January 21, 2008
Pattaya - Chiangmai: South to North
We have tickets for the VIP Bus, departing at 7:30 p.m. and arriving in Chiangmai 11 hours later. This time we, Janos that is, has to dismantle the bikes a little more than for the past bus trips. The back and front wheels must come off, and the saddles.
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Together with our bags that made a heap of bicycle parts to be loaded on the bus. We aren't allowed to load them on ourselves so we settle into our seats and don't even want to see what they are doing to the wheels and frames.
The bus looks very comfortable, but how comfortable can it be to be couped up in a seat for 11 hours? About as comfortable as sitting in an airplane, and that's not very comfortable. The seats are soft and we jounce through the night. I am sorry not to be able to see the country we are passing through.
Our bikes must be very robust or else we are very lucky. Nothing was packed or protected, the four wheels were just shoved into the luggage hold as were the frames, and there was no damage. But we don't want to push our luck, enough bus rides, we really do want to cycle from here.
Some city traffic on the way in to Chiangmai from the bus station but I am feeling more experienced and confident now. And no problems finding a nice hotel this time. We have a tip from a fellow CGoaB, Chris Wee, and find his recommended hotel immediately, the Na Inn. It's perfect, and what a feeling to be able to stretch out on a bed after a night in the bus.
But we have no time to rest. First we must find the Chinese Consulate and apply for our Chinese visas. Ah, great feeling of efficiency when one hour later we emerge from the consulate. We can pick up our visas in four days.
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