To Kraburi: Isthmus of Kra

November 28, 2006

We are cycle touring again

The kilometers ticked down slowly. Perhaps we are still recovering from yesterday's long day, or maybe because of the many hills some very long ...or maybe... just because. That's the way it is with touring.

"A long hill climb gets one thinking" Rachel says. "We transitioned from cycle touring in Bali to "backpackers" of sorts in Java, the beginning again to cycle and build strength on Samosir Island. Even more with David in Malaysia then reached a milestone of 2000km."

After reaching our destination and checked into the Bungalow's Patrick said, "We are cycle touring again."

On the road by 0610 just as it's getting light, and we need to "watch out for monks this time of day". We stop after an hour of cycling at a scenic viewpoint where in the distance we can see Burma. We have an OJ left from this morning's breakfast and donuts we bought at the market last night and then spread with Nutella. We take another break around 9 O'clock at a bus stop and have a baguette and Nutella, and peanut butter from the cutest, smallest jar of peanut butter we found shopping last night. (Addendum: Why we love Nutella (particularly the Dutch, it has come to light that it's not so good for the environment. Why is Nutella bad for the environment? – TheKnowledgeBurrow.com

About 2 kms out of town we see a faded sign that has only "hotel" readable. Patrick researched the area and knew cyclists that stayed in Bungalows a kilometer out of town and that's all the information for accommodations that we have. Patrick checks it out and if nothing else it will do. We go on and spot the bungalows. It's about 1130 and we ride into town for lunch of pad thai, buy water for tomorrow and a large Singha and BBQ chips for today. Returning to the bungalows we check in by noon, clean up, relax, read and write journal.

As touring centers around food, for dinner we take a motorbike taxi to town, walk to the pier and watch the sunset over Burma. We found a food stall and asked for pad thai and pointed to a bowl the lady had on the counter that looked like an egg mixture fried like the one we had with mussels. We are served pad thai and a bowl of rice with an egg an onion omelet.

Later we wondered if we had pointed to a bowl of collected scrapings from when she cleans the wok.