Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Prachuap Khiri Khan to Hua Hin - 97km


So here I am in Thailand's original tourist destination, Hua Hin, celebrating its 100th anniversary incidentally. Today's ride again left me questioning why I chose this route up Southern Thailand. The rubber and palm plantations have given way to endless fields of pineapples, and this in effect creates quite a windy barren landscape. I remember the safety inspector from Chumphon talking about his retirement plan for Thailand being in such crops. I think this might be the dream of many ageing, savvy expats married and working in Thailand, to pack it all in and live out your final days without lifting a finger, swilling Chang while your 100 strong Thai workforce produces tinned pineapple for world export. They are then free to over-indugle themselves in every way possible, getting fat and no doubt drinking themselves into an early grave.

I made short work of this section though, I must finally be getting through the pain barrier and developing my road legs, it took me just four hours to do 100km. On these sorts of days when I do the distance in a single push, I don't even bother with a solid lunch. I just fill up on anything with glucose - gradually becoming a conniseur of Thailand's large selection of iced confection; at 5-8 baht a throw you can't go wrong, and if you don't like it just get rid of it and try another one.

Hua Hin is a big-time tourist resort town, seemingly full of the sort of people I want nothing to do with unfortunately - google 'nana complex' you will get the picture. Maybe I'll get in the spirit of the place tonight and fork out for a thai boxing match.


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