Let me start with the end of the day as this indicates once again there is far more about being in Thailand than hard shoulders and tailwind:
I walked ino Lamphun to have a bowl of soup and was delighted to see there were satees bbq´ed by the same family right next to the soup stall. After I had eaten one portion each I asked for the bill and the elderly mother said in Thai: 80 baht, please, 40 per portion. Perfectly ok with me (2 €) and I paid and walked off into the dark. Imediately after I heard a woman yell out at me and when I turned round the old lady came racing after me, handing over 15 Baht. „Sorry, sorry!“ she said in English and left again. Would you believe it? She must have miscalculated or whatever and decided this was not right. I was still stunned with that situation when I came past a doctor´s practice with nobody sitting in the waiting area. My chance! That annoying cold has never really diappeared and before I tackle the next hills I wanted to make sure it is indeed nothing more serious than a cold. The young doctor came across very professional and examined me for 15 minutes. „No worries, only a cold.“ was his final judgement to my huge relief and he gave me two type of tablets with comprehensive explanation what they are and what they do. „Khop khun, khap, doctor. Check bin, khap“ The bill, please. „200 Baht!“ - „Pardon?“ - „200 Baht“. 5 €! I can´t get over those two extremely pleasing scenarios and that on a great day that certainly didn´t need any bonus material.
So back to Doi Saket: When I switched on my phone in the morning I had a text message from my telephone provider (dtac) telling me my „Happy Tourist SIM“ plan would run out at noon. I had completely forgotten about that! So I walked to the 7/11 next door, where I was told I had to go to Chiang Mai for adding a 30 day plan. No idea why but I quickly amended my plan once again and decided to ride into Chiang Mai and then out to the south along the river Ping. I had read a couple of good reports on that route and cycling along water is always fun. To get there I didn´t stay on Hway 118 though but picked the 4-digit 1014 which runs basically parallel. Not the best of choices as there was quite some traffic without any shoulder. Never mind, all over after 15 kms when I turned right onto the 1006. This last section into town was in line with my ever growing dislike of Chiang Mai itself. The city has gotten even more busy than when I came 5 years ago and there are plenty of my favourite singha-singlet males out and about. It really is obvious. So my mission was to get my telephone plan extended (which happened at the first shop I stopped at), a few photos, some fresh money and OUT....
The 4032 starts officially as a scenic route along the river Ping once you have gone through the tunnel underneath the 1141. Quite busy and shoulder-free while still in Chiang Mai but becomes more and more enjoyable the further away you get from town. The last third until you turn left for Lamphun onto the 1015 is a sheer joyride.
Coming into Lamphun I did instantly like the small country town. Green and set up along the river Kluang. I picked the first hotel on my way in which is the Thanthong Hotel right on the river. On googlemaps it is called Thaen Thong Hotel by the way. Typical Thai hotel. Very basic but clean rooms with fan for 350 Baht. No fly sheets though – my mosquito racket might have its first appearance tonight. You know about the rest of the evening...... Tomorrow might be a rest/recovery day; depends on how good I sleep.
There is designated bicycle lane all the way along the 1006 into Chiang Mai. I believe this photo tells you how ridiculous that project is: The lane serves predominantly as a car parking lane; the rest is not particularly smooth to ride on
While I waited for my telephone plan to be fixed I found that other example where Thailand still has to make some significant progress: Each banana wrapped in its own plastic bag
Extravagant rest area along the 4032. Let me have a word on the little Thai flag on my right pannier: It certainly is somehow to show my gratutude to my host country. Being honest there is an even more dominant, pragmatic reason behind it. Over the last few years quite a few fellow cyclists have been killed in South East Asia. The only thing I can do is trying to make myself visible to any approaching vehicle. I do this by wearing rather bright jerseys; my helmet got some orange colour on the back of it and last but not least this little flag. It will dance in the slipstream and definitely generate some extra attention. I am absolutely convinced it does.
I am delighted with this shot! When I saw that truck scale I decide to roll on and here we are: 130 kgs minus 78 for myself leaves 52 for bike and gear
Doi Saket - Chiang Mai - Lamphun. Don´t get mistaken by this sketch as it may look like the road southbound out of Chiang Mai would be called 3029; it is indeed the 4032
