Hua Hin with Jacques and Myriam

Tuesday, 26 November... a day of rest in Hua Hin where we spent the day (and the previous evening) with Jacques and Myriam. 

 

Ursula, Jacques, and Myriam at the night
market on Monday evening

By luck, their hotel was only a few hundred metres from ours and it was on the beach, which ours was not. They had an appointment in the late morning, so we 'had to' spend some time at their swimming pool and at the beach... we won't get any sympathy for that, will we?... that's what rest days should be for.


at the pool... beach in the background

while vacationers swim, local people cast nets for fish

Rae, Myriam, Ursula, and Jacques in the pool...

and the two of us in the Gulf of Thailand

 Lunch on a different beach...

 

 ...followed by more swimming and lazing around and a great dinner at which Jacques pronounced that he didn't like desserts...

 For us, it is back on the bikes tomorrow as we head south and then, in the course of the next six days, cross the peninsula to the west shore of Thailand on the Andaman Sea. For Jacques and Myriam, they will celebrate Jacques birthday on Thursday and then take possession of an apartment that they just purchased in Hua Hin. They like it here - we can understand why - its own atmosphere plus easy access to and from Bangkok.

To Jacques and Myriam... the time together this last day and a half was absolutely great... Thanks, happy birthday Jacques, and we wish you much relaxation and enjoyment of your new apartment.

to Hua Hin

Sunday 24 November... As for the arrival here, we went by minibus until we were away from city traffic. That had been planned by TdA before anybody knew there would be serious political protests that same day. We were well clear of Bangkok before the protests were really underway. Two short rides and we'll be in Hua Hin where we'll get another rest day.

We're following the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, through wetland and salt ponds. Sunday started overcast, then some serious rain...


Salt ponds... that's the rain we're headed for... 

Nieka, one of the TdA staff, in the downpour

Sunrise on a sunny Monday

wetland

Buddhist temple inside a wall shaped like a ship

Whereas we've seen only limited quantities of birds and wildlife till now, the wetland changed all that. Except when it was raining, we took lots of photos of them. I'm hoping that my brother will continue his diligent research to identify them.

We hadn't expected monkeys in the wetland, but they're there, this one sitting on a roadside sign...

...and they all retreated into the swamp... note the youngster clinging to mother's belly...



...a couple of species of kingfisher...

Black-capped Kingfisher

Collared Kingfisher

Asian Openbill Storks - thanks Bruce for the id...

Here are a variety for Bruce to identify - watch the comments for what he finds, and I'll update the blog when I can...

possibly a Crested Myna

above - Little Cormorant (also called Javanese Cormorant)
below - Indian Pond Heron

Black-winged Stilt

Cinnamon Bittern
Blue-tailed Bee-eater

Blue-tailed Bee-eater

 and these busy little crabs that dig holes when the tide goes out...

 

and very colourful dragonflies that hopefully eat mosquitos...

Bangkok

Friday 22 November - we get to sleep in until 0530, get up, pack bags, load bags into the baggage van and bikes onto a truck for the trip into Bangkok. Then breakfast for us and into Bangkok by minibus - the traffic was considered too congested and chaotic to do it safely by bicycle, probably a valid concern at the best of times, but there are protests going on in Bangkok that make it far worse. Later in the day, a bunch of us tried to get to a particular restaurant by minibus, but the protests had blocked off a lot of traffic routes and created real gridlock. Two hours and five minutes later we had moved maybe 2 km and got to a point where we were able to turn back - three minutes later we were back at the hotel. 
 
The remainder of Friday and all day Saturday we took in some of the tourist sites and walked a bit. The following photos are all at the Grand Palace and two adjoining temples, Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Pho, in the old town area. 


A group of us at the Grand Palace



 



the reclining Buddha



In town - narrow streets for cars, maybe not even a sidewalk for people, and in this area, lots of Buddhas for sale.

Saturday late afternoon we went to the 'Cabbages and Condoms' restaurant on the recommendation of Jacques and Myriam... 

 ...indeed it is unique. It was established by the non-profit 'Population and Community Development Organization' to promote their efforts to encourage family planning, part of that being the idea that condoms should be as available to the people as vegetables, hence the name of the restaurant. The organization now is more than family planning, it includes safe water, HIV prevention, and many other community health and development initiatives... not only that, but the food was excellent. 

Ursula with two condom-clad mannequins

 

into Thailand

Thursday, 21 November - Since Siem Reap, we had one more full day in Cambodia on Tuesday, then Wednesday we crossed in Thailand, and today rode to 50 km outside Bangkok.

Between Siem Reap and Sisophon where we spent our last night in Cambodia, the land continued to be wet...

...good for ducks...

...and people seem to take it in stride that they may have to get wet when walking or biking from one place to another...

As much as the water in the fields appears still, there is actually a significant flow and there are regular culverts or small bridges on the highway to facilitate the flow. There tends to be deeper water and a bit of a small pond on each side of the road at these bridges, and this allows fishing. We saw a number of people casting their nets into the water and getting small fish although at another place, I saw some fish that were 40-50 cm long. 


A small fish taken from his net...

...and they are quick - here his friend casts his net...

...and sixty second later is carrying it out of
the water - I timed it.

We had a nice sunrise as we headed for Thailand.

The border had its usual hustle and bustle - a lot and hand-drawn carts loaded with various fruits and vegetables and other merchandise going in our direction from Cambodia to Thailand. First the exit formalities to depart Cambodia where we drive on the right-hand side of the road. Then into the no-man's land between the two immigration posts. You could hardly move in this area with cars and other traffic going in every which direction. Thailand drives on the left-hand side of the road - somehow that's the side we were on when we hit the Thai side... obviously there is value in chaos...

...and then into the line for Thai immigration...

...which went very smoothly and quite quickly and we were into Thailand...

...where we were soon on our way on the highway. There was a marked difference between Thailand and Cambodia - the relative prosperity here was readily evident. Streets are full of cars instead of bicycles, motorcycles, and farm vehicles. Close to the border were two Thai Army bases, one infantry, the other armoured, both with beautifully-kept grounds, sports fields, well-maintained (at least by appearance) buildings. The highway was smooth and had a broad shoulder, and with flat land and a following wind, we had a quick ride to our first night in Thailand.

Each evening (except rest days and the night before rest days) we have a rider meeting to brief for the following day, then dinner usually at 1800. The domestic arrangements have been made by TdA and carried out by 'Grasshopper Adventures', an Asia-based bicycle tour operator. They set up the Wednesday dinner outdoors at the hotel...

ready for dinner - our expedition leader, Sharita, and
Tour-d'Afrique principal, Henry Gold

...bringing us to today's ride to Chanchoengsao...

sunrise...



...and we're on the bikes...

...even Rae

There's still lots of wetland here, giving me the chance to take photos of some more birds for my brother to identify...


Egrets tend to be shy - at least they are when I point a camera
near them - leading me to believe that this working of the field
must be stirring up something that they can eat

Asian Openbill Storks

Tomorrow, into Bangkok, but not on the bikes. Too much risk of getting lost or worse in the heavily congested traffic (and air pollution in Bangkok), so it will be by bus, then a day off in Bangkok.