INTRODUCTION
22/07/15 – Aranya Prathet
to Non Din Daeng (via Pakham) – 120km (approx) – Easy/Medium
23/07/15 – Non Din Daeng
to Prasat – 92km – Easy
24/07/15 – Prasat to
Sangkha – 50km – Easy
25/07/15 – Sangkha to
Kantharalak – 90km – Easy
26/07/15 – Kantharalak to
Det Udom – 60km – Easy
27/07/15 – Det Udom to
Ubon Ratchathani – 50km – Easy
29/07/15 – Ubon Ratchathani
to Khemmarat – 102km – Easy
30/07/15 – Khemmarat to
Mukdahan – 85km – Easy/Medium
01/08/15 – Mukdahan to
That Phanom – 50km – Easy
02/08/15 – That Phanom to
Nakhon Phanom – 53km – Easy
03/08/15 – Nakhon Phanom
to Ban Pheang – 100km (approx) – Medium
04/08/15 – Ban Phaeng to
Bueng Kan – 85km – Easy..ish
05/08/15 – Bueng Kan to
Pak Khat – 47km – Easy/Medium
06/08/15 – Pak Khat to
Phon Phisai – 47km – Easy
07/08/15 – Phon Phisai to
Udon Thani – 85km – Medium
08/08/15 – Udon Thani
09/08/15 – Udon Thani to
Nong Khai – 56km – Easy
11/08/15 – Nong Khai to Si
Chiang Mai – 50km (approx) – Easy
12/08/15 – Si Chiang Mai
to Nong Khai – 50km (approx) – Easy
14/08/15 – Nong Khai to
Vientiane – 28km - Easy
CONCLUSIONS & OVERALL
COSTS
INTRODUCTION
I’d spent the night in
Aranya Prathet wondering if I really wanted to be in Thailand &
contemplating returning to Cambodia. The beer gets more expensive every time I
come, the TV is just 50 channels of Thai rubbish with no English channels,
cheap hotels are often hard to come by & smoking is forbidden in more &
more places. I’m so glad I decided to persevere & continue on this trip
through Thailand & was to rediscover my love of the country & its
people. In the following few weeks I enjoyed some wonderful food, friendly,
hospitable locals, very courteous drivers, great roads & wonderful scenery
– indeed one of the best trips I’ve had on a cycle, despite traveling at the
height of the rainy season.
On much of this trip
places to eat were scarcer than I’m used to in Thailand & when I did spot
one they didn’t speak any English & often didn’t even have a Thai menu –
the Thai’s instinctively know what’s on offer. For people who don’t speak Thai,
I’d highly recommend carrying a crib sheet with the most popular stir fries any
Thai cook can throw together. Chicken/ pork fried rice, pork with basil & chili,
chicken & garlic etc, etc. I recon it would make life a lot easier &
save cycling on an empty stomach on many occasions.
Throughout this report
I’ve used an exchange rate of 35 baht to the American dollar.
22/07/15 – Aranya
Prathet to Non Din Daeng (via Pakham) – 120km (approx) – Easy/ Medium
MAP of today's journey HERE
I’d stayed in Market Motel
which was good value with an $8 fan room; although with my room adjacent to
their restaurant it was a bit noisy. Aranya Prathet’s a pleasant enough place
for an overnight stopover but there wasn’t much to entice me to hang around
longer.
I started out along road
348 on a great road surface, traffic wasn’t particularly heavy but it’s a lot
faster moving than I’m used to in Cambodia & I was glad to have the benefit
of a wide shoulder. Mature trees lined the roadside providing shade &
pleasant green scenery. All day food options were far sparser than I’m used to
in Thailand & it wasn’t until around the 25km mark I spotted a small
roadside restaurant & ordered a pork fried rice ($1.10).
On occasion I did manage
to cut off the main road onto local dirt tracks which passed through pleasant
countryside but with rutted, potholed surfaces it was painfully slow going
& I was glad when I got back onto the main roads |
| Painfully slow going |
As soon as I reached the
top the wide shoulder reappeared & was to remain with me for the rest of
the day. The second 300 meter climb indicated on Google Maps didn’t materialize
& from then on it was pleasant cycling on good roads with lovely green
scenery.
As I passed through Non
Din Daeng around 4pm I noticed a small night market being set up, a 7’11’ store
& a few motels, one of which advertised rooms for 250 baht. I was tempted
to stop but wanted to make it to Pakham which looked to be a bigger, more
vibrant town on Google Maps. Pushing on the last 15km I arrived & found
Pakham was a tiny village with few services (except for a small Tesco Lotus)
& no hotel that I could find. At 5pm I decided to play safe & backtrack
to Non Din Daeng.
Checking around I found
the motel just as you turn onto road 348 (with prominent signs advertising 250
baht i.e. $7) was by far the best value with a really nice fan room, reasonable
Wi-Fi & hot shower although the mattress was rock hard & it’s a km or so
from the town centre & night market. I made it to the night market just as
it was closing down at 7pm & picked up some food along with some beers from
the 7’11’.
23/07/15 – Non Din
Daeng to Prasat – 92km – Easy
MAP of today's journey HERE
A comfortable night in my
$7 room although the mattress was as hard as nails. My usual slow start to the
day before heading out onto road 2120, a single lane road with a good surface
& trees shading me on both sides. A typical Asian landscape of lush green
paddy fields, vegetable plantations & occasional roadside villages made
pleasant scenery.
Once again I did try to
veer off onto country tracks but to be honest the potholed dirt trails were
such slow going it was always good to get back to tarmac roads & make
decent time again. Traffic when it came was fast moving but in general it was
fairly light & at times I had the road completely to myself. Google Maps
indicated I’d be going over a couple of 200 meter hills but if I did, I
certainly didn’t notice & everything was on a very gentle gradient. 
Just before Prakhon Chai I
passed through a couple of really tranquil, idyllic villages with a few home
stays advertised; presumably catering to visitors to Prasat Phanom Rung.
Prakhon Chai itself is a vibrant looking town & certainly the biggest I’ve passed
since Aranya Prathet.
Turning onto highway 24
for the final 35km to Prasat was a bit of a shock as I was suddenly back on a
major highway with heavy, fast moving traffic; not oppressive or dangerous,
just not enjoyable cycling. Not the best end to what had been an enjoyable day in
the saddle.
There were lots of
accommodation options in Prasat but all in the $12 to $17 bracket (see note 1).
I did find one place with $10 rooms but couldn’t get the Wi-Fi password from
the owner (I’ve since realized she needed a Thai script keyboard & couldn’t
work my English keyboard). Eventually I ended up at The Modern Home with a
really nice A/C room, fridge etc for $13. It’s much more than I wanted to pay
but suspect it’s something I’m going to have to get used to.
A lovely ping plaa
(grilled fish rubbed in sea salt & stuffed with lemongrass) for dinner ($2)
& with yet another rainy night in store I retired to my room with a bag of
beers for the fridge.
NOTE; Most signs for
hotels/ motels (or resorts as Thai’s call them) in this area are in Thai script
only & can be hard to spot; look out for signs or billboards with 24hrs
& Wi-Fi which will generally reflect accommodation of some sort. Don’t be
put off if the sign says 800 or 900 as often that’s how many meters to the
location as opposed to the price of a room.
I enjoyed a comfortable,
quiet night in Modern Home & awoke refreshed & keen to get moving
again. My original plan was to cycle down road 214 to Chong Chom & then
back up road 2283 to Sangkha but realizing I really needed to find a bank &
change some money I decided to use the faster, shorter route on road 24. 
It was a nicer road than
I’d expected & occasionally moderately heavy, fast moving traffic wasn’t a problem
as I always had a wonderful wide shoulder. A great road surface meant I made
good time & with most of the roadside lined with mature trees it was a
pleasant, shaded environment to cycle through. With lush green countryside, water
buffalo wallowing in mud pools & butterflies flirting around it didn’t feel
like a main road at all. 
Services were much sparser
than I’ve come to expect in Thailand & it wasn’t until 25km down the road
that I spotted a rustic restaurant & pulled in for a wonderful pork fried
rice ($1).
At night I had some food
at the local night market before heading to the Tesco Lotus for some beers
& snacks for the room. As I was perusing the shelves a young boy began to
piss in the aisles, his father noticed & picked him up & whisked him
outside to finish off much as you would with a young puppy. It felt good to be amongst
unpretentious country people, indeed Sangkha’s been an incredibly friendly
little town & every transaction I’ve had has been an absolute
pleasure.
Around 10km into the day I
was fairly ravenously hungry but it wasn’t until around the 25km mark that I
spotted a rustic restaurant. None of these places understand English & most
often don’t even have a Thai menu, their customers instinctively know what’s on
offer. Thankfully my Thai is good enough to order some basic Thai dishes &
I enjoyed a minced pork, chili & basil over rice ($1.20). 
Around 25km outside
Kantharalak I hit some roadwork’s & found myself cycling over freshly laid
tar which spatters up & covers everything, my legs, shorts, shirt, arms,
dustcover & worse my chain & derailleur’s. Impervious to soap &
water I know from past experience I’ll be picking bits of tar off my arms &
legs for days & I don’t know how much damage it will do to my chain &
derailleur’s.
I awoke to a drizzly
morning which was to continue all day. It got worse as I tried to pump some
extra air into my tyres & discovered my pump is broken. Everything seems to
be falling apart at the same time; my sandals are held together with duct tape,
my watch works intermittently, my daypack strap is superglued in place, my
camera has a mind of its own & only works when it wants to & now I find
my pump gives up the ghost. I really need to get to a big town & restock
soon. 
Not trusting Google Maps
to give me a location fix (the GPS only works intermittently) I opted out of
using some intriguing rural roads & “played safe” by sticking with more
major roads. The initial run up road 2085 was a fairly uninteresting, bland
cycle run but turning back onto road 24 & it was back to very pleasant
cycling. A good road surface lined with mature trees & vibrant green
farmland all around. The traffic was fairly light & always considerate of
the elderly cyclist, indeed often giving me a toot of encouragement as they
passed by. Lots of shouts of encouragement from passengers in the back of
pickups & even the police at the sporadic checkpoints often gave me a
salute or “chook dii khrap” (good luck) as I passed by. 
A lunch stop for a pork
fried rice ($1.20) fortified me for the run into Det Udom & when I told the
vendor “alloy maak khrap” (delicious) her face broke out in the most wonderful
smile – another magic moment. Arriving early afternoon I cycled around town
& there are lots of motels in the $11.50 to $14 range. I picked one at
random & it’s OK for $11.50 but again I’d much prefer a simple $9 fan room.
It’s strange, I find in
this the rainy season I can cycle all day in the rain quite happily yet as soon
as I get to town I suddenly want to get out of the rain – It’s not as if I
could get any more soaked. By night I enjoyed a wander through the local night
market where I picked up a whole grilled fish ($2) & some absolutely
delicious chocolate balls ($1) before picking up some beers from the 7’11’.
My original plan was to cycle
to Phibum Mangsahan but a desperate need to replace failing equipment & the
appeal of a big city night market found me heading to Ubon Ratchathani instead.
It was a pretty uneventful ride except for a puncture early on, thankfully I’d
stripped down my pump last night & the repairs I’d done were enough to get her
working again.
It had been yet another
day of constant drizzle & passing through areas of roadworks with a wet red
clay surface meant I arrived covered in mud. A quick look around & I ended
up at Fundee 1 Mansions, 18 Chayangkul 38, T. Naimuang (reviews available on
Trip Advisor) with a $10 A/C room with fridge & hot shower. It’s in the old
block (the new block is $14/ night) & is good value but the Wi-Fi doesn’t
reach the room.
With my hotel located on
the Northern outskirts of Ubon city it didn’t take me long to get out of heavy
city traffic & onto route 2050. The road varied a lot today, mostly it was
a good road surface with a wide shoulder but occasionally the shoulder would
disappear & at times the surface deteriorated & became a rough, jarring
ride. The whole day was a series of mild undulations & nearing Khemmarat
they became more pronounced & had me rapidly dropping down the gears. 
The scenery was pleasant
enough without being dramatic, more fertile green farmland but I did miss the
majestic trees lining the roadside that I’d become used to on road 24. Yet
another day of constant drizzle, not unpleasant to cycle in although I do worry
about keeping my phone & camera dry. 
My day off in Ubon had
done me good & I found myself effortlessly making good time, arriving in
Khemmarat around 4pm. It took me a long time cycling around looking for a
hotel, eventually finding a $10 A/C room with hot shower on the road adjacent
to the riverfront (Thai sign only). There were a few nice “resorts” on the
riverfront but I just presumed they would be out with my price range. 
Heading out at night for
some food & beer I walked straight into local celebrations for Buddhist
lent. A parade of impressive wax carvings mostly celebrating the king & his
reign, beauty contests, local singers, shadow puppets & many people dressed
up in traditional costumes. It should have been really interesting &
provided some great photo opportunities but I was tired & irritable & I
just wanted to find some food & beer without having to fight my way through
crowds of cheery revelers.
At one point today cycling
along in a pleasant daze a lady suddenly appeared in the middle of the road,
arms splayed & shouting “stop, “stop”! Stopping as commanded it became
evident she was fairly well inebriated. Displaying fairly good English she said
“I want to go with you but how to do (indicating my bike)”.
It’s been a great days
cycling on possibly the most enjoyable road I’ve encountered in Thailand, a
tranquil, peaceful ride with pleasant scenery on route. I cycled a few km’s
along road 202 before turning off onto road 2242 where the volume of traffic decreased
& the pace of life slowed right down.
All day the roads
undulated over a series of rolling hills & I found the 1st 25km
fairly difficult until I got some breakfast inside me at Ban Bung Khiew, the 1st
restaurant I’d spotted today. Thereafter the undulations seemed to get a bit
tamer. 
Much of the day the road
passed through grooves of majestic trees & on occasion thick jungle lined
both sides. Fertile green farmland, small hamlets & often vivid green paddy
fields springing to life now that the rain is here. Lots of waves & cheery
shouts of “hello” as I passed by, not just from the kids but as often from the
adults, especially the older guys. It really has been a great days cycling
although the dogs are getting more boisterous & occasionally want to run
after me barking & biting at my ankle, so far a loud, authoritative “PAI”
has been enough to stop them in their tracks. 
Despite a fairly
torrential downpour mid afternoon I pushed on, wanting to arrive in Mukdahan
early enough to find a hotel & also a laundry. I eventually ended up at Kin
Jek Sin Hotel with a $7 fan room, it’s a nice big room but everything is well
worn, the staff are positively surly & the shower was ice cold. Still great
value & I used to pay the same price 10 years ago, granted there’s been
absolutely no maintenance done in those 10 years. 
I had a quick shower
before rushing down to a laundry shop with a bag of stinking clothes then a
wander around the night market where I enjoyed some lovely Thai food. The
7’11’s aren’t selling beer but I managed to “blag it” in the Tesco Lotus where
despite notices to the contrary the young girl was too embarrassed to tell me I
couldn’t purchase beer (Buddhist lent). I love being an old man in Asia where
the kids are too well mannered to tell me I can’t do something.
24/07/15 – Prasat to
Sangkha – 50km – Easy
I enjoyed a comfortable,
quiet night in Modern Home & awoke refreshed & keen to get moving
again. My original plan was to cycle down road 214 to Chong Chom & then
back up road 2283 to Sangkha but realizing I really needed to find a bank &
change some money I decided to use the faster, shorter route on road 24. 
It was a nicer road than
I’d expected & occasionally moderately heavy, fast moving traffic wasn’t a problem
as I always had a wonderful wide shoulder. A great road surface meant I made
good time & with most of the roadside lined with mature trees it was a
pleasant, shaded environment to cycle through. With lush green countryside, water
buffalo wallowing in mud pools & butterflies flirting around it didn’t feel
like a main road at all. 
Services were much sparser
than I’ve come to expect in Thailand & it wasn’t until 25km down the road
that I spotted a rustic restaurant & pulled in for a wonderful pork fried
rice ($1).
Arriving in Sangkha early
afternoon my first stop was a bank to change some money (see note) then I went
hunting for a room. I cycled around for 90 minutes but just couldn’t find any
hotels at all. Eventually I headed to the local bus terminal & asked some
motorbike taxi drivers who directed me to Ratcha resort where I found an $11
A/C room (no fridge).
At night I had some food
at the local night market before heading to the Tesco Lotus for some beers
& snacks for the room. As I was perusing the shelves a young boy began to
piss in the aisles, his father noticed & picked him up & whisked him
outside to finish off much as you would with a young puppy. It felt good to be amongst
unpretentious country people, indeed Sangkha’s been an incredibly friendly
little town & every transaction I’ve had has been an absolute
pleasure.
11pm – It’s Friday night
& there’s a gang of adolescents in a nearby room which means motorbikes
racing in & out all night but worse is a drama queen pissed on cheap Thai
whisky. She’s been a caterwauling pain all night & I’m hoping she passes
out soon.
NOTE;- I brought a lot of dollars to exchange to baht as I
loathe paying the 180 baht ATM fee that all Thai banks charge. However I’ve
realized the Thai banks & exchanges take 1 ½% on the exchange rate so carry
a lot of $ won’t work out any cheaper than using ATM’s.
25/07/15 – Sangkha
to Kantharalak – 90km – Easy
I enjoyed a comfortable
night in Ratcha Resort despite the adolescent antics going on a few doors down.
I headed off down road 24 for another very pleasant day cycling on a good road
surface; vivid green countryside all around & often shaded under the canopy
of mature trees which lined the roadside.
Fast moving convoys of traffic would occasionally shake me out of my
daydreams but on the whole it was a pleasant, relaxed cycle ride.
Around 10km into the day I
was fairly ravenously hungry but it wasn’t until around the 25km mark that I
spotted a rustic restaurant. None of these places understand English & most
often don’t even have a Thai menu, their customers instinctively know what’s on
offer. Thankfully my Thai is good enough to order some basic Thai dishes &
I enjoyed a minced pork, chili & basil over rice ($1.20). 
Around 25km outside
Kantharalak I hit some roadwork’s & found myself cycling over freshly laid
tar which spatters up & covers everything, my legs, shorts, shirt, arms,
dustcover & worse my chain & derailleur’s. Impervious to soap &
water I know from past experience I’ll be picking bits of tar off my arms &
legs for days & I don’t know how much damage it will do to my chain &
derailleur’s.  |
| Roadkill |
Arriving in Kantharalak
around 4pm I had a cycle around & there were lots of accommodation options.
I probably made a bad choice selecting SB Hotel with a clean, if cramped $7 fan
room but the owner was just so nice I didn’t like to walk away & it is good
value.
Kantharalak’s a
frustrating place at night & I wandered the whole town looking for
something good to eat only to settle for some chicken over rice & some junk
food from the 7’11’. I’m actually very tempted to head for a big city just to
find a decent Thai night market with some sit down options (see note).
NOTE;- By Thai night market I mean a market full of food
stalls that spring up around 5pm in most Thai towns. In the smaller towns it’s
mostly, if not all, take away food but in large towns & cities it’s a
vibrant, fun filled area with tables & chairs where you can enjoy great
Thai food, a beer & enjoy being in the centre of some vibrant nightlife.
26/07/15 –
Kantharalak to Det Udom – 60km – Easy
Map of today's journey HERE
I awoke to a drizzly
morning which was to continue all day. It got worse as I tried to pump some
extra air into my tyres & discovered my pump is broken. Everything seems to
be falling apart at the same time; my sandals are held together with duct tape,
my watch works intermittently, my daypack strap is superglued in place, my
camera has a mind of its own & only works when it wants to & now I find
my pump gives up the ghost. I really need to get to a big town & restock
soon. 
Not trusting Google Maps
to give me a location fix (the GPS only works intermittently) I opted out of
using some intriguing rural roads & “played safe” by sticking with more
major roads. The initial run up road 2085 was a fairly uninteresting, bland
cycle run but turning back onto road 24 & it was back to very pleasant
cycling. A good road surface lined with mature trees & vibrant green
farmland all around. The traffic was fairly light & always considerate of
the elderly cyclist, indeed often giving me a toot of encouragement as they
passed by. Lots of shouts of encouragement from passengers in the back of
pickups & even the police at the sporadic checkpoints often gave me a
salute or “chook dii khrap” (good luck) as I passed by. 
A lunch stop for a pork
fried rice ($1.20) fortified me for the run into Det Udom & when I told the
vendor “alloy maak khrap” (delicious) her face broke out in the most wonderful
smile – another magic moment. Arriving early afternoon I cycled around town
& there are lots of motels in the $11.50 to $14 range. I picked one at
random & it’s OK for $11.50 but again I’d much prefer a simple $9 fan room.
It’s strange, I find in
this the rainy season I can cycle all day in the rain quite happily yet as soon
as I get to town I suddenly want to get out of the rain – It’s not as if I
could get any more soaked. By night I enjoyed a wander through the local night
market where I picked up a whole grilled fish ($2) & some absolutely
delicious chocolate balls ($1) before picking up some beers from the 7’11’.
27/07/15 – Det Udom
to Ubon Ratchathani – 50km – Easy
 |
| 26 x 4 inch tyres seem popular |
Passing through fertile
green farmland was pleasant enough but the towering green trees lining the
roadside were absent today giving the route a more boring, desolate aspect.
Traffic volume picked up on the outskirts of Ubon but was never oppressive,
indeed typical of Thai drivers they were courteous & considerate of the
cyclists in their midst.
It had been yet another
day of constant drizzle & passing through areas of roadworks with a wet red
clay surface meant I arrived covered in mud. A quick look around & I ended
up at Fundee 1 Mansions, 18 Chayangkul 38, T. Naimuang (reviews available on
Trip Advisor) with a $10 A/C room with fridge & hot shower. It’s in the old
block (the new block is $14/ night) & is good value but the Wi-Fi doesn’t
reach the room.
Tomorrow I’m looking
forward to a day off for banking, shopping & eating.
29/07/15 – Ubon
Ratchathani to Khemmarat – 102km – Easy
MAP of today's journey HERE
With my hotel located on
the Northern outskirts of Ubon city it didn’t take me long to get out of heavy
city traffic & onto route 2050. The road varied a lot today, mostly it was
a good road surface with a wide shoulder but occasionally the shoulder would
disappear & at times the surface deteriorated & became a rough, jarring
ride. The whole day was a series of mild undulations & nearing Khemmarat
they became more pronounced & had me rapidly dropping down the gears. 
The scenery was pleasant
enough without being dramatic, more fertile green farmland but I did miss the
majestic trees lining the roadside that I’d become used to on road 24. Yet
another day of constant drizzle, not unpleasant to cycle in although I do worry
about keeping my phone & camera dry. 
My day off in Ubon had
done me good & I found myself effortlessly making good time, arriving in
Khemmarat around 4pm. It took me a long time cycling around looking for a
hotel, eventually finding a $10 A/C room with hot shower on the road adjacent
to the riverfront (Thai sign only). There were a few nice “resorts” on the
riverfront but I just presumed they would be out with my price range. 
Heading out at night for
some food & beer I walked straight into local celebrations for Buddhist
lent. A parade of impressive wax carvings mostly celebrating the king & his
reign, beauty contests, local singers, shadow puppets & many people dressed
up in traditional costumes. It should have been really interesting &
provided some great photo opportunities but I was tired & irritable & I
just wanted to find some food & beer without having to fight my way through
crowds of cheery revelers.
It’s a concern as from
tomorrow there’s a 2 day prohibition on selling alcohol & unless I can find
an easy going shopkeeper in Mukdahan it’s going to be a boring, sober stopover
there.
 |
| pork, chili, basil & fried egg - delicious |
Noticing some tattoos on
her arms & legs I immediately assumed she was probably an x Pattaya (or
Bangkok) bar girl. I have to confess it was tempting to say “OK” & see
where things led. I do find some of these ladies can be extremely good fun to
hang out with and can be astonishingly good company although a few can also be
a right pain in the butt. Unfortunately I still had a long distance to cover
& didn’t have time to dawdle, although I’m sitting here wondering what
would have happened if I lingered or arranged to meet her here in Khemmarat.
30/07/15 – Khemmarat
to Mukdahan – 85km – Easy/Medium
MAP of today's journey HERE
It’s been a great days
cycling on possibly the most enjoyable road I’ve encountered in Thailand, a
tranquil, peaceful ride with pleasant scenery on route. I cycled a few km’s
along road 202 before turning off onto road 2242 where the volume of traffic decreased
& the pace of life slowed right down.
All day the roads
undulated over a series of rolling hills & I found the 1st 25km
fairly difficult until I got some breakfast inside me at Ban Bung Khiew, the 1st
restaurant I’d spotted today. Thereafter the undulations seemed to get a bit
tamer.
Generally it was a good
road surface with a decent shoulder although there were sporadic sections of
broken, potholed surfaces. All day traffic was extremely light, indeed often I
had the road completely to myself & could enjoy the company of butterflies,
birdsong & insect choirs.
Much of the day the road
passed through grooves of majestic trees & on occasion thick jungle lined
both sides. Fertile green farmland, small hamlets & often vivid green paddy
fields springing to life now that the rain is here. Lots of waves & cheery
shouts of “hello” as I passed by, not just from the kids but as often from the
adults, especially the older guys. It really has been a great days cycling
although the dogs are getting more boisterous & occasionally want to run
after me barking & biting at my ankle, so far a loud, authoritative “PAI”
has been enough to stop them in their tracks. 
Despite a fairly
torrential downpour mid afternoon I pushed on, wanting to arrive in Mukdahan
early enough to find a hotel & also a laundry. I eventually ended up at Kin
Jek Sin Hotel with a $7 fan room, it’s a nice big room but everything is well
worn, the staff are positively surly & the shower was ice cold. Still great
value & I used to pay the same price 10 years ago, granted there’s been
absolutely no maintenance done in those 10 years. 
I’m looking forward to a
good look around Mukdahan tomorrow, I’ve had many a great night here in my
younger days & it will be interesting to see what changes have taken place.
01/08/15 – Mukdahan
to That Phanom – 50km – Easy
MAP of today's journey HERE
 |
| Mango, sticky rice & coconut milk |
 |
| Beautiful wooden houses |
It proved to be another
wonderful days cycling. The 1st 10km ran alongside the Mekong river
passing through Mukdahans urban sprawl with posh villas juxtaposed with
traditional stilted wooden houses & newly built riverside apartment blocks.
Thereafter the road opened
out into vivid green countryside, the roadside lined with thick green foliage
or passing beneath canopies of mature trees. Add in a good road surface &
light traffic & it really was a great route to cycle. Once again lots of
shouts of “hello” as often from the older guys as from the kids. Numerous
absolutely beautiful wooden houses came & went as did ornately decorated
Wats. Frustratingly, a day of constant rain meant I was unable to capture a
photo most of the time.
In That Phanom I had a leisurely
cycle around looking for a room. It’s a pretty little town with the riverside
streets full of character & the centre dominated by Wat Phra & Ong Doem
Stupa. I eventually chose Pin Place Hotel on road 212, $11.50 for a nice big
A/C room with fridge & hot shower.
Arriving early, my plan to
explore the town & check out the main sights came to naught as the rain
continued & I had no inclination to get another set of clothes wet. I
contented myself with a dash to the Tesco Lotus for some food & beer for
the room & it’s one of the few nights when I’ve missed having an English
language movie channel.
Another good days cycling;
I’d expected road 212 to be a quieter country road but in reality it turned out
to be a major road but with a wonderful wide shoulder & fairly light
traffic it was still an enjoyable road to cycle. 
Once again I had an
enjoyable backdrop to my cycling with vivid green scenery whether towering
trees lining the roadside, fertile farmland or dense vegetation. Much of the
time the road followed the Mekong River with views across to Laos’s jungle,
occasional settlements & its mountainous interior. 
Another day of constant
rain meant I kept my camera safe & dry, missing out on numerous photo
opportunities. Lots of Thai cyclists out & about today with one guy pulling
alongside for a chat & explaining they are training for “cycling for Mum
day”, a Nationwide cycling event promoted by the Kings wife. It really seems to
have captured the nation’s interest & everywhere I go there are posters
advertising the event.
Normally this would
probably merit an easy grade but I just had one of those days when things
caught up with me & I just didn’t have any power in my legs. With minor
undulations on mild gradients it shouldn’t have been too difficult but I found
I had to drop way down the gears for even the most minor incline. 
Despite my lethargy it was
another great days cycling with yet more vibrant green countryside, roads lined
with majestic trees, thick jungle or opening out into fertile farmland. Often I
enjoyed views across the Mekong to Laos rugged, mountainous interior &
glittering Wats appeared at regular intervals. Butterflies, birdsong &
insect choirs were my constant companions. 
I’d planned to leave road
212 around the halfway mark & use an intriguing road that runs alongside
the Mekong but completely missed the turnoff. Not a problem as road 212 proved
to be a very enjoyable road to cycle with a nice wide shoulder & great
scenery. Services were again extremely
sparse & indeed on the mid section I couldn’t even find a place to
replenish my water. I was down to my last few sips before I found a small shop
20km outside Ban Phaeng.
Arriving in Ban Phaeng
around 5pm I cycled around town but couldn’t find any hotels or resorts. Trying
the main highway I spotted a hotel near a small Tesco Lotus which looked to be
out of my price range. It’s always worth asking & I was pleasantly
surprised to find JB Place had extremely nice, well appointed rooms for 400
baht ($11.50). By night I didn’t venture further than the Tesco Lotus where I picked up
some food & beer for the room.
02/08/15 – That
Phanom to Nakhon Phanom - 53km – Easy
Another good days cycling;
I’d expected road 212 to be a quieter country road but in reality it turned out
to be a major road but with a wonderful wide shoulder & fairly light
traffic it was still an enjoyable road to cycle. 
Once again I had an
enjoyable backdrop to my cycling with vivid green scenery whether towering
trees lining the roadside, fertile farmland or dense vegetation. Much of the
time the road followed the Mekong River with views across to Laos’s jungle,
occasional settlements & its mountainous interior. 
Another day of constant
rain meant I kept my camera safe & dry, missing out on numerous photo
opportunities. Lots of Thai cyclists out & about today with one guy pulling
alongside for a chat & explaining they are training for “cycling for Mum
day”, a Nationwide cycling event promoted by the Kings wife. It really seems to
have captured the nation’s interest & everywhere I go there are posters
advertising the event.  |
| Laos mountainous interior |
Not many services today
& I cycled the mid 25km absolutely starving but unable to find a restaurant
or food stall, perhaps they don’t open on a Sunday. It wasn’t until 15km
outside Nakhon Phanom that I spotted a rustic wee café & absolutely devoured
a pork fried rice ($1). Not for the first time the owner was incredibly
interested in where I was going, where I’d come from & seemed really
impressed at an old guy traveling by bicycle. Unlike Cambodia where they will
ask where you’re going or where you’ve come from only to frown & ask “why
don’t you buy a motorbike?”
Arriving in Nakhon Phanom
early it took me a long time to find an $11.50 room & even then it’s not
the nicest $11.50 room I’ve ever had. Still hot shower, fridge, Al Jazera news
channel & the managers really friendly & helpful despite speaking no
English what so ever. I had a quick look around town which is absolutely packed
with elaborately decorated temples & by night enjoyed some food in the
local night market before retiring to my room with the customary bag of beers.
03/08/15 – Nakhon
Phanom to Ban Phaeng – 100km (approx) – Medium
Map of today's journey HERE
Normally this would
probably merit an easy grade but I just had one of those days when things
caught up with me & I just didn’t have any power in my legs. With minor
undulations on mild gradients it shouldn’t have been too difficult but I found
I had to drop way down the gears for even the most minor incline. 
Despite my lethargy it was
another great days cycling with yet more vibrant green countryside, roads lined
with majestic trees, thick jungle or opening out into fertile farmland. Often I
enjoyed views across the Mekong to Laos rugged, mountainous interior &
glittering Wats appeared at regular intervals. Butterflies, birdsong &
insect choirs were my constant companions. 
I’d planned to leave road
212 around the halfway mark & use an intriguing road that runs alongside
the Mekong but completely missed the turnoff. Not a problem as road 212 proved
to be a very enjoyable road to cycle with a nice wide shoulder & great
scenery. Services were again extremely
sparse & indeed on the mid section I couldn’t even find a place to
replenish my water. I was down to my last few sips before I found a small shop
20km outside Ban Phaeng.  |
| OK, OK - I get the message! |
There was a point today
when I stopped for a pork, basil & chili over rice & the vendor spoke
English; I realized it’s actually the first time I’ve had a conversation in
English since Aranya Prathet.
JB Place was a really
comfortable room & great value for $11.50 – it just shows even when a
place looks out with my price range it’s always worth asking anyway.
It was a good road surface
but a much narrower shoulder than I’ve become used to, coupled with torrential
rain & reduced visibility, I did feel vulnerable at times. The scenery was
once again very enjoyable with occasional views across the Mekong to Laos
forested, mountainous interior; majestic trees lined the roadside with often
thick, impenetrable jungle behind. Unfortunately the conditions prevented me
from getting my camera out much of the time.
As happened yesterday, I
was caught out by the lack of services on offer & spent the mid 40km
starving & running ever lower on water. It wasn’t until the junction with
road 2013 that I found some services, stocked up on water & absolutely
devoured a pork fried rice ($1). Perhaps by this stage I’ve got a desperate
look in my eye but the vendors seem to instinctively know I’m a starving
cyclist & give me absolutely huge portions. 
Arriving in Bueng Kan I
had a cycle around looking for a room. There’s lots of options & the town
is full of hotels, guesthouses & “resorts” but they were all $13 or more. I
eventually found an apartment block with rooms for $10 (no fridge). It’s
primarily monthly rentals but they have a few rooms for daily rent. Very
friendly & hospitable, not only the owners but all the other Thai tenants,
a few of whom are keen cyclists themselves.
I couldn’t decide whether
to have a day off & look around Bueng Kan or push on 95km to Phon Phisai
& in the end compromised with a nice short hop to Pak Khat.
About 4km before Pak Khat
there began to appear numerous “resorts” some advertising rates of 200 baht
($6) although whether that’s for a night (as opposed to by the hour) I don’t
know. With lots of time to cycle around town & check out rooms I ended up
at Mekong River Resort with an $11.50 room; A/C, hot shower, fridge etc &
river views from my room. 
A torrential downpour
meant I spent the afternoon lazing around the room & catching up with
e-mails before venturing out for a pretty wonderful Waterfall beef with sticky
rice ($1.80). Wandering along the riverfront I noticed some foreigners drinking
beers at a stone table outside a small shop. Joining them I was in the mood for
some English speaking company but it soon became clear they were bored expats with
nothing to do but bitch & moan about every aspect of life in Thailand. It
was a pretty tedious experience & I could only put up with their company
for one beer before grabbing a carry out for the room.
It really has been a great
day & I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. A lovely start to the day with a
wonderful pork, basil, chili & fried egg over rice ($1.40) before drawing
14,000 baht from an ATM. I do hate using ATM’s in Thailand where every bank
charges 180 baht ($5) withdrawal fee but there’s no way around it & I’ve
found carrying & exchanging cash doesn’t work out any cheaper. 
Road 212 wasn’t as
dramatically enjoyable today as it’s been previously. Occasionally it was its
usual enjoyable self with majestic trees towering by the roadside creating a
shaded canopy to cycle through with thick, impenetrable jungle just behind.
Views across the Mekong & fertile green farmland springing into view but
there were also sections where the road opened out into a bland 4 lane highway
with unsightly shop houses & somewhat bland, uninteresting scenery.
Once again the road
undulated much of the way but it was always minor climbs on very modest
gradients. As expected on riverside roads I passed numerous Wats glittering
away in the sunshine.
Phon Phisai’s a beautiful,
laid back, friendly little town with a wonderful riverside area. There’s a
track which runs alongside the river passing numerous Wats & Buddha images
with locals walking & cycling back & forth especially in the cooler
evening air. Much of it is tree lined & passes beautiful stilted wooden
houses & there are wooden pavilions to rest up & enjoy the river views.
It really was a beautiful, relaxing place to spend the afternoon. 
I was undecided whether to
have another short, easy day to Nong Khai or use more rural roads & cut
through to Udon Thani. Heading out onto road 212 it was a 4 lane highway with
fast moving traffic & I soon decided the rural roads to Udon were far more
appealing. 
Shelter was hard to find
& when I did find some (usually wading through flooded paddy fields to
farmers lunch shelters) I’d unpack my phone to find I was helplessly off
course. I’ve actually cycled over 100km today, much of it round & round in
useless circles. When I did find the right routes they were often just tracks
over rice field ridges & impossible to pick out without a GPS. The constant
torrential rain meant I was often cycling through knee high water & sliding
through a quagmire of mud. 
It was painfully slow
going & definitely a mistake to try this route in the wet season. Dry
season it would have been a lovely cycle passing through thick forest, lush
green farmland & peaceful hamlets but today I was relieved when I made it
to road 2329 & a nice tarmac surface. 2329 was another pleasant road to
cycle despite the torrential rain with a good road surface, fairly light
traffic & vibrant green countryside all around. 
I was pretty tired by the
time I arrived in Udon around 5pm & was disappointed to find Top Mansion
were full as were the fan rooms at Sritrakarn Hotel. I didn’t have the energy
or desire to cycle any further so took an $11.50 A/C room at Sritrakarn, it’s a
fairly shitty room & the worst value I’ve had this trip but will do for a
night.
At one point today I was
cycling in circles knowing I had to take a left turn & head South but
unable to find it. Ever more desperate I tried one flooded dirt track cycling
through knee high water. After a few km’s the track ended in thick jungle.
Retracing my steps I encountered a tractor ambling down the track towards me,
as it passed a middle aged lady stuck her head out the cab & said in
cheery, understandable English “hello falang” as if it was a normal, everyday
occurrence to have a crazy falang cycling flooded, dead end tracks in
torrential rain. It was one of those moments that was so absurd it immediately
cheered me up.
A frustrating day
yesterday when I tried to change rooms only to find Udon's very popular at
weekends especially with young Thai’s & it was almost impossible to find a
budget room anywhere. AVOID ARRIVING ON A FRIDAY OR SATURDAY UNLESS YOU HAVE
BOOKED AHEAD. It took me 4 hours cycling around finding everywhere full
& I was on the point of giving up & making a late dash for Nong Khai
when I noticed Jai Apartments had removed their “full” notice. It was a great
find with a nice $11.50 A/C room, friendly family & a stone’s throw from
the night market & Central Plaza. Its a few hundred meters up from the bus
station heading north. 
I really like Udon Thani
with one of the best night markets I know of in Thailand. Central Plaza is
always thronged with life & a great place to hang out for a while & for
peace & quiet in lovely surroundings Nong Prachak Park with its well
maintained gardens & lakeside scenery is hard to beat. Add in some of the
friendliest locals in the whole of Thailand & I can understand why many
foreigners choose to live here (notwithstanding the lure of the local ladies). 
That said I took a stroll
along “soi falang” a street made up of Pattaya style beer bars, Western
restaurants & Western oriented guesthouses; it was a sad, depressing place
completely out of sync with the busy, vibrant streets of the rest of the city.
04/08/15 – Ban
Phaeng to Bueng Kan – 85km – Easy…ish
JB Place was a really
comfortable room & great value for $11.50 – it just shows even when a
place looks out with my price range it’s always worth asking anyway.
It would have been another
great days cycling except all day there’s been sudden & dramatic changes in
the weather. I’d be cycling along in blazing sunshine thinking I should stop
& dig out my sunscreen the next minute it’s torrential rain & I’m
racing to get my raincoat out. All day jacket on, jacket off, jacket
on………………………………..With torrential rain visibility is severely reduced & I’m
tempted to find shelter & wait it out but who knows, it could be on for the
day & so I tend to persevere despite the more dangerous conditions.
 |
| Getting a good wash |
 |
| Looking across to Laos |
Arriving in Bueng Kan I
had a cycle around looking for a room. There’s lots of options & the town
is full of hotels, guesthouses & “resorts” but they were all $13 or more. I
eventually found an apartment block with rooms for $10 (no fridge). It’s
primarily monthly rentals but they have a few rooms for daily rent. Very
friendly & hospitable, not only the owners but all the other Thai tenants,
a few of whom are keen cyclists themselves.
Early evening I found a
small restaurant & had a wonderful chicken in sweet chili sauce ($1.80)
before picking up some beers for the room which I enjoyed on the balcony
chatting to some Thai tenants. It’s been heartening for me that my Thai
language skills have resurfaced fairly quickly, I had worried after so long
away I would have lost much of my vocabulary but I’ve found no problems with
communications albeit on a fairly basic level.
05/08/15 – Bueng Kan
to Pak Khat – 47km – Easy/Medium
I couldn’t decide whether
to have a day off & look around Bueng Kan or push on 95km to Phon Phisai
& in the end compromised with a nice short hop to Pak Khat.
A quick breakfast of pork,
basil & chili over rice before rejoining road 212. The initial few km’s was
on a bland, boring 4 lane highway but soon enough it narrowed down to the 2
lane road I’m used to. Thereafter it was once again lovely cycling with more of
the same; tree lined roads, dense foliage, views across the Mekong to Laos’s
mountainous interior & vibrant, fertile farmland all around. Despite a
fairly narrow shoulder traffic never felt oppressive.
An undulating road with
occasional prolonged assents meant it wasn’t exactly an easy ride, but it was
all very manageable, especially only having 47km to cover. I do love doing
these short distances on occasion when I can stop often, enjoy the views &
still arrive in the early afternoon.
About 4km before Pak Khat
there began to appear numerous “resorts” some advertising rates of 200 baht
($6) although whether that’s for a night (as opposed to by the hour) I don’t
know. With lots of time to cycle around town & check out rooms I ended up
at Mekong River Resort with an $11.50 room; A/C, hot shower, fridge etc &
river views from my room. 
06/08/15 – Pak Khat
to Phon Phisai – 47km – Easy
It really has been a great
day & I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. A lovely start to the day with a
wonderful pork, basil, chili & fried egg over rice ($1.40) before drawing
14,000 baht from an ATM. I do hate using ATM’s in Thailand where every bank
charges 180 baht ($5) withdrawal fee but there’s no way around it & I’ve
found carrying & exchanging cash doesn’t work out any cheaper. 
Road 212 wasn’t as
dramatically enjoyable today as it’s been previously. Occasionally it was its
usual enjoyable self with majestic trees towering by the roadside creating a
shaded canopy to cycle through with thick, impenetrable jungle just behind.
Views across the Mekong & fertile green farmland springing into view but
there were also sections where the road opened out into a bland 4 lane highway
with unsightly shop houses & somewhat bland, uninteresting scenery.  |
| Wonderful riverside lane |
Arriving in town early
afternoon I had a leisurely cycle around & the town is absolutely full of
ornately decorated temples. I checked out numerous hotels & finally settled
on Rim Fang Khong Hotel, 97 Moo16, Phisaisoradel Road, Jumphon where I’ve a $7
room with hot shower (no fridge & the Wi-Fi doesn’t work in the room).
 |
| Tranquil sunset beer |
At night a small night
market sprung up outside my hotel & I enjoyed a Laap Muu with sticky rice
before picking up some cakes & a bag of beers for the room.
07/08/15 – Phon
Phisai to Udon Thani – 85km – Medium
Approximate MAP of today's journey HERE
I was undecided whether to
have another short, easy day to Nong Khai or use more rural roads & cut
through to Udon Thani. Heading out onto road 212 it was a 4 lane highway with
fast moving traffic & I soon decided the rural roads to Udon were far more
appealing.
It proved to be a mistake
in the current wet season as the course Google Maps had plotted me went through
farm roads & dirt tracks. As soon as I veered onto those tracks the heavens
opened & a torrential rain battered me most of the day. It meant I was
unable to get my phone out & check my location & had to rely on my
finely honed sense of direction instead (ha!) – Of course I got completely
& helplessly lost at every turn.
Shelter was hard to find
& when I did find some (usually wading through flooded paddy fields to
farmers lunch shelters) I’d unpack my phone to find I was helplessly off
course. I’ve actually cycled over 100km today, much of it round & round in
useless circles. When I did find the right routes they were often just tracks
over rice field ridges & impossible to pick out without a GPS. The constant
torrential rain meant I was often cycling through knee high water & sliding
through a quagmire of mud. 
It was painfully slow
going & definitely a mistake to try this route in the wet season. Dry
season it would have been a lovely cycle passing through thick forest, lush
green farmland & peaceful hamlets but today I was relieved when I made it
to road 2329 & a nice tarmac surface. 2329 was another pleasant road to
cycle despite the torrential rain with a good road surface, fairly light
traffic & vibrant green countryside all around.
By the time I got to Phen
I really needed some food & stopped at the first restaurant I saw. Ordering
pork, basil, chili over rice I absolutely shoveled it down, indeed I think I
would have growled had anyone came close to my food, I really was that hungry.
Turning onto highway 2 for
the final 20km to Udon it wasn’t as bad as I’d expected, sure it’s a busy
highway with fast moving traffic but with a wide shoulder & next to no left
turns it felt perfectly safe & I was able to make good time.
One of the major
attractions for me in Udon Thani is the huge night market which sprawls around
the train station with every conceivable type of Thai food on offer but tonight
the crowds, noise & traffic was too much for me. I contented myself with
some food & beers from Tops supermarket & actually the fish, green
pepper in black pepper sauce was sublime ($2).
Actually as I write this
up I can smile & it’s actually been an enjoyable, adventurous days cycling
but there were times today when panic was beginning to well up & I was
wondering if I’d ever get back to a main road or somewhere with some services.
08/08/15 – Udon
Thani
 |
| 2 dishes & rice for $1.20 |
I really like Udon Thani
with one of the best night markets I know of in Thailand. Central Plaza is
always thronged with life & a great place to hang out for a while & for
peace & quiet in lovely surroundings Nong Prachak Park with its well
maintained gardens & lakeside scenery is hard to beat. Add in some of the
friendliest locals in the whole of Thailand & I can understand why many
foreigners choose to live here (notwithstanding the lure of the local ladies). 
That said I took a stroll
along “soi falang” a street made up of Pattaya style beer bars, Western
restaurants & Western oriented guesthouses; it was a sad, depressing place
completely out of sync with the busy, vibrant streets of the rest of the city.
I could easily have spent
a week or more enjoying life in Udon but with lots of ground still to cover I
tore myself away sooner than I wanted to.
A relaxed start to the day
as I headed to Central Plaza food court for some breakfast. There ensued a
fairly bland, boring ride along highway 2 to Nong Khai. Despite passing through
pleasant green farmland interspersed with woodland my primary perceptions were
of a 4 lane highway with fast moving traffic. 
Arriving in Nong Khai mid
afternoon I had a slow cycle around looking for a room. Pornvichet Hotel had $6
fan rooms but with no Wi-Fi in the room & no curtains it would mean an
early awakening with the sunlight. Eventually I opted for Piluk Apartments, 465
Soi Cheunjit 1 & a really nice fan room, fridge, hot shower & good
Wi-Fi. At $11.50 it’s a bit overpriced for a fan room but it was comfortable.
At one point today I
noticed a kitten stuck in the road. It was absolutely petrified & couldn’t
move as trucks & buses rumbled over missing it by inches. It’s innocent yet
terrified gaze stays with me as I type up these notes 4 months later but I just
couldn’t find a break in traffic to get out & rescue it.
I’d enjoyed my stay at
Piluk Apartments & found it very comfortable & non intrusive. $11.50
was a bit expensive for a fan room but still it was a wrench to pull myself
away. With time left on my Thai visa I decided to have a run up to Si Chiang
Mai. 
The initial 10km was a
disappointment as I passed through urban sprawl on a fairly featureless, boring
road. Thereafter things improved as lovely countryside replaced the ugly urban
sprawl with trees lining the roadside, green fields, expansive views across the
Mekong to the Laos mainland & passing through tranquil, picturesque villages.
Temples were never far from view with their gold painted exteriors glittering
away in the sunlight. 
It would have been a
lovely cycle ride except for a complete lack of any shoulder; indeed often
there was a steep drop on my inside, with moderately heavy traffic which
occasionally got a bit too close for comfort. It all added up to nervous,
unenjoyable cycling & indeed I was glad to eventually pick up road 211
which had blander scenery & heavier traffic but also had a wonderful wide
shoulder to cycle along.
Arriving in Si Chiang Mai
it took me a long time to find a satisfactory room, indeed I was just about to
give up on the place when I stumbled upon Dao Resort with great value rooms;
$8.50 with A/C, fridge, hot shower, good Wi-Fi & a really friendly,
welcoming family who spoke some English. Coming into town take a left just
before the post office, ignore the 1st basic resort & about 200
meters up this road on the right is Dao Resort (Thai sign only). I highly
recommend it if you like value for money.
The reverse of yesterday’s
journey & again lovely scenery was spoiled by a narrow 2 lane road with no
shoulder & moderately heavy traffic. With all my concentration focused on
staying right on the inside & watching out for oncoming traffic I rarely
got my head up to enjoy the scenery.
My last Thai meal for some
time was another wonderful pork, basil, chili & fried egg over rice. Knowing
I wouldn’t be getting anything near this quality of food for budget prices in
Laos I savored every mouthful. 
A slow cycle to the
Friendship Bridge enjoying my last few monments in Thailand before a hassle
free exit & I soon found myself cycling over the bridge. I’d been expecting
a pleasant cycle over, perhaps stopping to take some photos of Nong Khai &
the Laos riverside but in reality I found myself on a narrow 2 lane road with
convoys of huge trucks passing & it just didn’t feel safe at all. It doesn’t
help that there’s a railway track running down the centre restricting the width
of the road & everyone’s maneuverability. It just wasn’t a pleasant
experience & I was glad when it came to an end.
It was a pretty bland,
boring cycle into the city (if you can call Vientiane a city – it’s actually no
more than a small town). There were no road markers or signs the whole way
& although I do admire the Laos laid back approach to life I did think it’s
2015, surely you could put up a few signs directing people to your capitol
city!!
$1 – Miscellaneous Inc
water, soft drinks, toiletries etc.
09/08/15 – Udon
Thani to Nong Khai – 56km – Easy
A relaxed start to the day
as I headed to Central Plaza food court for some breakfast. There ensued a
fairly bland, boring ride along highway 2 to Nong Khai. Despite passing through
pleasant green farmland interspersed with woodland my primary perceptions were
of a 4 lane highway with fast moving traffic.
With a wide shoulder all
the way I never felt venerable other than passing the occasional left turn
where I had to move into the traffic & allow vehicles to pass me on the
inside. Once again I noticed how courteous & understanding Thai drivers are
towards cyclists, slowing right down & staying well behind to ensure they
are in no sense a threat to me.
Arriving in Nong Khai mid
afternoon I had a slow cycle around looking for a room. Pornvichet Hotel had $6
fan rooms but with no Wi-Fi in the room & no curtains it would mean an
early awakening with the sunlight. Eventually I opted for Piluk Apartments, 465
Soi Cheunjit 1 & a really nice fan room, fridge, hot shower & good
Wi-Fi. At $11.50 it’s a bit overpriced for a fan room but it was comfortable. 
At one point today I
noticed a kitten stuck in the road. It was absolutely petrified & couldn’t
move as trucks & buses rumbled over missing it by inches. It’s innocent yet
terrified gaze stays with me as I type up these notes 4 months later but I just
couldn’t find a break in traffic to get out & rescue it.
I’d enjoyed my stay at
Piluk Apartments & found it very comfortable & non intrusive. $11.50
was a bit expensive for a fan room but still it was a wrench to pull myself
away. With time left on my Thai visa I decided to have a run up to Si Chiang
Mai. 
The initial 10km was a
disappointment as I passed through urban sprawl on a fairly featureless, boring
road. Thereafter things improved as lovely countryside replaced the ugly urban
sprawl with trees lining the roadside, green fields, expansive views across the
Mekong to the Laos mainland & passing through tranquil, picturesque villages.
Temples were never far from view with their gold painted exteriors glittering
away in the sunlight. 
It would have been a
lovely cycle ride except for a complete lack of any shoulder; indeed often
there was a steep drop on my inside, with moderately heavy traffic which
occasionally got a bit too close for comfort. It all added up to nervous,
unenjoyable cycling & indeed I was glad to eventually pick up road 211
which had blander scenery & heavier traffic but also had a wonderful wide
shoulder to cycle along.  |
| Pretty in pink - Dao resort |
Si Chiang Mai’s a very
friendly, if fairly boring little town. I enjoyed a lovely Penang curry before
a sunset beer by the riverside & then picked up some extra food & beers
for the room.
12/08/15 – Si Chiang
Mai to Nong Khai – 50km (approx) – Easy
 |
| Outside a police station |
In Nong Khai I returned to
Pikul Apartments where I again felt I’m wasting money when there are perfectly
adequate $8.50 rooms in town but I do feel extremely comfortable here & it
will do for my last 2 days in Thailand.
14/08/15, Nong Khai
to Vientiane – 28km – Easy
 |
| Friendship bridge, not a pleasant crossing |
A slow cycle to the
Friendship Bridge enjoying my last few monments in Thailand before a hassle
free exit & I soon found myself cycling over the bridge. I’d been expecting
a pleasant cycle over, perhaps stopping to take some photos of Nong Khai &
the Laos riverside but in reality I found myself on a narrow 2 lane road with
convoys of huge trucks passing & it just didn’t feel safe at all. It doesn’t
help that there’s a railway track running down the centre restricting the width
of the road & everyone’s maneuverability. It just wasn’t a pleasant
experience & I was glad when it came to an end.
Laos immigration was
friendly & welcoming & soon relieved me of $35 for my visa & I
found myself cycling towards Vientiane, or so I thought! It took me around 15
minutes cycling in a daze until I realized the Mekong was on my right when it
should be on my left. An about turn & I was soon heading in the right
direction.
 |
| My comfortable dosshouse |
Straight away you notice a
serenity about the Laos people, there’s no stress about their features, the
smiles are genuine & they just seem more at peace & content with life
than any other race of people I know.
 |
| Life is good! |
Arriving in Vientiane I
checked a couple of guesthouses with good reviews on Trip Advisor but as is
most often the case I found them to be poor value for money. I eventually ended
up at my old standby Siri 2 guesthouse with a REALLY basic fan room,
shared (& not too clean) bathroom but at $6/ night it’s fairly terrific
value for Vientiane & with not too many people cheap or crazy enough to stay
here I more or less have the place to myself including a nice, if musty, common
room.
CONCLUSIONS &
OVERALL COSTS
Wow! What an absolutely
wonderful cycle route. It had absolutely everything; great scenery, good roads,
friendly locals, wonderful food, manageable distances, affordable hotels,
fantastic towns to stop over in & extremely courteous drivers. Cycling’s
become hugely popular in Thailand nowadays & indeed I often felt like a VIP
as I traveled around.
To think 4 weeks ago I
wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy cycling in Thailand & almost turned back to
Cambodia, thank goodness I persevered & I’m so glad I’ve rediscovered my
love of this wonderful country & the hospitable, friendly Thai people.
Indeed I think this was
the most consistently enjoyable cycle route I’ve ever been on especially from
Khemmarat onwards.
I spent $566 in 24 days or
$23.57/day. Very approximately my daily costs were;-
$10 – Accommodation
$5 – Food
$7 – Beer
$1 – Miscellaneous Inc
water, soft drinks, toiletries etc.
NOTE; I had no visa costs & brought sufficient
cigarettes from Cambodia thus saving me significant expense.
Coming soon….ish; -
Southern Laos including a wonderful cycle through the “Thakhek Loop” with its
sublime landscapes.
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