Blog 90 Chaiyaphume to Khon Kaen

23rd December

Slowly waking up to the idea that the second half of a journey always plays out faster thsn the first half. Starting can be decisive and it's bang off with a go and a flourish but often adventures start out rather meekly.

2008, Parallel World

I rode 38,000 miles around the world the longest possible way in a reasonable 5 month period. A book and 3 films resulted and this was my last time in Thailand.

The street somehow telescopes the perspective until every building stacked alongside each other look like cut out buildings from pop up books with their keen edges and fragile feel. Delicate buildings are old before their time worn down in hard heat and drenched in total rain non-stop for weeks. No horns. Indian drivers horn over the smallest of space, getting noisier as there becomes almost no space between vehicles and people get pressed up in small moving lines but here they wait at lights. Red green time intervals instructing us to disperse in one of two exits across a broad spaced junction are generous and we have time to chat. It's suddenly shiny glints from steel and chrome, cars around me some flashing indicator lights and then passed and gone. It’s quiet again. I ride again across wide striated concrete slabs with a sound on my tyres the way a frog ripples.

I Had a dream

"Totally lost went 10kms up the wrong rd, returned found coffee shop selling strawberry soda and burnt butter toast. Dinner sorted, beer in my pocket. I’m on holiday." I thought, am I doing here what I’d do at home but without the sunshine.

Map of the Day