So the last post I had crossed the mountains that separate the East and West coats of Thailand and started snaking my way up the east coast of Thailand towards Bangkok.
For those of you (I guess most) unfamiliar with Thailand's geography their is a main highway that connects Bangkok with the South of the country. Most of this part of Thailand is very narrow as it has the Myanmar border on one side and the coast of the Gulf of Thailand on the other. I wanted to follow the coast line but one concern was that because the highway for the most part skirts the coastline there would be few secondary road options.
My concerns were unfounded. What I discovered was tiny country paths through coconut groves, bike paths meticulously maintained as part of the "Royal Coastal Road", off road trails through national parks, single lane concrete paths winding through tiny villages, wooden suspension bridges and many many more amazing paths that seemed built especially for cycling.
As I progressed I could feel my endurance ever increasing. Nowadays I bang out 50km like its nothing (partly I guess because the roads are mostly flat), I sit easily on 22km/hour and a quick breakfast of fruit and coffee keeps me going for hours. The heat is not something you can ever get used to in my opinion, though when you are moving it's not so noticeable. I drink gallons of water every day and am very careful to never run out like on the 2nd day crossing the mountains in the middle of the day.
Here are some of the highlights of the trip so far since the last post....
Crossing this amazing wooden suspension bridge in the early morning.
Another dish of my hands-down favourite cycling food. Noodle Soup - fast, easy to digest, full of energy and cheap AF.
The hours spent riding well maintained cycle paths that appear randomly on many of the coastal roads of Thailand.
The darkness of the thick rubber plantations that have fairytale houses in their midst.
Wondering if this really was the road to Bangkok...??
Cycling on empty roads at dawn - priceless!
So now I have arrived at the resort city of Hua Hin - its 180km south of Bangkok. Its a place I have visited before and it's not my favourite place in Thailand. It's of course very commercialized and very busy. The old town does have a certain charm as it has the old teak houses that once were found all over Thailand. You can still see the remnants of the fishing village it once was.
The beach in Hua Hin with the old fishing boats.
Im resting here for a few days and planning the final leg to Bangkok. I feel stronger than I did 11 days ago. Im 847km in. The bike is running fine, I'm a little sunburned and I think my ass is now the shape of a bike seat. Thanks everyone for your nice comments and support!
Im Jobiker and I'm riding 1000km to Bangkok. Peace!
