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Published: March 9th 2007
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Thai / Malay Border
Arriving at this remote border post just minutes before it closed after cycling over 100 miles in the blistering heat - I was now in Malaysia, and had to find a place to free-camp in the thick jungle. Day 281, 8th March
Ko Lanta - Sikao - Trang
I awoke at first light on the beach. Packed my tent, got on my bike and set out early taking the little long-boat over the water to the small Ko Lanta island, and then crossed to catch the big ferry to the Thai mainland. Ther were two Dutch couples on the ferry, all retired, doing a two-month bike tour of Thailand - respect!
Once on the mainland I battled the headwind for the first 20 miles back to onto the main route number 4 south. The wind seemed relentless. When I left the 4 to take the short cut to Trang I was joined by another cyclist who was doing SE Asia. His name was Tim from Colorado. We cycled together to Trang and on the way I found that he’d been in contact with Toby and knew all about the trip we were doing. I also learned that he was a good friend of Paul Shapcott, a guy I cycled with in NZ in 1997 - man! It’s a small world eh?
In Trang we booked into the Wattana Hotel, a single room, and I slept
Near Trang
This was the Muslim south of Thailand - at this moment in time, relatively peaceful... on the floor on my Thermarest. Actually, I have a great tip regarding hotel rooms, mosquitoes, and tents. If you have a free-standing tent, just put it up, only the fly-sheet, on the mattress. Hey Presto! An instant mosquitoe net!
We went out for a meal later, Chinese. In fact, the town has a real Chinese feel to it. Later, when I checked my email, I found out about what was happening to my flat back home. I’d rented it out through an agency, and they’ve just informed me that the tenant has not only trashed it but emptied it of everything - my bed, wardrobes, sofa, tables, chairs…everything…even the door handles and lightbulbs apparently. The Bastard! And I was renting it out for next to nothing, not making a bloody penny! I went back to the hotel really pissed off and thinking what I could do to that tenant if he was tied to a tree and I had the whole day free with my Black Widow catapult and a bag of heavy-duty rusty nuts and bolts….Hmmmmmm….
Total Miles: 12799.82 Todays Miles: 78.74 Average speed: 11.5 Time on bike: 6:50
Day 282, 9th March
Goobye Thailand
Thai Exit Stamp at the jungle border crossing with Malaysia. Trang - Palian - Chalung - MALAYSIA - Kaki Bukit
I woke up still feeling pissed-off from the news I got last night. I said bye to Tim and wished him a great trip and set off south. He’s heading to Malaysia by sea, I want to do the lesser known land route through the jungle. This was to be my last day in Thailand, I was determined to make Malaysia today, even though it was over 100 miles to the border.
I set out at 8am, stopping for breakfast of noodles and veg after 30 miles, and then just kept heading southwards. The area is now predominantly Muslim, mosques are in every village and people wear the Muslim clothing. I noticed the heat was getting to me a bit, it was sticky are more humid, but I pressed on with that colonial song “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the Mid Day sun” rattling around my skull. I was both! I passed through village upon village where people were sheltering from the sun, people just stared at me in dis-belief, some shook their heads. Affter Palian, the road twisted and turned around some limestone crags and
Temple Near Border
In the Muslim areas there are still Buddhist temple like this one a few miles from the Malay border. the headwind was upon me at every turn, damn it! I was riding out the frustration I felt about my flat, and me not being able to do a single thing about it out here….
At Chaling, the last town in Thailand, I rested and had something to drink. This place is weird, a real frontier town, lots of police, lots of guns, a tense feeling… I asked about the border I wanted to cross and was told it closes at 5pm - I had just over an hour to do the 20 kilometres to the border. I stocked up on noodles and water, then set out through the hills to the crossing. My energy levels were dropping drastically, I’d done 100 miles and it was a few to the border. It was nearing 5pm, there was a last big climb and there it was, the Thai Immigration hut. My passport was scrutinized and stamped and with literally one minute to go I rushed onwards…
…The border gate was being held open for me. To the left of me a little white marker stone marked the actual demarcation of the border, then there was the wall which surprised
Ko Lanta Ferry Ticket
Something I stuck in my journal for a memento... me. Either side of the gate there was a big concrete wall topped with razor-wire coils leading into the jungle. A plaque on the right hand wall said “PERLIS”, which was the sultanate state of Malaysia which I was now entering. This Malaysian border defense even had a strip of no-mans land about 50 feet wide, between the wall and the jungle. Despite this, Malaysian immigration was easy - I filled in a form, they checked it against my passport, gave it a stamp, and waved me through with a smile. I took one look back towards Thailand to see the gate was closed firm.
I headed down the quiet road for about 3 miles, there were no houses or any other signs of human activity, just thick jungle. Then, I came to a steep hill. No chance, my legs were like jelly. To my right there was a small banana plantation, the fruit wasn’t ripe yet, so I left the road and pushed my bike through the low trees over the dried palm fronds not even considering what would happen if a snake shot up and bit me - that would probably mean GAME OVER. But I was tired and my brain had been baked in the sun and I wanted nothing more than to sleep. When I was well away from the road, I set up my tent, just the fly-sheet, on the edge of the jungle.
It went dark quickly and I dozed off. A few hours later I was woken up by a noise. There was something big cruching through the jungle nearby. I was instantly awake, alert, and I felt the hairs on my neck rise. This was the second time in less than a month. At least Stephane was with me when the tiger appeared when we free-camped near the Burmese border, now I was alone, and I wished he was here, but he wasn’t. I was alone and I’d have to deal with this situation alone. My mind raced as the sound got closer, I imagined that it was a man, or men. Were they soldiers? Border guards? Being as the border zig-zags, maybe I was very close to the border? In a forbidden area? Would they shoot me? Arrest me? Even worse, what if they were smugglers, drug smugglers! No questions mate! Pull trigger, bang! Bang! BBC report - “British cyclist found dead with multiple gunshots to body in notorious drug-smuggling area of Thai-Malay border”!
My mind was racing, it was pitch black out there, I could see nothing. Then the movement stopped, and I stopped breathing. I heard it - whatever it was it was right next to my tent and breathing heavily. I nearly shat myself with fear. It was some sort of large animal, not a person, I knew that now. I decided that the best plan of action was to shine my Tikka torch in its direction and scream as load as I could, hoping that I would scare whatever it was away. As soon as the light went on I saw it - a bloody bear! It was looking right at me, about six feet away. I screamed, it reared up showing lighter coloured fur on its belly. I thought it was going to attack so I grabbed my flick-knife and clicked it open - I wasn’t afraid to use it to protect myself, this would be the second time it would draw blood on this trip…. But, I didn’t need it. The bear dropped its front legs back onto the ground, spun around, and headed off into the jungle. I switched off my light, breathed a sigh of relief, and actually laughed. How stupid I was, being out here on my own, I must be bloody mad! These are stories, and feelings, that virtually nobody at home will ever understand………….if I get home that is!
Total Miles: 12909.24 Todays Miles: 109.41 Average speed: 12.6 Time on bike: 8:38
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Jackie
non-member comment
excuse me where is the airport?
Here I am sat in the deepest lancashire with a cup of coffee in front of me...wine just getting to temp. Holding my breath while I read your encounter with the bear. I was knackred when you got to that checkpoint. I get that jelly feeling in my legs when I have been shopping too much and I have just come across a bargain. Loving it as ever. makes my day when I log on and see that you have posted. My hubby is sick of me saying...and do you know what happened then..