Category 2015 Cycling South East Asia

Finally we get to start to cycle. Lots of planning up to this point. Bikes are loaded. We switched our mirrors from the left side of the handlebars to the right side as we will be cycling on the far left lane of the road.

We started at 7:30 and it took about twenty minutes to get out of town. We rode on highway 1084 most of the way. A lovely road, with a sugar cane processing plant near the start of the trip. This meant many sugar cane trucks up and down the highway.

Sugar Cane Truck

The countryside is lush and full of farming. Rice fields, mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, durian fruit, corn and sugar cane. Since the 1960’s they have converted half of their forest to make room for farming and urban sprawl.

When cycle touring the journey is the destination...

We decided to take a train out of Bangkok to the town of Nakhon Sawan. 

It was a 5 hour trip and extremely interesting. We took 2nd class service vs 3rd class. The seats were wider and reclined, and there was nobody standing. The third class cars were overflowing. There were signs that it was illegal to ride on the roof of the train. It was starting to fill up where that might have been an option. Pad Thai, cold drinks and other nice foods was being sold by vendors who walked up and down the train. They came by about every 30 seconds or so. Tough to rest or sleep. 

At one point we passed an old temple with 100’s of monkeys surrounding the building. It had a creepy feel to it.  

Ruins with Monkeys

So when the train stops at our station, Janis got the 11 small saddle bags off that we hav...

Bangkok is 12 hours ahead of Peterborough, so we will take a few days before starting to cycle. We will do the three s’s. Sight see, set-up the bikes and sleep when appropriate. 

We took the 53 bus to the Royal Palace and spent the morning touring. King Rama IX is the longest standing Royalty in the world. The Thai people seem to love him. He and his wife are getting quite frail and have missed some key events lately. His son is ready to take over. The son just went through his third divorce and has three children so far.  The bet is the child soon otobe born to his mistress could be his successor. Lots of legal things to work out there. 

There appears to be a very strong connection between state and religion as the Palace consists of a temple and a palace...

Bikes in a box in Bangkok

Well after 34 hours from waking up in Toronto to putting our heads on a pillow in Bangkok it was a long journey. 

It is hard to imagine what all had to go right to make a three plane trip 16,000 km half way around the world, and only be 15 minutes late. Amazing…..  We got in a cab and he drove upwards of 150 km per hour and we made up he 15 minute delay. We had to tell him to slow down. 

The bike boxes made it with us. Last time in Cuba the boxes got bumped to a flight the next day. 

After a day of rest, we wil open the boxes and see if they arrived safely or if we have to pretend (again) that we know how to repair them. 

New Year’s Eve in Bangkok sounded like Canada...