Monday 24 March 2014

Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan

Mon 03/02/14, 125km

Back on highway 4 to start the day but I soon got to turn off onto a side road, the 1019 towards Pranburi Forest Park which meant the rest of the morning was spent going through scenic and relatively untouristed areas. Well, compared to Hua Hin anyway. A lot of pineapples being grown here, with limestone karsts looming in the background.

As I approached the Khao Sam Roi Got national park the karsts became a ridge of hills with the road at the foot of them. Once through the area of the park it was a landscape of shrimp farms. It was around here I encountered another cycle tourist heading north.

My route dropped me back on highway 4 briefly and no sooner was I on it than a group of occidental cyclists on road bikes went by. We exchanged pleasantries and they waved me down a few minutes later when they were stopped for a break with their support truck. Spice Trails Tours, doing a run from Bangkok to Phuket. They filled my water bottle, have me fruit and a coke and I was on my way. Similar thing happened to me in 2010 with another Spice Trails group.

Back off the highway then and towards my destination. Incidentally other tour groups exist including Grass Hopper Tours, who I encountered on the way into town. And a German company who I didn't get the name of who passed me a few minutes after that (caught up with them later, all bar one were very surly and were hard pressed to even acknowledge my presence). Blimey, no cyclists for ages and then a day of them!

On finding a hotel I went to the beach to chill for a bit, although you have to go through an air force base to access it. Which was different.

Just leaving the national park area
On the edge of town
Spice Trails group whizzing past me as stop to take a photo and look at my guide book
Now the Grasshopper group.
View from the hotel window

Phetchaburi to Hua Hin

Sun 02/03/14, 72km

With only a few kilometres to do today I took my time setting off. Looking at the maps I decided to swing out towards the coast in highway 3177 rather than go the shorter route via highway 4. The road, designated a scenic route (I think that must mean linear rubbish dump) followed the shore but I didn't get to see the sea.

The last 20 kilometres dropped me back on highway 4 as it made its way into Hua Hin. After finding a hotel I took a stroll around, struck me as very very touristy in a Grand Canaria kind of way. Good enough for a stop off though.

Cider...

Sunday 23 March 2014

Phetchaburi

Sat 01/03/14, 12km

Over to the local hospital after breakfast and no problem getting rabies injection number four, which is good.

I'm finding that post shot I'm feeling rough so I'd planned on an easy day of sight seeing so I slowly made my way round Phra Nakhon Khiri national park which is on a hill top in the centre of town. Good views, naughty monkeys (apparently they 'ave your fruit our of yer bag soon as look at her), templey bits. Then over to Wat Kamphaeng Laeng which has some 13th century CE Khmer ruins which if I understand it right marked the furthest extent of their empire.


Furthest extent of the Khmer empire?

Kanchanaburi to Phetchaburi

Friday 18/02/14, 137km

Mostly quiet roads until Ratchaburi this morning. The first section in particular was very scenic, following an irrigation river with steep hills to one side and rice paddies galore. Wat Tham Suea (a Buddhist monastery) loomed over the fields in the distance looking very much like Mont St Michel in Normandy.

Unfortunately after Ratchaburi it was highway 4 and as you might guess from it's low number that's a wee bit busy. I'd been feeling a bit off colour all day, a combination of poor sleep, a hangover and general fatigue and a three lane highway didn't help matters. Still, made it in one piece, ate and slept, ready for sight seeing and hospital visits on the morrow.

A Chinese cemetery
OK a little like Mont St Michel
I'm not entirely sure I trust spiritual leaders who look like Dr Who villains

Singburi to Kanchanaburi

Thurs 27/02/14, 163km

Today was going to be a long day so the alarm went off at 6, breakfast was at 6.30 and I was cycling by 7! Then I stopped and frigged about in a 7-11 for ages... Why?!

So, properly on the road for 7.30, not so early. It was a good days cycling though mostly on quiet roads following irrigation channels which made them flat, low traffic and away from development and dogs. Route wise it was paper maps supplemented by Google, down towards and round the town of Suphanburi then on highway 321 for the rest of the day.

When I reached Kanchanaburi I headed for the same guesthouse I stayed in last time I was here in 2010, the Pong Peng. It hasn't changed much, the room was like a coffin with air con that didn't work.

By the way, totally recommend visiting Kanchanaburi it's the site of the second world war "Death railway" of Bridge Over the River Kwai infamy. There's a lot of very sobering stuff to see and it's a good jumping off point for the region as well. Having said that as I'd spent a few days here before and my visa was ticking down this was just an overnighter for me.

Tempting!

Saturday 22 March 2014

Nakhon Sawan to Singburi

Weds 26/02/14, 116km

Plan for the day was to head towards Kanchanaburi, some 250km away, and see how far I got. This is part of me swinging around Bangkok rather than going through it.

Unfortunately this meant starting out on Highway 1, which is about as much fun as it sounds. Three lanes plus shoulder either way, heavy traffic, headwind and even bloody dogs having a quick go at me! After 20km I stopped for a coke and a look at the map and decided to alter course.

After another 20km on highway 1 the road split and traffic was a lot quieter. Then once I reached the town of Chai Nat it was on to the 310, another nice quiet road shadowing the Ping once again. All in all, not a bad days cycling, started off as hard work but ended up being quite good fun. And I finally got to see the Ping (the name promises more than the river delivers).

An early night beckoned, marred only by the sodding band on a stage literally below my window playing Thai covers until 11pm. The temptation to drop a bucket of water over them... 

Kamphaeng Chet to Nkahon Sawan

Tues 25/02/14, 134km

Lovely days cycling on a road that shadowed the river Ping (really). Unfortunately whilst it followed it I never actually got to see it! Still, very bucolic with verdant rice paddies and woods. Hot but shaded with a brief picnic lunch half way of sandwiches made from bread and cheese slices courtesy of 7-11.

Reclining Buddha

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Sukhothai to Kamphaeng Chet

Mon 24/02/14, 102 km

OK so possibly a little hungover and a tad grumpy this morning. And late setting off. Still, it was only 80km to Kamphaeng Chet where there's another UNESCO site of a similar vintage as Sukhothai.

I arrived for lunchtime and got a room in another long time traveller place that appears to have been in various guidebooks since the year dot. Checked in, grabbed some peanuts for lunch from the 7-11 and off for culture. Much more worn than Sukhothai and a fair bit of it was ruined forest monasteries from the 15th century which was a little modern for my tastes.

Old city walls
Reminds me of Dr Who and the Pyramids of Mars

Sukothai

Sun 23/02/14, 36km

Suffering Sukhothai! Long sleep and a lie in were in order today then off to explore the ruins of Sukhothai credited as the flower of early Thai culture. Hey it's a UNESCO World Heritage site, I can't stay away from them!

A leisurely 12 km ride to the site then 100 baht to get in plus 10 for the bike and 150 for the audio tour and I was off. Spent the cycling between wats, chedi (stupas), and pre-Ayutthaya style Buddhas. All jolly good fun!

I may have had one too many beers in the evening as I finalised my route for the nexy few days.

Phitsanulok to Sukhothai

Sat 22/02/14, 62km

Ah, it's a Saturday, I must be having an injection. Up and straight out to the Bangkok hospital hoping they've got the right vaccine in. They did and were terribly nice and had me sat down and a needle in my arm almost before I knew it. Then the doctor had a quick word with me as she wanted me to explain what was going on with my injections. Er... but you've just given it too me haven't you? No, that was a tetanus booster. That I didn't need. Like the tetanus booster I didn't need last week, the really painful one. Sigh.

Still, all explained, third shot given and I was free to go. I've been learning about these shots from personal experience and they make me a bit feverish and tired after so it was a quick hop over to Sukhothai and an afternoon of relaxing there before sight seeing the following day. Sukhothai is near to a UNESCO site so it was back to traveller type accommodation which I kind of like every now and then. Makes it easier to get veggie food anyway.

Lom Sak to Phitsanulok

Fri 21/02/14, 134km

Took my time getting going mostly due to fatigue. Looking at the map it appeared I was in for another hilly day, although in hindsight it mountainous rather than hilly. Reading the Lonely Planet guide should've given the game away as this was the area the Peoples Liberation Army of Thailand were holed up in up to 1982 and any area that could act as cover for a long running insurgency like that is probably pretty rugged.

The mountains started almost as soon as I left town, although the roads were better than the previous day in terms of gradients and continuity of climbs. Reminded me of Turkey again. Unfortunately large sections were under repair but still pleasant enough. After a while the terrain levelled off a bit until a long mostly downhill stretch. I was blown by this point though and a headwind cut into the joy of the descent as it followed a river.

Rolled into town quite late so ended up having an early, large, dinner at the Bam Mai. Food was fantastic, stir fry veg and river prawns in a spicy sauce with fresh green peppercorns.

Nice cycling
Sometimes I do get a little disoriented

Saturday 8 March 2014

Wang Saphung to Lom Sak

Thurs 20/02/14, 129km

Very dull and overcast day with the temperature not much above 20c at it's highest. Mostly quiet back roads with aggressive dogs with a lot of hills that were very up and down: no decent sustained climbs. Also very steep gradients, certainly above 10% and over 15% at points. 

All of this (road and weather) made for grotty cycling. I think the vaccines were affecting me as well! Having said all of this on a different day I suspect this would make for a great days cycling.

Udon Thani to Wang Saphung

Weds 19/02/14, 144km

After recent hospital based shenanigans I decided to loop down towards Phitsanulok for Friday giving me all day Saturday to find a hospital with the correct vaccine.

Took a while to get going though, compounded by nowhere being open for breakfast before 8am in the little farang enclave I was staying in. Once I did get going it wasn't a bad days cycling though. The weather was a tad overcast and not so warm although the threats of rain never materialised. Quite a pleasant tail wind as well, always a bonus.

I was heading towards the Wang Resort (feel free to snigger at this point), which boasted a swimming pool which isn't bad for a 300 baht place. Unfortunately it proved to be covered so no lounging in the sun which had appeared by the afternoon.

Overtaken by a dinosaur at one point

Rabies, part two

Phu Wiang to Udon Thani, Tues 18/02/14, 138km

Proper early start to the day and  some nice rural cycling as I skirted a ridge that defines the national park and then was passing verdant rice paddies and sugar cane fields. Unfortunately I was more preoccupied thinking about jabs and rabies.

I arrived in Udon Thani soon after lunch time, grabbed a hotel and made for the Aek Udon International hospital for my second shot of vaccine. They were terribly efficient and soon I was in front of a virologist who emphasised how dangerous rabies is and that given my circumstances and the circumstances of the bite I had to have the full course of treatment. Great, that was why I was there. Ah. He then told me that the hospital didn't use the Speeda vaccine I'd had for my first shot and that I shouldn't switch from one type to another as no trials had been done. He got one of his team to ring round local hospitals and they found one with Speeda. Back on the bike and across town we go.

When I arrived at the Wattana hospital I was in luck as there was a nursing orderly there with excellent English (he's a paramedic on the oil rigs on a month on, month off contract working in the hospital in his off time to boost his skills). So I went through explaining what had happened again, and why I needed a full course of treatment not an abbreviated course and then it was off to see the doctor and get the injection.

The doctor, however, whilst OK with giving me shot two, refused to amend my vaccination card to the full five shots. We had quite a heated discussion on this point. I told her my nurse in the UK said my vaccination was five years ago and only valid for two to three years: it was spent. That didn't matter said the doctor. I told her about my conversation at the Aek Udon. She said I *had* been vaccinated in the past so I only needed two shots. We argued in circles via the nursing orderly. The doctor showed me the flowchart from the Speeda company which said, in Thai, the course of action to take (apparently roughly translated it reads "if previously vaccinated" for one of the branches). We reached an impasse so I asked for a second opinion from a more senior doctor...

Once he arrived I went through it again, from the top. He asked a few questions and said (I paraphrase) "OK, it's going to cost you more but no problem". *Thank* you. The injection was duly given, a new card issued and I went away happy (ish)!

Well quite. One wouldn't want an un-PC cowboy ranch that just wouldn't be cricket

Chum Phae to Phu Wiang

Mon 17/02/14, 83km

After the kerfuffle of the dog bite incident and following shots I rested up for a day at a nice hotel with swimming pool and the like: I was drained and operating on not much sleep at that point. Once I'd recovered a bit it was time to re examine my plans. Laos was off now, I needed to be sure I could get my boosters as I needed them (days 3, 7, 14 and 24).

Short term plan then was to aim for Udon Thani for day 3. On the way there was a dinosaur museum and park with dinosaur bones. Did I say dinosaurs? Woo-hoo, we have a winner! And only 50 kilometres.

A quick cycle up there and then I checked into a lovely little resort the Pruska Garden House Hotel where a "deluxe" cabin set me back 400 baht. I dropped my bags off and got back on the bike ready for the museum. Which was closed on a Monday. Drat. The park was open though so I spent the afternoon trekking through it looking at bones.

When I got back to my resort I gave the doctors surgery in the UK a ring. My rabies vaccination *had* expired...



Dem bones...