Back to base

So a final night in Chiang Rai last night and a run back to Chiang Mai to hand our bikes back to Tonys Big Bikes. We stopped at a Hot spring for a cuppa and for a photo of the spring and the Wat. A bit stressful today, both preoccupied with getting the bikes back in one piece and other peoples driving seemed worse than normal. I would recommend this trip to anyone, just don't take a minibus tour, these guys must have to pass an advanced stupidity test to qualify for their licence. Final night here before our flight tomorrow night, sad to be leaving an interesting and warm culture, and of course a warm climate. Pics include our restaurant in the hotel last night, the waitress who kept our beer glasses topped to the brim all night, never seen service like it, the Hot Spring and of course another Wat. Hopefully put a short video together to share when we get back so stay tuned!

Outside our eating booth

Our happy and efficient waitress

Hot Springs

This Temple ws closed due to structural isuues, possibly earthquake damage

Into Chiang Rai

We took a short ride into Chiang Rai today for a wander and a MacDonalds, needed the meat and fat intake, realised white Scottish Italians can't live by curry and rice alone. Feeling a bit off today and some of the authentic smells weren't helping. Back on the tourist trail now unfortunately , evidenced by backpackers looking for cheap lodgings and cafés with free wifi, one thing I wondered, is it now fashion for backpacking types to grow long hair with strange ponytails? Rather than look individual they all look the same, final run into Chiang Mai tomorrow to hand back the bikes and do some more tourist stuff before flying out Friday night.

Into the shopping centre, memories of home

Super bike parking........

Funny sign

My old pal, always around



Th famous clock in Chiang Rai, its lit up at night and is seemingly a spectacle, looked good during the day

Our hacienda in Chiang Rai, less than £20 a night

Phayao and Chiang Rai

 Great days riding to Phayao, small quiet roads with great views, the town is described as the Vienna of South East Asia but its got a bit to go. Nice place and as always the people are great, got some great pics but I'll upload them when I get home with a story as the internet is scratchy, visited the white temple today which was impressive. To be honest curried oot noo, could do with some European food just to get my stomach in order however the roads have made up for it and the people, fantastic!   

These things get rid of the weeds

The white temple,impressive

3 on a bike like this is everywhere, sometimes 4

Cool dude with eye protection but nae helmet

Mair Wat's

The name for the temples here are "Wat" many a joke to be had with our poor english around that one, all are impressive in one way or another but I think after todays "Wat" tour we're wat ed oot! Wats that, yep nae mair wat's except for maybe the white one in Chiang Rai later in the week. Back on the road proper tomorrow and heading across country again .

A quiet one

A day relaxing today so not much to report, we are staying in a "resort" we woke up this morning to a hotel full of cars, no idea whats going on, last night we were the only two in the restuarant, service was amazing with the guys topping up the beer glass as soon as it got half way down, tonight was the same. This place would seat 300 and there is two of us eating here, confused, today there was some sort of conference about tourism but now no idea where everybody is. Went for a walk and took some pics of flowers for you to enjoy, into town on the bike to get 2 Snickers, 4 pakets of M&M's 2 bags of crisps and a litre of Johnny Red, funny we arrived at 4 pm and we couldn't get our whisky till 5 so had to hang around like a couple of Alki's waiting until they'd sell /us it, even funnier the staff thought it was hillarious the the guy serving me almost lost his gonads reaching for the bottle and was doubled up on the floor, gave him a tip for the entertainment.

The 1158 to Nan

So after the Bankock bike club left at maximum revs and noise this morning we left in a quieter fashion to ride the fantastic 1158 to Nan, excellent day and great roads, one wrong turn cost us a 16 mile detour but got us lunch for 2 with tea and water for just over a pound each, a similar authentic roadside breakfast stop saw us get water for 2 and a soup/ noodle breakfast for us for a pound. We saw the locals working in the fields and fishing, had a great day where nobody spoke english and are now in a resort for a couple of days ' looks like we are the only europeans here, just us and about 70 single Chinese guys,, not sure what the crack is but who cares,, a meal for 2, 5 large beers , a pot of tea, several bottles of water for just over 20 quid not to be scoffed at (I drank all the beer, Fi's aff it for the day.

en route for dinner last night

Bangkok bike club

Fishing for a living

Great day for biking

Stopped in a local roadside cafe, The girl on the left in traditional dress, the one on the right feels left out i think

The bikes, very dirty now

Mountain passes, getting lost and Bangkock bike club

After a shitty night in the most expensive hotel so far, 38 quid but chinese arseholes waking us up/in the early morning we headed off along somme stunning mountain passes, at times we thought we were lost, very rural, people eeking out subsistence living from the land but seemigly happy. we saw a cool waterfall and had some stress finding a place to stay in Chiang Khiang but we found somehwere after a long day in the saddle.

Stunning views today but being largely in rural Thailand we struggled to make ourselves understood but i suppose no more than a Dundonian in Perth.

Tonight we had a meal/in a place just down from our hotel, a liveley place with live music. Then a Bangkok bike club appeared, took the place over so we went over and introduced ourselves, nice people, I drank a Johhnie walker on the rocks with King Kong, the biggest guy in the group, lucky he was still smaller than me, nice people on a chaity run but a bit like the movie fast and furious, we made our excuses and left.

View over the Meekong into Laos

High up, great views

Rural break stop

Nice waterfall and the only place we got charged to park