Thais that BindThe Return Leg: The Mekong RunFifteen months ago, I took off to South East Asia, to ride bikes with two Scottish jimmies, who I had never met, and an Austrian living in Thailand who runs a little company organising riding with good people around Thailand. On that occasion we did a 4,000km trip up to the furthermost north into the Golden Triangle into Lao and Mayanma, (which when I first went there in 1973 was little old Burma..) and back to the south. We visited all the famous towns: Chiang Mai (where a New Zealand girl died recently from eating in the same night market we had fed in), and Chiang Rai, even further north. We came back down the west. The last few days of the journey saw us going down the western side of Thailand, making our way to Kanchanaburi, famous as the site of the Bridge over the Kwai River and the Death Railway from Singapore to Burma which was built during World War II. The Death Railway and the Kwai Bridge are not unlike other New Zealand war remembrance sites. It has an aura of spirituality, encouraging us to remember our fathers and uncles and forebears who died there. If it wasn’t for their sacrifice we would not be free to travel there and see what they endured. We owe them so much. Anyway, the three of us and BJ our host, had so many laughs (and beers and fantastic feeds in the night markets), we decided to go back. This time we opted to go east and ride the bikes along the Mekong River between Lao and Thailand. This is seriously out in the country side. Not too many road signs and certainly none in English. This would be the return leg: The Mekong Run. The Mekong River is the 12th longest river in the world being sourced in the high Himalayas and reaching the sea after fanning out in the Delta in Viet Nam. This time we were joined by a Porche racer / biker from Jersey in the Channel Islands and at the last moment a West Australian lad fresh from biking the Manali - Lei ride in the Himalayas, the world’s highest road pass, one which I had trekked the year before. He had a few miles up. We did not take our own bikes. My bigger bike, the ever reliable BMW R1150 RT would have been just too big, the F650GS would have been good but not much better than what we had. Our West Aussie pal John’s 1800cc Yamaha would have been bigger than their National Debt and about as much use on this trip. BJ organises Honda Phantoms which at 250ccs are bigger than most local bikes which are 50-90-125 and 200ccs max machines. The top boxes and twin panniers make them look a lot more substantial than their stats would suggest. These bikes are great and at 100kms an hour are just as fast as I can do at that speed on the big BMW or even if I rode one, a Ducati 996 also travelling at 100kms per hour...So set, we left Jomtien which is a seaside resort an hour south of Bangkok, just round the corner from the infamous (or famous if you like that sort of thing!) destination of Pattaya.. known for its wild night life, serious low life, girlie bars, ladyboys and dens of inequity which I could only read about as I never wanted to experience them for myself...We covered generally about 275 to 350kms a day. Had a couple of shorter days and a couple of longer days, but they somehow coincidentally occurred following serious late nights or alternatively pious and quiet nights! You get everything on BJ’s rides!We went due east and after a couple of days got to the boarder town of Ananyaprathet where we stopped over for a couple of days while we crossed the boarder over into Cambodia and travelled 150kms to the World Heritage Site of Ankor Wat. Famous for being the backdrop for the movie Tomb Raider. Most Cambodians haven’t seen the movie. It is a hugely significant religious site. Wonderful, as the photograph shows. It’s then back into Thailand and its along the Mekong we go. Now we are a thousand kilometres east of Bangkok and country the Guide Books describe as ‘not often visited by Western tourists’... This is wonderful: warm and easy riding [Easy Riding: wasn’t that a film about drugs?-Ed.] ... roads are paved but always a challenge, not so much from tar snakes as we have here, or the treacherous white paint road marking. The challenge comes from the dogs running without direction, kiddies playing and running with direction.. usually towards the road, chooks, water buffalo, locals four-up on a 125 scooter, and the ubiquitous two wheeled handlebar tractor, known as Iron Buffalos. There, when the road breaks up, it sometimes takes a wee while before it is repaired. Pot holes... I am not saying they were deep, but I am sure that on one occasion I went over one where there were two guys climbing out with big smiles, wearing dark glasses and speaking Spanish!We ride for 1500kms alongside the Mekong. At Nongkhai, where we resided at the Royal Mekong Nonghkai Hotel (How flash is that!!), we stayed for another two days. This time we crossed the Friendship Bridge built by the UN into Lao, and travelled by ‘air-conditioned vehicle’ to tour Vientiane. The air conditioned vehicle wasn’t really so: it was a three wheeler tuk-tuk with open sides... it worked for us!Back into Thailand we continued along the banks of the Mekong to Nakhon Phanom. From my room I could hear a disco across the mighty Mekong River over in Lao: we are very close here. [Have to report that disco music is unlistenable-to, notwithstanding the location!] This town was of huge significance to the war in Nam. Americans were based there and undertook R’n’R there. It was known by a much less flattering name by foreigners during the conflict. For me the only less than brilliant meal of the trip was here in a night market, but made up for playing hot ukulele for locals in a bar!We now get very north, leave the river after 1500kms, and start into the mountains. We finished the section in a private hill country estate owned by people BJ knew. High in the mountains, the temperatures drop, the mozzies are all wearing knitted jumpers and the frogs breathe clouds of condensation before they croak. Well they don’t actually croak that would be too final: they just go ‘Ribbitt, Ribbitt...’This quiet night is followed by a great ride down from the high plateau onto the plains. We stay at this height all the way to Pak Chong and on south through to Jomtiem, the terminus of our journey. We travel through the World Heritage Site of Khao Yai, a wonderful huge expanse of untouched jungle, thousands of hectares, inhabited by the ubiquitous elephants, monkeys of every description, rarely seen (but still there) tigers, and sadly poachers. The riding here is on roads which are reasonably well maintained.. or less shagged out than some others, and little but local traffic. The backdrop of mist enshrouded hills, layered upon each other far into the distance, is the stuff which makes one want to leap off the bike... while it’s stationary, of course, and photograph the living daylights out of the unbelievably beautiful peaceful and tranquil country-side. So we did.After two weeks we finally arrive back at Jomtiem. Knowing that we will be returning home to our normal bikes, all of over 1000cc but well reminded that given good company, great weather, and a cool attitude you do not need to be a big bike boyo to have a good time, especially in country like this. And we are welcomed with open arms by the locals bar owners in Jomtien... funny that. Didn’t even ask for a Thai massage?!Would I do it again?Already booked for this year.. it does not get better than this as far as good times go!Final Note: There are some great pictures of this adventure, which because of the bloody difficult process in being able to post them on this site, I can only suggest to any interested readers that they might have a look at this month's edition of Bike Rider Magazine at page 64 where the pictures appear in living colour!
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