The Golden Triangle Rider

[Captain_Slash]

Well todays trip was quite easy, only 440km today. I left Ranong heading south on highway 4 and stayed on it until Takua Pa, its been a coolish very cloudy morning and looks like rain. (the 4 between Chumphon and Takua Pa is one great road to ride on, plenty of good corners and well surfaced the entire length, also it is so lush and green at the moment, a bit like the north was in october) At Takua Pa I took the road signposted Phang Nga, my map says 4032 but there was no number on the markers, after a few km I hit the t junction which is the 4090 and took the right. This road was another great ride with again lots of bends and a good surface, halfway along it started pissing down and was a wet ride for about 15km then dry roads again. I came to highway 4 and turned left, at least the markers said it was 4, this turned into a narrow winding road with very sharp corners and I was only using 2nd or 3rd most of the time for a fair while. It eventually straightened and widened out and I was suddenly faced with very high limestone cliffs on either side of me, beautiful but I couldnt help thinking of yesterdays trip which went from this to serious off road riding. Thankfully today there was to be none of this, I reached Thap Put and the road suddenly became alive and quite busy, it was like this as far as Krabi. Its a decent road surface the entire way, its being widened in lots of places and I dont remember hitting a pothole at all today. At Krabi a lot of the traffic disappeared and it was a more pleasant journey and now the sun has finally come out and its a pleasant temperature for riding, its a much nicer ride this side of Krabi, both the lack of traffic and a smaller twistier road. I stayed on 4 until just before Wang Wiset then turned right onto the 4046 which takes me all the way into Trang, this is another pleasant journey and todays entire journey has been one of beautiful scenery, I was expecting the south to be smoke and fire everywhere but going by how green it is I cant see it happening for quite some time. I checked in at the Phet Hotel, 100 Baht with shared toilet and shower or 120 with en suite, I must be going soft I paid the extra 20 Baht

If Typhoo Put The T In Britain Who Put The Cu-nt In Scun-thorpe

[Duncaneverett]

Hi,

I have in January done some of the same trip on my AX1. Myself and a freind on another AX1 went from Chaweng got the ferry to Donsak, onto Surathani, upto Lang Suang accross on the 4005 and upto Ranong.

We then got the boat over to Burma for the visa run, 1/2 hour in Burma, back on the boat to Ranong. We were due to meet our other mate in Phuket for a night out at half seven that evening and by the time we had re fuelled and had a snickers out of the 7-11 it was nearly 4 o clock and looking like rain.

We then nailed it into the rain by Takuapa and eventually dark by Khao Lak. Wished I'd had a full face helmet by this stage as my glasses were to dark to see and when i turned round to see where my mate was one of the lenses fell out so I now had rain driving into one eye and pitch dark out of the other.

It is also remarkable how few fuel stops there are on that road, pleanty of Mosques but they don't sell 95 RON.

Was so nice to cross the bridge onto Phuket and some street lighting and the rain stopped as well. headed for Patong where our other freind had a hotel sorted. The last problem was getting pulled over by the Police at the bottom of the hill before Patong, but got there by 8, long days punishment on an AX1 seat.

Had a very boozy night and late to bed before hamering back to Donsak for the 5 o clock ferry to Nathon, did it in 4 hours. Best part of 1000K in 2 days on my poor little 250 Honda, third time it's been to Phuket now from Samui, very pleased with it.

Cheers

Duncan.

Cheers Duncan