Day 177: Bak Mae Khachar to Chiang Mai (52 miles)
Boiling eggs in the hot spring.
The weather spared us from rainy misery. Climbing over mountain passes, though, left us as wet as the rain did. We did, however, find a fun rest stop around some hot springs. As with any Asian attraction, vendors were selling their wares and we bought a couple Thai teas to cool down. There were tables set up over the water for you to relax and let your feet soak in the natural mineral water, but the water scalded our feet. We saw some Chinese tourists taking pictures of the hot springs. Once they saw us, you would think WE were the attraction. They glommed on to us. Each person needed to take a picture with us… and then hold our bikes… then a group shot. Felt like we were back in China.
We are famous all over the world.
We passed by another bike tourist going in the opposite direction as us. He said he was headed to China. As briefly as possible, we warned him about the hardship of that country. He told us that he had never been, but knew someone else who had cycled in China, so he already knew it was difficult. I don’t think any number of stories can truly prepare you for China. You must experience China firsthand to really grasp the intensity of that crazy country. Best of luck to him.
Sipping Thai tea.
Chiang Mai is a larger sister city to Chiang Rai. More shopping, more night markets, more tourists, and expats. We strolled through the Night Market to look at the handmade crafts and paintings and clothes. Even though things are “handmade”, it’s all the same. We found an Israeli restaurant that had hummus for an appetizer before finding the market food court for cheap Thai food and beer. Live music accompanied our dinner. The heat, even at night, was intense. It was a long day of climbing hills, so we didn’t stay out too late.
Day 178: Chiang Mai (rest day)
Big city rest days are usually nothing special. Today was one of those days. We strolled the streets during daylight. It looked totally different that last night’s busy markets. The underground inside markets were similar to China’s. At times, it was difficult to breathe from the stench of dried fish and other dried animal and herbal products.
Chiang Mai night market.
After lunch in town, the heat was too intense to be out and about. If it’s too hot to be outside, a nap inside an air-conditioned room is mandatory. When the sun went down, we ventured back into town. A grocery run and dinner took up the whole evening. We couldn’t pass up another outside market with mango sticky rice and live music before heading back to the hotel to plan and prepare for tomorrow.
Day 179: Chiang Mai to Lampang (64 miles)
Without the rain, the days are getting blistering hot as we ride south. We woke at 5:30 to get most of our riding done in the morning before the afternoon sun melts everything in sight. I’m so thankful we set out early. We climbed our toughest mountain pass at 10:30; totally difficult and hot, but way better than climbing at noon.
Chiang Mai.
Down the street from our place was a Western café and bistro. While we waited for the food, we read from the plethora of National Geographic magazines that were on display. We dined on REAL pasta with garlic and butter as well as baked penne with REAL melted cheese. It was divine. I can’t wait to get back to a place where butter and cheese aren’t a rarity.
Day 180: Lampang to Wang Chin (44 miles)
Another super early morning with more hills. The scenery is jungle in the mountains and farmland in the valleys. The amount of awesome gigantic butterflies flying around and the larger-than-I-like snakes that are squished on the roadside is a reminder that we’re getting closer to the tropics.
The best thing about starting our rides so early is finishing our rides so early. We found a guesthouse and checked in about 12:15, just in time for lunch. We were both so hungry, we ordered two entrees each. Rice and rice noodles don’t keep you full for too long. Hunger sets in again soon after you eat. Four plates of food only set us back $3.50!
It’s so hot outside that after I washed my clothes in the sink, I hung them out to dry in the sun. It only took two hours for everything to dry. That’s like ten hours faster than usual.
Farm land.
The center of town was too far to walk. We jumped back on our bikes to scout out food. 7-Eleven has been our best friend these days. It serves as our grocery store because small Asian towns usually lack a proper supermarket. Chocolate milk, Lays potato chips, Oreos and Snickers are a daily buy – that’s really sad to admit! The local fruit and veggie markets have been a disappointment lately. The oranges haven’t been tasty; the bananas haven’t been ripe (or too ripe); and it’s difficult to buy a whole melon or an eggplant to take on the road. Unfortunately, 7-Eleven provides the lightweight, calorie-dense foods in packaging that’s convenient on a bike ride.
The best part of going into town was the Thai beignets. Quite a few people were standing around a cart where a woman was frying up some dough. Since everyone else was buying it, we didn’t want to pass up something delicious. The ten-minute wait was totally worth it. They deep-fried yellow dough was rolled up with sweetened condensed milk and sprinkled with sugar (because why not add more sugar to already concentrated sugary milk syrup?). We didn’t eat it, we inhaled it. I hope nobody saw me lick the paper after the pastry was consumed. We should have ordered multiples like the locals.
The small towns have so much more personality than the larger ones. I loved sitting at the same crowded restaurant that we ate at for lunch as the night settled it. People read the local newspaper. A couple wrestled with their baby as they waited for their dinner. Grandpa watched Thai boxing on TV. (This restaurant is like a patio with no real walls and we’re probably sitting in his living room.) You could hear the horrible karaoke singer across the street. The weather was absolutely perfect when the sun went down, like a dreamy summer night.
Day 181: Wang Chin to Si Satchanalai (56 miles)
The past few mornings have been cool and foggy. At about 9:00, the fog burns off. In the meantime, the fog blankets us and dampens everything exposed to it. The cold makes my hair on my arms and legs stand on end and the moisture in the air stacks up on each individual hair. It looks like each hair is frozen with ice crystals. Even the tiny hairs on my hands turn white with crystal-like dewy droplets. My eye-lashes get heavy with dew and fall down my face when I blink hard. The whole thing fascinates me because even when I wipe it all off, it’s back within a few minutes. My favorite part is watching Sean’s beard grow frosty and white.
Foggy morning starts.
The afternoon heat slowed us down today. The terrain flattened out. Less hills made me happy.
Sean went a few extra miles to the historic ruins nearby. I hung out in the cool, air-conditioned guesthouse to ward off heat exhaustion.
Old temples of Satchanalai.
Day 182: Si Satchanalai to Sakhothai (35 miles)
Sakhothai UNESCO heritage site.
Here’s a few things to say about Thailand:
- People seem happy. Thais greet you with a smile and warm eyes.
- Many people speak English – at least the basics.
- When greeted by a waiter or hotel staff or the cashier, it’s not uncommon for Thais to bow. It’s a wonderful welcoming feeling and I wish we had this custom back home.
- Women wear makeup (something that’s uncommon in the other areas of Asia that we’ve cycled through).
- The scenery is beautiful. Trash alongside the road is less common. The roads are well-maintained.
- A pickup truck is a sign of wealth. This country has profited a lot recently from their gum trees. There might be more Ford trucks in Thailand than in Texas!
- People are larger than other Asians we’ve seen. There’s also 7-Elevens every few blocks. Desserts are common. All of this might contribute to the happiness factor. (See item #1).
Day 183: Sakhothai (19 miles)
We rode to the Sakhothai Historic Park, a UNESCO site. Monasteries of brick and other religious ruins scatter throughout the park. It’s common to ride a bike around the area because the distance between the old temples is far apart. The whole area is very well-kept with paved paths that are lined with trees that provide ample shade for us sweaty tourists. It was a lovely, relaxing way to see the ruins.
Sakhothai UNESCO heritage site.
It must have been a special celebration of some sort because even though it is Wednesday, a school day, kids were everywhere! Also, a talent show took place under the decorated gazebo. These dressed up kids danced traditional Thai dances, sang, played instruments and even performed a Thai boxing demonstration. It was all very entertaining. If I were the judge, I’d pick the little boxing kid. He was adorable in his boxing britches and his gloves were larger than his head. Cuteness always wins.
Thai boxing performance.
To escape the heat a bit, we found this highly recommended restaurant with ice cream toast. Regularly, ice cream on bread sounds gross. Oh my goodness! It wasn’t! A square loaf of bread was slightly toasted. On top, two scoops of ice cream were strategically placed to slightly melt down into the slits of the toast. Also, on the plate, bananas, oranges, dragon fruit and strawberries were sliced. Fresh whipped cream and a tiny jar of chocolate sauce sat next to the concoction. Coco puffs, M&Ms, and Hershey’s chocolate were sprinkled on top of everything. A giant chocolate kiss adorned the top of this sugary madness. They called it Ice Cream Toast; I called it Diabetes. And I wonder why my legs are still pocked with cellulite even though we ride our bikes every day. I guess I’ll start eating healthy again… just not today.
Yay for ice cream and toast.