Sawasdee Khap Thailand

A sudden change in destination certainly changed my plans. However, I have long wished to cycle again in Thailand so I guess wishes do come true.

In Jakarta, I had only a day to find a cycle shop, obtain an bicycle box, pack Bobbie and be ready to fly early the next day. These folk at NDF cycles provided the box and helped me dismantle Bobbie and pack her for the flight.

As always I am relieved and delighted when all of my baggage arrives simultaneously and safely in the destination airport

I arrived in Bangkok with no idea of my itinerary. For peace of mind I booked in the NapPark Hostel in Khao San where I had stayed before, so at least I had an idea of the location and area. Of course getting there means assembling Bobbie and cycling 34 kms through the early evening traffic and a threatening thunderstorm. I remember, on my previous visit, thinking that Bangkok traffic is crazy, very busy. That is true, but this time I have experience of the traffic in Indonesia. I now marvel at the wide roads and careful drivers in Bangkok especially the trucks and buses.

When I cycle I have a routine, that I call Plan B, that I follow towards the end of every day:

• Bed – Find a place to sleep
• Bobbie – ensure Bobbie is safe and secure
• Body – Shower and put on dry clothes.
• Beer – the only beverage that relieves a raging thirst after a long hard day

So I had checked in at the NapPark, secured Bobbie’s resting place, had a shower and now it is beer time. A quick walk to Rambuttri Alley is called for.

One night in Bangkok and you have to eat Pad Thai, cooked on demand, steaming hot and super delicious. Followed, of course, by banana roti for dessert.

I planned a good itinerary and set off to explore parts of Thailand heretofore unseen by Bobbie and I. Time for a map

First day 90 kms to Ayutthaya. I have been there before so it was a comfortable ride. Thai roads are relatively safe because they have a very wide shoulder and are mostly in good condition.

I booked into The Plus Hostel. It had great reviews on Hostelworld and well deserved too. It is family run, the owners, Kong, Ya and Plus (Dad, Mom and Daughter ) are so warm and welcoming that you feel like part of the family immediately.

They offer breakfast and supper as part of the daily rate which is great because all of the travellers get together to eat the meals so it is very sociable. The food is delicious home-cooked Thai food. Supper was mushroom soup and chicken with vegetables and rice. They keep feeding you until you protest – that night I learned to say “Im Lao” (I am very full)

I did not stay because I have seen all of the temples before and I was keen to start seeing new sights and scenes. Oh! On my last trip, you may remember from my blog, I heard an unusual bird call of “Surreal, surreal” but only for a single day. Well this trip I had “surreal” birds singing to me all the way. I am still not sure what it looks like but I happily respond all the time.

I alway try to stay in less-expensive accommodation including homestays and in Pak Chong I stayed in the Pak Chong Sports Bar and Resort in a tent on a rainy night.

Onwards to Nakhon Ratchasima. I knew it was going to be a long day – 94 kms and I was a tad nervous because Komoot showed a mean mountain pass about half-way with extremely steep inclines for a few kilometres. It is a beautiful ride, rolling hills on the slopes of a mountain alongside a large dam

I stopped here to rest and rehydrate because I was sure the mountain pass must be close. As it turned out, it was a delightful easy-to-ride pass with a great 5 km downhill and the end. Yes, there was a steep incline but it was in my favour!

Nakhon Ratchasima is just a big city, not much to see. I was disappointed so I did a bit more research and changed my route to include Phi Mai to the North. It was a good decision from a cycling and a sightseeing perspective. Phi Mai has a beautiful old Khmer Temple. A very small version of Angkor Wat. The Khmer built these amazing temples all over SE Asia, circa 12 century. The archirecture, design and construction are truly wondrous.

As I arrived at the hostel, I saw another cyclist just checking in. Scott is from Melbourne, he has taken a year off work to go cycling. When we met he had already cycled across Northern USA (Portland, Oregon to NY City). Very similar to Andre’s ride at much the same time. Then he rode from Paris to Athens before flying into SE Asia to cycle here. We explored the historical park together and then went to the night market for supper. Nice to have met him. Somehow we didn’t get a pic together.

And so onward to Lam Plai Mat and Buri Ram. These two cities are only 40 km apart so I was undecided about where to stay. After Phi Mai, the ride to Lam Plai Mat was a nice 67 kms so that was my destination. What a good decision that turned out to be. I checked in to an hotel and headed to a local restaurant for dinner where I got into conversation with a Thai family at the next table. The Mom, Lalitha, speaks good English and was happy to translate for the family. When I told them that I was going to Buri Ram the next day and hoping to see some of the shrines and temples, Lalitha said to stay an extra day and she would take me to Buri Ram and show me around. The answer is always “YES” so I checked in for another night in the hotel and the next afternoon we went to Buri Ram.

First we had to visit the City Pillar Shrine, pay our respects and make an offering. I am familiar with this routine, when I took the food tour in Phuket on my last trip, the tour guide did the same

Next we went to see a temple at the Chang Arena – an interesting place. It is the site of the old temple – called The Buri Ram Castle – as well as a Moto Grand Prix circuit and a football stadium, (the home of BuriRam United.)

We ended the day with a visit to the Buddha at the Kradong Volcano Crater……

…..and then returned to Lam Plai Mat for supper.

The journey so far has been on big busy roads as I passed through large cities (Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima and Lam Plai Mat) so I was pleased not to have to go to Buri Ram but turn South instead and take the smaller country roads.

This is my real joy when I cycle, being fit and strong, following country roads through jungle, mountain, rice paddies, sugar cane plantations, cassava plantations and being closer to nature. The next few days were fabulous as I made my way slowly back to Bangkok through Pha Kham, Kho Khlan, Sa Kaeo and Phanom Sarakham.

And so the great circle was completed as I rode slowly and somewhat sadly back into Bangkok on 6th December. I had a great journey in Thailand and a fabulous adventure in Indonesia. I spent a week exploring Bangkok, finding delicious street food, visting Chinatown by day and by night, sipping beer in Sukhumvit and watching the passing parade, so many different people. I rode the canal boats, the sky train, the undergound trains and caught buses and Grab bikes.

Today I am in Doha waiting for my flight to Cape Town. Thank you all for your support, for the comments and encouragement.