– ODO- 20884-21021km
– Location- Palm Forest near Bam Saphli, Thailand
– Weather- 26-35
Thailand is my favourite country in South East Asia to ride in. Before Bangkok I’d had a taste of the north of the country crossing into Laos and back in from Cambodia some months later. There have been some busy highways and densely populated areas I’ve struggled to camp in or find hotels. Overall though the roads are super smooth, there’s good food everywhere and the people are relaxed and friendly.
The last couple of days I’ve been skirting the coast. Jumping off the highway and it’s plentiful 7-elevens and Amazon Cafes, to take the slick coastal roads. Yesterday either side of the road was full of salt beds. Workers drove back and forward on dried white shreds with rollers and in others they raked the result into piles.
From this morning, after camping just back from the coast, the road opened up on miles of white sand, small blue fishing boats, nets and hammocks hung from trees. Some remote tourist spots spilled with portly tourists and retirees. I meet a Norwegian who’s lived on the beach for 15 years. “I’m going to die here”, he told me. As I sit drinking a soft drink, escaping the rapidly rising sun, I watch a fisherman lying in a hammock swinging gently to the onshore breeze. I listened to the sounds of the waves and of the birds and my mind was empty.