(Click on the flag to see the route through Thailand)
Travelogue Thailand
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From Ban Tha Fa (Laos) to Chiang Kong (Thailand) in total 80 km. |
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After the traditional rice with egg we headed for Thailand. Our English college mentioned that it was 60 km. But that was a little less then the actual ride. Like yesterday all roads (except for the last 10 km) were unpaved. It started to get very hot later that day and after some we climbed mountains from the "hors" category we got down hearted. It was good we still had our supporters along the road shouting when we passed by. At one of the villages Frank told us that know he knew how Sinterklaas (sorry, but no proper translation in English possible. One can say that this bishop has been the source of inspiration for Santa Claus) was feeling. At every stop we also ran into our other friends; those little black pigs that greeted us with loud noises. |
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Living in clover. |
Having comments about people passing by. |
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Some 30 kilometers before the border we stopped at a checkpoint of the Laotian customs. We made their day because we bought a bottle of cola. They told us we had still another 40 kilometers to go. For some of us that was a distance they didn't count on anymore. But we made it. At 4 O'clock we were at the border. There we filled in all papers and for the last time we tried the local cuisine. After we arrived in Thailand and finished all paperwork (it took us only 5 minutes) we did choose the first (and probably best, as turned out later) guesthouse that was offered. The shower was fantastic. With the hot water we could was away all dust from the last days and we can say that now we know were the Red River finds it origin. After that we phoned the home front. As always Gerda was not home and Veow tried to arrange the rest of the holiday. For dinner we went into town were had one of the most delicious dinners of this holiday (These are the words of Marcel, and everybody who knows him understands what this means) |
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Day 21 Friday 26 January: |
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From Chiang Khong to Chiang Saen (75 km). |
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After an American breakfast (when you are trapped in such a touristic environment it is almost impossible to escape such torments) we headed off. Because we had seen enough mountains we decided to follow the route along the Mekong river. Although a little more in kilometers it was flat and very beautiful. But before enjoying this we had to climb one little hill. All the water and other liquids consumed until that moment were turned into sweat in a period of fifteen minutes and then we were still lucky it was early in the morning. The remainder of the day we took it easy. Already at two O'clock we arrived at in Chiang Saen. We used the time to do our laundry and walk around town to see the monuments (or piles of old stones as somebody said) scattered around town. At half past four we decided to try to make a boat trip, on the Mekong, to the golden triangle. To our surprise that was still possible before sunset. It was nice to sit in the boat and to have the excitement of speed without having to paddle hard yourself. Beautiful in the glow of sunset were the birds, the people busy with their daily life and the Mekong itself. The sunset self was also impressive and the good thing was that we could enjoy it six times due to the mountains along the river. After we returned we bought some slippers for Marcel so his shoes were finally in line with the national dress here. Then that we had dinner, and although it was reasonable the lousy service and the delicious food of yesterday made that we had mixed feelings over the restaurant. Off to our rooms to chat a little on the porch and to bed to prepare for the coming day. |
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Day 22, Friday 26 January: |
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From Chiang Sean to Chiang Rai (68 km). |
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Was the day of yesterday already easy, the 68 kilometers of today we could almost do backwards. Only Frank had some problems. He was complaining that it went to fast. A major reason why it was an easy day was because we went off at 7 in the morning. Only we didn't expect such low temperatures. So in the course of the day we took our winter clothes one by one took off. Until noon, then it was so hot one wished for the early morning again. We noticed that they aren't early risers in this part of Thailand. Along the road it you see some children going to school and only a few people near the local markets. |
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The Mekong the border between Thailand and Laos. |
Temple of 'Khon Im' as these Chinese goddess is called in good Thai |
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Around noon we arrived in Chaing Rai. We looked around for a place to sleep and after a few vainly attempts we managed (the more choise you have the more difficult it seems to get). A quick shower and Marcel and Kees headed downtown to put our adventures on the internet. They did send Rob en Frank to the bank and the local Mc Snack. When we met each other again we ran into a parade of local people in different kinds of traditional Northern dress. It was a surprise to be in the middle of such an event without having to plan it. After that we went to the night bazaar to look what beautiful things we could have bought, wasn't it that it was impossible to carry on a bicycle. |
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On our way to Lampang we choose to take the small roads. Although we didn't have so much problems on highway no. 1 it was rather monotonous. That accounts for both the traffic racing by as for the view. The only thing worth mentioning was that we bought some fruit along the road. The market people still campaigned for one of the most popular political candidates. They didn't hesitate to sell us rotten fruits. If this is the general morale around here, then they will have a hard time in this country when their candidate will win. |
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From Chiang Rai to Wang Nua (105 km) |
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Just before we turned of into a smaller road we stopped at a gas station. The personnel looked at us with big eyes. They asked what they could do for us and we told them that we needed some fuel. We could see that they didn't understand it anymore. But they started to laugh when we told them we needed fuel for the riders and not for the bicycles. We took the next turn off the Highway. On this smaller road the surroundings started to improve and the temperatures to rise. We met an American who stopped us obviously nervous. It turned out that he was planning to go to Laos (more or less the same route we had been taking) and that he was afraid to cycle there. Everybody in Thailand told him that Laos was a very dangerous and dirty country. Luckily we could reassure him and tell him that it is a beautiful country with fantastic people and that he certainly would have a good time. Giving hem some information about where to sleep and to eat made him feel even better and he took off with a smile on his face. Rob and Frank rode on. When they stopped for a drink a Thai girl approached. See was learning English at school and her teacher told her to practice with foreigners when they came along. They had a nice chat and even managed to pick up some Northern Thai dialect. After we were reunited we took off again. It was getting hotter and hotter, but luckily the road bypassed all the mountains in the area. On top of the last hill of the day was a police checkpoint. We were invited inside and offered coffee and cold water. The chief of the post (all his personnel was in the back looking Thai boxing on television) told us that it was a dangerous task to be a police officer out here. In the night they would patrol in the surrounding mountains trying to intercept the drugs passing by. And because this place was close to the border with Birma and Laos a lot drugs was coming through here. He had lost some colleagues in gun fights and he himself had been injured several times. After a while we decided to go on and to look if we could find a hotel in one of the villages along the road. It took a while. We had to ride another 18 kilometers because all the hotels we passed did not meet the standards. At last we found a motel. And although it looked like you could also rent the rooms for less then a night it was clean and very quiet. After that we went for a stroll. At the back of the temple a sportsday was organised and that means besides a lot of sports (football in this case) a lot of food. So we cheered for the local FC and enjoyed all the specialities of the mobile Thai cuisine. |
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The last day on a bicycle. The village we stopped yesterday wasn't Wang Nua as we thought but a village some 15 kilometers before Wang Nua. The first kilometers of today the road is under construction. Later we understand why. Such big potholes we didn't see during our trip yet. But due to the experience gained in China and Laos it was no problem to survive this cyclist trap. At a T crossing we turn right and some kilometer marker tell us that Lampang is only 104 kilometer away. Soon Frank and Rob can't keep up with the speed they fall behind. Having not to bother with the lame ducks Kees and Marcel go on and managing to make speed on the descend they get to the next top rather easily. Within one and a half hour they cycle 46 kilometers. |
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From Wang Nua to Lampang (130 km) |
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Some 50 kilometers for Lampang we were seized with fear. Marcel shouts that he has a flat tire. It doesn't appear a flat tire, but the rim of his backwheel is weared through on the side. Because he put extra air in his tire this morning the rim is split and pushes against his brakes. Some of us say that it is because the bike is already ten years old and that it had to happen, others say that he used his breaks to much and so wearing of the rim. We will never know. What we know is that he could continue without the brake of his backwheel. After that we continued in the heat and we are happy when we finally arrived in Lampang. We asked around to find the house of the family of Kees When we arrived at the house we took a rest in the shade and toasted on the end of our ride with a cool beer. In de evening we went to a coffeshop (for the Dutch who read this no place to buy softdrugs but the Thai version of a café) to enjoy the music of 2 bands who play songs of the band Carabao for many years already one of the most popular bands in Thailand. | ||
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Day 25 en 26, Monday 29 en Tuesday 30 January: |
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Restdays in Lampang |
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The next day we are not capable of doing anything useful. Maybe because this is a holiday, but mainly we are still tired from the 130 km day before. We ride through town, look around and eat and drink at all the places that look like they have good food. According to Frank and Rob the best place is the Riverview restaurant because they have French fries and hamburgers. Kees thinks that the no 1 location for a snack is in the restaurant of a departmentstore. Here they have delicious papaya salad and sate. Marcel doesn't care; his stomach is upset. After all the eating we check our email and we find out that we are advised to go to the beach. Veow, Alyke and Roland are waiting there for us. We skip the plan to go to Chiang Mai and Kees arranges the train tickets to Bangkok. The others go to the main temple of Lampang. This temple is some 18 kilometers out of town and by the time we get there it is 5 O'clock in the afternoon and it is closed. Luckily Kees had already made some photographs for this website. |
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De most famous temple of Lampang. It closes at 5 O'clock. |
Sometimes it comes out handy that you have been there already about 10 times. At least you have some pictures of the chedi. |
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Day 27, Wednesday 31 January: |
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From trainstation Sam Sen in Bangkok to Bangkok Noi (5 km) and on to Kho Samet |
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The train is a half-hour behind schedule and we decide to put our bags on our bikes so we can take off when we arrive at the station. At six we arrive, hopefully before the famous Bangkok rush-hour. Without any problem we paddle through the busy Bangkok streets on our bicycles. It is still not so busy and the cars take good care. It is a pity it is still a little dark so we are not able to make a picture. A photograph of the four off us in full outfit and all the bags on the bicycles with on the background one of the Bangkok highlights would have been one of the best pictures on this site. After we put our bicycles away at the home of Meow (the owner of our hotel in Bangkok) we take a taxi to Ekamai busstation. It takes an hour and we obtain tickets for the bus of ten O'clock. Then one of the stewards shows up and tells that if we hurry maybe we can catch the 9 O'clock bus. We manage and 4 hours later the four of us are floating around in the sea. It is good to relax on a tropical island after the hardship of the ride. Only everybody around us has to laugh when the see our tanned arms and legs and white bodies. Some of them even tell us to take out the white T-shirts. |
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Day 28 until 31, Thursday 1 February Until Sunday 4 Februari: |
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Kho Samet, Bangkok and heading home to Bergen (Netherlands) |
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Friday we head back to Bangkok to shop around. After that we pack the bicycles in plastic and head for the airport. The flight goes smoothly and at the airport all supporters is gathered in the arrival hall. The only shock we have is when we take a look outside; it is snowing. What a contrast to the tropical temperatures of the last days in Thailand Now our holiday is over we have to work hard to get everything on the internet in such a way that it is useful for other people who want to make a similar trip or for those who just want to sit back and read a nice travelogue.
Greetings Marcel, Kees, Rob and Sony. |
Last update 11 March 2001
