October 29, 2018
Day 5: Bang Boet - Thung Wua Laen Beach
One of the reasons I had picked the Boonchu Bangburd Resort last night is its prime location. 100 m off the road right on the beach which suggests there will be very little traffic noise but instead the sound of the rolling waves. And that would indeed have been the scenario for a good night of sleep if only that American guy two doors down from me would not have decided to call several people back home basically all through the night. He obviously didn´t want to disturb his own wife and daughter and decided to do those calls from the terrace. Who cares about the other guests in the resort? That´s one thing I will never learn to accept- the entire loss of consideration for other people while travelling. I am sure this guy would not have dared to do the same in his home-neighbourhood.
It almost felt like a compensation for the lack of sleep when the sun was out early in the morning with no clouds spoiling the pleasant anticipation of a dry and sunny day of cycling. Mind you I am not all that keen on today´s section itself. That´s not about the few hills in the first half. It´s the irreversible alteration from the former native flora - coconut palms in particular - to palmoil plantations. I have seen too much damage having been done in Malaysia and the speed at which this process now changes the whole countryside up here too is stunning. I remember very well when I was rolling down this particular sector north of Thung Wua Laen Beach with two nice German lads on my birthday in 2012. All three of us were considering doing those kilometers in an infinite loop as it was much better than what we were hoping to find down here in the South of Thailand. Now it is a new wide band of asphalt through monocropping.
Never mind, I still like today´s destination itself, despite having suffered serious sandfly attacks while here in April. Lesson learned and I went directly back to my beloved Albatross Guesthouse after a very refreshing swim. The Albatross GH is a couple of hundred meters away from the beach but the two sisters running it keep it immaculately clean and the spacious fan rooms with balcony come for just 390 Baht. A decent restaurant down at the beach intersection on top - all I need for an enjoyable one night stop.
Today's ride: 74 km (46 miles)
Total: 325 km (202 miles)
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