Lampang to Chiang Mai

If you are doing research through this wonderful CGOAB encyclopedia, please note that Lampang to Chiang Mai is about 120 kms on Hwy 11 with a mountain pass to overcome. 37 kms listed above is my milage from pottering about my start and end destinations for today. I did the same for the 'ride' Phayao to Lampang 2 days ago. Though cycling Hwy 11 should be fun and challenging, some journals have it as 'all boring' highway, when riding up from Bangkok, as that route almost parallels the railway heading north.

As I am taking the train today, there will be nice pictures of that ride and hopefully not too much detailed ramblings taking up a few paragraphs. I was tempted by the train ride, as not only does it do the hill climbing for me, it also passes by Khun Tan National Park and crosses the watershed that separates the Ping river valley (Chiang Mai) from the Wang river valley (Lampang) The air is cool and the jungle scenery very thick and jungly. The highlight must be a very long and dark tunnel at Khun Tan. It got all the schoolgirls in the train screaming.

I reluctantly check out of my 'home' for the past two nights, a bit surprised that I had to pay the high season rate of Thb 550 instead of Thb 450. Well, I had crossed into October. They lent me some cutlery. A blue mosquito coil outside the room each evening. Excellent housekeeping. Check out girl took pains to say that the owner might give me a discount, but as a mere employee, she could not. As if to apologise, she struck off my small internet bill, but I paid in full. It was a really excellent stay after all, with absolutely no ghosts.

I rode a whole 100 metres before fruit juice Granny waved me over for another ABC. Aah sweet beet root and it's anti oxidant properties. For the uninformed, it might make your stools a little purplish red also. Don't panic, it's not blood, but that's hard to tell sometimes, mainly because I am not a doctor, and I am not you. Speaking of panic, I did, the first time.

Got to the station at high noon for the highly anticipated 1241 hrs departure. Buy ticket for an amazing Thb 23, but the time printed on it is cancelled and replaced with 1300 hrs. Drats. At 1.00 pm, the time on a whiteboard is changed to 1350 hrs. Train rumbles in at 2.30 pm. Double drats. Think carefully, why do they even bother with 1241 hrs? Just say early afternoon after 1 pm or thereabouts.

If you have bike trouble, there is an adequate bike shop right by the fountain outside the station. I spot new Shimano stuff. The owner is also into high powered motorcycles. Nice to gawk at. The motorcycles.

I had two and a half hours to observe the goings on in a rural Thai train station.

Nice German inspired architecture. A really Nazi looking black and white clock, with a stern black eagle motif, hanging from the ceiling, which did not make the train arrive any faster.

There's a Chevy van parked outside. Steering wheel on the right.

A monk talks for 2 hours on his cell phone.

I buy an expensive Thb 7 bottle of water. Usually Thb 4 - 5 outside. Thb 6 at 7/11.

I move the bike around 3 times, just because I felt like doing so.

Many many boisterous school kids on a field trip, writing notes, sitting on the station floor. One teacher, though middle aged, is fashion savvy and would not look out of place in a Thai disco. Imagine a Marg Helgenberger from CSI, but with a Thai face.

Went to the gents once and there were 3 newly pubescent boys in school uniforms, applying eyeliner and lipstick. Check to see urinals, yes I am in the right convenience.

There is a book titled, 'The Third Sex : Kathoey, Thailand's Ladyboys' by a Richard Totman. Mildly enlightening. Amazon has it.

I got hit Thb 100 for the bicycle, but after 30 minutes I was issued a receipt. Almost 5 times the fare for a human that weighs 3 times the cargo. The only logical conclusion is that the rail authorities are trying discourage bulky cargo in the passenger trains.

Speaking of bulky cargo, I notice the highest ranking train official in a peak cap and pseudo military uniform messing with his cell phone across from me. What a job, just sitting all the way from Bangkok and working his phone. 3 other flat tummy underlings run around, checking and issuing tickets, writing up stuff, opening and closing windows, gawking at the intricate brake and gear shifting system on my bike, and saving a life when a clueless schoolgirl almost leaves the end of the train in search for the 'hawng-nahm' or bathroom.

That made the train general quite angry and he stood up, went to some teachers and barked something like, control your students. Students being students kept quiet for a while before playing, I touch you, you touch me back, and I hit you back, repeat 100 times.

Ironically, as a lone cycle tourist, I am allowed to the back of the train, but not beyond a rusty chain, to take photos.

This Khun Tan park place seems nice, could be a good overnight cycle trip from Chiang Mai itself. There are bungalows to stay in and at least some food from what I saw during a very brief 5 minute stop at 600 metres above seal level.

Thanks Dave Early, for planting another seed, http://daveearly.com/2009/06/28/khun-tan-railway-station-and-tunnel

Chiang Mai has too many hotels and guest houses for it's own good. Building and re modelling continues as there's no Thai translation for recession. Even though the recession of late 08 is, well, late a year or so in Thailand. Although it sounds like I am complaining, I am not, as I sense a forced discount rearing it's lovely head once again. This time I get to share it with fellow guests who shamelessly pull up in Volvo XC 90s and BMW 740is, impeding my LHT's way into the hotel basement car park.

On the first day of the trip, I did a double take when I saw a sign saying '499' outside a posh hotel. 3 days later, I cancel my Thb 650 room reservation in a downtown guest house for tonight and tomorrow. The last 2 nights will be here, at the Grand Panerai Hotel, part of the Royal Peninsula Group, whatever that is, as I am not in Hong Kong. (That super Hi-So one orders Bentleys in bulk). Both are located in a low traffic area of town, but are just 100 m from the famed north east Sri Phum corner of the city moat, which is pretty darn touristy. So close and yet so far. A location that only a lone cycle tourist, passing by at 25 km/h, on his/her way to the farm lands along the Ping river, will take real notice of.

It was great to get to Chiang Mai relatively early before dark and settle in to such luxurious but ridiculously well priced surroundings. Clean up, then off to hunt for food on a bicycle. I eat a very healthy stir fried tofu and spinach over white rice dish, at the town's finest Chinese restaurant, Jia Tong Heng, along Sri Donchai Road, and takeaway a box of Shanghai fried noodles, just in case. That's Thb 150 for both, and the price of 3/4 of a spare tube in some countries. I did not eat the little piggies, they are more palatable in a sausage or patty form. Cycling and eating. What a wonderful, vicious circle. I guess the secret is, to cycle enough, so you don't end up looking like a circle.