World On Board: Day 23: Freedom of skating to nowhere

Day 23: Freedom of skating to nowhere
Thailand: Trang to Khon Thom
Distance: 86km
Time on board: 6hours 10m
Cumulative distance: 1245 km

Since Krabi is 120km away, i had to break the journey into 2 days. I can reach Krabi in a single day provided i go at full speed and not do any stopover, which isn't the point of me touring.

Today just need to skate as far as i could until 5pm before sunset and find a town with monastery to take me in. Today is the day i have no target or aim of where to skate. Just skate til i feel like it is a good place to stop. This way, i am not bogged down by any distance to cover or speed to arrive at destination. I don't have to look at my garmin gps watch to notify me my pace and distance. I just focus on the experience and the joy of every kick and every stroke of paddle gliding through every inch of the road. Kinky, sound like 50 shade of grey.

Just as in life, we all are bogged down, chained to our goals, expectation or aim in life, that we often forget to enjoy the process, every moment of the journey. Life is a journey, not destination. I am not saying we should abandon all our goals, dreams in life. Rather to take step back and slowly savour the moment of being. My goal is Krabi, but i break my goal into tiny steps. Just cover as far as i can go without any target and enjoy every kick and paddle through every single inch of the road. That is what life should be.

Started off with good breakfast loaves of bread with strawberry jam and bananas. Bid farewell to australian backpacker who has been my hostel mate for past 2 days, whom i don't know his name and we chatted quite a bit without actually introducing ourselves. I just know he is from Canterbury, and searching for a bull fight here. That is the interesting thing about backpacking, we meet people, we chatted and introduced where we come from but never remember their names. Probably, we know we will never see each other but just remember their nationality.

24 km away from Trang, passed by Ang Thong Waterfall, so why not take a dip. Soaked myself for a while and continued along road 4046. It is a provincial road, so probably the road was seldom maintained. Rather bumpy for me, but still i will take it over malaysia rough roads. Since today is Sunday, spotted loads of cyclists along the way from the opposite direction.

Usually by noon, i would already cover 50km but due to bumpy 4046, only managed 43km. Decided to stop for lunch at roadside stall having noodles soup. Finally 53km, intersect the Route 4 , everything is back to smooth skating.

Passed 70km, saw a monastery. Should have to stop but it is only 4pm, and i am in the zone for more skating. Until 5pm, just nice at 86km, spotted Wat Khlon Thom monastery and musuem. Can see the facade is rather new, probably still under renovation. Seeked the monk for permission just using international gesture for sleeping. No question asked, he took me to a hall newly constructed.

Tomorrow i only have 40km to krabi. By lunch, i should be chilling in Krabi