Simply cycling around
Today is such a day full of pictures and stories that I decided to cut it in 4 parts. This morning we started with an unexpected and short visit of an old temple. Then we cycled to Suphan Buri where we ate breakfast and visited a famous temple called Wat Palelai. The rest of the visit will be described in the coming posts.
That’s a crunchy, fresh and healthy day today ;-) I would not say organic though (unfortunately), so maybe it’s not that healthy… Well, it doesn’t matter because I’m talking about travelling, not food. Hey hey hey, wait a minute. Food is important too! With bad food and bad luck (like the nice night I’ve spent in that temple vomiting everywhere) you can not travel anymore. So, healthy food + good cycling = nice travel. This is the magic trick :-) Ok, ok let’s start the visit…
Today we are only two people cycling, Pita and myself. Kate and Grandin accelerated towards Bangkok where they have an appointment. We did not cycling much today because we have visited two places: the Sanam Chandra Palace built by King Rama VI and Phra Pathom Chedi the first and biggest pagoda built in Thailand. A slow and interesting day :-) I told Pita we would travel around 50km per day but today we have been quite lazy haha. That compensates the long distance we have done yesterday :-)
First day travelling towards Chiang Mai. Today we left Ratchaburi with Pita, Kate and Grandin. On the way we visited the most famous floating market in Thailand where we had a brunch. Then we kept on cycling towards Nakhon Pathom and reached Grandin’s friend’s house. His friend invited us to stay for the night. Khunoi owns a bicycle shop. He is specialised in rebuilding Retro bicycles. That evening, he proudly showed us what he does which was very impressive.
Today I’m on the way back to Ratchaburi and its countryside, finally! I did not hate Bangkok but more I travel, more I feel a stranger inside those big cities where everything you can do is consume products and yourself. I’m happy to be and the train again :-)
Let’s resume Bangkok in one post. I’m not particularly attracted by these megapols at all. I’ve done all I had to do here and certainly too much shopping malls. I’ve been to the embassy, cycled around the city to reach the different places, try to sleep in the cheapest backpackers I could because I stayed only one night at Pita’s mom “boombed” place and saw Stéphane few more times before we take different directions across Asia. That’s all!
Well, that’s not the most interesting day to tell today. I’m going to Bangkok. I did not plan to go there first but I must now. The main two reasons are : visa and GPS. There is an optional reason, changing my camera. I’ve talked many times now about upgrading my camera gear. Apparently there is lots of huge shopping malls in Bangkok and few of them a specialised in electronics. If I can find THE bargain MAYBE I will spend lots of money. Nothing is sure!
On the other side, Pita asked to follow me to Chiang Mai. My “plan” changed for a better option : I’m going to Bangkok by train with my bicycle only when all my stuff stays in Ratchaburi. I do everything I want there and then, I will come back to Ratchaburi from where we will cycle to Chiang Mai. That way, I will avoid all the heavy traffic to get in and out the capital and commuting inside Bangkok could be fun. That’s the plan!