Tiger2 does 4x4

We left Chiang Mai on January 13th and it’s now January 20th. We’ve been on the road for 7 continuous days exploring the north of Thailand. The aim is to follow the Mekhong River where it borders Central Thailand and Laos, making our way to the International Crossing. Our visa runs out on February 5th and we calculate we should be there by at least the 2nd. We are waiting for news about the arrival of the Green Book ( motorbike passport ) so that we can get a number plate and the official temporary export papers signed to cross the borders out of Thailand.

We’ve slept in a variety of rooms, some definitely grander than others, but they all have a common denominator: Rock hard mattresses and pillows. Ultra firm mattresses are OK, but concrete-like pillows are playing havoc with B’s neck and shoulders. After a particularly restless night, this time in Chiang Kham, we decide to take an easier route down the 1148 heading to Nan. Mid-morning we see a blue tourist sign publicising the Royal Agricultural Project and a Cultural Centre, and Coffee. And the road immediately climbs steeply, directing us to the Phu Sang National Park. We stop at the Luxury restaurant offering Coffee, and sip some traditional tea offered to us from a local stall. The national park is further up the road so we keep riding upwards , tarmac road narrows to a concrete strip and then a red/white painted bamboo barrier prevents us from going further. That’s a pity. We start to turn around and then notice a rangers station at the end of the drive. We turn in and get a friendly greeting ; “SawadeeKap”. They check our tyres, look at our passports, note that we don’t have a number plate, and indicate for us to follow the man main in camouflage gear. He leads us along another driveway and we pop out the other side of the barrier, “Hey Ho, let’s Go.”

Our altitude is 969 metres and 10kms later we are at 1720m. The road is a rutted 4X4 track through the jungle. It is soooo steep that I need to get off and walk. B is yelling “lean forward, lean forward”, but as we are both now almost sitting on the tank, its impossible for me to hang on anymore. Huff and Puff, I walk a bit, ride for the level-ish stretches and then we reach the top. B is using 2wheels and 2 feet ( 4x4 ) to foot it up the track and keep the bike pointing forwards. At the top there is a sign encouraging us to walk the final 2kms. The air is fresh, the views unbelievable and we chastise ourselves for forgetting to bring a bottle of water with us. We rest and gaze about in wonder before hiking the 2kms back to the bike. The ride down the track is mad. As we descend, the back of the bike is sliding faster than the front, threatening to overtake itself. B releases the throttle to restore some grip. “Get back, get back” he shouts, “put some weight on the back-end”. I heave myself uphill as far back as possible, lie flat across the beach mat on the rear rack, hook my arms around the walking stick , which is acting like a rear-end handle bar and hold my head up with a non-existent 6-pack. And then we go up again, “get forward, get forward”, he shouts. Quick as a flash, I unhook arms and pull myself forward again, receiving a Thai tatoo (exhaust burn) in the process. I’ve seen similar energetic action at the SideCar races at the Val de Vienne Circuit where the pillions throw themselves left to right around the corners to assist the pilot. Well, I’m doing the same, frontwards/backwards until we reach the ranger’s station. 2 hours of fun. We down a warm coca cola, rub sore wrists and put burn-aid on my leg. Our first-aid kit is basic. Plasters, burn-aid cream, antihistamine pills and paracetamol. After all that excitement we’re happy to ride the calmness of the 1148 to Nan, but we turn the wrong way at the T-junction, miss the U-turn sign and by 4pm are in a town called Pua. We approach the helpful man at the visitor centre, who phones around and then directs us to a nice Thai hotel across the road. We are starting to recognise the Thai signs for hotel now. There’s no-one there, but we call and wander around and find a lady in the laundry room at the back. We give her 350 baht and she gives us a key for the very first room at the entrance on the ground floor. Perfect. And the pillows are soft. It’s so good we stay there for 4 days. The owner gives us 50 baht back, explaining that the laundry lady had overcharged us for the room, so kind and honest. The room is only 300 baht per day. We have found it very refreshing that whenever we pulled in for chain-adjustment or any small task, they wave their hands refusing money, “free, free”. We discuss clothes washing facilities in town and the owner says we can use his brand-new industrial top loader, plus powder and softener, for free. So kind. While B stays in bed, nursing a cold and fever and downing pills, I load the washing machine a few times and try and sort out 70,000 photos up in the cloud into Albums. The wi-fi is strong, the coffee and biscuits are free, and at 4pm every day we get fresh towels and bottled water. The owner seems to spend the whole day in his room behind reception and only emerges when the bell is pressed. Actually we don’t discover the bell until we finally leave and write a thank you note for a lovely stay. Apart from that we see nobody else. A sort of ghost DIY hotel, except for Sunday morning , 5am. Music blaring on huge speakers alarm us to wake up, there’s a mass commotion in the foyer and hundreds of bicycles and their riders have descended into town and our hotel. Its a cycle competition. No expense spared in cycle kit, bikes and personal gear. By 8 am they’re off in timed sections/ relays, and then its quiet again. Back to ghost town. Next door to the hotel is a sophisticated cart on wheels which gets trundled out every day in the late afternoon; It contains a stainless steel cutting block and various plastic bowls and a stainless steel gas driven hotplate with chimney. The nice young man unpacks 6 plastic tables and chairs with table cloths all wiped down with soapy water. There are Two big tubs, one for his hands, the other for dishes. We watch him pack up and unpack every day, meticulously preparing and cleaning and cooking. We eat there every evening, delicious stir-fried dinners. Rice, chicken pork, vegetables and soup are on the menu. Simple and tasty. There is also a poster for Smart English Lessons. The Thai gentleman who runs these classes introduces himself and we chat away, he is concentrating on practising English pronunciation. By day 4 we have arranged for his group of Thai students (aged 14 to 17) to prepare some interview questions. The classes are all after school, as he is the English teacher during the day, but gives private classes at his rooms in the evening. They approach us during dinner and we have a lovely evening interacting with these youngsters, answering questions about ‘our favourite Thai food’, what does our house look like’, what are our hobbies, etc. ?‘ I am offered a job at the government school, which I graciously decline, but will keep it in mind for another time.

We reluctantly pack up, Pua has captured our hearts, a simple, dusty, ghost town with a big welcoming embrace into its culture and ways. We get to Nan after 2 hours in the correct direction, B is very tired and coughing lots, he’s been hit by the same lurgy-bug that got me at Xmas. We find a deserted reception desk at a guest house, but one of the guests thrust a card in my hand, before whizzing off on her scooter. We phone a number, speak to a man in English and are told to wait ‘ a moment’. He soon appears and we negotiate a below-the-going-rate for a 3 day stay. It’s a nice room on the ground floor. Once again, he never really seems to be there, help yourself to coffee and toast, which we do, another DIY hotel. People saunter in and out, dish out business cards and help themselves to keys hanging on a series of hooks. This place is decorated with antique treadle sewing machine bases, restored and topped with wood, glass cabinets filled with American Wild West memorabilia and some very heavy cast metal wagon and horse (Wells Fargo, etc ) nick-nacks. All open, obviously theft in Nan does not exist, but we lock our room anyway.

It’s now 24 days since we bought the GPXRacing Legend 200. The 3026 kms journey from Khon Kaen to Nan has been beyond our expectations, filled with adventure after adventure. Tiger2 enjoyed a week in Ban Ton, touched the Burmese border, had a slice of Pai, was Named, met the Mighty Mekhong, experienced the Golden Triangle, done Daisy Inn, and Morphed into a 4X4 ( 2 wheels and 2 feet).

Our 3 day rest in Nan is well deserved.