Khong Chiam to Trat

Colin

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Feb 14, 2005
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Left Khong Chiam and took a ride to Chong Mek and had a look around the border town then on down the 2396 to Buntharik then the 2182 to Det Udom where my ex next door neighbour in England has a home. Typical he is still in England so no staying there for a few days so I get on the highway again the 24 and stay on it until I reach a town called Sangkha. Nothing particularly exciting about this road but then not a bad road either, At sangkha I turn left onto the 2283 and follow it for about thirty km then right onto the 2122 until I come to the 214 then right for about five km then left again. Here there is some confusion as my map has this road as the 2121 but I think it has been re numbered by the authorities, Anyway I follow it to Lahan Sai then on the 2075 till it joins the 348. This journey I really enjoy as it is off the large roads and there is not much traffic at all but decent roads, What more can you ask for? At the 348 I get on and stay on until I reach Aranyaprathet, I have covered 530km today starting at 8.30am and finishing at 16.30 and my arse, back and neck all ache. It is the most I have ever ridden here in a day and its too much on the wave. I find a room for 150 Baht have a refreshing shower then go and eat. Ah luxury western food available so I have a nice pizza. Next morning its on the back roads towards Khlong Hat on the 3067 and out onto the 317 towards Chantaburi, Just after Pong Nam I turn left onto the 3299 and up in the hills around the reservoir to Bo Rai then the 3157 to Trat, These roads are pretty much the same as the previous days riding not bad and free of traffic. Trat itself is a pleasant enough place, I stay at Pop guesthouse for 100 Baht. There is a KFC here and a place called Joys pizza, Her boyfriend is French and he makes lovely pizzas if a little on the pricey side. I found that in Aranyaprathet as well that if you wanted western food it was more expensive than usually in Thailand, Perhaps its because there is not much competition. Went to Koh Chang the next morning mainly to sell my snorkelling gear and diving mask as I no longer use it and am fed up with carrying it around. I sold it and only spent one night there as it was bedlam on lonely beach compared to last year. Prices had shot up because of the tsunami, I returned to Trat in the morning tired as it was too noisy to sleep and spent the day sleeping in Trat. Next morning I took the 318 down to the Cambodian border at Hat Lek and had a look around, Not really an interesting road journey though. At the border I bought as many different cans of Cambodian beer as I could find as I consider all Thai beer shit. Bingo one of them was called Black Panther and it was a stout that was brown, The colour of proper beer, It was the most enjoyable beer I have ever drank in Thailand and I must get some more.