Pattaya: 17 – 21 September 2011

An 09:20am leisurely start to the day with mileage at 4,553km, temperature of 29°C and relative humidity of 68%. Departed via the familiar Talat river ferry crossing and was on the road by about 10:00am. I reached Pattaya at 12:10pm after stopping twice, once for petrol and a second time for coffee and hot dog at a PTT Jiffy convenience store. The ride was pleasant and uneventful. Traffic was quite heavy on route 3 with many trucks (it seems Thailand's economy is booming if measured by the number of trucks on the road), route 7 was also quite busy but the last 20 or so kilometers from the Rayong junction to Pattaya were lovely with little traffic.

I went straight to the Kawasaki big bike dealer in Pattaya who have a good selection of both new motorcycles and accessories for sale. Whilst there, I was delighted to see someone taking delivery of new yellow Versys – looked very nice.

I took the opportunity to have the oil and oil filter changed (Agip semi synthetic oil). This is now the third oil and filter change – the mileage was 4,703km. I also bought a Scoyco tank bag that attaches to the petrol tank with magnets and a strap around the tank front, and a MotoGP “Bum Bag”.

I arrived and checked in to the hotel at about 2:30pm and rested until about 6:00pm when I left to walk to a pub for dinner (I had seen an advertisement for an English pub in Soi 7 that seemed to have good food). 200 meters from the hotel I felt ill and returned to rest.

Never got to finish my breakfast

The next morning, while at breakfast, I had a mild heart attack and spent the next 48 hours in Pattaya Bangkok Hospital. I was given an angiogram and one artery was found to be blocked in three places (95%, 80% and 70%). I had a stent (balloon) inserted. Hopefully, I am now on the way to a full recovery but, sadly, I have been advised not to ride my motorcycle for a while. Accordingly I arranged for a neighbor (nicknamed the “Transporter”) to bring my motorcycle back to Bangkok. It arrived safe and sound at 7:00pm Wednesday, 21 September 2011 with a mileage of 4,869km. The Transporter assured me he did not ride over 100km/h. My motorcycle and I will have a rest for a while.

Kawasaki Motorcycle Factory, Pluck Daeng, Rayong – 10 September 2011

โรงงานคาวาซากิ ปลวกแดง ระยอง

ไปสัมพัสบรรยากาศการประกอบรถจักรยานยนต์คาวาซากิกันถึงโรงงานชนิดถึงกึ๋นกันเลยทีเดียว

เจอกันที่ร้าาน Motoaholic ตากสิน 24 เสาร์ที่สิบ กันยายน ตอน 6 โมงเช้านะคร้าบ ถ้าใครบ้านอยู่ไกลจะไปเจอกันที่ คาวาซากิ พระราม 9 ก็ได้นะครับ ไม่เสียค่าใช้จ่ายใดๆ นอกจากค่านำ้มันรถ กับค่าของฝากคนที่บ้านคร้าบ อาหารและของว่างมีให้พร้อม

I joined a motorcycle "motorcade" for a day visit to Kawasaki Motorcycle Factory which is in Rayong Province, south of Bangkok. We initially assembled at the Motoaholic Thornburi dealership at 6:00am. This was after a 5:30am departure with the temperature of 25°C and relative humidity at 94% and a mileage of 4,150km. From here it was a short ride to the main Kawasaki facility in Rama IX. It seems this facility no longer sells motorcycles and now acts as a showroom and service center. Two big bike dealers are operating in Bangkok, Motoaholic and a second in Ramkhamhaeng.

Motorcycles soon started arriving and we departed at about 8:00am after a briefing on route and riding protocol. We had a two motorcycle Police escort, along with service van and SUV. The caravan was organized by bike model with the slower motorcycles at the front and starting earlier. It was enormous fun to be part of a large (approximately 120 motorcycle) caravan with a Police escort, with traffic stopped for you at intersections, and being able to travel on roads usually forbidden to motorcycles in Thailand.

Police escort "top-up"

We stopped once for petrol en route at Na Pa in Chon Bury province at about 9:00am with mileage of 4,427 and arrived at the Kawasaki factory (Latitude: 12° 97' 52" N Longitude: 101° 21' 94") at 10:30am.

Upon arrival we were given a short presentation on Kawasaki Heavy Industries which manufactures a wide range of goods from motorcycles to submarines to locomotives to aircraft to military equipment. We then were given a tour of the factory, the 3^rd largest Kawasaki motorcycle factory in the world, and we had the opportunity to have sight of the new 2012 models being assembled. This should have been exciting except that I saw the 2012 model ER6-n which looks super and makes my motorcycle (now 5 months old) seem old and unfashionable!

After the tour we were escorted to a lovely restaurant (The Green) for lunch and then returned, in convoy, to Bangkok. All together a hugely enjoyable day with many new experiences, new friends made, that was not dampened at all by the intermittent rain.

Arrived tired but happy in Bangkok at 4:30pm with a mileage of 4,480km (total mileage for the day was 330km). As always, a motorcycle wash after every trip.

https://www.facebook.com/washmeplease66

Anantara Resort & Spa, Hua Hin: Weekend 3-4 September 2011

Packed the evening before and was up by 5:30am as I was excited to start my adventure to Hua Hin. Mileage was 3,738 kilometers, temperature 27°C, humidity 69%, and rain was predicted later in the morning. Departed at 6:30am., and stopped after an hour at, what is now becoming my regular, Mahachai PTT gasoline station for coffee and yogurt from the 7-11. Mileage at PTT was 3,783.

Stopped twice after Mahachai, once for gasoline and a second time to shelter from the rain (seems the weather forecast was correct).

Lobby - Anantara Resort & Spa

Mileage was 3,933 upon arrival at the Anantara Resort & Spa at 9:15am (Latitude: 12° 37' 01" N Longitude: 099° 57' 19" E). Since I had arrived early and my room was not ready, I completed hotel check-in, and went into town to find the German Bakery for breakfast (excellent Farmer’s Breakfast). In addition, had the bike washed, had a massage, and then returned to the hotel to spend the rest of the day in the gardens, around the hotel pool, or on the beach.

Pre-dinner cocktails were at Sala Siam which, in addition to serving fusion style snacks and tapas, has an amazing walk-in wine cellar. This was followed by dinner at the hotel's Italian Restaurant (Baan Thalia). It was quite superb, and I can especially compliment the chef on the Tuna Tartar for a starters. Needless to say, after cocktails and an excellent 3 course dinner accompanied by a couple of glasses of excellent local Hua Hin wine, I was ready to sleep. The bed was so comfortable – wish I knew how good hotels are able to do this!

Mileage was 3,956 and departure was at 11:10am the next day after an amazing buffet breakfast (I was surprised my motorcycle made it back to Bangkok with all the extra weight!). Stopped once for gasoline and arrived Bangkok at 13:50pm with a mileage of 4,150 kilometers and a temperature of 31°C (real feel 43°C) and 51% humidity. The overall weekend mileage was 412 kilometers.

Really did not want to leave the Anantara Resort & Spa - hope I can return someday soon!