LivinLOS
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2011
- Bikes
- Gas Gas 250 (Trials), YZ250 (enduro), DRZ440 (Supermoto) CBR900 Streetfighter (scary !!)
OK first off this isnt a ride report.. But I said to Phil I would copy it over from elsewhere.. Secondly it wasnt written with this forum in mind, we probably are a lot more familiar with the roads mentioned and spots visited.. But its already written so this only takes 5 mins..
==================================
I keep hopping about on Rd trips, and each time intend to document it a little, then get back and am so caught up in stuff I dont bother.. Just in the last month or two theres been, Chiang Dao, Pai, Nan, Koh Chang and Patts (multiple Patts now I think about it) Ban Chang, Multiple Udon trips, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Cha Am and a Kanchanaburi night.. A bike run up around Fang and Chiang Rai.. And this one last week.. Well I have another roadie starting in a couple of days so better get something brief up of this one too will get left.
So the missus had seen some Thai TV travel show which included Phu Ruea mountain and dawn above the clouds.. I did try to explain that right now the weather is unusually (for this time of year) smoggy but she wasnt listening and hey any excuse for another roadie. I was also aware of Chiang Khan which I had been through multiple times but only recently became aware theres an 'old town' walking street on the banks of the mekhong one street over from the rather uninspiring main rd I thought was all there was.
As the missus is on a long slow road of recovery from a badly broken ankle and surgery to sort that, this was a car trip not a bikie.. But I just love driving around too, the constant movement and action of driving soothes my ADHD by having constant stimulation of changing scenery etc.. And I love torturing the car I cant kill by booting it through road conditions it shouldnt have to handle at speeds that are highly inadvisable. It really is a tough old thing if only it was rear wheel drive..
Set off on a highly suspect smoggy morning and first stop was the lookout on the Phrae / Uttaradit border @ 17.8336031,100.060689 google has this listed as Khao Plung wayside shelter but its your usual Thai stop with food stalls and strangely enough a 'medicinal lao khao' stall. Selling lao khao infused with herbs and wood bits allegedly for 'medicinal use'.. Nothing like a shot of high octane alcohol first thing in the morning to help your health.
At this stage I had been fasting for about 3 days, and wanted to break it with something healthy.. Try getting something this good in your local motorway services back in Europe..
Travelling around in Thailand finding great food is just so easy.
Back in the car and the missus straight to sleep (a theme you will discover) and I decided to hop off the highway and go via the Sirikit Dam and 'the back way' into Loei, which involves heading up tiny kinda bad roads near the Laos border.
The whole point of going this way, a way I have done multiple times on bikes, was for it to be 'the scenic route' for the missus.. Turns out we have very different tastes in a journey. Me I like just travelling through the Thai countryside, seeing the forests, rivers, hills etc. If she cant take a selfie in front of it, it doesnt count as having any appeal. I woke her up 2 or 3 times when we came near something that looked great, the wide flowing nan river just out of the sirikit damn, a high view in the jungle and her reaction was uniformly meh.. Yet drive past a cafe with a crappy, garishly painted, badly made, concrete tiger or something and its 'quick stop the car' out to take multiple photos in front if it for facebook. It really is total opposites on what makes the journey.
The road that I took is pretty poor, and the one section I hadnt yet done (the 2195 along the river) I had been warned about, that guys on ADV bikes said it was awful and to be avoided.. But whats life without a little risk ?? Well they were right !!
There were entire sections of unmade road just smooth gravel.. So there I am playing FWD WRC, just drifiting the golf over this gravel at pace on terrible roads when on one of the tarmac sections I hit a pothole that was like a lunar crater.. A god almighty bang, the missus waking up all in a panic and I was lucky not to prang the alloy or fuck the tire. Note to self, 100 - 120 kph on roads like this might just be a bit too much.. I did notice at this point my steering wheel was now shifted off at about a 30 degree angle and it all felt a bit 'off'.. But no point in checking, you cant fix anything in the boonies and nearly there now !! It was at least not making any grinding noises so would probably make it.
Arrival to Chiang Khan and pulled into the first hotel with a car park. Remember as mentioned my missus has a broken leg, and this is a town with a walking street without cars so certain logistics was effecting my choices. The place we stopped was the
Souksomboon hotel and it looked nice.. They claimed to only have one room left, the most expensive river view room at 1500b, but travelling with the missus wanted something nice anyway. Assured good working wifi and breakfasts included and figured what the hell, too easy to worry if it was a bit over charged. One big selling point was in the lobby of the hotel they had pushbikes for rent, which solved our walking issues pretty easily. I asked and was told 50b a day for a bike, easy.. Tried to get them to discount on the room, no chance, or throw in a free bike, again no.. While the room was decent, I was already getting a slightly unfriendly vibe from the staff here.
Pic doesnt do the room any justice, really nice polished hardwoods, good size clean and bright.
So we check in.. The wifi doesnt work.. I go down to ask to be told it does work.. Er no it doesnt.. They check and its not working.. They say they will sort it..
Never mind lets just rent a bike and go out and explore.. 50b a day for these bikes with a second seat built on the back.. But now we have checked in its 50b 'per day' meaning 3 hours.. Thats not exactly per day.. So evening and morning with the bike is 100b.. OK fine just rent me a bike.. But now.. Oh you cant have one bike and ride 2 up (like every other couple is doing, like the bikes are custom made for) you have to have 2 bikes, remember my wife is walking with a stick and I am unsure of she even can ride.. The whole thing is pissing me off but if I spit the dummy and tell him to go get fucked now it only makes it worse as we need a way for my missus to get about.. So sure. 200b for 2 basic bikes that probably cost 2000b to buy.. Why do they always have to make such a simple thing feel like getting screwed.
However on the upside the little walking street is a real pleasure.. Little food stalls, buskers, beautiful wooden houses, etc etc.. Really great, people super friendly, enjoying it loads.
Wasnt especially hungry but of course would need to feed the missus, so randomly chose "Luam Prabang restaurant / homestay" place seemed to be run by an elderly very Chinese looking gentleman, and tables bussed by tiny tiny cute little Laotian looking girls, hair up in topknots etc.. Menu looked to have a few Laos type dishes (Laos style spring rolls etc) and the things my missus ordered were really a cut above the average even for good Thai restaurants. Definitely eat here if coming, sensational quality. Also had Hoegaarden and Erdinger on the menu, the old Chinese gent said they were the only place in town with import beers.
We finished up here and were back to the room by 9:30 or 10 and while I did see one place that seemed more 'bar' than food based I get the idea this town shuts early. Back to the room and still no working wifi.
What was surprising was the amount of people here.. This is a little village like town in the boonies and it was rammed, hotels fully booked on a Wed night.. Lots of wealthy looking asians, types I would guess were bangkok Thais (pale women in sundresses and straw hats.. Lots of high end camera gear) and I only saw 2 other farangs the whole time I was in town.
- - - Updated - - -
Next morning awake early.. Nice chill in the air.. But still no wifi !! After a bit of back and forth it seems the wifi was working on all access points, except the only one available to our room.
We go down to check out breakfast.. Find out its offered on a pretty lean time window of 7 - 9.. This was 6:45 so just wait with a coffee.. Nope no coffee until 7.. OK..
Then at 7 the request for a coffee is greeted with the idea of instant.. Really ?? I can see Laos from the window and your serving nescafe in a 1500b a night hotel ??
OK lets just get some breakfast.. Bacon ?? Eggs ?? Buffet ?? Nope.. Fried rice or rice soup.. OK I dont want rice for breakfast, can you just please scramble a couple of eggs and a bit of toast.. Huff and puffs and tuts and rolled eyes.. They did then bring out some eggs, that were rolling in black dirty oil with some untoasted bread.. Just foul, wasnt going to touch it. The missus got some watery rice soup that she also said was crap. More than the fact that it was all crap, was the attitude that came with it, not a "sorry we dont have bacon" or "sorry we only have nescafe" the grumpy old bint was a real snotty cow about it.. Like I said tutting and huffing at everything, even when asked very nicely and politely with a smile.
OK so lets the the hell out of here and find a cafe with real coffee and maybe some eggs.. We go out to the bikes we had to pay 2 days for, to find ones missing.. 10 mins to find anyone who has a clue and they say "ohh sorry must have rented that out already.. And we dont have any more small ones".. By this point I was well and truly over this place and its abysmal service and just wanted to get back out.. Said fine, just give me my money back then as I have paid for it, and suddenly they were able to find another small sized bike.
Once out of the black cloud of the hotel however..Everyone else in the town was great.. Just up the road was a cafe run by this fella
Who was super friendly and, as he kept pimping me caffeinated beverages for half an hour, my new bestie.. He also told my missus that the people in the hotel were cunts and no one liked them in the street (this was repeated in another joint just down the rd too) and he sat chatting to the missus about things locally, found a magazine of Loei attractions, said he could find rooms for bikers coming with secure parking (even down to 200b a night), and generally seemed a great contact. His english was limited but I think he understood more than he spoke, he said he could read english and contacts through facebook so I said I would post his contact info for riders who may head there.
He told my old lady about a sight to see, and trying to get a clear idea where it was he said its 10ks along the river.. Waving his arm west, the way we just came.. I remember how awful the road was, and my now miss alingned steering wheel and am a bit dubious.. Later I look the attraction up and its 10ks east.. So while he may be a fount of local knowledge, he has bugger all sense of direction !!
So first round of coffees in, we ride along the little street and people are calling out, last nights busker is at it again, everyone friendly.
We find a busy looking breakfast joint and once again, nescafe (WTF ?? I can see Laos.. Are you winding me up ??) so I run round the corner to 'toffee coffee' and the cute giggly girls working in there were easy to joke with.. First I want fresh coffee.. No problem.. Then I want XL size of it.. No problem.. Then I want 2 cups.. Still no problems.. Now I want to go (confusing them now but they find 2 huge paper cups).. and once it comes pour the 2 coffees from one into the other so its 4 coffees in there.. This has them in shock and laughing but all good.. I now have my pint of coffee and am happy.
Back to the restaurant where the big fat mommas who run it and are holding court decide they have to teach me some Isaan (and I think there was some crude bits thrown in) but the whole place is now laughing and joking with us.. Good times and good people. Smiles and laughter the whole time.
Hot pan eggs.. Surprisingly good.. If they just had a Laos bread it would have been perfect..
She gets noodles, I get eggs, everyones a winner !!
Really the old mammys that ran this place were great... Laughing, joking, piss taking, and all in fine spirits.. Just the kind of earthy real people you enjoy meeting and joking with.
Back to the hotel, pack and try not to let myself get in a mood with them.. Nice hotel, run by grinches for whom everything was too much trouble. Packed the motor and back on the road.
- - - Updated - - -
So the next destination was Phu Reua.. This is a small town on the road between Loei heading Uttaradit direction.. I must have passed through 10 times in the last few months without even knowing that it has a tourist scene there for its mountain views.. Bee had seen it on some Thai travel show and of course that was 'above the clouds at dawn' kinda day..
When we packed the car I kinda kicked the tires to check nothing was actually going to fall off, and didnt want to bring it up (as I would only get the nagging blame I truly deserved) but I was a bit unsure about the whole offset steering wheel and funny feel of the car.. Any way, if it was broken it was already broken no point in going slow.. What I soon discovered though was that it was screeching like mad when launched into a corner, especially on left handers.. For sure the tracking fucked but its a VW it will make it..
Now earlier we were given the 'go west' direction when he meant go east.. It didnt seem that appealing but as we start to leave town you can see a big buddha on a hill just off the road, I needed gas and so as we pull in I tell the missus to ask the pump girl how to get to the buddha.. Ohh mai loo.. Ohh replies my wife your not from here then ?? Oh yes, born and bred, grew up here my whole life.. Have a think about that, this is a one horse town, theres not much in the way of 'attractions' and right the fuck there, in plain sight not 500m away, on the top of that hill is a large buddha, and having lived here your whole life, you dont know how to get to it !!! Would one day your curiosity (or boredom) not make you think about going and having a look ??
Anyway, easily found.. Standard Buddha.. Lots of stairs.. Place to light candles.. Merit made, good luck purchased, and on our way.. (what ?? Me ?? Cynical ?? Never).. Easy hour or so through really nice countryside and some rolling hills and ridgelines we get to Phu Reua's little town. Of course the missus had been awake for at least a couple of hours by then, so was nap time through all the good country !!
Just outside the town proper, theres a visible shrine which we went and had a look see..
And lastly.. The beater that just wont die !! No matter how abused it gets treated..
- - - Updated - - -
As it was really early in the day, we were in no great hurry to find a room and plenty of time to check a few places out and have a scope up the hill so we knew where the best potential viewing for the next morning would be..
One hotel my missus had seen on Thai TV travel show and made it look good was the Phura Bussaba just on the way into town on the east side.. Well its nothing like it may have been shown on TV.. 1500 b and was shown a very dumpy room that smelt of mildew and cigarettes, black mold in the bathroom, etc etc.. Yet it had tour busses pulling up to drop large amounts of people off, and there were 10s of cases in the lobby area for people departing. Baffles me how dumps command top money yet others dont.. Herd instinct alive and well I guess.
After a bit of scoping and looking at some budget rooms 500 - 700 asking (on the road towards the national park) which would have been totally serviceable and fine for me, I finally settled on Waranya Resort, big clean rooms, nice furniture and decor, working wifi, nice gardens and most importantly of all, the assurance that the breakfast did indeed have filter coffee
It felt a touch over priced at 1500 (1000 - 1200 would have been fair I felt) but wanted 'nice' with the missus. Also it was on the way up the hill and if we were going for a pre dawn run, easier to be close.
Off to the nat park and not even a question on if I had Thai ID, Thai price x2 asked for from the get go.. While this isnt a super high mountain / hill, it is steep.. And we got caught behind some traffic going up, a chevy trailblazer that seemed to be making very hard work of getting up there which meant you couldnt keep your own speed and was annoyingly having to keep over revving 1st and dropping out of second because they couldnt seem to get a shift on. Theres enough of a climb here to make you want to check your coolant first !!
We stop at a few different lookout points, including one that needed a small hike and ended in less of a lookout and more of a treeline.. The lookout could only be looked out from if you did some rock climbing which wasnt happening with my missus broken ankle..
We went up to the summit where it said you needed to park and walk the last 1km.. That presented a bit of a potential problem but they run song teaows for 10b each way.. I presume the parking was designed that far away to create local employment opportunity and song teaow concession (cynical ?? Moi ??).. We also followed the road around to its termination at a camp site with showers toilets and some basic food retail too (mostly mama noodle type rather than yummy looking). At this campsite my missus asked what was close to the site that we could potentially be viewed or walked to with out a major hike.. This received a shrug and mai loo again (wonderful local knowledge at work) and we got the impression there was nothing much there.. When we went down the hill we stopped at the ranger station and I went in to ask a few things, turns out that one of the best waterfalls in the park are just a couple of 100m from this campground, yet none of the shops were able to explain that.
Back down the hill to the hotel.. shower and off to find a feed.. There was a mention of a 'steak place' in town but eating steak in rural Thailand is probably not going to impress so we ended up finding a locals moo gata joint..
Cold beer and BBQ'ed porky goodness, whats not to love ??
- - - Updated - - -
So awake bright and breezy and off up the hill.. It had been really murkey the last few days and I didnt expect to get the picture postcard 'above the white cloud' view and true to expectations, we didnt..
At the summit the cloud cover rolled in and in the pre dawn and mist it was pretty chilly, which is I guess a large part of why people go there.. There were lots of people up there (no other farangs at all) and if you discount the hoping for a clear view it did what it said on the tin.. Cool air, pine trees, misty scene, shrine and gongs, etc etc..
I just reread the above and it sort of sounds to myself that I am damning it with faint praise.. I am not, its just theres not that much you can say about cool air.. It was nice, it was also impressively rubbish free for an asian tourist location, clean and tidy.. It was cool air and I would happily do similar again.. In fact the missus is kinda gung ho about camping somewhere now too and I could get with that as well. I enjoyed it just theres not much you can say about it..
Anyway after that it was back to the car park where they were BBQing rice and had cafe boran..
==================================
I keep hopping about on Rd trips, and each time intend to document it a little, then get back and am so caught up in stuff I dont bother.. Just in the last month or two theres been, Chiang Dao, Pai, Nan, Koh Chang and Patts (multiple Patts now I think about it) Ban Chang, Multiple Udon trips, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Cha Am and a Kanchanaburi night.. A bike run up around Fang and Chiang Rai.. And this one last week.. Well I have another roadie starting in a couple of days so better get something brief up of this one too will get left.
So the missus had seen some Thai TV travel show which included Phu Ruea mountain and dawn above the clouds.. I did try to explain that right now the weather is unusually (for this time of year) smoggy but she wasnt listening and hey any excuse for another roadie. I was also aware of Chiang Khan which I had been through multiple times but only recently became aware theres an 'old town' walking street on the banks of the mekhong one street over from the rather uninspiring main rd I thought was all there was.
As the missus is on a long slow road of recovery from a badly broken ankle and surgery to sort that, this was a car trip not a bikie.. But I just love driving around too, the constant movement and action of driving soothes my ADHD by having constant stimulation of changing scenery etc.. And I love torturing the car I cant kill by booting it through road conditions it shouldnt have to handle at speeds that are highly inadvisable. It really is a tough old thing if only it was rear wheel drive..
Set off on a highly suspect smoggy morning and first stop was the lookout on the Phrae / Uttaradit border @ 17.8336031,100.060689 google has this listed as Khao Plung wayside shelter but its your usual Thai stop with food stalls and strangely enough a 'medicinal lao khao' stall. Selling lao khao infused with herbs and wood bits allegedly for 'medicinal use'.. Nothing like a shot of high octane alcohol first thing in the morning to help your health.
At this stage I had been fasting for about 3 days, and wanted to break it with something healthy.. Try getting something this good in your local motorway services back in Europe..
Travelling around in Thailand finding great food is just so easy.
Back in the car and the missus straight to sleep (a theme you will discover) and I decided to hop off the highway and go via the Sirikit Dam and 'the back way' into Loei, which involves heading up tiny kinda bad roads near the Laos border.
The whole point of going this way, a way I have done multiple times on bikes, was for it to be 'the scenic route' for the missus.. Turns out we have very different tastes in a journey. Me I like just travelling through the Thai countryside, seeing the forests, rivers, hills etc. If she cant take a selfie in front of it, it doesnt count as having any appeal. I woke her up 2 or 3 times when we came near something that looked great, the wide flowing nan river just out of the sirikit damn, a high view in the jungle and her reaction was uniformly meh.. Yet drive past a cafe with a crappy, garishly painted, badly made, concrete tiger or something and its 'quick stop the car' out to take multiple photos in front if it for facebook. It really is total opposites on what makes the journey.
The road that I took is pretty poor, and the one section I hadnt yet done (the 2195 along the river) I had been warned about, that guys on ADV bikes said it was awful and to be avoided.. But whats life without a little risk ?? Well they were right !!
There were entire sections of unmade road just smooth gravel.. So there I am playing FWD WRC, just drifiting the golf over this gravel at pace on terrible roads when on one of the tarmac sections I hit a pothole that was like a lunar crater.. A god almighty bang, the missus waking up all in a panic and I was lucky not to prang the alloy or fuck the tire. Note to self, 100 - 120 kph on roads like this might just be a bit too much.. I did notice at this point my steering wheel was now shifted off at about a 30 degree angle and it all felt a bit 'off'.. But no point in checking, you cant fix anything in the boonies and nearly there now !! It was at least not making any grinding noises so would probably make it.
Arrival to Chiang Khan and pulled into the first hotel with a car park. Remember as mentioned my missus has a broken leg, and this is a town with a walking street without cars so certain logistics was effecting my choices. The place we stopped was the
Souksomboon hotel and it looked nice.. They claimed to only have one room left, the most expensive river view room at 1500b, but travelling with the missus wanted something nice anyway. Assured good working wifi and breakfasts included and figured what the hell, too easy to worry if it was a bit over charged. One big selling point was in the lobby of the hotel they had pushbikes for rent, which solved our walking issues pretty easily. I asked and was told 50b a day for a bike, easy.. Tried to get them to discount on the room, no chance, or throw in a free bike, again no.. While the room was decent, I was already getting a slightly unfriendly vibe from the staff here.
Pic doesnt do the room any justice, really nice polished hardwoods, good size clean and bright.
So we check in.. The wifi doesnt work.. I go down to ask to be told it does work.. Er no it doesnt.. They check and its not working.. They say they will sort it..
Never mind lets just rent a bike and go out and explore.. 50b a day for these bikes with a second seat built on the back.. But now we have checked in its 50b 'per day' meaning 3 hours.. Thats not exactly per day.. So evening and morning with the bike is 100b.. OK fine just rent me a bike.. But now.. Oh you cant have one bike and ride 2 up (like every other couple is doing, like the bikes are custom made for) you have to have 2 bikes, remember my wife is walking with a stick and I am unsure of she even can ride.. The whole thing is pissing me off but if I spit the dummy and tell him to go get fucked now it only makes it worse as we need a way for my missus to get about.. So sure. 200b for 2 basic bikes that probably cost 2000b to buy.. Why do they always have to make such a simple thing feel like getting screwed.
However on the upside the little walking street is a real pleasure.. Little food stalls, buskers, beautiful wooden houses, etc etc.. Really great, people super friendly, enjoying it loads.
Wasnt especially hungry but of course would need to feed the missus, so randomly chose "Luam Prabang restaurant / homestay" place seemed to be run by an elderly very Chinese looking gentleman, and tables bussed by tiny tiny cute little Laotian looking girls, hair up in topknots etc.. Menu looked to have a few Laos type dishes (Laos style spring rolls etc) and the things my missus ordered were really a cut above the average even for good Thai restaurants. Definitely eat here if coming, sensational quality. Also had Hoegaarden and Erdinger on the menu, the old Chinese gent said they were the only place in town with import beers.
We finished up here and were back to the room by 9:30 or 10 and while I did see one place that seemed more 'bar' than food based I get the idea this town shuts early. Back to the room and still no working wifi.
What was surprising was the amount of people here.. This is a little village like town in the boonies and it was rammed, hotels fully booked on a Wed night.. Lots of wealthy looking asians, types I would guess were bangkok Thais (pale women in sundresses and straw hats.. Lots of high end camera gear) and I only saw 2 other farangs the whole time I was in town.
- - - Updated - - -
Next morning awake early.. Nice chill in the air.. But still no wifi !! After a bit of back and forth it seems the wifi was working on all access points, except the only one available to our room.
We go down to check out breakfast.. Find out its offered on a pretty lean time window of 7 - 9.. This was 6:45 so just wait with a coffee.. Nope no coffee until 7.. OK..
Then at 7 the request for a coffee is greeted with the idea of instant.. Really ?? I can see Laos from the window and your serving nescafe in a 1500b a night hotel ??
OK lets just get some breakfast.. Bacon ?? Eggs ?? Buffet ?? Nope.. Fried rice or rice soup.. OK I dont want rice for breakfast, can you just please scramble a couple of eggs and a bit of toast.. Huff and puffs and tuts and rolled eyes.. They did then bring out some eggs, that were rolling in black dirty oil with some untoasted bread.. Just foul, wasnt going to touch it. The missus got some watery rice soup that she also said was crap. More than the fact that it was all crap, was the attitude that came with it, not a "sorry we dont have bacon" or "sorry we only have nescafe" the grumpy old bint was a real snotty cow about it.. Like I said tutting and huffing at everything, even when asked very nicely and politely with a smile.
OK so lets the the hell out of here and find a cafe with real coffee and maybe some eggs.. We go out to the bikes we had to pay 2 days for, to find ones missing.. 10 mins to find anyone who has a clue and they say "ohh sorry must have rented that out already.. And we dont have any more small ones".. By this point I was well and truly over this place and its abysmal service and just wanted to get back out.. Said fine, just give me my money back then as I have paid for it, and suddenly they were able to find another small sized bike.
Once out of the black cloud of the hotel however..Everyone else in the town was great.. Just up the road was a cafe run by this fella
Who was super friendly and, as he kept pimping me caffeinated beverages for half an hour, my new bestie.. He also told my missus that the people in the hotel were cunts and no one liked them in the street (this was repeated in another joint just down the rd too) and he sat chatting to the missus about things locally, found a magazine of Loei attractions, said he could find rooms for bikers coming with secure parking (even down to 200b a night), and generally seemed a great contact. His english was limited but I think he understood more than he spoke, he said he could read english and contacts through facebook so I said I would post his contact info for riders who may head there.
He told my old lady about a sight to see, and trying to get a clear idea where it was he said its 10ks along the river.. Waving his arm west, the way we just came.. I remember how awful the road was, and my now miss alingned steering wheel and am a bit dubious.. Later I look the attraction up and its 10ks east.. So while he may be a fount of local knowledge, he has bugger all sense of direction !!
So first round of coffees in, we ride along the little street and people are calling out, last nights busker is at it again, everyone friendly.
Rice on a stick ?? Dont mind if I do..
We find a busy looking breakfast joint and once again, nescafe (WTF ?? I can see Laos.. Are you winding me up ??) so I run round the corner to 'toffee coffee' and the cute giggly girls working in there were easy to joke with.. First I want fresh coffee.. No problem.. Then I want XL size of it.. No problem.. Then I want 2 cups.. Still no problems.. Now I want to go (confusing them now but they find 2 huge paper cups).. and once it comes pour the 2 coffees from one into the other so its 4 coffees in there.. This has them in shock and laughing but all good.. I now have my pint of coffee and am happy.
Back to the restaurant where the big fat mommas who run it and are holding court decide they have to teach me some Isaan (and I think there was some crude bits thrown in) but the whole place is now laughing and joking with us.. Good times and good people. Smiles and laughter the whole time.
Hot pan eggs.. Surprisingly good.. If they just had a Laos bread it would have been perfect..
She gets noodles, I get eggs, everyones a winner !!
Really the old mammys that ran this place were great... Laughing, joking, piss taking, and all in fine spirits.. Just the kind of earthy real people you enjoy meeting and joking with.
Back to the hotel, pack and try not to let myself get in a mood with them.. Nice hotel, run by grinches for whom everything was too much trouble. Packed the motor and back on the road.
- - - Updated - - -
So the next destination was Phu Reua.. This is a small town on the road between Loei heading Uttaradit direction.. I must have passed through 10 times in the last few months without even knowing that it has a tourist scene there for its mountain views.. Bee had seen it on some Thai travel show and of course that was 'above the clouds at dawn' kinda day..
When we packed the car I kinda kicked the tires to check nothing was actually going to fall off, and didnt want to bring it up (as I would only get the nagging blame I truly deserved) but I was a bit unsure about the whole offset steering wheel and funny feel of the car.. Any way, if it was broken it was already broken no point in going slow.. What I soon discovered though was that it was screeching like mad when launched into a corner, especially on left handers.. For sure the tracking fucked but its a VW it will make it..
Now earlier we were given the 'go west' direction when he meant go east.. It didnt seem that appealing but as we start to leave town you can see a big buddha on a hill just off the road, I needed gas and so as we pull in I tell the missus to ask the pump girl how to get to the buddha.. Ohh mai loo.. Ohh replies my wife your not from here then ?? Oh yes, born and bred, grew up here my whole life.. Have a think about that, this is a one horse town, theres not much in the way of 'attractions' and right the fuck there, in plain sight not 500m away, on the top of that hill is a large buddha, and having lived here your whole life, you dont know how to get to it !!! Would one day your curiosity (or boredom) not make you think about going and having a look ??
Anyway, easily found.. Standard Buddha.. Lots of stairs.. Place to light candles.. Merit made, good luck purchased, and on our way.. (what ?? Me ?? Cynical ?? Never).. Easy hour or so through really nice countryside and some rolling hills and ridgelines we get to Phu Reua's little town. Of course the missus had been awake for at least a couple of hours by then, so was nap time through all the good country !!
Just outside the town proper, theres a visible shrine which we went and had a look see..
And lastly.. The beater that just wont die !! No matter how abused it gets treated..
- - - Updated - - -
As it was really early in the day, we were in no great hurry to find a room and plenty of time to check a few places out and have a scope up the hill so we knew where the best potential viewing for the next morning would be..
One hotel my missus had seen on Thai TV travel show and made it look good was the Phura Bussaba just on the way into town on the east side.. Well its nothing like it may have been shown on TV.. 1500 b and was shown a very dumpy room that smelt of mildew and cigarettes, black mold in the bathroom, etc etc.. Yet it had tour busses pulling up to drop large amounts of people off, and there were 10s of cases in the lobby area for people departing. Baffles me how dumps command top money yet others dont.. Herd instinct alive and well I guess.
After a bit of scoping and looking at some budget rooms 500 - 700 asking (on the road towards the national park) which would have been totally serviceable and fine for me, I finally settled on Waranya Resort, big clean rooms, nice furniture and decor, working wifi, nice gardens and most importantly of all, the assurance that the breakfast did indeed have filter coffee
It felt a touch over priced at 1500 (1000 - 1200 would have been fair I felt) but wanted 'nice' with the missus. Also it was on the way up the hill and if we were going for a pre dawn run, easier to be close.Off to the nat park and not even a question on if I had Thai ID, Thai price x2 asked for from the get go.. While this isnt a super high mountain / hill, it is steep.. And we got caught behind some traffic going up, a chevy trailblazer that seemed to be making very hard work of getting up there which meant you couldnt keep your own speed and was annoyingly having to keep over revving 1st and dropping out of second because they couldnt seem to get a shift on. Theres enough of a climb here to make you want to check your coolant first !!
We stop at a few different lookout points, including one that needed a small hike and ended in less of a lookout and more of a treeline.. The lookout could only be looked out from if you did some rock climbing which wasnt happening with my missus broken ankle..
We went up to the summit where it said you needed to park and walk the last 1km.. That presented a bit of a potential problem but they run song teaows for 10b each way.. I presume the parking was designed that far away to create local employment opportunity and song teaow concession (cynical ?? Moi ??).. We also followed the road around to its termination at a camp site with showers toilets and some basic food retail too (mostly mama noodle type rather than yummy looking). At this campsite my missus asked what was close to the site that we could potentially be viewed or walked to with out a major hike.. This received a shrug and mai loo again (wonderful local knowledge at work) and we got the impression there was nothing much there.. When we went down the hill we stopped at the ranger station and I went in to ask a few things, turns out that one of the best waterfalls in the park are just a couple of 100m from this campground, yet none of the shops were able to explain that.
Back down the hill to the hotel.. shower and off to find a feed.. There was a mention of a 'steak place' in town but eating steak in rural Thailand is probably not going to impress so we ended up finding a locals moo gata joint..
Cold beer and BBQ'ed porky goodness, whats not to love ??
- - - Updated - - -
So awake bright and breezy and off up the hill.. It had been really murkey the last few days and I didnt expect to get the picture postcard 'above the white cloud' view and true to expectations, we didnt..
At the summit the cloud cover rolled in and in the pre dawn and mist it was pretty chilly, which is I guess a large part of why people go there.. There were lots of people up there (no other farangs at all) and if you discount the hoping for a clear view it did what it said on the tin.. Cool air, pine trees, misty scene, shrine and gongs, etc etc..
I just reread the above and it sort of sounds to myself that I am damning it with faint praise.. I am not, its just theres not that much you can say about cool air.. It was nice, it was also impressively rubbish free for an asian tourist location, clean and tidy.. It was cool air and I would happily do similar again.. In fact the missus is kinda gung ho about camping somewhere now too and I could get with that as well. I enjoyed it just theres not much you can say about it..
Anyway after that it was back to the car park where they were BBQing rice and had cafe boran..
