1/4/11 to 4/4/11
What can I say eat, drink, sleep, swim, eat, drink, walk, swim sort of thing.
I had a ball catching up with William. Saw some great things, one I didn't get a photo of was proof that all you westerners out there that think you need some gas guzzling, people killing 4x4 to tow your little dingy are full of shit, you only need a 100cc scooter for the job actually, the boat would have been about 14ft, it was for towing one of the banana things at the beach. Yes it is a flat town but then so are a lot in Aussie so get rid of the 4x4 and use the scooter way more economical and far better for the environment.
I even went to a show at Tiffany's Pattaya, yes it had lady boys in it but was a good Cabrera show, lots of big feathered outfits, singing (well lip syncing really) and dance.
I also meet a heap of bikers from the Brotherhood Motorcycle Club down at walking street where they where raising money for the flood victims in southern Thailand. (yes there is a major flood down there, which is why I have had to scrap the idea of heading to Malaysia. I spent ages trying to find information about it and it wasn't mentioned on BBC or CNN so I guess most of the world doesn't know about it) It had cut both roads heading south from about the bottom of Myanmar. It's bloody lucky I stayed in Kampot for a bit extra or I would either be in the flood or trapped below it.
They where all good people and most helpful with info. Although saying that the guy I was told was the best mechanic in Pattaya maybe even Thailand, who could help me with the timing of the bike turned out to be a bike snob. He basically refused to help me with my bike because it wasn't a Harley. Yes this is a well know thing for some bike people to be snobby about bikes, I had the same problem with BMW people in Australia.
Although he will never read this because I'm not riding a Harley I want to say,
“Get over yourself. I like most bikers ride for the pleasure of the ride not for what you ride. When in Australia I though I could never ride anything smaller than a 600cc again, but since I have had Gracie I have realised I was very wrong a little bike can be just as much fun as a big bike and in countries like Vietnam a big bike is a licence to die.”
Sorry I had to have my rant on that one as I wasted an afternoon trying to get my bike done.
5/4/11
Started out trying to get an extension for my visa until I found out it would cost about $60US for 7 days, so I am now going to try to get up to Chiang Mai where (I've heard) are some of the best roads in Thailand and then get to the Laos border before the 9th when my visa runs out. It does mean I will have to do some serious miles on the poor little girl but I think she can handle it. It also means I will miss the Songkran water festival, bugger, but it also means I gain back the extra time I spent in Cambodia.
Had a few issues around Bangkok as I had forgotten to stop the GPS from using toll roads which I'm not allowed on. But after finding my way to some back roads I have made it to Ayuthaya.
6/4/11
Riding up toward Chamg Mai and Gracie started making some real bad noises, I happened to roll to a stop next to an beautifully restored Classic bike for sale next to the Authong Classic Club sign, after a while I managed to get hold of the guy who had done the job who's workshop was just up the road.
By the time I had been taken to a hotel over the road to dropped off my bags and taken to the workshop he had the head off and was playing around with the push rod and tappets. He got her going and she seemed to be running sweet that night.
7/4/11
Once I got up near Tak Gracie wasn't running very well again, so I looked into getting her on a Pick-up to Chang Mai as there was no where in Tak that would look at it. I ended up getting to Lampang at about 2100hrs so that I could put her on the train to Chang Mai the next day.
8/4/11
Of course the train was late from Bangkok, but managed to get to a hotel in Chang Mai at around 1300. Got hold of Nara the helpfully man from the Pattaya Brotherhood who had said he could put me in touch with a guy to fix Gracie, contacted the guy but had to duck off to the immigration office as it was Friday and my visa expired on Saturday, this is why I had to make it to Chang Mai or Loas.
Managed to get my visa and back to get the bike looked at, of course with Songkran the next week most thing are closed so it was difficult to get parts before Monday, but the guy has managed to source a second hand Cam shaft and new tappets for me which he will put in on Monday.
9/4/11
Checked out Chang Mai, which is a beautiful place, walked around a lot.
10/4/11
The water fighting started, not to bad but they are getting in the swing of Songkran nice and early this year.
The water fighting got in full swing which means everyone gets wet from about 1100 till dark 1800 ish. Got Gracie back and she sounds a lot better, but she is drinking the oil. I wanted the rings done but the guy could not get parts.
12/4/11
Watch the parade of Buddha statues, shit there are a lot of them, but hide in my hotel watching most of the day as it was on the parade route.
13/4/11
Was going to rent a bike to go for a ride around Pai area but decided against it in the end.
Got wet instead.
14/4/11
Road to Chang Rai got soaked on the ride, especially when I got to town looking for a hotel. The had some bands playing and fire trucks squirting everyone in the center of town so had a ball there.
Used almost a liter of oil for the 200 km.
15/4/11
Road to the Laos border where the Thia's got some more money out of me, but at least I have Gracie out of the country so do not have to pay them the $2000US if I leave without her.
Managed to get my passport stamped in Laos but customs was closed so could not get a stamp for Gracie. I was dropped off at a different point to everyone else so I could have just ridden off in Laos except that would mean no visa.
16/4/11
Got Gracie onto a boat going to Luang Prabang, so will be trying to get the rings and a few other things done there. The slow board isn't that slow and about 30 more people rocked up just as it was about to leave so it's full, but Gracie is tied onto the front hopefully safe.
Sorry about the number of photos i have heaps but it is way to slow on the Internet here to upload them. Also of course Songkran is a water festival so i left all electrical stuff at the hotel.
Anyway will post again in a couple of days when i know what I'm doing with Gracie.
Enjoy your life. I am.
