I learned SO much about Thailand from your posts. I could almost sense the tranquility of the beachside resorts. The peacefulness of the bungalows you slept in. I could almost TASTE all the food you enjoyed. The coffee shops. The countryside. The culture. The cool people. The quaintness of the backroads. Thank you Boof and Andrea.

Very colorful. It seems like you just left for this trip, and now you're back.

Bruce, put your pants on!

You guys are svelte!

Yes, I love this kind of Thai food. It made me want to stay in a town like this for a week just so I would have time to try more than just a couple of the various selections.

That looks so great!

God

Thanks! Sometimes I just get lucky. We had a crepe myrtle back in Jeffersonville, IN, and I too would not have guessed!

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years, I have three crape myrtles and none of them look like this species. Great find, Bill!

Seems to nicely match Lagerstroemia floribunda (Thai Crape Myrtle).

https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a---l/l/lythraceae/lagerstroemia/lagerstroemia-floribunda

Hi Emily,
Thank you for your kind sentiments. All the countries of S.E. Asia are easy for cycle touring on your own but Thailand is the easiest, or I should say, the place to start. I can't say enough good things about the people, food, lodging and scenery. We eat all the food, even when it's questionable, and have never gotten sick in Thailand. Lodging is still very reasonably priced and gets nicer with each trip. The people are gems and will always help if you need it. I know you asked about the mosquitoes in a previous comment. We carry one of those tennis racket bug electrocution devices which clears a room so that we can sleep without worry. Best thing we have ever brought along, however I have to take out the batteries every morning because it could short circuit or worse inside my pannier. It's kind of bulky too but an essential item to have in that part of the world. We also take along insect repellent called: Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent 20% Picaridin. I did research and it seems to be the best besides the horribly toxic DEET. But with each trip we see fewer and fewer mosquitoes. I don't know where they have all gone! And I've never seen a tick in Asia but this stuff works on them as well. If you are careful there is little to be afraid of in Thailand. Stay off the big roads because Thais drive too fast on them and are often drunk. The small roads are a dream. The biggest problems for us are heat and humidity which aren't that big a deal in the winter months (Nov. 15 - Feb.), but then smoke can be a hazard. All in all, Thailand is a great place to ride a bike and I strongly encourage you to go there sometime.

Stay tuned, we are not quite finished with our journal. We have the journey home, wrap-up, final thoughts and of course, BruceStats.

I've very much enjoyed your tour when I've had the chance to read your journal (currently riding in the mtns and very limited reception!). I have enjoyed your perspective and writing, and it really gives me hope that Thailand can be on my destination list when I'm looking for somewhere less remote and challenging in the future as I get older. I have some Thai friends here in Oz, so visiting their families would be a must. All that tray food looks soooo good. I could get used to that on the road :-). Thanks so much for posting the journal - so many are about Europe and the US which don't interest me too much, so it's great to read about the places I want to ride in the future. All the best!

Yes, it started in college but 11:11 has followed me all my life in weird ways. I once got a parking ticket and the time the officer put was 11:11. I guess he was a very precise officer. I was with my mother when she died and my eyes happened to glance at the digital clock by her bed. She passed away at 11:11! And there have been lots of other things too. Coincidence? Probably, but a strange coincidence.

I had to laugh at the 11:11 reference. Blast from the past!

Those are mighty kind words, Mark, and much appreciated. While we do our best to make it so, in the end we always just have to trust that the bikes will make it home in one piece, as well as ourselves.