Rider On The Wheel

Hello bloggites, a new country to report from today! First of all, I’m afraid the photos I have taken are not brilliant or, at least, don’t capture Laos exactly how I’d like. I’ve been kind of trip-focused, adapting and adjusting to a new country (which took a few days), documenting the journey has taken a backseat. I can now say that I have been completely charmed by Laos! 💓  (for the second time, I was also here in 2001 and carry fond memories) The first meal in Laos was a good one - an enormous bowl of noodles with various fresh condiments and bottled sauces to get the flavour just right. This is pretty much the standard meal in Lao restaurants; if you enter a roadside establishment in a small village there’s really no choice, you’re getting a bowl of noodles. But they’re hearty and filling, great food for cyclists. And never more than £2, sometimes just £1.20. 💷 Mekong sunset, looking across to Thailand. 🇹🇭  Leaving town in the early morning to head in country, it was ...

After several wonderful days of procrastination in Chiang Mai, I finally steeled myself and cycled on from the city that had served as a temporary home. 🏠  It would have been easy to stay longer but at the risk of inertia creeping in and, well, you can have too much of a good thing.  Next stop was Chiang Rai (don’t pretend you misread the sign and head back to Chiang Mai, Dan!). I wasn’t feeling too adventurous/energetic so I elected to take the most direct route, on Highway 118, and do it in three easy days riding. There were a few ups and downs but, all in all, a gentle journey. 🚲  As ever, the Thai roads have great surfaces and generous shoulders meaning easy and safe riding. On this first day, I rode up and through Khun Chae National Park. Nice forests and, for once…. …I stayed in a designated camp ground rather than ‘wild camping’. With the elevation being over 900m/3000ft I pitched with my flysheet for the first time on this trip, for extra insulation. And, with m...