The Motorcycle Journey Begins?

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So I've been in Chiang Mai for the last week finding a bike and getting myself organized for that leg of the journey.

It turns out that unless you have Thai residency, you can't legally purchase a motorbike here. The challenge is not finding a bike (these can be rented on any street corner), it's finding one who's owner will draw up the right paperwork so that I can take it out of the country.

I have found that owner and expect to jet out of here today or tomorrow on a mostly Honda AX-1 250. Japanese bikes are typically imported in parts and then reassembled, so I say "mostly" AX-1. The bike will go on- and off-road, so I am off to find some land mines--just kidding!

The plan is to tour east through Thailand to Laos, travel down to Cambodia, back into eastern Thailand and return to Chiang Mai. I have about six weeks.

I expect my postings to get a bit more sporadic and possibly less flashy as I head into more remote areas with basic internet connections.

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Photos

the bike
Chiang Mai