After 1,000 kms of cycling in Thailand it is time to make the case for why this might be just the best place on earth to cycle.1. PeopleThis is of course well known, but Thai people are lovely and this really is the land of smiles. Whether you are in Bangkok or the tiniest village, Thais are there to help whenever you need it. One ...
Today we have been cycling through the infamous Golden Triangle. This was the name given to a region encompassing a portion of Burma, Laos and Thailand during the the American War on Drugs.It has now been appropriated by the town of Sop Ruak to designate the point where the three countries come together. The opium fields in Thailand are all but gone, although across the ...
Ruth: No amount of flattery from Gordon will talk me up another mountain road like the road in and out of Mae Salong. I did make it without bailing and taking a $2 ride up but oh my $#€%!! Today was not as difficult as yesterday, but still we were racing down into the valleys only to climb all the way up the other side ...
Fang to Huai Khum Resort on the Kok RiverHuai Khum Resort to Mae SalongWe are up at 1100 meters in Mae Salong, a Chinese Nationalist outpost with a colourful history. During the communist revolution the Kuomintang (Nationalists) were swept from power and one group of them fled to Northern Thailand and Burma. When their plan to overthrow the communists in China failed, they remained in ...
We are presently only about 20 km from the Burmese border, and the landscape has changed dramatically in the last two days. This region is covered with haystack shaped limestone mountains clothed in jungle and dotted with caves. Last night we had the honeymoon bungalow at Malee's Nature Lover's Bungalows. The property has a beautiful garden that includes 700 different varieties of orchids. It is on ...
We are staying in Chiang Mai for Christmas, and because of the combination of the resident expat population and Thai hospitality, it does feel a little bit Christmasy. There are Christmas trees, Christmas carols and numerous offers for traditional turkey dinners at restaurants.There are, however, a few differences from Christmas back home. This was the first time I have ever eaten Christmas breakfast outside, and ...
Ruth/Gordon: Nothing breaks up an 80km ride through the mountains like elephants. We timed our ride so that we could see the elephants bathing and also take in the 10:00 show at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre. This is a rescue centre for 120 elephants that were either misused in the tourist industry or lost their jobs when they quit logging in In the country. ...
Today was our last flat ride before we enter the hills. Our route was on a quiet road that passed rice fields and orchards, each with its own spirit house. No house in Thailand is complete without a spirit house. The houses are elaborate enough to ensure that the spirits choose them over the main house to live in. While Thailand is primarily Buddhist, the ...
Two nights easily turned into three nights in Sukhothai. This place is a tranquil haven where I believe that with enough time, even I could achieve enlightenment. Or maybe that is the Chang beer talking.Sukhothai was the capital of most of Thailand during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries until it was replaced by Ayutthaya. It is now a well preserved UNESCO heritage park. The ruins are ...
Gordon: This morning it was only 18° C when we set off in the pre-dawn light, rising to 27 degrees in the afternoon. This is the first day we did not experience a high of at least 30 degrees. Today's conditions were excellent for Canadian cyclists, but the cause of great concern for the citizenry of Thailand. The government has advised the young, the old ...