Khlong Khlung to Kamphaeng Phet

November 21, 2022

Back Alongside the Ping River

We decided to follow the Ping River on its west bank to Kamphaeng Phet because the roads looked smaller and hugged the river more closely than roads on the east bank. Our little bungalow was on the east side but not far from a bridge over the Ping River. When we crossed it to the west side it was early enough (6AM) that we were treated with festive strings of lights still shining. We didn't previously know about the lights but it was kind of fun to ride through them. We, of course, felt they were on for us.

The morning was delightfully coolish with a few clouds keeping it that way. The road was a real delight because it passed next to lots of houses and in this part of the world, to pass right next to houses on a small road means that you feel like you are passing through their living rooms. There is quite a bit more affluence along the river than where we have just been way out in the countryside to the west of the Ping River. We love these kinds of small roads in Thailand because there are flowers in everyone's yard and there are lots of trees shading the road nicely. Occasionally there are glimpses of the river and all the newly laid down sandbars from high water a month ago. There is no evidence that the river overflowed its banks here but it most definitely got very close. There are also a lot more places to eat along Thai roads with lots of houses strung out along them. Mostly they are downhome noodle soup places. It's always good to be nearer to food if we need to eat.

These monks have figured it out. If you take a cart on your morning begging rounds you can carry a lot more food.

This is either a flooded rice paddy getting it ready for planting or a full-fledged lake. Your pick.

I don't think I can describe how wonderful roads like these are in Thailand. To ride a road like this is to enter the essential nature of the Thais. The smells from cooking, the flowers everywhere, happy mellow people smiling....it's Thailand.

We see roadside shrines often. Either it is the spot where someone died in an accident or simply a place where it was felt the spirits needed to be appeased for the protection of travelers. Everyone honks when passing them!

Driving trucks like this you kind of need some spirit protection.

I always like taking selfies in those big, round, roadside mirrors.

Today felt much better humidity and heatwise, all because of the clouds and shade and happiness being on this particularly delightful road. When there wasn't a string of houses alongside the road there were small plots of tapioca and lots of banana plants. We have seen banana plants all along the entire route but the banana plants we encountered today looked really healthy. Maybe the soil is more to their liking around here and certainly not being flooded helped. I guess bananas don't like too much water. I saw on the map that just to the west of us and not too far from Kamphaeng Phet is a banana market. I would love to see a market devoted solely to bananas but we were not willing to go out of our way and onto the big huge super highway for bananas. We avoid that major highway at all costs. It is one of the biggest highways in the country linking Bangkok with Chiang Mai.

Very healthy looking banana plants and their shadows.

Tapioca plants ready to be cut down and their roots dug up. To plant the next crop all they do is stick a small section of the stalk into the ground and miraculously it grows.

Our road was just the opposite of a super highway and at one point it turned to dirt and in a particularly remote section we were suddenly standing in front of 14 century temple ruins complete with descriptive plaques. Even without reading them it was apparent that we were nearing the ruins of Kamphaeng Phet and its historical World Heritage Site and these temple ruinis were the outpost temples from the same era.

A few miles later we were on the outskirts of the fairly large city of Kamphaeng Phet. We had already decided we would stay two or three nights in Kamphaeng Phet and for our first night we were shooting for a rather upscale resort that included a buffet breakfast at a low price, Soda Resort! It was simply a place to crash and eat our first night and morning. Soda Resort is a couple of miles from the historical park and the center of town so we were planning on one night at Soda and then moving to be closer to the sites we were interested in.

We had also been in the middle of nowhere for a few days and we wanted some luxury and Soda was it. The good people at the front desk let us check in at 11:30 even though normal check-in time is 2PM. It's been that way all along because the Thais are so nice. They have really helped us out by not batting an eye about check-in times because by noon we are ready for a shower and some air conditioning. The Thais are great and Soda was spotlessly clean, huge and with granite floors throughout. We felt as if we were somewhere.

lovebruce

Today's ride: 30 miles (48 km)
Total: 257 miles (414 km)

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Rachael AndersonI’m glad you had better riding conditions today! Looks like a great place to stay.
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1 year ago

Bruce LellmanTo Rachael AndersonWe've had a lot of great places to stay on this trip. The quality of small guest houses has really risen in Thailand and the price has gone up very little. It's getting slightly cooler each day but the humidity is still ridiculously high.
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1 year ago

Kristen ArnimToo bad about the banana market. Next time!
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1 year ago