Well I was up early and out, had to make it to the border before 8.45am to catch the train from Sungai Kolok to Hat yai. This would get me out of the problem area of Thailand. Well besides Bangkok. The first part of the ride went really well I made good time to the border and the traffic was not to heavy. The sun had only just crested the horizon as I made my way into Rantau Panjang. Got some locals to take a photo of me at the crossing and headed off.
The Malaysian side of things is really good here, ride up, hand my passport over and stamp stamp see you later. Headed to the Thai side and was not really sure were to go, I could have just keep going and not bothered with the passport side of thing, in the end I found the area I was supposed to go. Ok passport done, money and then train. Headed into town, asked some people were the train station was and some guy said No trains. Bugger.
Back to the tourist office at the border to see if I can find out what is going on, the cleaning lady had to wake them up, I think really should have just asked the cleaning lady. In the end worked out that they did not know when the trains would be starting again, there were problems further up the line. Bugger $@##%@#%@$#@%^@% what the f%@%@. So I now had to get some money and get out of town, I could not find out where the trouble was off the tourist office, what f#$ken use are they I could have ridden right into the middle of it. Tourist office my Arse. You know those days went things are going pretty well and then it all turns to crap, I really had the feeling this was going to be one of them.
As you can tell I was not impressed I think if anyone had caused me trouble on the way to the bank it would have been all over for them. Anyway found a bank and a ATM machine, because there is a hours difference between Malaysia and Thailand it was still only 7:30 in the morning and the banks did not open till 9am. So Money out of the ATM and will have to change my Malay dollars at a later date.
This is where my morning improved, one of the local police had made his way over from the police station just over the road, he was a mountain biker so we bonded straight away. He liked my bike and asked me a few questions about where I had come from and where I was going to. Now this is my saving grace, I pulled out a map and said I was going to take a straight north route to Hat yai. Shaking his head he pointed and said trouble, this was where the train ran. Ok so were to my friend, he pointed out all the safe areas, which was pretty much up the coast. It makes it a round trip with lots of Km but it was out of the bad lands.
So after this I was feeling better, I got the cop to go for a ride on my bike realizing he had just ridden off with all my money and stuff. O well could be a short trip. A few minutes later after doing a lap of the block he came back into view with a big smile on his face. In pigeon English which we had had all our discussion in, he said he liked the bike. So after a photo of him on my bike much to the amusement of his mates, and some directions out of town I was off again.
The bank Machine had only given me 1000 baht notes so I managed to buy some water and a drink at a petrol station and got some smaller notes for the food stalls I knew I would be using. So it was going to be about 65km on top of the 37km I had already done. Breakfast was going to be 30km down the road as I had already eaten my Roti earlier.
The roads so far have been wide and flat with plenty of room and the first 30km slowly cruised by, I stop for some breakfast at a road side stall I had seen some well dressed Thai’s come out of. It was rice with a prawn Curry source, it was pretty good but I think I would have eaten anything by now, even the back leg of the mangy mongrel that had just walked passed me. A very old dog with no hair, and looking will passed its use by date.
They guy who served me picked me out all the prawns which I thought was really nice. I asked were a toilet was and could not get him to understand so it was back on the bike and a stop further down the road. You thought it would be easy describing going to the toilet, He must have thought what the hell is wrong with this guy. So after food and water release I was back on the bike, it was just after I started that I got a sharp pain in my thigh muscle I think I have pulled a Muscle, it did not improve for the rest of the ride.
As I peddled down the road, the day became hotter and hotter, I was drinking a lot of water. You know how you get those days were you looking down the road and the heat waves rise up of the road, the wind had picked up as well, but all that did was make it feel like I was riding through a fan forced oven. By the time I made it to Narathiwat, my knee, yes bad knees, was pretty sore and I was knackered, I had done 100km rides already as you know but this one seemed so much harder. The thermostat in Narathiwat said 35.7 C so it was pretty warm.
Well I have found a place and am just about to head out for food. Have 90km to do tomorrow and then another 90km the next day. Should be fun.
The food experience, well went out for dinner and found a busy restaurant, jump in line with the rest of them, it was a point and shoot, ones were they have it all laid out and you kind just point at what you want. So I was standing there waiting, the guy behind the counter served everyone else around me and a few people who came in after me, so I figured he could not be bothered so headed down the road.
Found a place further down the road, a guy from the shop next door asked me what I wanted and then ordered it all for me. Thanks guy from shop next door you’re a life saver.
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