. (We rarely book hotels wherever we travel – unless there is a compelling reason).

We started fairly early, however got nowhere fast today... At breakfast we met a couple from Uttaradit. Both are teachers with the male a Headmaster..

They run a “Homestay” in Uttaradit (North-east Thailand) with rooms available $4.75 for a Fan Room and $7.75 for Air Conditioning. Apparently many cyclists drop by, including Australians.

The reason I said “nowhere fast” earlier, is the time we spent with this nice family. We were there about one and a half hours.....After breakfast we cycled on through some rather boring countryside... We stopped at a garage (Toilets here) to use their facilities and check the shop for specials on water – we found 1 Doz.. 600ml bottles at $1.50 so stocked up... Our water usage is phenomenal. Here at the garage we met another couple, they invited us to their home and we were treated to Thai hospitality, with fruit and water.

They asked us to stay with them, - despite them being truly nice warm people, we had only covered about 18 k's... So we declined... Under other circumstances we may have abandoned the days ride and stayed there, however, we need to spend the weekend in BKK with Lee's close friend Osara... Called simply “O”.
Cycling on and now well into the afternoon we were curious as to why there were police every few hundred metres... We were eventually pulled over and told to get off the road – as was ALL other traffic. Odd to see a main artery in Thailand completely free of traffic. We found out the King's daughter was returning from Hua Hin and to prevent “terrorist” activity they simply clear the road completely and check all the verges.. Sadly we did not get to see her, as her car was travelling so fast it was just a blur.

Delayed once again we resumed our ride.. The reason I said the countryside was boring is because it is a flat “salt pan”... Salt is harvested as it rises to the surface, bagged, and marketed on the side of the road, plus, of course elsewhere..

It costs anywhere from $0.25c per kilo. At first I thought it was rice they were selling, until I looked closer.... Here is the “Motel/Hotel” from the front, well maintained gardens.....

The view from the back door of our room is just as nice...

Not much more for today.... So Catchya Later.....
Saturday July 18^th 2008 Samut Sakhon to Sukhomvit Soi 50 Bangkok.
Approx. k's Average Speed kph Cycling time Hr(s) Min. Max speed. kph Max temp we recorded °C
Terrain: Flat Road Conditions: Good Overnight Accommodation: $. Standard . (Cycle Friendly)

We are not cycling through the centre of Bangkok, for reasons previously stated in our diaries... Right now we are 30-40 k's from our destination – an easy ride under normal circumstances. At about 2pm our friend Osara will pick us up in her ute... Until then we are in our room... We are supposed to check out by 12 noon, however, according to their brochure, late check out is available at a charge of $1.90 per hour - very reasonable for an air conditioned “wait” when “one” has no options.

Our intention is to remain in BKK for a “few days”. Not too long as the severe pollution aggravates Lee's Asthma terribly. Catchya Later....

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