Monday 7th June 2010:

Lyn was up early for that morning swim, whilst the local fishermen were casting their bait nets into the ocean earning an income.

Bill’s air conditioning fan motor has stuffed itself; hence whilst travelling today we will try and locate one from the many Isuzu dealers. After calling in to 3 or 4 dealers it would seem that the model of motor Isuzu use in Australia is unique to us, so we will keep trying for alternatives. The matter was not helped when unbeknown to us one of the ‘helpful’ isuzu dealers actually completely short circuited the motor and burnt it out completely.

We are heading towards Krabi on the West coast however, as it now 6pm we turn off the road and follow signs to a waterfall. The road changes to a track changes to a set of tyre marks winding in and out of rubber trees. Rather than push our luck this is where we camp.

Camp 7:    Rubber Tree Camp

N07* 36.669 E099* 54.153

Distance Travelled Today: 290 Kms

Total Distance: 1449 Kms

Tuesday 8th June 2010

What a wild night, one would think that we were far from the maddening crowd; however it was like camped in the main street. All night long open muffled motorbikes passed us on the left and the right side. Only this morning we realised that they must have been harvest and scraping the rubber trees at night.

The sights today on the road varied considerably. From overloaded bicycles with bamboo furniture to timber trucks loaded beyond maximum with timber, palm oil nuts, dried fish etc.

With the trucks parked up in Krabi we walked the town, lunched and purchased an amazing assortment of fresh fruit.

Just North of Krabi is the town of Ao Nang. A two lane road that skirts the beach, along it the hotels and tourist shops beckon the passing trade. Out to sea are majestic limestone monoliths towering vertically from the water.

Rather than driving further afield we find a vacant property right in the middle of the strip. Shaded with trees this is camp for the evening. Drinks on the beach, and the eating house is next door – perfect!

Camp 8: Limestone Monoliths Camp

N08* 02.472 E098* 48.800

Distance Travelled Today: 210 Kms

Total Distance: 1659 Kms

Wednesday 9th June 2010

After some deliberation we ended up hiring a long tail boat for the morning to visit Poda and Chicken Island. The limestone formations continue to impress.

Topping the vehicles up with shower and drinking water at the service stations is a challenge. Either the attendants think you want bottled water or want to wash the vehicle.

It always causes some giggling particularly amongst the girls as you act out the showering bit!

On our way to Chieo Lan Reservoir the roadside market just at the turn off to the dam offered a variety of dinner choices.

Our final selection was:

750Gms of large prawns- Baht 120 (A$4.80)

A bunch of Coriander, Basil, 4 Limes, Bok Choy and Chilli – Baht 30 (A$1.20)

4 Packets of noodles, premixed with spices - Baht 80 (A$3.20)

And just as snacks now:

Some crispy crabs - Baht 20 for 10

This was nice, crispy seafood pancake – full headed prawns – Baht 10

...very tasty!

The view point at the reservoir is well maintained with colourful gardens. A family on a day’s outing chat to us, and as happens many times want photographs of themselves with the vehicles and ourselves.

It would have been a great place to camp however via the family’s daughter who spoke good English, the security guard said we could not camp here.

We found a nice green grassy area out of the way on a side road, and that would have been good until another security guard arrived. He did have trouble telling us to move on and I thought he perhaps had allowed us...until he returned 15 minutes later with newly learnt English words.

“Not Sleep Here”

Road side quarries, (and dam gravel pits) offer firm flat and out of the way accommodation sites.

Dinner was cooked in the wok over our external burners by John and me.

Noodles with fresh prawns and all those additives were received well by all.

An explosion of taste was one comment! Just to top the evening fire flies hovered around our camp.

Camp 9: Camp Security Guard.

N08* 57.803 E098* 48.713

    

Distance Travelled Today: 166 Kms

Total Distance:1825 Kms

Thursday 10th June 2010

John had found that his tyre pressure in the back left was constantly dropping, not much but over time would cause a problem. Over the last few days we have been checking the tyre and value for leaks but found nothing. This morning with further checking we found that the steel rim was leaking slightly at a weld joint. Strange because it was the face plate weld not a rim weld. Thus we swapped with a spare and that morning called into a tyre place in Chumphon.

By 4pm we were looking for a camp site around Prachuap Khirckhum without success.

The village is a fishing community with lots of boats anchored in the bay, some belonging to sea gypsies. We continued on or “toodled on” as Liz would say on small dirt roads past drying racks where the villages are drying small fish they sell to Sri Lanka.

They drive like crazy everywhere and on this very country road and too soon we were faced with a horrific accident between a car and bike. The deceased two bike riders were sprawled across the road.

A very hard moment for all...conversation between the vehicles at a loss for the next hour as we moved on............

We were near the town of Kui Buri

Camp was down a dirt track that leads to a shack and boat storage on the beach. There is a good sea breeze blowing.

That evening we had a few visitors who between their fishing duties came over for a chat.

With the sun now set we are alone for ‘happy hour’ followed by dinner of leftovers from last night’s noodle mix..

Camp 10:   Fishing Shack Camp

N11* 55.435 E99* 49.472

Distance Today: 443 Kms

Total Distance: 2268 Kms

Friday 11th - Sunday 13th June 2010

We were away by 8.45 after a long beach walk to watch the sun rise. The fishermen were also arriving on their motor bikes to take their boats out. They are catching crabs and small fish in nets. Everyone is very friendly.

Travelling north towards Bangkok is uneventful other than Bill has managed to locate a fan motor for his air-conditioner. It will need some mounting modifications buy will work.

Entering the Bangkok free way system we pay our toll (Baht45) at gate no 4 and after moving on, a very irate policeman pulls us over. He is mad, screaming licence. I hand over a copy of my international licence. He screams back “No Copy”.

With the real one in his hand he marches off, with self following keeping a watchful eye on my licence. With a lot of interaction it would seem that ‘TRUCKS’ go through gates 1, 2 or 3. Cars are 4 to 7.

“Ticket” he said and “OK if you must” I replied.  That was not the answer he wanted. He indicated his top pocket and asked for Baht 500 (A$20). I knew Thai police are corrupt but B500 was way too high, so I offered B100. That was obviously too low. Anyway with much interaction I haggled the bribe down to B250.

On further investigation with my local business friends in Bangkok over the next few days I discovered it makes no difference which gate, but I think we will stick to gate 1, 2 or 3 in future.

Once off the freeway we entered the great Bangkok parking lot where we stopped and very occasionally moved slowly forward.

The Nuvi proved most helpful to find the Holiday Inn and the Malaysia/Thailand/etc chip has been more than worth it.

For dinner that night Lyn and I enjoyed a Chinese banquet put on by some business associates we have been working with for over 30 years.

Saturday was a working day for me whilst the others did the tourist thing.

Sunday was the Bangkok weekend market where you can buy anything..even a rabbit dressed in a dress!... and all for only B150 (A$6)

Tomorrow we cross into Cambodia. That I am looking forward to.

Camp 11-13:  Holiday Inn Bangkok.  

N13* 43.300 E100* 31.189 

Distance Today: 300 Kms

Total Distance: 2567 Kms

Monday 14th June 2010

Rather than cross the border late in the afternoon, we left Bangkok later in the day and drove as far as Kabinburi. Just out of town we found a disused building with a concrete area beside it...perfect.

Camp 14:  Camp Concrete.  

N13* 55.934 E101* 50.508 

Distance Today: 186 Kms

Total Distance: 2753 Kms