The noise of Thailands coast at nighttime!
When I sat down today to write about yesterday I simply couldn’t remember what I had done or seen, other than dogs and roadworks and more dogs! I know I clocked about 100k of undulating roads which in the main were pleasant. I did meet a mad German cycle tourist pushing his bike up a hill going the opposite direction. We stopped to chat and he told me about all his travels around the world. The only other thing of note was being chased by a three legged dog – it comes to something when even a dog with a disability is chewing at your tyres!! And of course there was the now compulsory rejection of being served food at street stalls on the road. One ‘shop’ owner just swore at me (as far as I could tell!) gesticulating to bugger off! So I did but not without returning serve!
I found my evenings rest place – right on the beach front again but a bugger to find! A local coffee place was still open and boy, he made the bestest coffee I’ve had since leaving Adelaide!
Tour de Travaux -Friday
I have a theory….improbable but….that my Maps app hates me, so it searches out a route which specifically takes in as many roadworks as possible. The evidence is overwhelming in support of this theory! One broken up road after another after another. And what makes a bike shaking experience even more entertaining are the water trucks who’s job it is to turn dry dust to slush just ahead of you 🤣. On one such (as there were many) episode I was absolutely sprayed with water then covered in mud head to foot! I had to stop after one very entertaining section, as my chain had got so clogged up it was, I swear, crying! Found a motorcycle shop and cleaned it off and re-oiled it and off we went to the next section!
And when it wasn’t tricking me in to taking every road which was being dug up it was cracking the shits because I would take a detour (because I had to) and it would feel like it was shouting at me….’left you muppet, left, left…LEFT! Except there was no ‘left’! On at least three occasions the road it was declaring was there….wasn’t! In the end I gave up and headed for the main road! I was getting tired and cranky and somewhat peeved at being chased over and over by dogs! I hate that. I really struggled today -4th day of over a 100 and my legs were declaring a ceasefire! My mood wasn’t helped when I got to the ‘resort’ only to find it was….in an industrial machinery car park area! Sweet god above! Place was full of diggers, workshops etc and tucked in the back were these 7 ‘huts’ ….sheds….which were the accommodation! It was my turn to crack the shits this time!! Anyway…..I was so tired and filthy I stayed, a decision rewarded by a huge plate of rice and chicken ‘on the house’( or shed). It did have the advantage that I could, once the rain stopped, wash my bike properly! But being located in an industrial area meant….no food! Getting pretty used to going hungry these days….been one of the real downsides to Thailand.
So I’ll camp out in my ‘shed’ tonight which actually, forgetting it’s location, is very comfortable, and I’ve booked in to another place tomorrow in the same town – rest day tomorrow before the final push to Bangkok 😊
My route Thursday….on paper 90, but of course I got lost 🤣
Picture from one of many bridges I crossed
How my day started Thursday….looks remarkably similar to the outback!
Loads of lumps….some upwards of 15%😢
Love this slogan on the stair case – zoom in!
My route Friday….with some detours of course!
…..looks so picturesque…..
…..until you turn around 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Time to write to Google Maps? Your sense of humour has served you well clearly through these challenging times on the road. So glad you are safe 🙏