Thailand, Cycling to Australia 28th January 2012

Garry McGivern is in Thailand cycling to Australia on Saturday, the 28th of January, 2012. Phonhong, Laos to Udonthani, Thailand. 94 miles. There were no chickens this morning, just children running up and down the hotel corridor, screaming and shouting as they went!

The roads have been nice and flat, but still very dusty! And despite getting another puncture this morning, I was at the Laos/Thai border at lunchtime. Crossing the border into Thailand was easy, a little too easy!

I got my exit stamp from the Laos border and proceeded to ride across the Friendship Bridge, which wasn’t anything special. On the Thai side of the bridge, I continued to ride, looking for the customs officers. And it wasn’t until I reached a crossroads that I realised I must have missed the border office! Yikes! I’m an illegal alien! And the one place, from what I’ve heard, where I don’t want to be thrown into prison is Thailand! I quickly turned around to get an entry stamp and my visa upon entry.

Rocks with ivy on
Laos hills from yesterday
Country 14

I’m now in Thailand, country number 14. I have made a bit of a mistake, though! I hadn’t realised that if you cross into Thailand by land, you only get a fourteen-day visa instead of flying in when you get a thirty-day visa! And in my rough schedule, I thought it would take me fifteen days to cycle across the country to Malaysia! It’s going to be pretty tight getting across in time! But so far, the roads have been on my side, very smooth and flat.

I had a bit of a problem finding somewhere to stop tonight. When I arrived in Udonthani, the first hotel I saw was called the Grand, and it looked rather grand! I thought I’d give that one a miss and try to find something that didn’t look as posh! After cycling around the city for nearly an hour and not finding anything else, I returned to the Grand. Bed and breakfast cost me £11! I’ve always said it’s best to stop at the first place that comes up, and I proved that tonight. I’m now sitting in the hotel’s restaurant writing this blog, surrounded by a load of 60 something Thais singing karaoke!

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