Dec 2016 - KL to Boten - Golden Triangle - Mae Hong Son 1,864 Corners - Day 2

Day 2 Summary

Sunday - Total distance 1,210 KM
Chumphon (Refuel KM0/R41) - Prachuap Kiri Khan (Refuel KM249/R41/4) - Lunch break at Ratchaburi - Suphan Buri (Refuel K243 R4/321) - Nakhon Sawan (Refuel KM236 R321/340/1) - Thoen [town between Tak & Lampang] (Refuel KM 252 R1) - Chiang Mai (KM 230 R1/11)

After breakfast at the Chumphon Garden hotel, we geared up and went to the nearby PTT to fuel up both my gas tank and my hydration pack. It was a relaxing ride that morning after a good night's rest. I remember I slept quite well. We were lucky to get a good room on our first night. We emptied our first tank after about 3 hours at Prachuap Khiri Khan.

After my first coffee of the day at PTT Amazon cafe at PKK, I wanted to see where was the Hua Hin train station, we went to Hua Hin town and the lady at the counter told me only bikes below 120cc were allowed to be load and unload here (so much about the idea of training down here). Then from Cha Am we proceed to Ratchaburi (the supposing first day destination). Lunch location was just off the R4 highway here. It was a new, clean restaurant serving local spicy pork and noodle soup with rice. Checking google map location shows that they serve seafood as well. That made sense as the ocean was not far away. 

The target was set for the day during lunch that Steven insist that we could make it to Chuang Rai. My dilemma then was that I had no intention or any interest to stop for the second night anywhere between Ratchaburi & Chiang Mai. The original plan was to ride there on the second day from Ratchaburi via the 11, passing Phitsanulok & Uttradit. As we were trailing, I suggested to him that maybe we could head toward Chiang Mai and do MHS instead before heading to Boten. Steven immediately shot down the idea and he looked determined to hit Boten first. Only couple of days later on then I realize he has not much interest of doing MHS.

Since we were already backed up on our schedule, Steven suggested to ride at night. Chiang Mai was another option for me at the time as it was at least an hour before Chiang Rai. I decided then to reroute to Chiang Mai via Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Kampaeng Phet & Tak. Steven is under the impression that google map's ETA was just an "indication" and we would be arriving much earlier as we were on motorcycle.

By the time we reach Tak it was already 11.30 pm. I would really flush his motorbike-would-get-there-earlier theory down the toilet. We rode for another 2 hours to reach Chiang Mai in the cold dark night passing stretches of mountain roads and national parks on the 1.

It was a long ride that day as we only arrived Chiang Mai town at nearly 2 am in the morning. We went straight to a restaurant outside the old town to have our dinner. It took a long time to get there but I was pretty content.

It was my first riding experience riding in the dark. It was risky and dangerous.

After dinner, I lead Steven straight to the hotel at B2 Thippanate which was about 20 minutes away. Once we got there only get to know that the hotel was full and no more room left. It was my third time visiting this budget hotel but unfortunately we did not get a room there that night. I took out my phone and start searching for available hotels around. It was not a big problem as we were not picky but it was the fatigue that got to me.

After attempts of checking hotels nearby, finally I found one at the northwest of the gate, next to the Ram Hospital. The room at Tokyo Vender Hotel was cheap at only 550 baht and it has its reasons why. It was the one of the worse so called hotels I ever stayed in. I wouldn't recommend to stay here unless you are wanted by the police or you were hiding from the mafias for running away their drugs. The room was small and dirty, the bathroom and dark, and weird sounds were coming from everywhere. The bathroom ceiling looks like going to fall into pieces and dropping on my head when I was showering. I lit up a cigarette and told Steven that we are just roughing it out tonight and I promise him tomorrow we will stay in a nicer hotel.

After shower I did my laundry and went to bed.

U Thong, Suphan Buri.

  

Took a break at Uthai Thani where we had a twiggie each which I bought the morning before. We put on our clear helmet visor here to start riding after sunset. There was still another 450 km to go from here.  

The restaurant which was still open 2 AM as we arrived Chiang Mai. Picture from Google street view. 

Dec 2016 - KL to Boten - Golden Triangle - Mae Hong Son 1,864 Corners - Day 1

I have finally made it to the trip and came back in one piece. Total mileage clocked was 5,167 km in 8 days.

Day 1 Summary

Sat - Total distance 995 KM
RV RnR Sg Buloh at NSE at 3.30 am
KL (Refuel KM0/E1) - Gunung Semanggol (Refuel KM264/E1) - Changlun (Refuel KM186) - Hatyai (4) - Thung Song (Refuel KM238/4 & 41) - Chumphon (Refuel KM310/4)

Steven actually made it on day 1 at RV 3.30 am, honestly I didnt expect him to actually turn up for this trip.

After we fueled up at Sg Buloh then off we went. Our first check point was Gunung Semanggol RNR which was about 260 KM away where we would be fueling up. I always remembered this rest stop as the one just opposite Bukit Merah Laketown Resort which is about half an hour from Penang bridge. During the stop I had some cold nescafe coffee in a can and I was good to go again.

The weather was fine that morning and I did not feel that cold riding early that morning as my big ass windshield blocked most of the cold wind off my chest. There were some slight drizzle that I wouldn't call it rain on the way to G. Semanggol. We arrived Changlun soon enough and once we reach the usual coffee shop to have breakfast, it hit me. There were thousands of people in the queue awaiting to cross the border that morning.

I have never seen such a big crowd at the BKH check point before, with the amount of cars, coaches, trucks, bikes that were going through and 100 meter long queues, I did not anticipate this crowd. With the earlier delay at the coffee shop that took more than an hour to prepare our paperwork/insurance we were already 1 hour behind schedule. At the end, we paid a tout (abang ulat) RM 20 per person to cut queue but we still have to get our bike's paperwork done.

By the time we were on Thailand soil, it was already 10.30 am (MY). There was a long way ahead of us to head to Ratchaburi, which was the original plan. I've started to think that it would be a challenge to get there within the day.

It was nice riding in Thailand again, with a familiar feeling. The smell of rotten rubber in the south, the reddish dust, the unexpected u turns by the local pick ups, and the ever familiar taste of Amazon coffee at PTT gas stations. After refueling at Thung Song, we reached Chumphon district at about 6 pm (MY). I made the decision to stop here for the night as it was already a 15 hours day for us. After searching online for a couple of minutes for hotel, we headed for a decent looking one about 20 mins away. It was at Chumpon town which I have never visited and I was excited.

Steven cooling down his ride at Chumphon stop over before we ride in. I'd say this was probably the only naked XJ6 with a wind shield that big I have ever seen. 

The view from the hotel room. I sent this picture with my hand sign to my wife as proof of safe arrival.

View of the Chumphon Garden Hotel after we got cleaned up. The hotel has a big open area for parking and we left our bikes just by the main entrance. The room was 800 baht with breakfast if I remembered correctly. The room was not too bad, clean and quiet.

After asking directions from the hotel reception on where to get dinner, we decided to go there by foot.

Some local businesses.

Chumpon is a lonely quiet town. Didn't even see a massage place. This place will definitely grow on me.

We decided to have dinner at this small little restaurant called Mao Hoi by the end of the row, opposite the train station. Funny the name of the restaurant means closed in my dialect.

Walk down the row then you'd see peddlers selling all sorts of stuffs.

Behind the stalls was the train station. Location here.

Street food if you fancy.

Local market selling the latest fashion.

This furry friend was doing some shopping as well.

Seafood by the street.

My regular drink when I am in town, Singha beer, locally known as beersing. Steven only looking at me in awe as I drank 3 of these on my first night. It's always been beersing for me, no Chang, no Leo, no Heineken.

The cute looking waitress walked over and ask to take a picture with me. I wonder whether it is because I finished 3 bottles at one go.

The first day milestone was as per the below. We have a long way ahead of us on the next day if we were to arrive Chiang Mai on the second day. But we gotta remember not to push it too much, safety is still priority.

We went back to the hotel after dinner and get some rest to get ready for tomorrow.

KL to Betong Ride Jan 2014

A public holiday on a Tuesday may lead to many things.

For me, I called up a few guys and interested them to go on a short overnight ride to Betong, Thailand.

Since it was the first time ever for the guys to travel accross the border and we only had 2 days, I decided to lead them through my short version of long way up from KL to Betong, Thailand.

The trip was distanced a good 556 km, exactly the same route I took last spring with Terry.

This time around with 2 other riders Ray on his Honda CBR 500 and Johnny on his Naza Blade 250r (or Hyosung GT 250r), we started off by meeting up at the usual RV point at BHP Gombak. It was a really good sign as a start as both of them were actually early.

We started our journey 10 minutes after 8 and arrived at our first rest stop Sg Koyan Mobil station. It was the first time ever I arrived so early as it was only 9.30 am. After refuelling and a toilet break, we headed towards Gua Musang via Kuala Lipis on the 8.

The last time when I was on this road, this highway was still under construction. With new silky roads, we stopped and took some photos.

Johnny's new Shark S900c is really standing out here.

While Ray's spanking new CBR500 is looking sharp.

Beautiful road with very little traffic. 

And the same on the other direction. 

Something told me that I would see this pose again from these 2 guys.

Moments later we arrived Gua Musang at about noon. We refuelled and settled for malay folk food at a medan selera. GPS location was 4.862, 101.962. 

This was Ray picking his dishes. 

This was how the medan selera looked like. The food costed of us about RM 12 each. It was considered expensive as we just had plain rice and dishes. Anyhow, we started our journey after I briefed them how the next stop look like at Jeli. 

We took the D29 and 66 and headed for Jeli. After about 110 kms, all 3 bikes arrived at about 2.40 pm. It rained for about 20 mins along the way and I stopped to put on my rain coat.

On the way to Caltex station at Jeli 5.683, 101.851, while it rained, I rode through a flock of small birds that looked like swallows which were flying really low. I hit one and it flew. I hope it survived the accident somehow. 

The next stop, I explained the the boys that we would be stopping at Titiwangsa rest stop 5.606, 101.543. 

Many fun corners later, we arrived. 

Unfortunately the condition of the road with many holes and rough surface made the ride less enjoyable. But it was still a blast to ride after a whole day's boring riding. 

 Here's Johnny trying to get some heat off the bike on his frozen hand.  

Some sweet teh tarik was consumed here and we were then on our way. I briefed the boys that the next stop would be a fuel stop after the police stop near Gerik.

Somehow along the way I lost sight of the boys but I was happy to be signalled down by them at Tasik Banding 5.55, 101.349 for another photo stop. The lake looked stunning as ever.  

The Zed is really feeling at home with the twisty roads coming here.

The boys were also enjoying the ride away from home. Something new apart from the routine Genting ride, I presumed.

I have got to get a photo with the CBR. Stunning bike. It was a really busy bridge and I didn't think that it was a very good idea to stop for very long.   

Johnny pose again then off we went.

After the police block we stopped at Shell station5.454, 101.192, just few kms away from Gerik. 

We arrived here at about 5.20 pm. The boys are starting to complain about fatigue. Let's go guys, only another hour to go, less than 60 km then we'd be at the border. On the bike!

I always enjoy the last few twisties just before Betong on the 76. We took the 1157 this time around without passing Pengkalan Hulu and it was equally entertaining despite narrower roads. Finally we arrived the last check point 5.748, 101.03.

Few high 5s were exchanged and we were officially on Thailand soil.

We checked into Mandarin hotel at Betong. As I expected, we got our rooms with no problems at all, due to the recent bombing the place is quiet, at the price of 1480 baht per room. I got my room on the highest floor as I liked it. I chose this hotel as it has proper parking for our bikes under a nice shade.

After shower, we went out and hunt for some nice Thai food. We arrived at the same restaurant i came the last time. 4 dishes consists of otak, a chili steamed Barrmundi, hot tom yum soup, and a fried shrimp with petai and 2 big bottles of Singha costed us around MYR 120.  

We took a short walk around town before heading for our massage.

 Funny looking bike. We saw a couple of these midget bikes around town. It was a Honda.

And the massage at Sri Betong hotel starts. Johnny was complaining about back ache, and he was relieved that he got a strong masseur.

On the way back we saw a food stall with lots of local fruits.

 They looked really nice.

Beautiful flowers.

I stopped by at a 7 eleven, with the hope of getting some beers. Unfortunately, beer is illegal for trade after 11 pm local time. Shame.

Next day morning, I met the guys for breakfast downstairs at the hotel. Room rate was inclusive of breakfast. Thereafter, we went out on our planned sight seeing outing. We went to Phra Mahathat Chadi Phra Phuthammmaprakat to see the Thai temple with a very nicely built pagoda and the biggest bronze Buddha in Thailand. 

Very nice structure was seen here.

The pagoda was behind Johnny and Ray.

 There were many dogs around. Watch out for dog poo.

Ray risked his life by crossing the busy morning street of Betong standing in the middle of the street to take this photo of me and Johnny

The location was 5.772, 101.078. 

We checked out and left the hotel at about 10.30 am and returned to Malaysian soil just half hour to noon after formalities at the check point.

Important note: keep a habit of always checking the outbound stamp at the customs. The Thai immigration is really relaxed and if you crossed the border without stamping, you may be arrested the next time when you return.

Day 2 of our short tour is about 363 kms, approximately 5 hours to get back to KL with stops.

 As planned, we stopped to rest at Jambatan Raja Muda Nazrin 4.997, 100.951. 

Somehow I knew this was coming.

We continued out journey and had Mc Donalds for lunch at Ipoh. It was really hot and we needed the AC. We reach our last stop at about 4.30 pm then we bid good bye.

It was a really fun 2 days riding. The boys were great, they listened and they were punctual. Hope to ride with them again soon.


All pictures taken with Samsung Galaxy S4.