Pattaya: Saturday, 25 February 2012

I packed an overnight bag and set-off for a trip to Pattaya. My reason for travelling to Pattaya was to try to resolve with the previous hotel I stayed at, what appeared to be double-billing on my Visa card. It was not really necessary to travel to the hotel for this (I could have called) but it gave me a purpose for a motorcycle trip. 

Mileage was 7,370 kilometres, the time was 08.40am, and the temperature was 29°C with relative humidity at 83%.

I took the now familiar route of Talat river ferry crossing, route 3 (Sukhumvut Road) south through Samut Prakan, Bang Pakong and the Chon Buri by-pass, to route 7 and on into Pattaya. After visiting the hotel and getting the double billing addressed I had a lunch of “Bangers n’ Mash” with soda water at an English Pub. The hotel did not have rooms available so I decided to return to Bangkok. 

Upon return to Bangkok the motorcycle was duly washed and waxed at my regular Car Wash (“66” at Suksuwat Rd 66). Mileage was 7,680 kilometres giving a round trip journey of 360 pleasant kilometres. 

Wildlife Tour: Saturday 18 February 2012

An astonishing morning's bike ride.

I was awake early due, I believe, to late night coffee drinking. Since I was unable to get back to sleep, I decided to ride my motorcycle. I left shortly after 5:30am and proceeded along Rama III and Rama II towards Samut Sakon. Shortly before Samut Sakon I turned into Ekkachai Road and travelled through Mahachai to join the rural roads leading back to Soi Suksuwat and Bangkok. While riding parallel to the coast along 4008 I had a surprise!

 

Somewhere in the picture is a HUGE monitor lizard. While travelling east along 4008 I saw, what I thought was a fallen tree, across the road. I slowed and as I got near it moved!! It was a huge monitor lizard gradually making its way towardds the edge of the road! I stopped and fumbled for my iPhone camera but by the time I got sorted he was in the swamp ! Huff!!

After the monitor lizard I stopped to send an email of the rather miserable picture (I'll have to get an iPhone 4s with its shortcut picture taking!!!).

While I was waiting for the email to send, an enormous python plonked in front if me in the fish pond I was stopped next to. He was only six feet away and his head was at least twice as big as my fist!! I was paralysed for a few seconds and didn't know what to do!! Thank goodness he was swimming away and not towards me!!!

Royal Thai Navy Base, Laem Fa Pa: 15 February 2012

Second or third evening ride to the Royal Thai Navy Dockyards in February. It is always an enjoyable ride with good roads and little traffic. The evenings are especially pleasant at this time of year given the coolness and the proximity to the Chao Phraya River and sea.

Kawasaki mileage on return from the Navy Dockyards (7,247 kilometers) is recorded on the photograph taken the morning of 16 February 2012.