When I've been so badly broken, pushing the bike the next almost vertical ascent, inhaling smoke from forest burnings, humming to myself “It's still going to be beautiful, it will still be normal” alternating with “There's got to be fucking something around the corner” and not being able to keep up with wiping the streams of sweat, I wondered about the sense of traveling by bike in Thailand in the hot season…
THE HEAVENS SENT ME RAIN.
Or even specific, two-hour, Asian storm. The first drops in this area since 5 months, and for me for about two.
The smell, has gone green. I immediately felt better.
As strange as it may seem, But I haven't seen a blue sky in weeks. Yep! The sky doesn't have any color, but, maybe such a gray-blue. "Something" is in the air, from morning to evening. In the morning, the rising sun emerges from the air suspension and can be seen only when it is really high, is a red ball like it's just setting (Photo taken above the dam, which I am posting was made around 8 morning). Visibility stops after about a kilometer, maybe two and though I know, that there are mountains somewhere nearby, I don't see them, It's only when I'm right in front of my nose that they grow up like a wizard waving his wand. I hardly take pictures because there's no way.
For the past few days, I've been zigzagging horizontally and vertically, still near the border with Laos. I was a bit attracted by the national parks – there are so many of them here, and yet it's such an underestimated part of Thailand by mass tourism. I try to visit the "must-sees" in a given country, But I'm most drawn to such places. I was surprised and delighted to discover, that in Thailand there are more than 140 National Parks! To me, important is the fact, that in each (?) of them there is a designated place for camping, And although there is no possibility to buy anything there (Water and food must be brought with you) There are always toilets with showers, It's quiet and it's safe because there are guards nearby. I'd love to go from park to park like that, but, but it can't be done.
Undulations and falls.. It's at the top, it's at the bottom. In the real world, 'Cause the road is still up and down, Up-down and figuratively, because that's how I feel.. after all, they are gone 3 months on the road.
However, I chose the azimuth to the south, to the coast east of Bangkok, because it's the closest. However, I deserve a few days at the seaside, before I start to push north again, into the high mountains, I have to recharge the batteries. Well, unless, I change my mind again along the way..
PS. because google made me a trick and something few changes in the posting map again I have a problem with updating my whereabouts on the home page, So I put it here.