March 26, 2016
Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao Cave
Up at 5:00am and on the road at ten to six. The 107 is urbanized until Mae Teang and very busy. Despite this, we struggled to find decent food stops.
First breakfast was eventually some bananas from the the guest house (Nice Apartmenst have free bananas along with the tea and coffee) on the steps of a monastry.
Second breakfast was a packet of coconut biscuits - all food places were still closed!
A stiff climb takes us out of Mae Teang and we both need to pee - eventually we make use of a banana plantation. Back home in Africa we wouldn't have any qualms about doing it as nature designed but here in Thailand Leigh is keen that we maintain the correct standard of behaviour.
At about the fifty km mark we go through a narrow wooded section that would have been lovely without the traffic.
After 75 kms we turn off the 107 onto a small road leading up to Chiang Dao cave - much better !
We pulled into Marlee's Nature Lovers' Bungalows at about half past ten and it is just what the doctor ordered. There is small swimming pool that we tackle with the help of a large Beer Chang and a Sprite. To make it even better, we quickly spot a Red-whiskered Bulbul - a swimming pool tick if there ever was one.
There is one other couple staying there who have come up from Chiang Mai on a tiny motor cycle. They are from the UK but he seems to have extensive Thailand experience. She is from the Phillipines and they take a certain delight in the fact that she gets charged local prices (he speaks reasonable Thai so she keeps quiet and lets him do the talking).
Marlee's resturant is closed so we will have to do our eating at the other establishments down the road (more kays for Leigh's tired legs).
Today's ride: 82 km (51 miles)
Total: 703 km (437 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 1 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |