117 km
Yesterday was really long and then I spent the evening drinking beer and talking up an Englishman to think seriously about taking up bike touring. Now I have forgotten most about yesterdays cycling. I did ride quite a bit on the #3 highway, heading SE towards Trat. But I did also make attempts to get off the highway. I had seen on the map that there is a place called Khung Kraben. It has a symbol indicating beach, and some sign that this is "hidden Thailand", probably meaning that it has not yet been exploited with ugly hotels. So I hoped to get there before it is ruined. None can ruin a nice beach as quickly as the Thais.
I turned off the highway and asked a couple of young girls at an intersection which way to take. They were sitting on an old motorcycle with a sidecar, the type that farmers use to transport things on. The girls spoke almost no English but since I could say Khung Kraben they understood what I wanted. After some debating among themselves they agreed that I should go that way, so I did. But ten minutes later they caught up with me on the motorcycle and offered more detailed explanation, in the form of drawing in a notebook they had. They sent me back out unto the highway to cycle past the first traffic light and then turn off again at the second. I was not too happy going on the highway again, but followed their advice. It was of course very sweet of them to go to the effort, and they were right too. But it was much further than I had thought. From my map I had estimated to ride maybe 60 kms. But I actually ended up going 117 before I hit the beach. And by then it was still another 20 or so to actual Khung Kraben. Instead I rolled into Khung Wiman at around five thirty, totally knackered.
I stopped at the first place I saw along the beach with some sort of sign indicating that they were open for business, a little restaurant. I asked for a room. Luckily at the back they had a couple of bungalows and one building with three rooms for rent, 400 baht. I was very glad to move in. Very sweet girl running the place!
After a shower I went for my landing beer. I was so happy to have been given a room I decided that whatever money I would spend in that area would be in their restaurant. And it was a real winner. Opposite the restaurant, on the beach side of the road were wooden tables and benches overlooking the ocean. Just the place for a cold one in the evening breeze. And there was this British guy, the first European I had seen in many hours. He is doing some volounteer work in the area and had been a week. We got to talk over a beer, and later had dinner there too. The beer was cold and large and the seafood was very very good.
I think I recruited another cyclist.
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