The Land of Smiles (Part 1)

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Hello,

Sorry it's been a long time for our first entry but facebook and e-mails have taken most of our attenetion when we get time on the internet.

After a long but enjoyable flight (we had interactive screens with games, films and camera views out of the plane) we finally landed at the new Bangkok airport at around 6am. The first thing that hit us wasn't the intense heat but a crowd of taxi drivers ravenous for business. We were going to get the airport bus into the city centre but they would not allow us to take the bikes on it so we were forced to spend our hard earned cash on a taxi (900 baht!). After waiting around 20 mins for the taxt driver to get his 'big' car from 'round the corner' his mate thought it would be a good idea to take us in his toyota carola (small car), bearing in mind we had to fit in 3 humans, 2 bikes and luggage (x5)!! This however did not deter him and we headed out of the airport...but were then stopped 200m round the corner by the policefor having one bike sticking out of the boot. One in the footwell of the back seat with Anna sitting cross legged on the back seat with bags all around us! After a 100 baht fine(2 pound paid for by the driver) we were free to go. Until 100 metres down the motorway the inevitable happened... Adam's bike fell out of the boot (well was hanging out and dragging along the floor). The taxi driver then pulled onto the hard sholder and Adam politely told the taxi driver his bike was worth more than his taxi, he then secured Adam's bike with our luggage and assured us that it would not happen again! Our trip then to the YHA Bansabai (inconvieniently situated 15k from the centre not 2k like the internet says) our trip was uneventful.

We stopped in Bangkok for 2 nights as we did not like the traffic, fumes and the amazingly annoying tuk-tuk drivers desperate for your custom. and would not take no for an answer. However as we had to get back to Bangkok in 2 weeks to have our final Rabies vaccine as we had them late in England. We decided to ride South towards the cost for one of our many beach excursions. We bravaed the incredibly busy roads out of Bangkok as we rode around 60k east to Chochengsao. Unfortunately Anna had been feeling ill for the last few days and was finding the 35 degree heat tough. We decided to stop at the lizard mansion (as Anna likes to call it as the bathroom was infested with Geckos everynight) for 2 nights. During the daytime there wasn't much to do here apart from visit the usual WAt's (Buddhist temples) which Anna wasn't really feeling up to.Although whenwe did go out we did meet some of the older generation who gestured to ADam to buy the same drink as him, which turned out to be a very strong thai whiskey which he insisted we try. Over the next few week we did a loop heading for the Farang (foreigner) hotspot of Pattaya. On the way Adam though we should use some minor roads to avoid the main highway-bad idea. Little did we know that the would be loads of wild dogs which have chased us on numerous occasions. So we soon headed back down the main highway. It was more direct anyway.

Anna was still not feeling to well and we decided to the last 20k by train. However we couldn't seem to find the station.We asked another western looking cyclist who we happened to come across andluckly we spole English! Adam and the Aussie cyclist got chatting while Anna struggled on behind. He kindly offered to guide us to the station. To cut a long story short it turns out the Aussie cyclist knows 2 of Adam's cycling friends (DC and Carl-we passed his house on the way to the station and he showed us some pics of you 2 and another guy who Adam thinks is Rob). How random???

We then got to the train to Pattaya

Part 2 Pattaya coming soon! Plus Pics also coming soon!

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