Day 80: Thung Song - Trang - Frankie goes to.....Indochina

April 20, 2018

Day 80: Thung Song - Trang

Routing: #403, 419, 4

Today´s ride as such is quickly summarized and not really worth more than those few words. Roughly 60 km down the #403 - not bad at all but nothing much exciting either. The typical Thai dual carriageway and some zigzagging along the #419 and #4 at the very end.

My first excitement of the day was provided off the highway by "men at work" again. Two hours into the day I saw an exhibition of these motorbike-sidecars that you will find for commerial use all over South East Asia. It´s the first time I came along a place manufacturing them and obviously had to stop. Unfortunately they were working on some truck platform but when I explained what I had stopped for the owner dropped anything he was doing and took me for a ride down the #403 on one of the motorbikes on display. After the u-turn he asked me whether I would like to have a go which I happily accepted as I have ridden larger motorbikes for most of my life but never with a side-car. Loved it!

And then, after arrival at the Garden Hill Mansion (490 Baht, agoda) in Trang, the long awaited moment. Coleen and Chris (Singapore), Andrew (Australia) and Bob (California) came back from their day-trip and we finally met in person. I had obviously seen Bob before but only knew Coleen, Chris and Andrew through our common cyclo touring blogging and successive social media contacts. Same situation as with Jan over in Siem Reap by the way. Very emotional moment for me! Imagine you edit a journal containing a more or less detailed plan and your friends decide to fly in from Australia and Singapore or come down by train from Bangkok to ride with you over the last few days of this trip. I feel extremely privileged and honoured!

....but being in the driving seat was certainly more fun

Just a couple of kilometers down the road I got the "men at work" photo I was after

....but I found that nice little stall preparing exactly what I felt like. This kale with sausage dish was brilliant!

Here they are: Bob (California), Andrew (Sydney/Oz), Chris and Coleen (Singapore)

Nightriders at the mandatory clocktower in Trang

Thank you Andrew! What´s good enough for the Australian surfers must be giving my nose some relief too

Today's ride: 77 km (48 miles)
Total: 5,909 km (3,669 miles)

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