Day 77: Maenam/Koh Samui - Sichon - Frankie goes to.....Indochina

April 17, 2018

Day 77: Maenam/Koh Samui - Sichon

Routing: #4142, 4014, 401, 3009

Finally on the road again! I thoroughly enjoyed those eight nights on Samui, in particular the combination of meeting very good, old friends and exciting new people. I didn´t do anything else but socialising and walking down from my pretty bungalow to the beach several times a day. After 4 or 5 days I really noticed how I was winding down, a feeling that any 3-week-annual-leave visitor would be after but when riding your bike for a longish time, this beach-lethargy may become "dangerous" as well. Sounds weird, I know, but I believe you have to keep up some sort of momentum and mindset to enjoy packing your panniers every single morning and then pushing the bike for 5 or 6 hours regardless of the conditions out there.

And conditions is the right keyword to move over to today´s ride. Lovely first 14 km to the ferry terminal despite that very nasty steep hill approaching Nathon. The ferry ride itself has always been a pleasure and so it was today. Perfect smooth sea and the prospect of a nice lunch at the little restaurant at the Don Sak terminal. Honestly, the food is excellent (that´s why I am posting the 48th noodle soup photo below) and the travelling buzz all around you makes for a special atmosphere.

The rest of the day was less pleasant but I keep it very short as you are hearing this since I left Bangkok: stinking hot, brutal headwind from the front left. I have been thinking a few times now how somebody would experience those conditions if they had just arrived from the European or North American winter without much cycling time back home? Even coming from the milder Australian winter it would be extremely challenging I guess. And that´s exactly the reason why I am glad that my friend Andrew made the sensible decision to fly down to Trang from Bangkok instead of meeting me in Don Sak. He has been suffering from a bad flu back home and was on antibiotics for the last week before his departure from Sydney. No way you would have enjoyed it out there today, Andrew!

So four more days on my own but that way I can at least swear at the wind as much and as foul as I wish. The route itself was perfectly ok with either little traffic or a decent shoulder. Coming into Ban Sichon I rolled directly to the Prasarnsook Resort where I had stayed twice before, paying 400 Baht for a nice fan bungalow in the back of the compound. I couldn´t believe it when I got there today! They have transferred it into an upmarket resort with expensive, flash bungalows and a condominium style building. The cheapest room now comes at 1300 Baht, which seems to be the insane price range all along this stretch of coast. Crazy! I enquired at 4 or 5 other resorts and left again. When I saw the sign for a B&B on my way back into town I decided to stop and ask there too. I was welcomed by Jan, an elderly Dutchman who runs the place. He asks for 1000+ as well but didn´t hesitate to recommend the hotel I am at now, the Sai Lom Hotel, one of these uninspiring motel-like buildings. Definitely no place where you would want to stay for more than one night but the clean, windowless rooms are at least good for some decent sleep.

One of the most exciting pork noodle soups you can imagine was purchased at Don Sak Pier

The culprit: When I was having a coke at a shop I felt that tickling on my leg. This little fellow was licking the sweat I guess and denied it when confronted. But there is clear evidence on his nose

I stopped at these rooster cages as I was hoping I could continue my "Men at work" series....

Unnamed side road off the #401, suggested by maps.me

Thung Sai Beach, unfortunately no accommodation anywhere near

Huge statue in Sichon (Thai script only)

Today's ride: 81 km (50 miles)
Total: 5,692 km (3,535 miles)

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