The four of us.

Market life was in full swing when we arrived for our early morning breakfast.  Women were bent over woks, busy dishing out the food the crowds had gathered to consume.  The crumbling city rampart provided the backdrop as the four of us polished off our meal before hitting the road.  Four you ask?  Yes, we continue to be the catalyst for people to experience the beauty of cycle touring.  The new addition to our posse is Viktoria, who we met at the meditation retreat and she jumped (literally) at the chance to cycle a section of our journey with us.

                   Ready to ride.

                   Amazing market food.

                   Woks on the go.

                   Morning market life.

 The morning found us cruising the small roads that meandered along the Ping River and its tributaries.  Flower gardens and vegetable patches dotted the countryside.  These gave way to the forested hills of elephant sanctuaries as we joined highway 107 heading north to Chiang Dao.  At a crossroads just outside town we ran into Kiva, a Canadian we had previously met who is also cycle touring S.E. Asia.  He led us to the base of the mountain that dominated the landscape and into the hippy embrace of Shambala – a Japanese/Thai electro-folk festival.  That evening we filled our bellies with mashed potato, red curry and green tea; we danced in the moonlight to a ska band from Laos, and were serenaded to sleep in our tent by tribal drumming.

                                                  Following one of the Ping River’s tributaries.

                   Many animal friends on the road.

                   Following Kiva…

                   … to Shambala.

                   We danced to the awesome tunes of the ska band from Laos.

As the rising sun coloured the mountain red, fried eggs on rice and cups of coffee/tea were consumed.  The suns rays warmed us, especially Marita and Vika as they had been woken in the night by water flooding their tent.  With spirits raised we pedaled north and into the first hills we have seen since the Cameron Highlands.  Still recovering from my illness, my riding was not up to its usual standard and I found it a struggle to keep up with the ladies.  Frequent rest breaks were required and numerous snacks were taste tested for quality (and calories).  On one such break I laughed at my co-traveller’s obsession with their smartphones, when the owner of the small shop let us know that she had free Wi-Fi.  Having ‘survived’ 30 hours without the internet they were glued to social media sites for the next hour.

                   Breakfast and sunshine, a winning combination.

                   Cycling north.

                   A much needed water break up the hill.

                   Another Buddha along the road.

                   On the road to Fang.

Every Thai town has a night market and the one in Fang is my favourite.  The main street was closed down as hundreds of street vendors pedaled everything from street food to skinny jeans.  Always the foodies, we feasted on papaya salad, noodles with mushrooms and chilli sauce, and sesame filled dumplings in a ginger broth.  I bought myself a travelling hat and we celebrated a great days cycling with beers and sodas at a bar.

                This gorgeous couple made the best food I ate in all of Thailand. Photo courtesy of Marita.

                   Drinks with my new travelling hat.

Being a fan of ‘big’ things I was excited when on the way to Thaton I spotted the ‘Big Orange Juice’.  In between taking photos and drinking fresh orange juice, I managed to squeeze in a game of mini golf too.  Mulling over the random nature of life on the road, the mornings ride passed quickly.  To save some kilometres, a little afternoon excursion was arranged and our bikes were loaded on to a long boat.  For three hours we cruised along the Kok River where buffalos, monkeys and children provided the occasional distraction from the serenity of rice paddies and jungle.  The other distraction was the occasional rapid riding and boulder dodging that our driver managed with precision.

                                                       The ‘Big Orange Juice’.

                   Cruising along the Kok River.

                   Water buffalos wading.

                   Kids take an afternoon swim.

                   Sitting pretty.

                   The Kok River.

In addition to our usual forage through the night market in Chiang Rai, we entertained ourselves with the spectacle of the giant clock.  Set in the middle of the main roundabout, every hour there is a music and light show involving a huge golden clock, which we attended not once but twice that evening.  They do love their bling over here. 

                   Our lovely home for the night.

                   There are many clocks in Chiang Rai.

                                                       Street scape Chiang Rai.

                              Musical clock of bling.

In the morning I discovered that my Thai pronunciation was not as good as I’d hoped, even after spending over two months here.  Feeling the craving for a sweet hot tea, I tried to order it in the best Thai I could muster.  The lady behind the stand looked at me, the other patrons looked at me and the woman next to me repeated what I thought I said and I nodded.  Next thing I know two parboiled eggs in a glass were placed in front of me and everyone looked at me expectantly.  I obviously looked surprised and the lady who served me asked in perfect English “what did you want?”.  “A hot tea”, I answered and there were belly laughs all around.  After a lesson on how to drink the parboiled eggs with seasoning sauce and pepper, I also drank my delicious hot sweet tea. 

                                                       A morning coffee before the ride.

                                                       Ordering a hot chocolate.

This was to be our last day of riding in Thailand as the Laos border was within cycling distance.  Heading east we cycled through some lovely backcountry and were excited to see the mountains of Laos ahead of us.  But thanks to another Google Maps fail we ended up spending three hours bush bashing through a never-ending banana plantation with six river crossings thrown in for good measure.  After the path disappeared completely we finally admitted defeat and for the first time this trip we turned back.  In retrospect we figured out that the path marked on the map was in fact the river itself, incorrectly coloured.  Three hours behind schedule, exhausted and hungry we were a sorry sight.

                   L is for Laos, in the distance.

                   Hot and thirsty.

                   Back roads rock…

                   Until you don’t know which way to go…

                                                       And you end up bush-bashing through a banana plantation…

                                                       River crossings included…

                                                       And getting angry that you have to turn back…

 We pedaled on hoping to make Chiang Khong just after sunset, but it was not to be.  After a day of mostly flat riding the hills began again and they sapped our remaining energy.  As the others did not have a tent as yet, we had to scout out some accommodation before nightfall.  In the middle of a little village we spotted a sign to a resort.  We followed the signs for another couple of kilometres and were greeted with the view of a lake backed by peaks as far as we could see.  The resort had everything you could possibly want bar one major thing – food. Why a resort in the middle of nowhere would not provide meals is beyond me.  Marita, Jude and I cycled back to town hoping to catch one of the food stands still open, but again it was not to be.  We rummaged through the only shop open and our last dinner in Thailand consisted of lukewarm 2-minute noodles, cashews, sweet biscuits, a carrot and avocados.  Luckily we had some Ovaltine, an enjoyable nightcap for all.

                   We were not expecting this view when looking for the resort.

                                                       It became nighttime quickly…

                   And we had to ride to find food…

                   The food choices were disappointing.

Watching the sunrise over the mountains with cup of tea in hand, I had no idea that this would be the highlight of my final hours in Thailand.  Food availability continued to be dismal.  After cycling through numerous villages and being waved away from a handful of restaurants, we eventually found a lean-to where a lady agreed to make us breakfast – spicy crab-flavoured papaya salad on cold rice noodles.  The remainder of the morning found us marveling at the variety of Buddhist paraphernalia present in temples.  The most dubious were the large reclining Buddha with red toenail polish, big green disco ball Buddha in sitting pose, a sparkle horse, and many animal guardians with evil eyes and protruding genitalia. 

                                              Best way to start the day, cup of tea in hand…

                   … watching the sun rise.

                   Bok Bok in front of the teak Buddha.

                   Reclining Buddha with red toenail polish.

                                                       Green disco ball Buddha.

                   The sparkle horse.

                      Evil guardian monkey.

And the fun continued at the border where we were denied the freedom of riding.  Thai bureaucracy dictated that we pay to catch a bus for the four kilometres over the Friendship IV Bridge.  Not very friendly.  Needless to say what could have been a 10-minute ride became an hour of angst as men tried to load 4 fully laden bikes into a space that wasn’t designed to carry them and we were shuttled over the quietest border crossing I have experienced thus far.

                   Cycling towards the border, unaware of the no-riding policy to come.

                   Trying to fit four bikes into this space was difficult.

                   How Jude felt about not being able to ride the 4km.

                                              Things would be better in Laos.

Luckily Laos made up for it all.  It may sound odd, but Laos feels good.  It’s palpable in the air, and from the earth and the people.  Happily on the bikes and half way along the road to Houei Xai, we stopped for the local specialty roughly translated as ‘big hair noodle’.  The girl working there took us through the numerous steps of building this soup dish ourselves, and it was delicious.  While eating we relaxed and watched life go by.  There were chickens digging in the yard, cows meandering down the road and women riding motorcycles holding umbrellas above their heads.  Who couldn’t love this country?

                                                       Laos just feels good.

                   Learning how to make ‘big hair noodle’.

                   Cows meander along the roads freely.

                   As do women on bikes with umbrellas.

Houei Xai is a bustling border town catering to large numbers of tourists that catch a two-day slow ferry between here and Luang Prabang.  Having secured a room with a view of the Mekong and Thailand, we set about preparing for our slow ferry sojourn the following morning.  Business completed, we aimed for a sunset beer at a riverside bar.  Scouting for a venue we narrowly escaped with our eardrums intact, as locals belted out their favourite karaoke tunes at full volume.  Wanting a more subdued location, we were approached by a lady spruiking for a restaurant that provides small business and tourism training for economically disadvantaged women.  Tucked up in a tree-house, we feasted on wood-fired pizza and tried our first (and second, and third) Beer Lao.

                   Wandering the main road of Houei Xai.

                                                       Sorting out business.

                                                       The view from our bedroom.

Arriving early at the dock the next morning, we were able to stow away our bikes and panniers before the crowds descended.  When the crowds did arrive, they kept coming, and coming, and coming.  You know something is truly wrong when the captain of the vessel begins to look like a sinking ship.  Close to two hundred people had booked tickets for a boat that has a safety capacity of 120.  This is what happens when three dozen different agents around town sell tickets.  Luckily the decision was made to sail a second boat and my elaborate plan of how I would escape a sinking ship and save the dirty salmon was not required.

                   Boat dock early in the morning.

                                                       The ladies on the roof.

                   We switched to the less crowded boat.

A slow boat down the Mekong is as romantic as it sounds.  Sipping beer from teacups while watching the scenery pass by is a lovely way to spend an afternoon.  In addition to the joy of such an adventure, we chose to travel for a day by boat as the road to Pakbeng was reported to be in poor condition at best.  Compared to the sleepy villages we had seen on the Mekong, Pakbeng is a thriving town purely funded by tourism.  With such a constant flush of money, people sometimes forget to ask or listen.  Before we had a chance to arrive, four men jumped on the roof of the boat and carried our bikes up to the car park and then despite our refusal, attempted to assist us in putting our panniers on.  They were not happy when we refused to pay the sum they requested in ‘porter’s fees’.  This is still a difficult thing for me to do, as I’m torn between wanting to pay for a service provided (though $10 for four bikes is a bit steep) and standing my ground on the basis that we did not want or ask for their assistance.  

                   Drinking beer out of a teacup.

                   So serene.

                                                       Sleepy villages on the banks.

                   Jude reading when the scenery gets too much.

                   Pulling into Pakbeng.

Due to a blackout, candlelight emanated from all the guesthouses and restaurants, making town look like a fairy wonderland.  After a dinner of Laotian dishes, we treated ourselves to a dessert of the biggest muffins I have ever seen.  There may also have even been some chocolate danishes and carrot cakes consumed too.  We call it carb loading for cycling.

                                              Out for 24 hours due to dysentery.

                   The view from our room.

I knew something was wrong the moment I woke up.  Not wanting to miss a days riding, especially in Laos, I ignored the first few stomach cramps and bouts of bum water.  But by the end of breakfast, the fever had set in and I was doubled over on Jude’s lap.  I’m lucky to have such great travelling companions, as they quickly found us a lovely guesthouse and made sure I had adequate amounts of drugs, water and toilet paper.  I slept for the next 24 hours waking only for dashes to toilet.  The girls spent the day relaxing and watching how the locals lived when there were no tourists around.  From all accounts it’s a different world. 

                   Ready to leave on the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

                   Fishermen on the Mekong.

                   Good food for recovery eating.

                   And I did a lot of eating.

Weakened from another bout of dysentery, we decided that the best course of action would be to catch the slow boat to Luang Prabang.  The second float along the Mekong was just as beautiful as the first, and I was able to forget how unwell I was and how much fun we were missing by not riding.  Luang Prabang is a beautiful city to explore between recovery sleeping and eating.  Being a former French colony, baguettes, croissants and good coffee were back on the menu – much to Jude’s delight.  Sightseeing was done in the early morning or late afternoon, to avoid the searing midday heat.  Despite temple overload in Thailand, I enjoyed the Wats in Luang Prabang, especially the ancient Vat Xieng Thongratsavoravihanh.

                   Sunrise over Luang Prabang.

                   Mornings are the best time to explore.

                   To the market for a food run.

                   Jude buying tasty treats.

                   Vat Xieng Thongratsavoravihanh.

                   The small details were beautiful.

                   You can see why the town is heritage listed.

Our new friend Heather hired a bicycle and joined us for a day trip out to the Kuang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary (30km one way).  The bears were super cute and when they stood on their hind legs they really looked like humans in bear suits.  I wanted to take one with me to Scotland.  After the disappointment of the waterfalls in Thailand, we weren’t expecting much.  So when we arrived at pools with glacial blue water and an actual small sized waterfall we were stoked.  We went for a dip and relaxed by the waters edge eating lunch.  Before heading off we decided to follow the path that led upstream.  Much to our surprise there were more waterfalls, pools and cascades, which culminated in the grand finale of a spectacular full sized waterfall.  Despite the heat and a sore bum Heather loved the cycling and I’m sure we have another convert to life travelling on two wheels.

                   Heather riding with us to Kuang Si.

                    I want to bring one with me.

                   Having a refreshing swim.

                                                       Group selfie.

                                                       The falls kept getting better and better.

                                              Got to love actual waterfalls.

Talking about life on two wheels, it is time for us to hit the road again as the mountains of Laos await. 

All my love,

Astrid.

                                           Jude receiving a good luck bracelet and a prayer from the grandma of the family we stayed with.

The three of us.

Words can’t describe how proud I am of my dad.  When he agreed to join us (on a bike!) for part of our journey in Thailand, I painted a picture of easy cycling days, beautiful scenery, delicious food and a chance to experience our new life.  Well he partially got that, and a whole lot more, so sit down and enjoy the armchair version of our adventure.

About Cafe – where we had agreed to meet dad in Samui

First breakfast together in many months.

 I can pick dad out of a crowd anywhere, and on Walking Street in Mae Nam it was no different.  He was asking someone for directions to the café we had agreed to meet at.  There is something special in that moment of first seeing and hugging a loved one that you’ve not seen for a long time.  For a while you just never want to let go.  And then by the time you have spent ten minutes together it feels like you have never been apart.  Conversation flows and the next thing you know it’s four hours later and you’re ordering lunch because you have been talking for so long.

Soaking up the island atmosphere. 

Keeping up with the meditation.

Enjoying cheese and conversation on our balcony.

We had agreed to have a few days of R&R on the islands before hitting the mainland and the bikes.  Thinking that dad might be tired from travelling, we spent the afternoon lying on the beach soaking up the island atmosphere.  Only later did I discover that he wasn’t tired from travel but from staying up until 3am drinking beer with people he had met in Bangkok.  Like father, like daughter.  The next highlight of the day came wrapped in plastic.  CHEESE!!!!  I can’t tell you how much we miss good cheese, and it doesn’t come any better than Meredith Goat Feta.  Needless to say we spent that night in a serious cheese induced coma.

We switched to scooters to explore Samui.

Dad back on the scooter.

Food stop at the local night market.

 By day two the necessities of our adventure with dad were established.  Much to Jude’s delight she now had a partner in crime for numerous food, ice cream and coffee stops.  Not content with lying around, we hired a couple of scooters to explore Samui.  In between food markets and lattes, we saw the ‘Big Buddha’, were saluted by a giant mermaid, marveled at the ocean from the top of rocky cliffs, shuddered at the tourist ghetto of Chaweng and giggled at the ‘ma and pa’ rock formations – I’ll let you use your imaginations.

Another ‘Big Buddha’.

Being saluted by a mermaid.

Rainstorm over the ocean.

Yep, we did giggle.

And more giggles.

Catching the ferry to Koh Tao.

 On Koh Tao we were reunited with Marita and Spela.  Dad loved being surrounded by vibrant women and we adored having him around.  Diving is the major draw card of Koh Tao, but alas we did not explore the underwater world with tanks on our backs.  We did however brave the choppy waters to snorkel and we also braved the choppy steep roads to gaze at hidden bays.  Whilst exploring the sites, we sampled many culinary delights – the night market and French patisseries being our favourite places for eat treats.  Yum, yum…

Dad surrounded by vibrant women.

Dad and I snorkelling.

Bok bok looking out over Koh Tao.

Rock ‘n girl – photo by Marita.

Jungle lookout.

Dinner at the night market.

 After five days of island living it was time to get on the bicycles.  The night ferry delivered us to Chumphon, where we bought dad all the gear he would need for the ride to Bangkok – including the bike.  Unfortunately there was a cultural fail at the bike shop, turns out that if you try out a bike by riding it, it means that you must buy it.  The bike that dad tested was way too small for him, so Jude kindly let him ride the Green Fairy, and she christened Clementine for her first 500kms. 

On the night boat to Chumphon.

Enjoying the local fare.

Getting dad’s bike adjusted.

Streetscapes Chumphon.

Best tom yum in Thailand.

Ready to cycle – before we left that first morning.

Early the following morning we hit the road for an ‘easy’ 60km day of cycling.  The plan was to cycle for 15km, then rest, cycle another 15km, rest and repeat.  The day started well with our first iced tea break at the seaside village of Saphli.  And then it happened; we turned north straight into the most ferocious headwind we have experienced thus far.  Combine this with the fact that (despite encouragement to do so) dad had done zero training for the ride and was now cycling on a bike that weighs close to 40kgs.  By lunchtime our speed had slowed, the distance between breaks decreased and the number of our rest breaks increased.  Fortunately the scenery was spectacular and the roads were quiet.  After 50kms dad was getting weary and then the ‘undulations’ began.  “Hills” dad would say.  Perspective is everything, and it depends on whether cycling is your current life or not.

Dad loves the riding (initially).

The first iced tea break in Saphli.

We were surprised and delighted to find dedicated cycle lanes in rural Thailand.

Super lunch find.

Needing to keep hydrated. 

Late in the afternoon we rolled into the village we had been aiming for.  Being used to throwing up a tent, we had not pre-checked if there was any accommodation available.  There was, but it was overpriced and resembled a prison cell, and the next closest place was 30km down the road.  With the help of Google translate we “made a little business” with a local lady and she drove dad and Clementine the 30kms to Hat Bang Boet (Hat meaning beach in Thai).  Jude and I jumped on the ladies and gave the headwind a run for its money.  The coastline was spectacular and full of fantastic places to pitch a tent, true cycle touring heaven.  Just on sunset we arrived to find dad lying on his bed in a lovely guesthouse being massaged by two women.  Lucky dad!  For dinner we were invited to join a Thai/Swedish feast and by the end of the night the worries of the day seemed like a dream.

View from the temple along the cycle touring heaven coastline.

Fishing villages along the coast.

More heavenly riding.

Cycle road of awesome.

Guesthouse of amazing Thai-Swedish hospitality.

 The gale though was real and the headwind of the previous day continued, but stronger.  We avoided the main freeway by cycling along the back roads, our scenery alternating between coastline and farmland.  On these days we met more cycle tourists than we have cycling through the previous four countries.  Those heading south reported covering up to 160km in just over half a day – with the headwind we were lucky to cover 70km in over eight hours.  So much for the easy riding days dad… 

The coastline when leaving Bang Boet.

We cycled through many coconut groves.

Lunch at a roadside stall – as the menus are in Thai we are never sure what we are ordering.

Dad’s first experience of Freeway riding.

Cycling into Hat Ban Krut.

Sundaes of yum.

Dad turned 66 the following day and it was truly special to be able to spend his birthday with him.  Coffee and cake kicked off the celebrations and a short day of cycling had been planned.  A little detour up a hill provided spectacular views of the ocean, another big Buddha and a temple full of bling.  After learning more about the Buddha’s teachings at the retreat, I am appalled at the ‘Buddhism’ that is sold, bought and practiced throughout most of Thailand. 

Coffee and cake to kick off the birthday celebrations.

And another ‘Big Buddha’.

Presenting the temple of bling.

Up close.

Dad putting gold bling on a Buddha statue.

Guardian of the temple.

Marita and Spela chose to join dad’s birthday celebrations, and we organized to meet them up the coast.  After a calamity of errors – too many to mention – we all ended up staying at an overpriced resort than resembled a toilet block only 8km (not the planned 30) north of where we had spent the previous night.  We acquired bikes for the girls and cycled back into Hat Ban Krut for an afternoon and evening of good food and great company.  Happy Birthday Pap!

A walk on the beach for dad’s birthday.

Chillin’ by the pool.

Cycling into town.

The little girl in the coffee shop teaching dad about birthday cake.

Birthday dinner party.

   At the morning market in Thap Sakae a crowd gathered to eat with us and I’m sure lively banter was being exchanged about the crazy farangs on bikes.  In the future a whole blog post will be dedicated to the reactions we get being on the bikes.  Dad got to experience his first lot of freeway riding and he seemed to cope well with the trucks, cars and scooters roaring passed.  Luckily the freeway stint was relatively short and we were back cycling through sleepy villages and coconut groves in no time.  Despite the crazy headwind we arrived in Prachuap Khiri Khan just after the girls rolled in on the bus.  They found us a retro hotel to crash in and we spent the afternoon enjoying the hipster vibe of a town that combines the locale of Brighton with the attitude of Fitzroy.  We supped at my dream shop – a combination of bikes, music and café (perhaps a plan for when we return home) – before heading to the night market for more amazing food.

Breakfast at the morning market in Thap Sakae.

Shopping for snack supplies.

On the side of Freeway 4 with the mountains of Burma in the background.

The Esplanade in Prachuap Khiri Khan. My dream shop – bikes, music and cafe.

Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Night market deliciousness.

Despite wanting to spend another day in Khiri Khan, time and the headwind dictated our need to push on.  My frustration with the wind had reached that point where you foolishly start making deals and then threats in your head towards it.  I cursed the people who cut down the mangroves and shrubbery to create the desolate landscape of horizon-to-horizon shrimp farms.  We received our only reprieve from the wind when we passed through the giant karsts of the Khao Sam Roi Yot national park.  But the shrimp farms and the gale continued.  At one point we lay down in a bus stop not sure how we could continue, but we persevered and our good fortune returned.  In Hat Pran Khiri we met a lovely gentleman on a bicycle who offered us cheap accommodation at his beach front guesthouse and then directed us to a little restaurant where we ate the best meal we have had in Thailand.  Mouth watering winged bean salad, sweet and sour fish, and a vegetable hot pot, all washed down with an ice-cold beer.

Jude refitting dad’s chain for the 10th time that day.

Our only reprieve from the wind during the whole week.

Happy to be cycling in the Khao Som Roi Yot national park.

Lying down at the bus stop – too tired to continue.

This is what I’d rather be riding into the headwind.

Best food we had in Thailand.

 The following day was spent riding through the suburbia of Hua Hin and Cha-am.  Freeway 4 dominated our riding that day and I wondered who in the world would stay at the multitude of high-rise resorts wedged in the dreary gap between it and the ocean.  Ghost town seaside villages continued this bizarre trend and we spent the night in a village that could have doubled as a set in a zombie movie.

Riding through the suburbia of Hua Hin.

Freeway riding.

Jude overtaking a tuk tuk.

Looking up directions on Google Maps.

Good morning coffee and cookies.

The following day we cycled through almost a hundred kilometres of salt plains.  It was eerily beautiful as white and pink square pools covered the landscape as far as the eye could see.  Wooden storage barns lined the roads and swallows darted and danced between them.  Workers harvested the salt in buckets while others drove mini steamrollers to compress the pans.  Again the headwind roared but we were unperturbed as that afternoon we would turn east.  The change in our speed was dramatic and due to this we decided it was time for dad to experience his first 100 plus kilometer day.  We arrived Samut Sakhon late in the afternoon and proceeded to look for lodgings.  The people at the department of tourism directed us to a ‘bungalow’ around the corner.  The bungalow was in fact a brothel – curtains around every parking space, round bed, mirrors on every surface and a stirrup chair for good measure.  We did consider staying, but when they wanted to charge extra for three people without providing an extra mattress it was time to leave.  After a few more wrong turns and some advice from some friendly locals, we found our way to the (?) only tourist hotel in town.

The salt flats.

Workers harvesting the salt.

Workers harvesting the salt II.

Mini steamrollers on the salt pans.

Salt piled in mounds on the pans.

The up side of staying at a swishy hotel is the breakfast buffet, especially if you’re a hungry cycle tourists.  True it was only 44kms to Bangkok, but riding into one of S.E. Asia’s biggest cities would be challenging.  Despite the sheer volume of traffic and lung clogging smog, I actually enjoyed the ride.  It was kind of like riding along the Asian equivalent of Sydney Road on steroids.  It’s was also interesting to note that after riding for so long, symbiosis with the traffic flow has become almost instinctual.  

The overhead first sign for Bangkok.

Looking up directions in Bangkok.

Cycling in Bangkok traffic.

And more traffic.

Waiting at the traffic lights.

 By lunchtime we were celebrating the end of our 500km journey from Chumphon to Bangkok – dad’s first long distance cycle tour!  We refueled with street eats and ice-cream sundaes, and then treated ourselves with a two-hour reflexology and traditional Thai massage.  Evening arrived quickly and we toasted to our success and last night together with beer in a coffee cup (alcohol restrictions were in place due to the elections).  I can safely say that dad was relieved to see the end of the tour, as it had definitely been more challenging than any of us had imagined.  But to his immense credit he took it all in his stride and achieved something I doubt many other people would ever consider starting.  The look of pure joy on his face when he realised that he would not be getting on the bike again was priceless.  Thanks again dad for joining us on our journey, it was wonderful to have you along and I love you very much.

Happy to have made it to our guesthouse in Bangkok.

Dad enjoying his time off the bike.

Mmmm, delicious ice-cream.

Celebrating our success!

Until next time,

Love Astrid xx

Suan Mokh – photo by Marita_Calero. She has amazing photos on Instagram!

Khao Sok had been a time of planning and just enjoying the natural surroundings. The seasons and visas have always been the things that are going to dictate our journey to the greatest extent (partly because of the regions we want to visit) and after a few days of brain storming and researching we both felt we had a clearer idea of where we were headed over the next few months. Bidding farewell to Marita (for 2 days) we began the cycle to Suan Mokh, the monastery where we would partake in a ten day silent meditation retreat or more accurately, meditation boot camp.

Southern Thailand is just beautiful

On the road again

Side of the road ice cream!

Our first day should have been easy. In fact it was supposed to only be a 55km day. I envisioned being done by lunchtime. Alas, this was not to be. Astrid and I decided to take a road that was no longer a road. Signs clearly marked it as such but we decided to ignore them. Even when we met a group of Chinese cyclists who had tried the same road but had come undone, we did not turn back. It was too great a temptation to see if we could get through. Plus I seriously hate retracing my steps. Basically it was once a normal bitumen road but had been closed for some reason and now the jungle had encroached, leaving only a small strip of concrete to cycle on. It certainly made me appreciate how quickly nature takes over when the humans go away. The road was also incredibly steep, so we were forced to push the ladies during parts of it. It was hard going in the heat of the day but finally we did begin to descend, winding our way down off the mountain. At the bottom there was a great big fence with a padlock on it. I immediately began planning how we could lift the bikes over, but this was not required as a group of Thai gardeners saw us and came and helped us get the bikes over. What legends. They must have thought we were freaks.

The Chinese cyclists check out our bikes on the road before it became a non road

It was once a road

The fence at the end of the world. Or so it seemed.

 Once over the fence we found ourselves in very odd surroundings. Manicured lawns, seemingly empty guest houses, the big dam wall and almost no people. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast and it was almost 3pm, the next few kilometers of steep climbs and descents really tested us. Randomly we saw a sign to something called ‘Guilin’ . Astrid decided to google it, and it turns out it was a highly recommended restaurant. So we went and had lunch in a very posh restaurant, on a lawn, overlooking the dam and karst mountains. We felt rather out of place but had the best ‘wingbean salad’ ever. And it wasn’t even that expensive.

The fancy restaurant. Doesn’t look so fancy here but inside it looked like a ball room

A weird place, fancy lawns and no people

The dam

 After lunch we were faced with another closed road. Our choice was to ignore it and cycle over the dam wall, or to go around, possibly adding 5km of undulations to our day. Feeling a little rebellious, we wheeled the ladies around the barrier and sped across the deserted dam wall road. At the other end we could see Thai people watching and laughing at us as we struggled to maneuver the bikes under a barrier. No one complained or approached us. Now we were in an area full of local tourists. There was a monument, views of the dam, Karst mountains, people picnicking, drinking and playing loud music. Oh and a temple. There is always a temple. Being exhausted we wandered around and briefly considered trying to hide our tent somewhere up there, but it was too busy. It was one of those moments where I felt truly homeless and a little overwhelmed.

Cycling across the dam wall

More dam wall

Things improved though, we met the Chinese cyclists again, who were very impressed by our bikes (especially how much they weighed) and our journey. Then on our way down into town we found a guest house, which was full, but using google translate the lady was more than happy to let us camp and use the toilet/shower for the small fee of $3. There was even a restaurant. Another lesson about how things always work out and we always find somewhere to sleep.

A typical Thai back road

 A delicious breakfast was had a few kilometres down the road and using the i phone we planned our route through the back roads. Thailand is really great in the fact that it does have a network of back roads. The morning was spent cycling through palm and rubber plantations, observing Thai life from behind the scenes. Unfortunately I did stuff up the directions by not looking at the map properly and we did 10km in the opposite direction. Astrid was understandably less than impressed. Oops. In the afternoon we found a great local market, bought snacks and clothes and stumbled across a river by following a sign with a serious looking dude and some water on it. All around the river, locals were enjoying some leisure time; swimming, washing their cars, setting off fire works and playing loud music. We had a dip and then decided it was too good a place not to camp, even though we only had bananas to eat for dinner. Once everyone left, the place was quite tranquil and reminded us of camping in Australia.

Sometimes it’s good to follow random signs!

River camping, Thai style

 The next day a short cycle bought us to the Suan Mokh monastery. Here we were required to sign in and were given free rooms for the night. Actually the rooms were more like cells (think barbed wire and bars on the windows) and it made me wonder who they were trying to keep out or in? We did some washing and set up our rooms before heading out the front for some lunch and to meet Marita. I guess at this point what exactly we were doing probably requires an explanation. Meditation is something Astrid and I have been interested in and practicing on and off for about a year. A loose definition is mindfulness with breathing; basically sitting down and concentrating your mind on the breathing, rather than the million random thoughts about the future and past that most of us have swimming around in our heads. Or falling asleep, which is often what happens to the other percentage of people. If you have ever tried to clear your mind of all thoughts and just concentrate on breathing you will appreciate that this is quite difficult to do. The mental and physical benefits of mediation are rather astounding and the science is starting to come out to explain this in a way us rational westerners can appreciate. We even met an Irish guy who had used meditation to cure himself of cancer and renal failure. After retesting and being sent to many specialists, his Irish medical team concluded that it was ‘a miracle’  (not the meditation) that cured him. So, one can see it may take a while for mainstream to catch on, at least in certain parts of the world!

Awesome cafe in a random small town run by this awesome hipster girl

Journal writing in the main monastery the night before the retreat started

For us doing the mediation retreat (or boot camp) was a way to improve our technique and gain a deeper understanding of the practice. Both of us gained so much from it. For me it was a deeper sense of peace and joy, a much improved ability to sit and concentrate on my breathing and an even greater appreciation and lust for life. And I was pretty happy with life before! It also really cemented for me that I am on the right path in life, in terms of this journey and the choices I have made in life. But I am jumping ahead! We met up with Marita and then walked down the highway to a place that had wifi and cake, to indulge and wish our families a happy new year and goodbye for 10 days (no contact to the outside world permitted while at the retreat).

Outside the female dorm is where the ladies lived for 10 days

The next morning we packed up and moved from the main monastery to the Suan Mokh International Dharma Hermitage, about 2 km away. This is where we registered, paid ($68 AUD for 10 days) settled into our rooms (cells) and got given a tour. Talking was still allowed at this stage and it was clear that there were people here from all over the globe. It was weird making friends and chatting, knowing that soon we would all be living in silence. The grounds were beautiful and the entire place radiated a sense of peace and calm. The buildings were very simple and the women and men lived separately in compounds, with communal toilets and bucket shower area. Our rooms were cell like, with concrete beds, a straw mat and wooden pillow. The living conditions did not bother us at all as when camping we often don’t have toilets or water to wash. Plus here we had natural hot springs, a short walk from our compound. Bonus. Essentially, the idea was to live like monks or nuns over the next 10 days. Phones, computers, books were encouraged to be handed over. Of course, there was no way they could police everyone but I decided to get as much as I could out of it and handed over my technology. Marita and I went on a last minute chocolate cake and wifi binge in the afternoon and then at 7pm on the 31^st of December the silence started. Happy New Year.

The rooms/cells

We are going to be OM

I will now describe our typical schedule for the next 10 days and some of my impressions.

4am – The monastery bell goes and wakes us up. I usually dressed by candlelight, washed my face, brushed teeth and headed out. It’s actually quite a magical part of the day to be up. Most of us carried candle lanterns and this added to the atmosphere. We went and sat in a big, open mediation hall, lit by candles. Everyone had their seat for the 10 days and it was interesting observing the people sitting around you as most of them I had not talked to before the silence began.

4.30am – Morning reading by one of the participants. They targeted native English speakers and both Marita and I did a reading. It was a little scary.

4.45am – Mediation.

5.15 Yoga. This was taught in an open hall by one of the participants who was a yoga teacher. She was brilliant and it solidified a love of yoga for me. Both Astrid and I have been doing yoga nearly everyday since the retreat. It was during yoga that it began to get light, the birds went nuts all around us and you could watch the mist rising over the ponds.

7am – Dharma talk. Usually a Thai monk. I often found them a bit difficult to understand.

7.30am – Meditation.

8am – Breakfast. Rice soup and greens with warm water instead of coffee (!). It was okay but I hated rice soup in the end.

8.30ish – Chores. I mopped, Astrid swept. I chose a shit job as it took forever and the lady I was mopping with was rather annoying and I ended up doing most of the work. See I am not all ‘om’ yet!

9am – to about 9.45am – free time. Astrid often went to the hot springs. I usually rested or occasionally washed some clothes or cleaned my cell. It was crazy how much washing went on! It seemed like all the women were constantly washing their clothes. I only washed them about twice (other than undies) and was wondering if I was being a bit of a grot. I mean we were only sitting around for most of the day.

10am – Dharma talk for the first few days, then just meditation (sitting).

10.30 – Walking, standing or sitting meditation.

11.45 More meditation. Basically after the first few days it was a pretty loose schedule of meditating to your own rhythm. Mostly back pain limited how long I could sit. I would get up, walk around, stretch and go again.

12.30 LUNCH!! We ate all our meals in big dinning hall together. Lunch was always amazing. Brown rice and a mix of delicious vegetarian dishes as well as great bean dessert.

12.30-2.30pm – free time! To be honest I mainly had afternoon naps during this time. I was pretty tired, especially on the first few days.

2.30pm – Dharma talk from the British monk. He is a really great dude. The first few days I thought he was a bit of an arrogant twat but very interesting. I kind of wanted to take him for a beer and pick his brain. Later on I got a real appreciation for him. He is very wise and quite funny. My only issue with the Dharma talks and Buddhism in general were that a lot of the time I had difficulty in how I could incorporate meaningful meditation into my life, without living like a monk. I don’t want to give up love, art, literature, music, travel, wine or delicious food or any of the good things that make up the human existence. I think life is complex and beautiful and I don’t want to lose that. The picture some of the monks painted of being a real meditator was very bland and rather depressing to me.  It certainly gave me a lot to consider, even though I won’t be taking on everything I learnt.

3.30pm – Meditation – standing/sitting/walking.

5pm – Chanting and loving kindness. Hmmm. Not my favorite. I like organised religion even less than I thought. I found the chants a little or a lot annoying. Often I just stayed at the hall and meditated.

6pm – BEST PART OF THE DAY. Delicious hot chocolate!! Marita and I would smile secretly at each other as we both loved this part of the day best. We always had 2 cups. Sometimes even 3.

6pm – 7.30pm – free time. A beautiful part of the day as the light was fading and the heat gone. Hot springs time. A great relief for an aching back.

7.30pm – Meditation.

8pm – Group walking meditation around the candle lit ponds. Very peaceful when the locals weren’t setting off fireworks.

8.30pm – Meditation.

9pm – Finish! Bedtime.

Female dorm area

Marita in a tree!

Our dorm complex

That was basically our schedule for the 10 days. Day 9 we had only one meal with intense meditation all day and day 10 we did some gardening chores to help out the monastery. I certainly had ups and downs. Many women left before the end and although it was psychologically quite challenging, I never considered quitting, although at times I found myself watching ants instead of meditating and counting the days till it was over. When the silence ended I think we all felt a great sense of achievement. It had been tough but worth it and it was so great to finish. There was a lot of talking and catching up and being very excited. As I said before, not all of what I learnt I will incorporate into my life (in fact they certainly don’t want you to blindly take on everything that is said at Suan Mokh) but I have certainly gained a lot and am incredibly grateful for the experience. I am sure we will do another retreat at some point in the future.

Finished!

As the retreat finished early on the 11^th day, plans were made to cycle 40km to Surat Thani to meet Marita and Spela (a Slovenian girl Marita had met on the bus before the retreat). Astrid and I cycled the back roads, talking basically the whole 40km. I had missed her a lot as we had not been sharing a room, or even had much eye contact, as both of us were trying to get the most out of the experience. It was wonderful to talk to her again and I felt incredibly happy to be sharing this adventure with her.

Happy to be talking and cycling again

We reached Surat Thani in the early afternoon and after advice from an Austrian guy who we met at the retreat who lives in Thailand, we decided to take the night boat to Koh Samui, where Astrid’s dad was flying into the next day. Spela and Marita had booked into a very cute 70’s hotel that reminded us of La Trobe Uni. So we went and met them and then sneakily used their wifi and shower. The night market beckoned and all four of us were overwhelmed by the choice and amount of food after 10 days of minimal eating. Just before 11pm the ladies were heaved onto another boat and secured on the roof. We got mattresses on the floor (slightly grotty, happy to have our own pillows and sheets) and settled in for the night. The boat appeared to be full of backpackers, some locals and a whole lot of cargo. Some time after 11pm the boat began it’s journey down the river and out to sea, rocking us gently to sleep as it went.

Night Market happiness, Surat Thani.

On the night boat

One of the many Buddha statues around Thailand.

The time for cycling arrived again.  Goodbye Koh Pu, it has been swell.  After almost a month of boat rides and amazing island living, the ladies were happy to be on the mainland.  The small port of Ban Laem Kruat saw the megapod disband.  Farewell megapod friends, we hope to meet you again somewhere in this wonderful world!  After hugs all around, we packed the panniers on the bikes ready for the 40km ride into Krabi, where the antipodeans would spend their last night together.

The roads around Krabi province.

 It was a lovely ride along the rural roads and we enjoyed having the wind in our hair, the sun on our backs and our legs doing the work again.  The last 14ks were on a major highway and I was again reminded how developed Thailand is – cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes everywhere.  Despite some luxurious island living we covered the kilometres quickly.

Ready for the 1237 steps!

We arrived as the sunset coloured the sky.

The golden Buddha

 Krabi is a cute city on a river, limestone karsts dominate the landscape and the vibe is relaxed.  We found a hostel where Jude and I scored with our room, and Marita and Simon ended up in cubicles that could have doubled as crack dens.  Refreshed from an afternoon nana nap, we jumped in a tuk tuk to Wat Tham Suea.  Here we braved the 1237 steps up 600m, passing hundreds of dodgy looking monkeys – one even punched Marita as she walked by.  They do make me uneasy sometimes.  We arrived at the top as the sunset coloured the sky a dirty salmon, and we gazed at the giant gold Buddha that looks out over the sprawling landscape of karsts and farms.  It felt spiritual up there and we all enjoyed the peace at the hilltop stupa.

Simon and Jude enjoying the peace.

The lights of Krabi.

 Back at ground level we joined the throngs of people at the night market on the riverbank.  Food was abundant and Simon went crazy ordering five dishes for himself as we knocked back cold beers.  The night ended with us on the dock, watching the moon rise, eating banana and nutella pancakes and fresh mango with sticky rice.

Dinner time at the night market in Krabi.

 Before a sad farewell, we indulged in a final breakfast of coffee and baguettes.  It has been wonderful to have Simon with us and we are truly blessed to have such a great friend – safe travels Simon!  The rest of the day was spent exploring town and doing the all the everyday things that had accumulated while we had been island living.  Tasty treats weren’t lacking that night as we foraged through the two night markets and stocked up on snacks for Christmas Eve.

Packing up to cycle out of Krabi.

Beach time in Ao Nang.

 The next day saw us cycle a whopping 18km.  The roads wound passed more jungle-clad karsts, Buddha statues and farmland, which all led to another spectacular coastline.  A side detour to check out some gastropod fossils was bittersweet.  We didn’t get up close as there was an exorbitant $9 per person entry fee, it was high tide and they were submerged.  But we did get to giggle at a ‘farang’ (foreigner), dressed only in a bikini (so inappropriate), who was confused by the fact that there were only fossils at the site and no animals.  Our laughter was stifled with an ice-cream and the roads continued on to Ao Nang – a beachside town of Western commercialism gone mad.  Disturbed by the bling we kept cycling and found the local campsite at the far end of the strip next to a quiet beach.  The rest of the afternoon was spent with Thai families relaxing on the beach.  Just after the sun set over the islands, we headed to a small restaurant for a curry dinner, before climbing into bed for an early night in.

Everyone loves the beach.

Sunset over the islands.

The local campground.

 Khao Sok National Park was our next destination and it took us two days to cycle there.  With the help of Google Maps we navigated the back streets and enjoyed a day of quiet riding in the warm sunshine.  Everything was lush and green, and the locals were friendly, often calling out greetings and words of encouragement.  Along the side of the road we saw a sign to Klang cave, a local tourism initiative.  We hired some torches and guided ourselves passed stalagmites and stalactites galore.  It was great fun and when we turned off the torches it was so black.  Towards sunset we bought food for dinner at a night market, sampling all the wares on offer, and not far out of town we found a sweet spot to put up our tent.  That evening we were graced with the company of visitors – farmers and the police offering us alternate accommodation as they were scared that we would be attacked by snakes.  When they figured out we were settled and not moving, we were gifted biscuits so we would not go hungry and were offered more blankets to keep warm.  Thai hospitality at its best!

Another of the many Buddha statues along the road.

Entering Klang Cave.

We love the night markets for tasty dinner treats.

After surviving the night – no snakes I’m afraid – we cycled on north through a valley.  It was on this road that we experienced our first significant headwind in Asia.  A side-trip to the Wat in Bang Thong provided a site I have never seen before – a temple in a giant boat statue.  We also experienced the first of our favourite roadside coffee shops, it looked as if it had been lifted from hipsterville and placed on the side of the road in outback Thailand.  Cycling friends had warned us that the road to Khao Sok involved a big hill climb and we were confused when rolled into town sooner than we thought.  No we aren’t hardcore, we just entered town from the opposite direction!

The campsite with no snakes to be seen.

The boat temple at Bang Thong.

Cycling through Khao Sok National Park area.

Waiting for the hill to arrive.

 Arriving at the resort we were met by Marita and our cycle touring friends Frans and Eveline, who had stayed with us in Melbourne last year after they cycle toured from Cairns to Melbourne.  They are currently cycling from Chiang Mai to Singapore, and we were lucky enough to cross paths in Khao Sok at Christmas time.  A hot shower in our swishy room assisted us to freshen up, and then we spent the rest of the day and night sprawled over maps, beers in hand, sharing stories of times on the road.  I love talking bikes, cycling, routes and countries explored and to be explored.

The first of many cute coffee shops on the roadside in Thailand.

Skype dates with family occupied much of our time on Christmas Eve, as both of our families celebrate on that evening.  It’s odd being in a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas and we both felt the distance from our loved ones that night.  Luckily we had the wonderful company of Frans, Eveline and Marita.  Christmas treats of roasted cashews, honey roasted peanuts, crackers and shortbread biscuits were laid out in plastic bowls.  A large bottle of vodka was cracked open and The Pogues ‘Fairytale of New York’ circa 1988 was watched on You Tube.  It is still my favourite Christmas song ever.  Thai curry replaced the tofurkey and roast vegetables, and we celebrated late into the night.

Skype dates with family at Christmas.

Christmas Eve pre-dinner drinks.

 An early alarm found us sharing Christmas morning with the Calero family on Skype.  Later as the sun burnt off the morning mist, all the fit ladies set out for a long run through the back roads around the park.  We ran with light steps, joyful that we could spend such a glorious morning together.  As the heat of the day mounted we entered the national park and explored a few of the ‘waterfalls’ marked on the map.  I think that the term ‘waterfall’ is used very loosely here, as what we found was mostly rocky rapids.  Jude and Frans were not deterred and had a marvelous time splashing about, doing bombs from the rocks.  Back in the village we treated ourselves to baguettes for Christmas day lunch and then relaxed with some ice-creams and cold beers in the late afternoon.  We hope that every one of you had a lovely Christmas day, wherever you were.

The fit ladies after their Christmas morning run. Photo from Frans.

Running around Khao Sok National Park.

Jude and Frans enjoying the water at one of the many ‘waterfalls’.

Group shot at an actual small waterfall.Hiking through the forest. 

The time had come for Frans and Eveline to continue on their journey.  We wished them a fond farewell and are excited about meeting them again somewhere on our journey – either on the road or at their lovely home in Holland.  Jude, Marita and I spent the rest of that day and the next just pottering around.  Khao Sok has changed a lot since I was here many, many years ago.  Not for the first time in Thailand I found myself being viewed as a walking wallet, with costs and tour prices being equal to or greater than those in Australia.  If this was a short holiday in one country we would have happily splurged, but with years and other spectacular areas still ahead of us, we had to consider value for money.  Instead we made our own fun, taking photost, swims in the river, yoga in the garden and making plans for our time in Central Asia.  We also enjoyed the last of the creature comforts that we would have for a while, as we are about to embark upon a 10-day meditation retreat where we will live like silent monks.  Ah this crazy life!

Frans and Eveline before resuming their Journey.

Swimming in the river.

Relaxing and planning is hard work.

 Love and peace to you all,

Astrid xx

Where to next?

Koh Lipe

The ladies on a long boat

It was exciting to have reached Thailand and we wasted no time in tucking into a pad thai and a banana shake. What bliss. At home we both love Thai food and I have certainly been looking forward to the cuisine here. Although Koh Lipe is no longer the quiet, undeveloped island it once was (in fact it’s developing at an alarming rate) it was still a sweet spot. The afternoon was spent relaxing on the beach and swimming in the impossibly blue water, before heading off to explore. We found amazing coffee, followed by amazing green curry. Getting into the spirit of island living, Astrid and I decided it was time to live like pirates and crack open our duty free rum from Langkawi. So we shared a bottle of rum with Jess and Charlotte and the night inevitably ended in a nudie swim.

Koh Lipe

more beautiful islands

 We still made it to bed at a reasonable time and were up before the heat of the day to go running. Marita, Astrid and I ended up going on an 8km run around and through the island, which was a great way to get feel for the place. After this exercise we were understandably starving but unfortunately chose to go for breakfast at a place that literally took 1.5 hours to serve us. Straight after (finally) receiving our food we went out for a second breakfast. Then it was time to say goodbye to Jess and Charlotte with plans to meet in a few days. The rest of the day was reading, writing and relaxing time.

Koh Lanta sunset

The following day we went on an early run before packing ourselves up and heading to the port. Island hopping is fun, but unfortunately, like trains in Indonesia, bikes on boats cost more. Usually bike touring is cheap because you save so much on transport (amongst other things) but they become cumbersome and expensive when you use transport. Still, it was fun seeing them loaded onto long boats (no pier at Koh Lipe) and then onto the bigger ferry. They really can go anywhere. The ferry ride to Koh Lanta was about 5 hours and we cruised passed many picturesque islands along the way. On reaching Koh Lanta we quickly organized ourselves and found out where Simon (our friend we were meeting here) was staying. On the way out of the port we saw a couple of cycle tourists get off one of the ferries that had just arrived. Both of us were so excited and quickly waved them down. They were a couple from Belgium, cycling from Phuket to Sulawesi. We ended up cycling with them to our respective accommodation, chatting all the way. They had been to Laos and some other places we are going, so like always they acted as a source of inspiration. Soon our ways parted though and it was time to meet Simon, who waved us down from the side of the road. It was brilliant meeting up with another friend from home, and we wasted no time catching up over beers and food.

Hanging out on Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta

 Simon had secured us a lovely bungalow, not far back from the beach. After a bit of discussion, the guy allowed Marita to crash on the floor with our camping gear, so the 3 of us could share and save some cash. This was to be our home for the next few nights. After a morning run along the beach and up a few hills, we set out to explore the island. We hired scooters and hit the road. Jungle, beautiful beaches, plantations (rubber) and towns are scattered over the island and it was these that we explored over the next few days. There were always coffee and snack stops and afternoons relaxing with a few beverages.

Koh Lanta hut happiness

Relaxing in the afternoon, Koh Lanta

Koh Lanta

Although we had planned to meet Jess and Charlotte, they hadn’t been able to get to Koh Lanta on the day they left Lipe and had changed their plans somewhat. However, as we were exploring Lanta, we started getting messages from them about the amazing island they were staying on called Koh Jum/Koh Pu. This was one of the places Simon had originally suggested as well, and after a bit of weighing up of our options we decided it was time to see what this island paradise was all about.

Koh Pu

The front of Luboa Hut, Koh Pu

sunset, Koh Pu

A ferry and a long boat later and we had indeed reached paradise. If you are searching for an undeveloped island, where living is simple and life is slow, look no further than Luboa Hut on Koh Pu. Simple huts are set back from the beach in the jungle, with hammocks and cushions scattered around a communal area for quality relaxing. Not to mention the beautiful clear water to swim in. A few other low-key places were dotted along the beach and ‘town’ was about 20km away (mostly along unsealed road). There were no bars, no seven eleven (wow!) and no night clubs. Most of the island was jungle or rubber plantation, and thankfully the locals are keen to keep it that way. For me, this was perfect. In fact, we were all delighted and so happy that we made the choice to come. It was great meeting up with Charlotte and Jess again as well. We had missed our pod friends. An added bonus was, because they had a long standing booking for the room we were initially using, the owners let us camp out in the day shelter huts for free after the first 2 nights.

Hammocks to relax in during the day and our bedroom at night!

Our first hut

Astro and the dirty samon exploring Koh Pu

 The next five days were spent more or less like this: a morning run, followed by a swim and breakfast. Then reading and writing interspersed by cups of coffee and playing 500 with Simon. Some days we went kayaking (free) or explored the island by scooter and bike. Kit, Kirsty and Ben also ended up joining us so we became the ‘mega pod’. It was wonderful to be surrounded by friends, new and old. At 5pm everyday the volleyball net came out and the staff and guests played a match as the sun set over the ocean. Both Astrid and I have a new appreciation for volleyball and really enjoyed playing. ‘Le Chang’ (Simon) encouraged ‘Chang time’ at some point during the late afternoon and thus our days were spent in this delightful relaxed way. I found it especially wonderful to be able to catch up with Simon. Both Astrid and I feel so lucky that we have friends who are willing and able to visit us while we are on this journey. We feel very loved and it makes the time away from family and friends easier.

biking through the island, Koh Pu

500 time

Coffee and 500

This image sums it up well – loads of coffee and reading.

Evening Volleyball

posing ‘Phuket’ style (:

 Towards the end of our time on Koh Pu we were reminded that the tropics come with their own set of unique challenges. Just take a look at a tropical medicine textbook one day. Unfortunately for Jess, it transpired that a worm had decided to take up resistance in her toe. A bit of google diagnosing and a few days of watching the worm move and the toe get alarmingly bigger, it was time to seek medical intervention. Our hosts organized for Jess and Marita to take a boat to the local hospital. Lucky for us, Marita captured the whole treatment (which was rather gruesome) on video. In the evening when they returned, the nine of us watched the entire gory procedure on our computer. All I can say is that Jess is hardcore. Respect.

Video of the toe

Final night as ‘the medga pod’.

Beach bonfire, Koh Pu

Sadly, even tropical paradise must end one day. Christmas was coming and most of us had made plans to be somewhere. The pod were headed to Cambodia, Simon back to Melbourne and Marita, Astrid and I to Khao Sok National Park. Our last night together was celebrated in style. We made a bonfire on the beach and shared some local rum. Who knows when we will meet again? It’s definitely been wonderful sharing this part of our journey with so many great people.

much love

Jude

Goodbye!!

We got our own boat to the mainland