Deutsch
Thailand/Narathiwat Round the world trip 2007
8/10
After a day in paradise in a 4 star accommodation, we rode the bike around Samui, stopping for an elephant ride and a look at a waterfall, both very touristy, but fun. We stopped in Hat Chaweng, the main tourist area with a 7km beach providing tourists with every type of water sport (jet skis, water ski, fishing, etc.) imaginable plus rows of message beds under palm-roofed shade where sun burned bodies were tended by gentle hands. The area reminded us of the hustle bustle of Kuta Beach in Bali, complete with all the services and vendors. It is a bit more upscale, a bit cleaner and the vendors actually understand “No”.
Glad to have seen the place, anxious to move on, a ferry spirited us north past a couple more islands, famous for diving and diving instruction,/certification at very reasonable costs. We chose to disembark back on mainland Thailand near Chumphon, on the narrow neck of land shared with Myanmar. The seas were rough, the wind strong, so we arrived after dark and 7kms from the closest hotel. The ferry operator rode a motorcycle in front of us to direct us to the main road and we proceeded under a red blinker light attached to Judee’s Camelback and Art put his reading headlight on the front pack. Much of the road was lit, to our amazement, most vehicles saw us since they are on the constant lookout for scooters, still beeping and smiling at us in the dark!
After stopping and asking directions, we finally found the hotel down a small dirt road. It was pleasant and about $17. Across the way on the dock side we ate a pretty good meal. The hotel owner helped us choose a route that would keep us off the main road which we have most often had to ride without better detailed or correct maps. We have trouble finding through side roads: so many canals, clogged with fishing boats; river mouths; mangrove swamp areas don’t have bridges except by the main road. Our route around Champhon was no exception. We rode a curvy cement road past lovely houses then got lost at a canal crossing, weaving our way east, west, north, sometimes even a little south. Finally, we seemed to have found a through road, which was confirmed by a Dutch couple we met going south.
We have met several Dutch riders in various countries, always with a tick sheet, detailed map of the area they are riding and listings of all appropriate accommodations and eateries. They can buy these itineraries for most areas of Asia, even have tourist agencies set up their air, transfer and hotel bookings in advance! Our travel guides barely cover the areas we are traveling, let alone finding us maps with any accuracy. Oh well, we just stop a lot, fret, ask questions in English, Thai’s answer in Thai. We show them our map with English characters, they read Thai characters. We struggle to pronounce things, they laugh. Sometimes it is funny, sometimes extremely frustrating, but in the end, the bicycle gods find us a good place to stay.
The Dutch couple gave us advice about accommodation and road conditions ahead, recommending stopping short of our destination. There has been a lot of rain during the nights and lasting into the mornings, so we often have late starts. Bici needed maintenance today after some rough handling by the ferry operators who broke one of his couplers leaving us without a rear brake. It was after 10:30 by the time we rode out and the rain began again about 2pm. It was great to be told of a spot or two up the road. So we stopped at Coral Bay Resort. The room was typical Thai, complete with fan and hole-in-the-floor toilet with a bucket flush. It wasn’t too clean, but the bugs didn’t seem to mind. To get to the room one stepped away from the restaurant/ pool area down a two foot drop into a littered shrub border. After looking at a model of the Resort, we realized it had never been completed. All that was here were the main building, pool and five servants’ shacks – one of which was rented to us for the same price as last night’s a/c white-sheeted, soft pillowed room! This facility commanded the seashore of one of the prettiest, cleanest, bays we’ve ever encountered. On each side, huge volcanic formations plunged down to the sea, creating protective hills and caves and small island-like outcroppings were set in the center of the pretty white sand bay. The water was refreshing, unlike the hot sea we’ve been experiencing and we could see our feet deep in the clear water. We rescued colored shells from the sand bar as we walked and watched fishermen.
We woke to rain, again. Breakfasted on plain white bread, thick coffee and a fried egg included in the over-priced accommodation, and rode down our side road in the rain. We gaily waved at another Dutch couple as all of us, wet, yet warm, peddled past each other. We settled into another beachside bungalow and ducked out of the rain to read and write.
August 11 Thailand/Khao Sam Roi Yot Weltreise 2007 >
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August 05 Thailand Weltreise 2007
After a day in paradise in a 4 star accommodation, we rode the bike around Samui, stopping for an elephant ride and a look at a waterfall, both very touristy, but fun. We stopped in Hat Chaweng, the main tourist area with a 7km beach providing tourists with every type of water sport (jet skis, water ski, fishing, etc.) imaginable plus rows of message beds under palm-roofed shade where sun burned bodies were tended by gentle hands. The area reminded us of the hustle bustle of Kuta Beach in Bali, complete with all the services and vendors. It is a bit more upscale, a bit cleaner and the vendors actually understand “No”.
Glad to have seen the place, anxious to move on, a ferry spirited us north past a couple more islands, famous for diving and diving instruction,/certification at very reasonable costs. We chose to disembark back on mainland Thailand near Chumphon, on the narrow neck of land shared with Myanmar. The seas were rough, the wind strong, so we arrived after dark and 7kms from the closest hotel. The ferry operator rode a motorcycle in front of us to direct us to the main road and we proceeded under a red blinker light attached to Judee’s Camelback and Art put his reading headlight on the front pack. Much of the road was lit, to our amazement, most vehicles saw us since they are on the constant lookout for scooters, still beeping and smiling at us in the dark!
After stopping and asking directions, we finally found the hotel down a small dirt road. It was pleasant and about $17. Across the way on the dock side we ate a pretty good meal. The hotel owner helped us choose a route that would keep us off the main road which we have most often had to ride without better detailed or correct maps. We have trouble finding through side roads: so many canals, clogged with fishing boats; river mouths; mangrove swamp areas don’t have bridges except by the main road. Our route around Champhon was no exception. We rode a curvy cement road past lovely houses then got lost at a canal crossing, weaving our way east, west, north, sometimes even a little south. Finally, we seemed to have found a through road, which was confirmed by a Dutch couple we met going south.
We have met several Dutch riders in various countries, always with a tick sheet, detailed map of the area they are riding and listings of all appropriate accommodations and eateries. They can buy these itineraries for most areas of Asia, even have tourist agencies set up their air, transfer and hotel bookings in advance! Our travel guides barely cover the areas we are traveling, let alone finding us maps with any accuracy. Oh well, we just stop a lot, fret, ask questions in English, Thai’s answer in Thai. We show them our map with English characters, they read Thai characters. We struggle to pronounce things, they laugh. Sometimes it is funny, sometimes extremely frustrating, but in the end, the bicycle gods find us a good place to stay.
The Dutch couple gave us advice about accommodation and road conditions ahead, recommending stopping short of our destination. There has been a lot of rain during the nights and lasting into the mornings, so we often have late starts. Bici needed maintenance today after some rough handling by the ferry operators who broke one of his couplers leaving us without a rear brake. It was after 10:30 by the time we rode out and the rain began again about 2pm. It was great to be told of a spot or two up the road. So we stopped at Coral Bay Resort. The room was typical Thai, complete with fan and hole-in-the-floor toilet with a bucket flush. It wasn’t too clean, but the bugs didn’t seem to mind. To get to the room one stepped away from the restaurant/ pool area down a two foot drop into a littered shrub border. After looking at a model of the Resort, we realized it had never been completed. All that was here were the main building, pool and five servants’ shacks – one of which was rented to us for the same price as last night’s a/c white-sheeted, soft pillowed room! This facility commanded the seashore of one of the prettiest, cleanest, bays we’ve ever encountered. On each side, huge volcanic formations plunged down to the sea, creating protective hills and caves and small island-like outcroppings were set in the center of the pretty white sand bay. The water was refreshing, unlike the hot sea we’ve been experiencing and we could see our feet deep in the clear water. We rescued colored shells from the sand bar as we walked and watched fishermen.
We woke to rain, again. Breakfasted on plain white bread, thick coffee and a fried egg included in the over-priced accommodation, and rode down our side road in the rain. We gaily waved at another Dutch couple as all of us, wet, yet warm, peddled past each other. We settled into another beachside bungalow and ducked out of the rain to read and write.
