The 'slow' road to Ubon

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Geo: 15.2447, 105.229

Chong Mek obviously doesn't get many tourist that stay here going by the surprised looks I get, but the looks are soon replaced, bursting into beautiful big smiles instead and shouts of 'sawadee ka' and thumbs up, while I wander around their market. I find it hilarious some of the items they try to sell when I'm clearly touring by bicycle but still baskets and handmade blankets are put under my nose, as well as the compulsory pashminas, I love these small, more rural types of towns and join in with their amusement!

So, I explored in the evening further before resting up to start on my ‘slow' journey to Ubon, I'm determined to take it easy and ensure I get well, it's been a long layup. When I leave, I notice my first ‘safety zone' police boxes which actually become a frequent site on the roads in Thailand, and I've been informed they have rest room facilities I could use and possibly rest up in an evening, you never know although I hope this doesn't involve me getting tossed into a cell. I'm no sooner out of the village when I start to climb, the up and downs continue the whole day and although nothing major compared to other roads, I can feel it in my bones.

Thankfully the beautiful scenery on route distracts me from my pains, there's a beautiful big lake which has loads of bamboo type shelters on it although I can't work out what they are I presume they are some type of fish farms maybe, I really don't know. I pass many, many workers in the rice fields planting fresh fields of crops and I'm always so amazed by the vibrant color of green, it almost glows. I love the tractors digging up fresh fields, the countless people sitting on top of hay in the back of a trailer or the vendors selling all sorts of food, the shout outs from the many passing vehicles and continuous thumbs up keep me continually entertained – I forgot how much I love being on the road and travelling this way, it really is such a unique experience.

Before I left I had decided to cycle no more than around 50km a day to get me started again, so after my kms I stayed in Phibun (I think) in a room I could bring my bike into which saves any hassle. It's a huge place although looks nothing on the map but this turns out to be the way of things and I'm continually surprised in Thailand. There's Tesco Lotus, Makro, the dreaded KFC, Esso and Shell stations and the service stations actually have 7 Elevens, Amazon's, cloth shops, all sorts, none of which has been on my previous cycle journey' which I appreciate.

So the pictures are of being back out on the road again and I promise myself I will get better, although with no camera on my phone, one camera busted and one camera screen broken which means the flash is stuck on, I'm not having much luck so bear with me. So after another 50kms and more of the same on the roads I arrive in Ubon Rachathani, it was a long, slow day, I forgot how hot it is down here, its high 30's which means I've spent half the day ducking into bus shelters for breaks and just to get out of the sun, the very first day despite having my sun cream on, I managed to burn not only my nose but lips too so now I'm full of cold sores. I find that nothing at all is familiar, and I mean nothing, I thought I had found the hotel and hospital I was in before on the map, in fact I was going to go back to the hospital for another x-ray to see how my collar was healing but I couldn't find them and nothing at all was familiar, I find it very strange.

I get booked into a hotel not that far from the train station and started my usual tour, a bit of exploring and dinner before back for an early night, I enjoy my interaction with the locals around the hotel and find them very friendly and welcoming. On my way in I ended up with a slow puncture which I nursed the last 10km at least but I found a repair place near the hotel and sat chatting to the guys while I got fixed up again, anyway I'll have a rest day before deciding my route out of Ubon and over towards Bangkok so I'll visit some sights I missed first time around and maybe find out where I was staying!

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Photos

Temple
First round temple I've seen which set inside massive grounds

Making baskets
Huge... and beautifully made

Pots pots pots
On the roadside

Police stations
Frequently along the road

Fish farms?
Ive no idea what these are actually but there were hundreds of them!