Our first day of cycling took us out of Chiang Rai, heading north towards the Burmese border. Our enthusiastic Police escort amazed us by turning up with bunches and bunches of bananas to keep us nourished along the way. “It felt amazing cycling behind these guys – with their lights flashing and occasional siren – talk about feeling important – they showed us so much genuine interest and warmth” This police presence was beneficial not only for their traffic management skills in the busier towns, but also for the peace of mind of having them nearby in the more remote areas for their first aid skills and speedy reaction, neither of which I am pleased to say, we needed! Many a wave and cheer from the local stall holders, lining the road out of town, gave us an insight into just how warmly received we would be during our stay.
The well-surfaced, quiet roads North of Chiang Rai led us past the nearby mountain ranges bordering Thailand and Burma. Spinning efficiently we cruised out of town, soaking up the views. 50 km slipped by unnoticed. A perfectly timed pause, to visit a curious local Wat, added excitement along the way. Here, lively cheeky monkeys ran riot amongst the mostly Thai visitors. This short break prepared us for the long coast up to Mai Sai, a bustling, vibrant market town on the border with Burma. Here the relaxed border guards observed us with bemused interest, a welcome distraction to the routine checks they proffer the stream of human traffic trading goods between the two countries. After soaking up the atmosphere and refueling our energy reserves on dried fruit bought from the local market, we headed out of town. Our route continued on to include some challenging climbs through some beautiful hills, which lay between us, and the slow moving, majestic Mekong River. The cycling began to get more demanding and reminded us of what we could expect in the days to come.
An extract from my diary, of my thoughts over the next few tough kilometers;
“The thud of my pulse – the urgency of my breath trying hard to keep up with the demands being made by my body, the feeling of being so alive and so in tune – the mantra of determination screaming round my head “don’t give up, keep pedalling, keep pushing, just believe – believe and achieve” – affirmations of resolve to boost my now fragile will power from the temptation to give in to the screaming thighs, the gasping breath, the cramping stomach. So much to prove; to the guys riding, to the support team driving just metres behind me – their patience extraordinary – crawling up the hill a lot slower than I care to mention! I felt the pressure of forcing them to follow so slowly but they were there for me with water and encouragement. Beyond all of that, I had so much to prove to myself.
The final push, the last 100 metres of steep gradient, just holding on.
Then in a split second all that changed – exhilaration – flying down the other side – the struggle forgotten in an instant. Looking ahead and not seeing the bike beneath me, feeling like a bird, flying free and unstoppable – sheer unashamed delight – in every way worth the struggle just minutes before. Freedom, invincible.”
After 100km in the saddle, we finally reached The Golden Triangle, an area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Burma meet along the banks of the Mekong River. Here, in the town of Chiang Saen, we enjoyed some of the charm and cultural heritage of this ancient part of Thailand. This area has a history of Opium production, which was illegalized in 1959, and has been successfully eliminated thanks to the crop substitution program initiated by the King of Thailand. These days the region is popular with visitors who are looking for something more authentic than the commercialized islands further south. Here travelers enjoy the stunning landscapes, many ancient wat, and sleepy villages that abound here. We had a remarkable and memorable evening in Chiang Saen. We visited the huge golden Buddha, which towers above the numerous colourful prayer flags, candles, and incense. The sights, sounds and exotic scents in the area overwhelmed our senses. The picturesque views over the Mekong River towards Burma and Laos, only adding to the atmosphere. Our day’s efforts were richly rewarded by our warm welcome at our hotel – one of the King of Thailand’s residences, and we spent a night in lavish comfort.
The well-surfaced, quiet roads North of Chiang Rai led us past the nearby mountain ranges bordering Thailand and Burma. Spinning efficiently we cruised out of town, soaking up the views. 50 km slipped by unnoticed. A perfectly timed pause, to visit a curious local Wat, added excitement along the way. Here, lively cheeky monkeys ran riot amongst the mostly Thai visitors. This short break prepared us for the long coast up to Mai Sai, a bustling, vibrant market town on the border with Burma. Here the relaxed border guards observed us with bemused interest, a welcome distraction to the routine checks they proffer the stream of human traffic trading goods between the two countries. After soaking up the atmosphere and refueling our energy reserves on dried fruit bought from the local market, we headed out of town. Our route continued on to include some challenging climbs through some beautiful hills, which lay between us, and the slow moving, majestic Mekong River. The cycling began to get more demanding and reminded us of what we could expect in the days to come.
An extract from my diary, of my thoughts over the next few tough kilometers;
“The thud of my pulse – the urgency of my breath trying hard to keep up with the demands being made by my body, the feeling of being so alive and so in tune – the mantra of determination screaming round my head “don’t give up, keep pedalling, keep pushing, just believe – believe and achieve” – affirmations of resolve to boost my now fragile will power from the temptation to give in to the screaming thighs, the gasping breath, the cramping stomach. So much to prove; to the guys riding, to the support team driving just metres behind me – their patience extraordinary – crawling up the hill a lot slower than I care to mention! I felt the pressure of forcing them to follow so slowly but they were there for me with water and encouragement. Beyond all of that, I had so much to prove to myself.
The final push, the last 100 metres of steep gradient, just holding on.
Then in a split second all that changed – exhilaration – flying down the other side – the struggle forgotten in an instant. Looking ahead and not seeing the bike beneath me, feeling like a bird, flying free and unstoppable – sheer unashamed delight – in every way worth the struggle just minutes before. Freedom, invincible.”
After 100km in the saddle, we finally reached The Golden Triangle, an area where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Burma meet along the banks of the Mekong River. Here, in the town of Chiang Saen, we enjoyed some of the charm and cultural heritage of this ancient part of Thailand. This area has a history of Opium production, which was illegalized in 1959, and has been successfully eliminated thanks to the crop substitution program initiated by the King of Thailand. These days the region is popular with visitors who are looking for something more authentic than the commercialized islands further south. Here travelers enjoy the stunning landscapes, many ancient wat, and sleepy villages that abound here. We had a remarkable and memorable evening in Chiang Saen. We visited the huge golden Buddha, which towers above the numerous colourful prayer flags, candles, and incense. The sights, sounds and exotic scents in the area overwhelmed our senses. The picturesque views over the Mekong River towards Burma and Laos, only adding to the atmosphere. Our day’s efforts were richly rewarded by our warm welcome at our hotel – one of the King of Thailand’s residences, and we spent a night in lavish comfort.
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