스크랩 KSR110타고 인도차이나 반도 유랑하기-From 싱가포르

[주노]

The Golden Triangle Rider Thailand / Laos / Cambodia Motorcycle Touring Forum     FAQ    Search    Memberlist    Usergroups    Register    Profile    Log in to check your private messages    Log in

Our Sponsors

My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 

The Golden Triangle Rider Forum Index -> North Thailand

View previous topic :: View next topic  

Author

Message

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:29    Post subject: My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North
Trip Facts: my ride : kawasaki ksr 110 Start Point: Singapore duration of trip : 5 weeks (11th April 2008 - 18th May 2008) places covered : Thailand - hatyai, phuket, surat thani, koh phangan, bangkok, chiangmai, mae sariang, mae hong son, ban rak thai, pai, mae ai, golden triangle, chiang saen, nong khai, nakhon ratchasima Laos - houay xai, pak beng, luang pra bang, vang vieng, vieng chang M'sia - fraser's hill, and the entire North-South Highway Total dist : approx 9000km (7000km on road, 2000km on train, ferry and slow boat along mekong river) Expenditure on fuel : SGD$220(and that's an over estimation =D) Total expenditure : SGD$2200 (including after market parts and accessories) Prologue the thought of touring on my ksr crossed my mind several times, and more often than not, the stupefied looks or "huh? you siao ah?" comments usually greet my shared thoughts over teh peng. one day, i just decided to do it. i think that's what happens when you bum around too much. having just returned from a UK trip and only a week to Songkran, i only had 4 days or so to prepare for the big adventure. Didn't make plans and stuff as the trip was only confirmed when i got back from UK. So basically, i just made up my mind(well, with the help of a few factors), packed and left. The void of uncertainty excited me. i didn't even know when i would return. initial plan was to ride up to penang, stay overnight den continue to hatyai the next day, but there was still much to be done, so i postponed departure by a day, so i could have enough rest as well, but then again, how the hell can anyone sleep before a trip like this?! D-Day 11th April, 0000 hours i saddled up my little warrior and headed for the 2nd link. 2 close friends from my riding group were at GP esso to send me off. The trip was only disclosed to a few people. with a few photos and well-wishes, i rode off into the night of the NSH my little mascot, tiny yet mighty taking shelter from the rain. i was too lazy to put on a raincoat. not that i had one anyway! ] meeting a convoy of m'sian bikers at a petrol stop riding from night till day 14 hours later, i finally reached the thai border. it poured like crazy before the border, but curiously enough, the rest of the bikers seem dry -..-" _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North Last edited by superstylefactor on 24.08.2009, 02:53; edited 2 times in total

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:31    Post subject:
rained again after i cleared thai customs. Reached Hatyai and checked into Sakura Hotel @800bht per night. In the condition i was in, the last thing i wanted was to ride around looking for a cheap guesthouse. a little mishap along the NSH, didn't fall, but busted my ankle and limped around for a few days. That's what happens when u don't rest enough before a long ride. Well, could've been worse! Day 2 - 12th April 2008 woke up early but took my time to get ready to check out. was abit annoyed when i found out the 800bht didn't include a breakfast. moved off around 11am for phuket enroute to phuket along highway No.43 stopped for lunch after Trang and met a group of m'sian road king riders. Apparently they set off from hatyai at 8am, but got lost along the way. It pays to do a little homework before each ride shortly after continuing my way, i encountered a flat tyre. i discovered my tyre repair kit was useless, as it wasn't a puncture. The tyre valve joint had "melted" due to overheating of the tyres. i guess it was because i didn't rest at all the fuel stops and allow the tyres to cool, just pump and go. Managed to ride to a nearby motorshop, had the valve replaced with a stainless steel one used on car tyres and probably bigger bikes. Damage was only 300bht, and took less than 20 mins. continuing my way to phuket with the sun setting soon was nightfall by the time i reached phuket town. first thing i did was to head to an internet cafe to look for a cheap accomodation. found what i was looking for and made my way there. The hostel was better that what i imagined, in fact one of the best hostels i've seen. the nicely decorated reception the lounge with free internet access, 42in LCD tv and a HUGE collection of DVDs and books available free to hostel guests, mostly travelers and backpackers the super friendly staff and a dutch traveler i met some more travelers. basically i hung out with this BIG group of travelers during songkran, and the cool thing was no one knew each other before, but we had loads of fun chilling out and partying the clean and spanky common toilet and shower nicely decorated hostel with a cosy feel this swedish guy i met had a sunburn. a visit to the doctor revealed 2nd degree burns. i felt bad for laughing at him the day before, when he was reeaally red like a lobster, but then again, we all had a good laugh, even him _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:31    Post subject:
Day 3 - 13th April 2008, Songkran Day headed to patong beach with some of my dorm-mates. Huge jam due to the water festival, and the bus was ambushed several times along the way ] chilled at the beach and suntanned for awhile on the way back to the hostel, we walked along the street facing patong beach and joined the water fight. bought some beers from this restaurant and we had unlimited access to water! (passer-bys asking to refill their water guns had to pay 10bht) didn't manage to take any pictures, considering the situation. 18 of us from the hostel headed out to patong beach again for the songkran partying. the waterfights were insane and it was something you had to experience to know what it's like. No pictures, and no prizes for guessing why. _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:32    Post subject:
Day 4 to 8 - 14th April to 18th April chilled in phuket for a week while waiting for a friend who was flying over. Set off for Surat Thani for the full moon party my bike on the night ferry to Koh Phangan Day 9-11 - 19th to 21st April, Koh Phangan, Full Moon Party dirt roads on the eastern part of the island there was an election going on, and alot of speculation that the party would be moved to the 21st, by then which i would have to be on the train to bangkok. luckily the date stick, and i had a helluva time a notice in 7-11 row of stalls selling buckets of cheap booze heading back to Surat Thani on the HUGE ferry the interior of the ferry, taking up cars, pickups, lorries and even tour buses waiting for the night train to bangkok loading up to the cargo carriage. 1100bht for first class sleeper ticket, 800bht for bike. Don't approach travel agencies to get you tickets and accommodation, they will tell you there are no more tickets or rooms and "force" you to take up the more expensive rooms. I made such a mistake and paid 1500 bht for my first class ticket, 400bht more than getting it straight from the counters. Not really my style, but then again, a friend who flew over to meet me for the party arranged the tickets and stuff.:slapforehead: _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:35    Post subject:
Day 12-17 : Bangkok as much as i disliked the city for its fast paced, chaotic feel as well as not-as-friendly locals in general, i hung out in Bangkok for a bout a week. Explored a good part of the city, mostly to bikes shops in search of parts. Didn't do the usual tourist sight-seeing. Traffic in Bangkok is crazy, and the worse thing is, the road signs are totally different from those on the maps, even when it's the same road! Out of the few days i was out battling the Bangkok traffic, i got lost every time, but somehow always manage to find my way back to the guesthouse, and each time swearing never to ride in Bangkok traffic again :slapforehead: Hu Lam Pong train station, Bangkok the guest house i stayed in, 450bht a night, air-con the cosy room I casually mentioned to the receptionist about not having a rack or anything in the rooms to hang towels or clothes with, well, except for the doorknob, curtain bar and my mobile phone charger sticking out from the wall socket. 10 mins later, they sent a guy up to install one! i was actually planning to move out to another guesthouse the next day, but that made me stay on for a few more days =). Highly recommended, clean environment, good security MBK, a huge shopping mall popular with tourists and locals. On just on section on the electronics level, there were almost 100 shops selling handphones! crazy traffic found the cheap canal boat which took me back to near my guesthouse dinner of chicken noodle soup with lots of chilli flakes. yumm.... i found an A&W during one of night rides out, and gave in to temptation. It was a good thing as well, because 5 minutes after i started eating, it rained cats and dogs outside. At least i got to nap comfortably(oops) on the cushioned seats while waiting for the rain to stop! _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:35    Post subject:
some place i chanced across on the way back to the guesthouse, didn't walk in though, was raining and was only stopping to check my maps. looked pretty sleazy Boredom at a traffic junction. Somehow the traffic light timers seem to take longer than indicated. I could've dismounted, take a leak, take a photo and get back on my bike with time to spare. Well, i didn't do that of course! movie crew filming at Khao San Road aspirations of a little girl? Khao San Road at night. This begger literally dragged himself down the whole stretch of road bbq meat on sticks, kinda like satay with extras the famous thai pancakes. Banana chocolate... and i'm craving for some now... the hot girls of Lava bar. The sight of them posing drew a lot of catcalls _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:36    Post subject:
Day 18 - Ride to Chiang Mai woke up around 4:30am, and left for chiang mai by 5:30am, so that i could avoid the morning Bangkok traffic. petrol stop along the way, saw this big group of young monks. Think they were going away for a retreat at some monastary. gigantic birds along the highway, indicating a bird park up ahead recycling a war relic Chiang Mai at last i check into a backpackers' hostel just out of the main town. nice cosy place, met lots of nice people. I actually prefer hostels to guesthouses because it sorta forces you to interact and allows you to get to know alot of travelers and hear their stories. Great for chilling when you're traveling alone comfy living room where dvds of your own choice are screened the friendly staff. This hostel is unique in a way that there are actually quite a few of travellers who stay for weeks or months, while some actually help to run the place in return for free lodging and food. Jim, the guy on the left, was one of them the patio out front, great place to chill or read a book on the bamboo platform this girl could really play the guitar very well, and had a great voice. i later found out she's an actress back in the UK explore the nearby university. found this lake in the campus, where alot of students here hanging out breathe-taking views, despite the gloomy weather a class being conducted by the lake. nice change from the normal environment at night, the hostel staff brought us to this place that was popular with the local. The ambience was great, and food was pretty cheap and very good, considering the classy feel of the place. cam-whoring in the back of the hostel-owned truck, which brought everyone from place to place riding on top of the hostel's truck. how often do you get to do that? ha... _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:37    Post subject:
after dinner, the staff brought us for a few rounds of bowling. 100bht for 3 rounds. our ridiculous scores! i think we had more fun trying to make funny shots than playing a proper game of bowling! _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:37    Post subject:
Day 21 - Mae Hong Son Loop the next day, i packed up my stuff and bade my new friends farewell soon, i saw the sign that many tourers have seen. It was almost hard to believe i had made it this far did a detour to Doi Ithanon National Park. Saw this magnificent wat just after the turn towards the park Funny thing was, the whole time i was in thailand, everyone thought i was thai, even locals, and they would always speak thai to me. there were some advantages to it though, i could actually save some money if i played along. One such instance was the entry into the National Park. I saw a huge sign before the ticket booth which said "Adult 450bht, Child xxbht" and then some thai words, which i knew were prices for locals. So i rode up to the counter, the lady looks at me and says "hok sip baaaht", which means 60baht. for i moment, my mental thai numerals failed me, and i had to open my BIG mouth and say "what?". The counter girl gave me this surprised and embarrassed look, and went "oh! foreigner 400bht!!!" smartass... entering the national park the cool ride to the top and finally i reach the top, which wasn't as impressive as i thought it'd be, save for the famous sign which says it all with the 400bht photo safely in my memory card, i proceeded to decend the mountain, or whatever it's called. great scenery along the way i actually did abit of off road and went down under the bridge. if i were riding a normal sized tourer, i might have ended up at the bottom of the waterfall another wat. there's like SO many wats in thailand that every small town actually has at least one of them. And my whole trip, i only explored like 2 out of hundreds of them by the time i saw this sign, the sun was starting to set. things wasn't looking too good... another national park along the way, but time was running out it turned dark soon enough, i rode a good part of the stretch to mae sariang in total darkness. my headlight didn't really help, as it blew before and i changed to some thai replacement. it was kinda thrilling though, cuz i didn't know what to expect, and the road seemed to go on forever finally! that was the provincial sign, and it meant that i have reached Mae Sariang checked into a guesthouse for 200bht, air-con with shower. rested early for the night and woke up early to continue my journey to mae hong son _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:38    Post subject:
Day 22 a nice neighbour of the guesthouse owners. she actually passed me a map of mae hong son when she learnt i was heading there random photos of mae sariang _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:40    Post subject:
Day 22 (continue) as i carried on my way from mae sariang, i met and hung out with some "locals" along the way an interesting sight... there was only one of it for miles around, wonder what it symbolizes some of the roads were nicely paved, looked almost fresh while some were shitty, but nothing my little lamb couldn't handle the famous curves of Mae Hong Son lived up to her reputation(ok, that almost sounds kinky, but what the hell...) She was rough and wild most of the times, occasionally gentle enough to slow down the pace for me to catch my breath and enjoy the ride. Then there were moments of extreme tightness that would take my breath away in fleeting moments of exhilaration. My rubbers were used to the max, and deep down, i was worried the constant rubbing and friction would puncture the rubbers, leaving me with a heavy responsibility... :angel: one of the tight curves my number! almost there somewhere along the way, both my tyres went straight over this block of wood which was lying parallel to the direction of travel, at 70kph! for a split second, i had a balls wrenching moment mixed with a feeling of being airborne. somehow i managed to land straight when a sense of dread came over me, fearing that my tyre must've taken some damage. i quickly stopped to check for damages, but there were none! *big sigh of relief soon after, i reached my destination for the day _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:41    Post subject:
Day 23 - Ride to Pai/ the day cyclone Nargis struck i woke up about 7 to a gllomy weather. Contemplated on waiting for the rain to subside, but decided to set off anyway. Headed for the popular wat in mae hong son town, which overlooked the entire town. the view of mae hong son from the wat proceeded to ride to one of the "nearby" karen trips along the way. made a pretty far detour through a couple of villages before i hit a dirt road, which was stony and muddy due to the prolonged drizzle. i pushed on in hope that the karen village would be close by, but after half an hour of struggling over the muddy and rocky terrain with no signs of the village in sight, i decided to turn back, that was after i skidded on the muddy track and fell. being a ksr, there were no damages sustained, save for a few scuff marks on my handguards. i had lost almost 2 hours looking for the karen tribe, and the light drizzle didn't help to lighten the mood. when i finally hit back to the main track, i proceeded to ban rak thai, which is a chinese village right at the border of myanmar. the temperature had become so cold that i was shivering even with a raincoat on, so i decided to stay for the night at the chinese village, hoping the weather would be better the next day. i lost track of time riding in the freezing rain, when i finally reached the village. i turned into the first guesthouse i found, which happened to be the best one around. the lady landlord with her daughter. they were from yunnan, and spoke mandarin! the feeling of finally being able to speak and be understood was out of this world. the guesthouse happened to be a wine brewery as well, and not the normal grape wines. there was peach, cherry, lychee, etc. the old lady actually let me sample some of the wine, which tasted pretty good. apparently, the wines are not available anywhere else in thailand cleaned up my stuff and bike with the water hose that the lady landlord allowed me to use. after a long hot shower, the lady landlord lent me an umbrella and i went out to explore the small village spent the rest of the evening holed up in the cosy room while the raindrops patted lightly on the roof. read a john grisham novel and retired to bed early, praying for the sun _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:42    Post subject:
Day 24-26 - Pai my prayers were answered the next day. My stuff had all dried, and i was ready to ride! a friend of the lady landlord with her grandson workers of the brewery crushing up fresh cherries for fermenting before i left, my landlord informed me that her son had told her of a typhoon in myanmar heading towards thailand. weather seemed to say otherwise, with no traces of the rainy weather fews days back. as i left the village and proceed to Pai, there was a whole stretch of road up in the hills where it became so foggy that visibility was only about 10m the weather was good, cloudy but not in a threatening sort of way. temperatures dipped and the winds up on the higher parts of the hills made it even colder, to the point i was shivering despite my armor jacket and a long sleeve inner top. it warmed up as i descended and i managed to reach Pai by mid-day rode around town in search of a guesthouse, and chanced across this beautiful resort style guesthouse tucked away in the outskirts of the main town in the middle of the paddyfields, for only 350bht for a single/double bed bungalow, each with its own rooftop terrace pai soon topped my list of favourite places, and i stayed longer than intended. the 2 dogs belonging to the lady guesthouse owner parking restrictions _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:42    Post subject:
a blackout at night. i learnt that blackouts were common in Pai. good thing is they don't last long. i was wondering about the candle in my room a coffeehouse overlooking the valley WWII bridge a huge swing standing about 4m high played by the kids in a chinese village near Pai _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:43    Post subject:
Day 27 with a heavy heart, i bidded farewell to my friendly hosts, promising to return soon i ride towards Chiangrai, but somehow missed the turn to the city. instead i ended up at the border town of Mae Ai Day 28 - to Laos Thai-Myanmar Border house there was a parade going on the opium house i reached the thai-laos border shortly after visiting the golden triangle ticket for the boat cost me 30bht. i paid 500bht in total to get my bike across. somehow, i think i got chopped :sian: The customs procedure was as confusing as it gets. One can literally cross over to Laos without getting a customs clearing, but the again, don't get caught. Houay Xai was a very laid back town with minimal amenities, accept for a couple of tour agencies and internet cafes. There wasn't even any atms around, and i found out the hard way. I checked into a room by the pier, 150bht with a king-sized bed, and they actually asked me to park in the living room after nightfall! The roads in Laos are left-hand drive, something which i was unaware of until i almost went head on with a motorcycle while i was riding on the left side of the road :sweat: it was wierd at first, being the first time doing left-hand driving, but i got used to it quickly _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:44    Post subject:
Day 28 - Mekong River i had decided to take the 2-day slow boat to Luang Pra Bang, as it was roughly 500km by road on the map. On top of that, roads to Luang Pra Bang were all unpaved, and i wasn't sure if there would be a place to spend the night if a wasn't able to make it within daylight. Most of the maps of Laos weren't detailed, and what seemed like 100km of a relatively straight route on the map turned out to be more than 200km of mountainous roads, as i found out later. my ride secured to the front along with a cub judging from the width of the boat, i doubt if a full sized tourer could be loaded. and having seen how the bike was loaded, i definitely wouldn't want to take the risk either. even if they managed to get the bike onto the boat, the risk of the boat crashing into rocks was there. That was what happened to a traveler i met in thailand, who went to Laos a few days after me. Good thing the boat didn't sink. and that was for the slow boat. passengers of the fast boats were required to wear life vests and helmets. go figure... early birds had the good seat. the latecomers... well, don't even ask. locals making the most of the ride brown murky waters of the Mekong lunch time sticky rice M.O.C (mekong obstacle course) the boat was so crowded that some endured the noise and fumes from the motor to form a tiny circle beside the huge pile of backpacks local kids selling their wares a fast boat beer lao, a favourite past-time for many of the travellers stopping to let local passengers off. not exactly the best platform a fresh catch _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:45    Post subject:
Day 28 (continue) getting bored from the long ride evening approaching at long last, we reached our destination for the day and the nerve-wrecking(and expensive:sian: ) process of switching my bike to the other boat leaving for luang pra bang the next day phew... pak beng, a laid-back little stopover. the generators only operate from 6pm to 10pm each day, that means the whole town didn't have electricity during the snoozing hours. imagine: no lights, no fan, warm weather, stuffy room, mosquitoes all around, and the list goes on...:faint: needless to say, almost everyone didn't get a good night's sleep _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:46    Post subject:
Day 29 - Mekong River, Luang Pra Bang We woke up early and had a light breakfast, spotting several early birds rushing down to the pier to grab the good seats. Soon after, we were all packed and headed for the pier. All the good seats had been taken, so we moved to the back and stacked up the wooden benches to clear a space on the floor. Moments after boarding, the sky fell on us. The rain was so heavy that it threatened to pound the ferry's roof to smatterings. Some were caught in the sudden downpour. those who arrived later soon followed our more comfortable style of sitting/lying on the floor, and it was almost funny how different the ferry looked compared to yesterday. the rain cleared about an huor later and we were on our way a pair of siblings sound asleep the view ahead a local came on board with a monitor lizard, and this kid had no qualms about playing with it. Of course, the poor lizard was all tied up some old timers sharing their traveling stories a fellow traveler i met, pretending to be asleep we reached luang pra bang at last around 5pm. I actually managed to unload the bike myself, with a little assistance from one of my travel mate. the last thing i wanted was having to pay another few hundred baht. Day 30 - Kuang Xi waterfall i woke up pretty early, planning to ride down to the famous waterfall. Managed to find my way there despite the un-detailed map i got, with thanks to a few helpful locals. entry to the national park was 20000kip, but it was well worth it, as i soon found out spotted a few playful sunbears in the sanctuary a short trek took me to the beautiful turquoise swimming pools at the bottom of the Kuang Xi falls, Laos' most famous waterfall. _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:46    Post subject:
the falls had many layers. Each of the photos below are all taken at different levels of the falls and at last the foot of the final section of the falls. no swimming allowed here though, but i guess no one's complaining on the way up the final section. Even the path looks great the trail only leads to halfway of the final section. Even at halfway, the views were stunning. looking down... the upper half against my better judgment, i slowly made my way across the waterfall. losing my footing would be, without a doubt, certain death. was it worth it? you bet... didn't have time to explore the rest of the falls, so i quickly made my descent _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:47    Post subject:
on the way out, i couldn't resist taking a quick dip, despite not having any swimming gear with me. After coming all this way, what the heck...:angel:(and no, i'm NOT naked!) flame of the forest. never did quite see them bloom back home... made my way back to the hostel before lunch, and had a farewell lunch with my Laos travel mates once again, i was on the road, making my way to vang vieng i reached the small town just before the sun set, and i settled down in a guesthouse by the main road. chilled after dinner to FRIENDS till late. pretty nice place to hang out Day31 - Going Home Had a long way to go today. Woke up early and set off towards Vientiene, the capital city. travelling was easier after i descended the mountainous region, literally a straight road to the capital. the presidential palace war memorial? left hand drive cleared Laos customs Thai-Laos Friendship bridge clearing customs at Nong Kai it felt good to be back in thailand, to be able to use thai baht again. i rode long and hard the rest of the day, and well into the night, experiencing shows along the way before i finally decided to stop at Nakhon Ratchasima. Booked a room @"The Doctor's House for the night and i spotted something familiar _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 02:48    Post subject:
Day 32-37(The Final Days) The next day, i rode the remaining stretch to Bangkok, reaching the edge of the capital city just after noon, with enough time to run errands. I got to the train station literally minutes before it rained cats and dogs, and within half an hour, my bike was checked in and ready to be loaded onto the evening train. The ticket for a 2nd class sleeper cost me 698bht(slightly more for the lower, which also happens to be more spacious), and another 800bht for the bike excluding tips. the comfy seat which folds into a bed reached surat thani the next morning, and a rather unfortunate thing happened, a nightmare of all tourers. My bike key broke in the fuel cap as i closed the cap after checking fuel level! problem was solved promptly, despite having failed to locate my spare key. by early noon, i reached hatyai, where i stayed a couple more nights. I set at noon on Sat the 17th from hatyai, heading in the direction of Fraser's Hill. A group of friends had rode up since morning and i had planned to drop in and surprise them. The sun was beginning to set as i exited the NSH before KL. I had to ride the remaining 30km up the winding roads in total darkness, save for a single car heading up with headlights that wouldn't even dazzle a cockroach. It seemed to take forever to reach the top, but i breathed easier when street lamps greeted me in the cool foggy night atop Bukit Fraser. Found a room despite the busy holiday weekend - a triple bed room with shower for 100rm. pretty sweet deal, too bad there was no one to share the room with. Located my friends at their resort and hung out for abit before retiring to my room. Day 38 - The End of the Road checked out after breakfast and headed out for photos before linking up with my friends for the ride back home met a large convoy of KL bikers on a weekend getaway. One of the guys even approached me and told me he had heard of my trip from his friend whom apparently i met(which i totally have no impression, on the account that i randomly met and chatted briefly with quite alot of bikers on the way up) :cheeky: 알파도 여러 번 갈 수 밖에 없었던 고원의 휴양지입니다, 부킷 프레이저=>프레이저의 언덕 linked up with my friends for a final group photo We rushed to make it for the window to descend, and eventually linked up at Ayer Keroh R&R for some good ol' root beer float. The rest of the journey was smooth, except for a puncture on one of the bikes. And it was my tyre repair kit that saved the day! :angel: haha... shall skip the details on that one. Everyone made it back home safe and sound, leaving a nice conclusion to my month-long adventure, plus loads of washing to do! :faint: On a last note, i would like to thank everyone who had made this trip possible, especially to YZFx and FB666Y from SBF for inspiring this ride, and ESR for the support and encouragement along the way. And Thank You, dear readers, for following me on my journey.:cheers: _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

Marco
Revered Old Git



Joined: 15 Oct 2006
Posts: 1070
Location: Ubon

Posted: 24.08.2009, 03:51    Post subject:
Man that was nice trip and fantastic story, i really read every word and really nicely told and you havde a lot's of fun. my favorate photo is this The closer you get, The Slower i go,,, haahah,,nice one. did you make calculation of total cost of your trip? also that cottages in Pai, middle of the rice paddy, with own roof top terace, what a treat with that money. Nice trip story, nicely told i give you all 10 point of that and hope to hear and see your next road trip. Well done mate _________________ I'm not fluent in IDIOT,So Please speak Slowly & Clearly

Back to top

tonykiwi
Leader of The Pack



Joined: 01 Jun 2008
Posts: 210
Location: New Zealand

Posted: 24.08.2009, 04:11    Post subject:
I agree wholeheartedly with Marco, that was a wonderful account and clearly reflective of a fantastic trip altogether. Thanks for taking the time to post and make me jealous T _________________ ทำดีได้ดี ทำชั่วได้ชั่ว

Back to top

Captain_Slash
Revered Old Git



Joined: 16 Jan 2006
Posts: 1716
Location: United Kingdom

Posted: 24.08.2009, 04:55    Post subject:
A good report there, how did the bike cope with the trip? _________________ http://www.captainslash.com/

Back to top

superstylefactor
Motorcyclist



Joined: 24 Aug 2009
Posts: 33

Posted: 24.08.2009, 07:47    Post subject:
Marco wrote: Man that was nice trip and fantastic story, i really read every word and really nicely told and you havde a lot's of fun. my favorate photo is this The closer you get, The Slower i go,,, haahah,,nice one. did you make calculation of total cost of your trip? also that cottages in Pai, middle of the rice paddy, with own roof top terace, what a treat with that money. Nice trip story, nicely told i give you all 10 point of that and hope to hear and see your next road trip. Well done mate ha... that was a car sign i picked up in a local gift shop back home, in honor of all who tailgates me! did a rough calculation, spent about SGD$1.5k, that equates to about US$1.1k according to the market exchange rates then! _________________ Current Ride: KSR110 My "LITTLE" Adventure Up North

Back to top

Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First 

	The Golden Triangle Rider Forum Index -> North Thailand	All times are GMT + 7 Hours Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

Jump to: Select a forum FAQ----------------New UsersGT Rider ProductsNew Board :: Instructions Thailand Motorcycling - General----------------Any message hereMotorcycle Buy and SellEventsGPS Use & MapsGasohol in ThailandKawasaki Big Bikes ThailandYamaha Big Bike Riders ClubBritBike Triumph ThailandBMW Bikes In Thailand Road and Trip Reports - All reports welcome----------------North ThailandThailand OtherVietnamOtherColin's Thailand Honda Wave TourGolden Oldies Esarn North East Thailand----------------North-East Thailand - Any MessageNorth-East Thailand Road & Trip Reports Laos----------------Laos - Any messageLaos Road & Trip Reports Eastern Thailand----------------Eastern Thailand - Any MessageEastern Thailand Road & Trip Reports Phuket / South Thailand----------------Phuket / South Thailand - Any MessageSouth Thailand Road & Trip Reports Cambodia----------------Cambodia - Any MessageCambodia Road & Trip Reports 4WD - Four Wheel Touring----------------Any message here4WD Road & Trip Reports Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Meeting----------------Thailand  You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum

GT Rider Motorcycle Forum on phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB | GT Rider Home Page