Koh Chang to Chiang Mai

Colin

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Feb 14, 2005
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Left Koh Chang in the morning and spent a lazy day in Trat, Stayed one night then up early for the ride north. Took the 3 as far as Khlung then did a right onto the 3277 to Makham, This cuts out a bit of highway and is a lot quieter riding. Turned right onto the 317 and followed it to Sa Kaeo, Just a highway nothing interesting. At Sa Kaeo turned left onto the 33 for a few kms then right onto what I thought was the 3462 which looked like a nice back road virtually all the way to Nakhon Ratchasima. Something amiss here I kept hitting pothole after pothole and some seriously shitty road with no road numbers then I came to the 304 the very road I wanted to avoid. Somewhere along the line I must have lost my way, I couldnt be bothered to go back so stayed on the 304 all the way to Nakhon Ratchasima. This was just a stopover after a 400km journey that day,Found the Ratana guest house for 100 Baht went into town and ate at the VWF cafeteria that my Lonely planet book said did cheap reasonable western food. No complaints 75 Baht for a filling plate of steak, fries, mushrooms, onions and bread rolls. Next morning it was straight on the 2 and only stopping for petrol and the occasional piss non stop to Nong Khai, Another 400 km today and another non interesting ride over. Up early in the morning for my breakfast at the Danish bakery then its that nice easy ride on the 211 to Chiang Khan. Halfway there and I suddenly see a green snake about a metre long in front of me, No time to avoid it I just go straight over it. I look in the mirrors and cant see it, Shit I slam on the brakes and quickly dismount. I give the bike a thorough looking over , Poking around with a stick in case the little bugger was about. Cant find any sign of it but better to be on the safe side, I didnt want to just carry on then a few kms down the road look in the mirror and see I had an unwelcome passenger slithering over my shoulder. After this bit of excitement was over I carried leisurely on to Chiang Khan, Less than 200km today what a relief. Stayed at Ton Khong guest house as I always do at Chiang Khan, Nice quiet rooms on the river for 100 Baht and here they do a reasonable spaghetti bolognaise. I decide I want to get from here to Chiang Mai the same day so its an early start and off along the 201 to Loei at full throttle then west along the 203 to turn right onto the 2013 that goes to Dan Sai and on to Nakhon Thai. Once I am back on these smaller roads I can enjoy the riding a lot more, Up and down hills lots of corners and not too much traffic, Only thing I could wish for is a better bike. At Nakhon Thai its a right turn onto the 1143 which takes me through Chat Trakan and towards Uttaradit, Then its onto the 11 and all the way to Chiang Mai, Needless to say once I am on the highway all I want to do is get home as I dont particularly like the amount of large vehicles on it. I finally get to Chiang Mai around 5pm totally aching having covered 540km in a day. I vow there and then no more journeys of this distance in one day on the wave.
 

phuah

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Feb 7, 2003
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Hi Colin;
During my last trip to Laos in Jan, I also stay in the Tho Khong guesthouse when I was in Chiang Khan. The huge lady that run the place can speak good english.
I take the 200baht room with toilet. But cannot sleep the whole nite because there are water condensation in the nite, and water dripping onto the zinc sheet roof top. Have to put on my ear plug to sleep.
There is one brand new guesthouse just a few doors down the road. Looks good from outside, clean and neat.
And the Suksombun hotel that are further down the road is also undergoing some upgrading.

Rgds...phuah
 

Colin

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Feb 14, 2005
43
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Yes the huge lady does speak good English and she is very pleasant as well, Stay in the 100 Baht rooms you will have no trouble sleeping. I looked at the sukbonbon hotel or whatever its name is and they wanted 300 Baht for a cheap room. They really pissed me off as the first question I always ask is how much for your cheapest room but here they would not tell me she just kept saying you look at room first so I took off my boots walked a long way only to be told 300 Baht.