Nonthaburi > Bangkok (23km)

bovelo

Today is shopping time. I started the day by going to Decathlon and buy a new raincover to protect my backpack. It also hide the fact that it’s a backpack which is very easy to pick up and run away with. Then I headed to Bovelo, a very nice shop who sell Brooks stuff. I bought a new saddle and some other things I needed since a while. The next step was to get to an Amazon cafe and lately find a spot nearby the Cambodian embassy. Except the rain that kept on interrupting my day, I managed to do everything and was rewarded by finding the best spot ever you can get in a capital city.

Map.

Elevation.

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When you wake up and take pictures before your eyes are open that’s the style you end up with… My camera must be tired too haha. Anyway, you still have an idea of where I slept last night, that’s the main thing.

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What a nice front yard. Just need the pool here and that’s it haha.

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Decathlon I’m coming!

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Am I in Thailand anymore? For the one who don’t know, Decathlon is a french brand who make good products for any sports. We have lots of these shops in France but the brands expends in other countries too like in Thailand well, only Bangkok.

I will get what I need and will go to the next shop: Bovelo to buy a new saddle, the Brooks C17 carved. Apparently this is a super comfortable saddle made with organic rubber and cotton. 90% of the reviews I’ve read online are very positive about it. My B17 Imperial is fine but I keep feeling some pain in the center. The hole of the c17 being a lot bigger, it must be the one I need! I will have a go.

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Since I get to the city it’s raining a lot. I must stop quite often if I don’t want to get drenched. I’m struggling to do only a dozen of kilometres. I don’t really mind the rain but the puddles are really dirty. Let’s wait for the rain to calm down a bit.

bovelo

Finally I made it! After lots of emails exchanged with Bo, the owner of Bovelo, I’ve finally met her and she is as nice as people say :-) They have a lot of quality stuff in here and lots of Brooks products. I bought some new rubber tape to replace the leather on the actual grips. After only 9 months of use, the leather got completely out of shape because of the transpiration. I’ve fixed the right handle once but the leather kept on expanding and loosing its shape. The rest of the handles are fine so I will simply change the leather by something stronger. I will do that later.
I also get a new Vincita waterproof bag that fits on the frame so I have an easier access to the GoPro, keys, water filter. I wish I could get it in black but it was out of stock. Orange will be fine then. That’s the same brand as the saddle bag which I bought in Thailand earlier this year and I’m very happy with it. The build quality is very good and it’s perfectly waterproof. Plus, it’s made in Bangkok so I’m buying local products too :-)

Once I was ready to leave, Bo asked me to pause with my new saddle in hand front of her shop for her facebook page. Am I getting paid for this? Haha. Thanks Bo for your service :-) See ya!

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The next step now it to find a spot as close as possible to the Cambodian Embassy. Luckily there is an Amazon cafe in the same area so I will stay there for the rest of the afternoon and then look for a spot nearby.

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Look at my brand new raincover. It’s ruined already! So dirty! I must upgrade the trailer’s fender because it’s actually too short and inefficient.

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Later this evening, I got my dinner at the front of the petrol station. The meal’s price is back to normal (35baht) and the food is nice :-) I did not take any picture this time, sorry Yoko :-)
This afternoon, while I was seating in the Amazon Cafe, I checked Maps and I think I’ve found a super spot for the night, less than 2 kilometres from here and the Cambodian Embassy. I will find out very soon!


Once, I finished dinner, I headed to that first spot. I highlighted few of them in the area so I had several options. Luckily, again, the first spot was the good one. This one is even a 6 stars hotel! I turned off from a secondary road to an even smaller one and continued straight a little bit until I reached a small lake. There was a temple style building on one side and another shelter on the over side of the lake. Further along this same road there was some habitations but this lake didn’t seem to be owned by one of those properties. The best was that in the middle of that big pool, there was a shelter with a pier to access. Because there was not any floor lamp close enough to the lake, the shelter remains nearly in the dark. What a perfect spot to spend the night!
I pushed my bicycle backwards under the roof, checked around if anybody noticed my presence so I could say “hello” and settled in this very charming place. There was even some functional electric plugs! That’s perfect because in the city, the Amazon Cafe lock them off so nobody can charge anything. I was out of the noisy traffic, totally surrounded by nature and fish in one of the best spot I could find in a capital city.
Once I stretched out in my hammock I think it took me 30 seconds to fall asleep. So good!
Suddenly, something happened. I woke up because of strange vibrations. A man was walking on the pier and came straight up to me. I was half asleep, the guy was talking thai so it felt like messy. What’s going on? The old man looked excited. He kept on talking putting his bright torch at me. I opened the mosquito net so we were able to see each other better. I explained with body language that I was sleeping here, well I think he knew that already :-) He looked at me, throwing out more words to me. I asked: “okay?” (with thumb up). He answered: “Okay”. So “okay” then :-) He turned his back to me and disappeared in the dark. Ow! That was quick and intense!
I closed the mosquito net and few seconds later I was back dreaming…

3 thoughts on “Nonthaburi > Bangkok (23km)

  1. Ouais Décath’ c’est comme en France, sauf les prix ! Lol. Ça fait bizarre tous ces chiffres !

    J’ai regardé la page Facebook de Bovelo, pour l’instant je ne t’y ai pas vu. Je surveille …. pour réclamer les royalties! Lol. Il aime bien mettre ses clients en photo, c’est amusant et vivant au moins !

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