Day 15: Thung Song - Trang - Frankie goes to.....the Gulf of Thailand (2022)

January 24, 2022

Day 15: Thung Song - Trang

I woke up to a "medical" problem this morning which didn´t come as the biggest of surprises. Given that constipation in my particular situation is usually caused by dehydration plus the fact that I have been "victim" twice before, I can only blame myself for not drinking enough while being out there in the heat several hours every day. The major problem of this problem is that it comes without much of a premonition like increasing pain. And just not going to the toilet for a couple of days is not that unusual if you do eat as little as I do. Even if the photos might give you the impression I am doing nothing else than eating I really only have two meals a day. However, fortunately there is a very simple, reliable and inexpensive solution available and that´s the only reason why I am mentioning all this. Make sure you have at least one of the below shown "squeezers" aboard before you do start your ride in the heat of South East Asia. Together with some of the carbon tablets you are prepared for both possible bathroom problems....

At least I had something else to talk about today! I like Thung Song and even more so Trang but I don´t like riding my bike between the two of them. Whatever way you go it´s a straight line down without ANY excitement along plantation country. The best part of the roughly 80 kilometers is the option in the middle where you can turn left and ride the #4269 between Ratsada and Huai Yot. Then the #4 looks like the best way to cover the last third but it must be the only part of the whole 1200 km of Phetkasem without a shoulder. Not an option for me either and I quickly crossed back over to the tedious #403 where I had at least some space on the side to myself. I think the next time I will seriously consider investing a day extra and do a sickle to the East or the West.

Well, in the end I made it back to Trang and according to my initial I should say now: That´s it, thank you very much for following me. But... I have decided I will just spend the night in my house instead of a hotel and then continue to Had Pakmeng, which will make those last days since Nakhon Si Thammarat a crossing from the Gulf of Thailand to the Andaman Sea. So bear with me, one more to come!

The squeezers on the left, the anti-diarrhoea tablets on the right. Both symptoms are very common in South East Asia due to heat and diet and you will get both items in basically any 7eleven for 9 or 25 Baht respectively.

How do you visualize dehydration? I took this photo of my cycling shorts at a drinks break today. These are the dried-sweat marks from the last one and a half days of cycling only. And the pants are by no means tight lycras with direct skin contact....

Leaving Thung Song used to be a pretty straight forward affair. Down the #403 to the large intersection with the #41, wait for green light and off you were. Now some of these brilliant infrastructure designers have planned the most complicated exits from a fairly small town that you can imagine.

This is Thailand! If you are not having the best of times there will be a nice surprise round the corner. Like this gentleman along Hway #403 just south of Thung Song selling two of my favourite juices: The green ones are nahm oy (sugar cane juice) and the white ones are nahm ma prao (coconut juice) containing plenty of the soft flesh. Aroi, aroi! What I dislike (honestly!) is the money he asked for. 10 Baht for a bottle (30 €cents) and each empty bottle already costs him 3 Baht. But he says if he asks for more Thai people will not buy it. Sad, he is not only sitting along the dusty highway all day but has to produce the juice beforehand too. For 7 Baht a bottle. Not correct!

"Boring ride" is relative. There is always something happening next to any road. Like the seasonal fruit and veggie stalls. These are actually a bit of both: Winter melons, in Thai language called f***. And f*** they are nice!

Once too old for cycling I could see myself getting one of these sidecars and ride around the country, using them as vestibule and roost at the time.

I would have posted several photos with rubber plantations along the side of the road. This is the actual product "Stage 3", the latex mats on the drying shelfs before they go to the large factories to be turned into the final whatever.

My neighbours...The Kawi Ong Eia Chinese temple right next door to my house, one of the centers of activity over their New Year´s period.

"Welcome back, Frank" said the Bussabongpeerapat family with that humble dinner. Humble in their understanding, to me better food than most restaurants will have on offer.

Today's ride: 79 km (49 miles)
Total: 1,031 km (640 miles)

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Andrew FatseasSorry to hear about your regularity issues Frank. Have you not been taking your daily dose of som tam?
Hope programming returns to normal soon.
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2 years ago

Henna JanieschI cant beliebte that an expirienced traveler Like u has such a Situation. Southern hemisphere there's one rule : Drink like a camel
Good luck :,-)
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2 years ago

Frank RoettgenTo Andrew FatseasSom Tam may indeed have avoided this situation, Andrew. But rice noodles or joc for breakfast and then white rice again in the evening is a silly beginners mistake. And yes, all back to normal....Fruit and cereal tomorrow morning by the way
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2 years ago

Frank RoettgenTo Henna JanieschI need sympathy not telling-off, Helmut!!!! But you are absolutely right and I got quickly back to my former and very sensible routine: One drink stop every hour
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2 years ago

Chris WeeI find having some fruit before bedtime helps. Esp papaya. Definitely not a junk food or snacks. The little intake during the day is going to your muscles, not bowels :-)
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2 years ago

Frank RoettgenTo Chris WeeI agree, Chris, natural fibre seems to be the key whereas I basically live on soups and white rice meals while on the go. Fortunately it's malakor and ma muang season now....
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2 years ago