Cycling Southeast Asia : 2

It was worth riding up this way just for the scenery.

Day four of my trip turns out to be a hell of a day, so many hills, all day I am going up and down, sometimes so steep I can barely push up, and I am testing the brakes on the way down too.  There are some lovely views at least, but it takes some ten hours to reach my destination, Chiang Klaang... I have my own little flat today, courtesy of a nice Norwegian chap named Tomas - he even gives me his dinner to eat and goes to buy me beer while I shower.  And I get to watch Arsenal destroy Tottenham, can't be bad.  A slight downside, Tomas reckons the Laos border police won't let me take my bike through - we shall see...

Army monument on the road to Naan.

Of course the last bit of Thailand - hopefully - involves more crazy hills, but it is only sixty kilometres, and I reach the Laos border at 3:30pm.  And indeed, Laos border control tell me I can leave my bike and walk in if I want to, but I can't take the bike without papers from a tour company.  I suspect they are worried that lone travellers will be attacked by bandits!  A kafkaesque process ensues, I push the bike up the large hill that sits between the Thai and Laos checkpoints, only to be told I have to go back again and buy a Laos visa, just so that I can get back into Thailand...  This is all a little bit annoying, not least, my GPS reckons there are many hotels a mile or so into Laos, back in Thailand there is maybe, one.  It turns out to be a... half built military museum?  But, I chat to an army cadet who is hanging about, and he shows me a nice little, brand new house I can stay in, the price being a donation, amount 'up to me'.  Good thing I knew that phrase.

So, no real choice but to head back the way I came, it is still very pretty, and at least more down than up in this direction.  I stay on route 101, the main highway in these parts, for eighty kilometres or so, as far as the small town of Pua.  I am just in time for a pleasant stroll around the lake opposite my hotel as the sun sets, and the locals enjoy a bit of Zumba!  Searching the internet for 'bar Pua' is a bad idea it seems, but I find a nice one anyway.

Temple with a fine view over Naan.

From here it's a short, easy run to Naan, the provincial capital, time for day off I think.  Kind of unspoilt here, plenty of Thai tourists, but no farang apart from me.  Good to have a day of sight seeing, I climb a big hill with a fine view of town, and visit many temples, one of which has the famous 'Hak Naan', that is, 'Naan whisper' - part of a large mural, it depicts a heavily tattooed gentleman making what I am sure is an entirely proper suggestion to a traditionally dressed young lady.  There are no bars here!  My first night, I end up in a restaurant by the river where I am only customer, a bit awkward to be honest.  On the second night I do rather better, finding a no frills little place that going by the posters and indeed video they have playing, is run by local celeb, chef Uthai.  He even comes out for a chat, and compliments me on my Thai!

Whisper whisper.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.