Day 31: Off beaten path

Day 31: Off beaten path
Thailand : Thung Kha to Ao Yai-i
Distance: 63 km
Time on board : 4 hpurs 38 mins
Cumulative distance : 1688 km

How i choose my day to day destination? I just look at google map and search for place with possible camp and food water nearby and ranging from 60 to 90 km. After 2 consective days of riding 80 plus km, today i took it easy, found a place on google map 60km away. And it has nice beach and a cave. Interesting.

Since today is a short ride, woke up later than my usual 6am. Pack up and thanked the monks. Last night i had a soundful sleep, because there were no dogs in that monastery. Skated to Chumpon city and continued on to Thung Wua luan beach. That beach is much better than Krabi's Ao Nang. Water is crystal clear and way less tourist crowd than Ao Nang. Went for a dip to cool down.

After thung wua luaen beach, the terrain turns hilly. Stopped at Pathio police station for water. At a town, a car wanted to pass me some water, i couldn't see a road divider and my wheel got caught. Thankfully i am fully protected, not a single scratch.

Ao Yai-i is truly a off beaten path cos there is no sign indicating where to turn. Thanks to Google map, found a side road and entered into Ao Yai-i beach. Went on another path in search for the Yai-i cave. It turns out to be a retreat for monks to mediate. Sort of a monk resort. Climbed into the cave and was awed by its sheer awesome aura. I really earned and paid through my sweat and blood to come here. That makes the destination worthwhile. When you work toward something, your reward just gets sweeter, as you know you deserved the right to be here. Green emerald wall in the cave.

Chatted with monk and they invited me to camp for the night. Though i planned to camp at Thung zang beach, but with the monk's offer I cant refuse. This cave is rarely visited by tourists cos it is never featured in any lonely planet or wikitravel. I managed to discover this place through google map and longboard touring. Any form of manual touring makes you discover off beaten path.

Yai-i Caves

Thung Wualuaern Beach

Chumpon Train

Best Camping

Ao Yai-i

World on Boat

Rolling in beach

i love this town. Bang Bird. I wonder what they do to the birds?

Day 30: First month of Voyage

Day 30: First month of Voyage
Thailand : Don Khaew to Thung Kha, outskirts of Chumpon
Distance : 87.9km
Time on board: 6 hours

Cumulative Distance: 1625 km

30 days has passed since i embarked on this voyage on board. It is my first full month of my world tour. Though i have been touring many places before, but those are short trips, longest is less than a month since my teaching job only allows a month in June and December. It felt different from now as previously i know i will return home at the end of it. This time round, i don't have certainity of tomorrow destination. What surprises await me. Life is a journey, not a destination. You don't know where you end up next.

Today mark my first month and i am starting to miss my family and friends. It is natural to feel that way. Back in Singapore or my short skate trip, i never really miss family. But after a long voyage, i am getting homesick. That is the one of reasons i embark on this journey. Only then i will appreciate my loved ones.

It has been weird day. Woke up really early at 5.55 am thanks to Dogs alarm. Packed up and left early before 7am so i can have early headstart, see whether i can reach Chumpon 100km away.

The 4112 road is quiet as usual and arrive 28km later at Lang Suan by 9.20 am. By 12 pm, i already reached 50km at Thung Tako for lunch. 40 baht noodle with nice presentation. I must say it is a good deal. Took a hour and half break at eatery before continuing my way. Passed by a watermelon stall and the owner bid me to pause. She gave me watermelon and water to quench my thirst. I accepted the juicy watermelon but i have to refuse the water as i already top up my 4 litres water supply at the eatery, no more capacity. Shortly, car slowed down and a lady passed me another bottle of water. Skating on the road, i cant refuse people's goodwill and took the bottle. At the pavilion for resting, a truck driver passed me a can of soft drink. Finally, a driver passed me 200 baht. I was stunned, no one ever passed me cash on the way. That is my daily budget for food and drinks. Though i am not a beggar, but i cant refuse another goodwill. The money can last me another day.

Camped at Wat Khao Din monastery, 13 km from Chumpon. This time, i am skipping the city and will pass through Chumpon for its golden coast of beaches tomorrow.

Another great camping ground in the monastery

the kind fruit stall owner who treated me to watermelons and water

500 km to Bangkok!

Thung Kha Bike Club

Day 29: Cheese Biscuit hunt

Day 29: Cheese Biscuit hunt
Thailand: Surat Thani to Don Khaw. Actually i dont know where am i
Distance: 84.7km
Time on board: 6 hours 2 mins
Cumulative distance: 1537.1 km

The hardest part of the skate is the start of the day. Forcing myself to get up from comforty bed just to push another 80 odd km, that is insane. Honestly, who would want to do that. Once i get on my board, all these feelings goes away and i am back to my zone. In life, the toughest part is always having to make the first step.

Had roti canal for breakfast and passed by Tesco lotus supermarket. Finally i got my Magic Cheese biscuit. Yummy and filling. Good for snacking during the breaks. I gave up on bananas cos down here, weather is too hot to store bananas on my pack, by the end of day, bananas turns out mushy. Hence i stick to cheese biscuit. Been searching for it over all 7-11 in surat thani.

Got off the main route 4 and goes on the secondary road 2007 to get out of Surat Thani city and connect to road 4112. Google map suggest a shortcut using an unnamed road, life is an adventure, so why not. You never know what road you going to get. Well it turns out to be potholes filled concrete road. Therefore i have to walk most of the shortcut, which mean it is not a shortcut to me. End of shortcut goes back to road 4112 hurray. Stop by a drink stall and the owner gave me 2 bottles of water. I only took 1 due to overweight backpack.

Road 4112 follows along the train track. At some point, i spotted another cycle tourer in the opposite direction. He is from UK and started from bangkok and going to singapore.

At 45km, stopped for lunch. Can't seem to communicate to the stall that i want glass noodle soup. She just made me maggie noodles instead. Oh well, just eat it. Google map suggested another shortcut and it looks good so i decided to take the risk again. This time, it is smoother than 4112 and without the traffic. Happily push paddled for 8km before connecting back to 4112.

My best part of the day is after 3pm. My speed seems faster despite the heat. I sort of know that i am reaching my destination, hence my morale boosted up and so i sped up. Pass by Wat Don Khaw but i headed to beach first before returning to the monastery to seek permission to hang my hammock. This time, i hanged my hammock outdoors so i can see the stars. Had two serving of pad thai rice for just 80 baht. Total expenditure today is just 206 baht. You do the maths.

Town of Bang Sai, in Chinese dialect means shitting

Another British cycle tourer