Uttaradit to Pitsanulok by Kayak : 2

A muddy stop.

I can't say I'm feeling at my best, waking up for the second day of my kayak adventure.  My arms actually feel OK, but a day under the blazing Thai sun has given me a bit of sunburn on my legs... for kayaking I have gone with an outfit consisting of a lightweight t-shirt, beach shoes and swim shorts, all seems sensible but it does leave a lot of leg on show.  Well, not many Thais on the river to be scared by all that hairy flesh at least.  And, my hosts are, typically, happy to drive me first to 7-11 to buy some sun cream, and then back to the bridge I left the river at yesterday.  Onwards then!  This is my longest day of the trip, some 33 kilometres, well, the river seems maybe a little bit narrower and faster flowing, this is good.  Not so many pipes blocking my way either, still plenty of fish farms and of course I pass temples, and a lot of greenery of course, plus various types of water birds, including some huge ones attracted by the fish farms, I think.  Not all the fish is farmed though, I do pass a few Thais on little boats, casting nets, and plenty of guys sat on the bank with rods too.

Under a railway bridge - I will come back over this.

Ah, but this is hard work, whether because I am out of condition, or whether because I'm unused to propelling myself with my arms I'm not sure.  My GPS will tell me how fast I am going, seems like around six kilometres per hour, though if I really go for it I can push it up to seven.  Of course I do need to stop paddling sometimes, either just to swig water or to take a break, although today actually getting off the river is tricky, the banks are mainly steep slopes of mud and trying to clamber up them would not be terribly pleasant.  The temples tend to have a little jetty that I can moor up to and climb up, which is nice, but after doing this once I don't see another for some hours.  Nothing for it but to keep going, and hard though it is I manage to do the distance again, feeling very tired though.  I drag the boat up a steep slope, do my best to wash the mud off myself using the water I'd never got the chance to empty out of the kayak, and then carry the very heavy, wet kayak and bag to tonight's resort.  As is going to be a theme, it is kind of in the middle of nowhere, but a short walk and I find a little store that will sell me beer, and even a restaurant.  They provide me with 'moo ga-ta' - literally 'pan pig', it is I think a Japanese style DIY barbeque that has recently become very popular here.  To be honest, I could do without the trouble of having to cook my own food, but nonetheless there is much needed protein to be had.  I am not going to make a late night of it tonight...

One of the various resorts/motels I stayed in.

I get some coffee at the resort at least, then back the short distance to the river for day three of the adventure.  A short day today, only fifteen kilometres, I need it!  My arms continue to work, but the heat is punishing, wasn't the cool season supposed to have started by now?  It is easy enough anyway, still no weirs, seems my careful examination of satellite views of the route was worth it.  People on bridges, or working on the fish farms, wave at me - I don't really have the energy for much of a conversation though, 'hello' has to suffice.  The sun cream seems to be saving my legs from getting any worse, I still feel a bit broken though and have acquired a blister on my thumb from the constant paddling, well, I can shift my grip a bit so it is OK.  It doesn't take long to reach today's destination, although there are vertical banks seven feet or so high where I want to get out of the water, but only 500 metres further on is one of the every present pumping stations, I am able to get the boat up the bank there.  A bunch of Thai guys are working on the pipes leading from the pump, obviously they are somewhat bemused by my presence... again I say hi and keep moving, up to the road where I can pack the kayak up, listening as they discuss the crazy foreigner - 'he paddled a boat' - 'the boat is in the bag'.  So, a slightly further walk to another resort in the middle of nowhere than planned, but it is manageable, turns out to be a very nice place with my own little cabin, good to arrive early and have a much needed lay down.  Come evening I do have to walk a mile to get to a restaurant (more larb!), but I can live with this...

In front of the Naresuan Dam.

Day four, another long one, but I can do this, I maybe feel a bit stronger?  The kayak moves forward quickly enough anyway, the river remains very flat, plenty of curves as it meanders its way through the great flood plains of central Thailand.  There doesn't seem to be much habitation around here, the river banks are mainly just greenery, lots of trees, lots of floating plants, some of which must be edible as I see people in boats harvesting them.  Some of these plants seem kind of itinerant, I see swathes of them along the banks, but often also floating islands, some more or less motionless, some slowly floating along with the current.  Seems like the base of each stem has a little bubble of bouyant gas keeping them afloat, interesting.  Well, good to have stuff to look at, this is all good fun I must say, nice that I never have to go up a hill, or worry about getting lost.  And still no weirs!  Although as I get towards the end of the day, it is time to face the one obstacle I knew was coming, the Naresuan Dam - why yes, it is indeed named for the famous King, he who fought on the back of an elephant.  In the event it isn't a problem, easy to get the kayak out of the water on one side, carry it a short way and then back down again.  One tiny problem, as I paddle away I realise the floor of my inflatable boat is no longer as inflated as it might be, oops.  A puncture?  Well, it doesn't really seem to affect performance at all, the seat, and the all important sides of the kayak are still OK.  I make the remaining three kilometres of paddling without trouble, and as it turns out, I must have accidentally opened the valve while taking my bag out of the boat back at the dam, so it should be fine.  Yes it is a kilometre or so to the resort, and of course it is in the middle of nowhere but no problem.  The staff are very concerned when I walk out to look for food - 'but there are dogs'.  More scared of me than I am of them I am sure.  Well, there is a small cluster of buildings not too far off, I find a minimart with beer and other essentials easily enough, but no restaurants, hmm.  Am I going to have to dine on crisps tonight?  I finally spot somewhere that is maybe a restaurant - it does have an 'open' sign - but they tell me, no, it is an ice cream parlour, OK.  But then the guy says, do you want to eat what I am eating?  Sure I do!  I sit down and drink one of my beers and sure enough, a feast of curried fish, rice, various sausages and of course a fried egg appears - this is actually better than the last couple of restaurants, and he refuses to charge me for anything except some ice cream.  Have to love this country.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.