Oblivious to Where I'm Going

Friday, 30 August 2019

Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai Historical Park

The old capital of Siam (Thailand) was interesting but beginning to get dull with all shear number of temple ruins I have been visiting in Thailand and Cambodia. I ended up visiting just to have a quick look, snap a few photos and started playing pokemon battling gyms and planting my monster for the day.

New Sukhothai Town

Sukhothai actually have three parts to it, the New Sukhothai where all the food and accommodation, shops and peoples daily life went about, Sukhothai Historical Park where the old capital of Siam was predating Ayutthaya and a slightly further (70km away) Si Satchanalai Historical Park the sister city of Sukhothai.

Sukhothai Noodles

Unlike Bangkok or Ayutthaya where the city is flooded with tourist, Sukhothai felt like a forgotten thing but beautifully preserved. Entry to the park was by foot only or one could rent a bicycle to go around. Compared to Ayutthaya ruins, the temples are much smaller and more spread out also lacking the attraction of chopped Buddha heads or the sorts.

Sukhothai Historical Park

Bicycle Inside Sukhothai Historical Park

Sukhothai Historical Park

Si Satchanalai Historical Park was even smaller temple wise compared to Sukhothai, but the land area that the park covered was so large that I had to use motorbike to get from one mound to another.

Si Satchanalai Historical Park

In a way Sukhothai was just what I needed. A quiet little town to pit stop and recuperate but at the same time with little things to see and explore every day.

Traveled on: Dec 2018

Tuesday, 6 August 2019

My Failed Attempt in Border Crossing into Kalimantan with a Motorbike

Three days ago I tried to enter Kalimantan with Bluey. For those that are unaware, Borneo has three countries dwelling in the island which is Malaysia (Sabah & Sarawak), Brunei and Indonesia. Kalimantan is the part of Borneo which is Indonesia.

For the last month while I was back in KL drifting away waiting for the time to past before I could start the Borneo leg, every Sarawakian I chance upon either randomly or friends or friends of friends, I would ask if they had ever made the journey to Pontianak by land. One Pakcik whom I picked up from KLIA airport via GRAB told me yeah its possible and he had done it many years back with his car.

With that one statement, it was my only assurance and hope that the crossing was possible.

I rode to the Malaysia-Indonesia border early in the morning from Padawan town. Never in my mind had it occurred that I would be denied entry into Kalimantan. In my head the journey was already done and the challenge was to get there doing the 345km journey in a day through unknown terrain and once there at Pontianak, dig up more information on hidden gems where I could go exploring with Bluey.

The Tebedu-Entikong Border (Tebedu- Malaysia & Entikong – Indonesia) is as far as I know the main international crossing and every other crossing is like a for local only and I had doubts if I could get and proper customs papers for Bluey if I were to go though the smaller ones.

Malaysia - Tebedu Customs -Immigration-Quarantine (CIQ) Building

As I reach near the border, I could see many Malaysian and Indonesian cars going to and fro from the border. Seams like a standard crossing and almost too easy. Ride my bike all the way into the immigration & customs building and parked Bluey.

Just to be sure, I asked the random police officer if my bike is ok to cross over to Indonesia. I was directed to the JPJ office (Land Transport Authority) and the guy said NO.

Do you have a letter of permission from MKN ?
(MKN- Majlis Keselamatan Negara – Malaysia National Security Council)

Err .... Takde ... (err ... don’t have)

Do you have Carnet ?

Err .... No ... I have been on that stupid waiting list to get the Carnet since last year (2018) August and to date they still have not contacted me for my turn.

Do you have letter of permission from Indonesia Consular ?

Sigh .... No .....

The officer apologetically said that he could not allow Bluey out of Malaysia. Cars are easy they say, just bring the vehicle ownership card and its a simple procedure to fill up forms, getting insured and going over to Indonesia but for motorbikes its a whole different standard. Usually, the easiest way is by using a Carnet, and the complicated letter of permission were normally for groups of convoys on a tour for bike week or something along that sort.

I politely asked if I could walk over to the Indonesia side to further ask if they would let Bluey in and get information on procedures for future reference. I was allowed to skip immigration, walked over and enquire with Customs Officer on the Indonesia side.

Indonesia - Entikong Customs-Imigration-Quarantine (CIQ) Building

For Bluey’s entry into Indonesia via Entikong Border, there was two ways to go about it said the Indonesian customs officer.

1. Carnet de Passage En Doune (!@#$%^&*)

2. Get a letter of permission from Indonesia Consular in Malaysia and after, apply for permission from Police department of Indonesia at the border, followed by standard customs forms and insurance.

Oh well ... I was definitely not getting into Kalimantan today and Carnet was out of the question since I know that if after one year I don't even hear a word from AAM Malaysia, their waiting list for the Carnet is utter rubbish and getting the Carnet was more of pestering and giving goodwill service to any whim and fancy the staff feels like asking, stroking their ego as they know that your dreams of touring the world are in their hands.

The 2nd part seams more feasible to me, but really not desperate yet to visit Kalimantan so within minutes I had set my mind and headed east to Sri Aman. Original plan was to visit little bits of Pontianak and then return to Sarawak to do the Pan Boneo Highway all the way to Sabah but since I was denied entry, I guess the Pan Borneo Roadtrip has begun.

Pan Borneo Highway - Towards Sri Aman

Traveled on : Aug 2019

#panborneoroadtrip #bordercrossing #tebeduentikongborder #carnet #blurtravels

Nahkon Sawan The Begining of the Chao Phraya River

The route north was planned so many times in my mind looking at google maps and finally I decided Nahkon Sawan will be the stopover on the way up to Sukhothai. The place was a city and nothing much was written about on the internet, with little to go by other than it was the beginning of the Chao Phraya River which run through Bangkok.

Big BuddhaTemple at Nahkon Sawan - Sunset

Golden Temple on top the Hill at Nahkon Sawan City

Nahkon Sawan surprised me really since this was a city that seams to have a vibrant local vibe. It was a big city with many little business shops in the center area and the nearby hilly mount had temples and very large Buddha on top that overlook the city.

Going up the hill there was also an observation tower which gave a beautiful panoramic view of the city 360 degrees.

Observation Tower View of Nahkon Sawan City

Only downside to this place was there was no Hostels, no signs of a falang hang out place hence not an ideal place to make a nest for a few days. It was a city in Thailand that has a major highway cutting through the middle but somehow while everyone skips by this place, it looked charming for the one night I was there and I would have love to take it slow but the north was calling.

I had to rush for time was running out. That is always the problem when travelling, time is always running out. I have no time limit but just because I am in another country, the visa on my passport become my clock.

Traveled on : Dec 2018

Saturday, 3 August 2019

Riding the Coastline to Rayong

By now I could say I have ride almost 90% of the entire Thailand coastline and that is really a lot.

From the south of Thailand, both east and western coastline all the way to Bangkok and down to Pattaya and finally the Gulf of Thailand coastline all the way to Trat bordering Cambodia.

Red marks the coastal road of Thailand which I have ride with Bluey

I did not really do it intentionally but it sort of just happened since the coastline of Thailand is beautiful with lots of little stops and perfect overnight cities along the way to rest up while exploring nearby. Ironically, the part of coastline I missed out are the ones bordering Malaysia.

From Trat to Rayong, I skipped the main highway No.3 and went with the small roads along the seaside literary winding through lonely beach and colorful fisherman ports and even at times passing through some villages that was made everyone looked up from what they were doing to see me and Bluey that was out of place, not fitting into their normal routine.

Lonely beach at coastal rode between Chantaburi - Rayong

When I zoomed in google maps looking for those small roads and links through the villages there was always the chance of getting stuck dead end and I would have to make a long detour just to find the nearest bridge to cross the river-mouth to the next coastal road.

Coastal road of Thailand with barely any vehicles

Bridge crossings were also a delight in a way for these riverside community which never see a soul of tourist was pristine and a little corner of my mind would be a smile noting the joy of seeing the part of Thailand untouched by the likes of tourism.

River-Village in Thailand

Colorful Fisherman Port along the Coast of Thailand

Anyway .... they say pictures tells a thousand words, but being there is a whole different experience.

Coastal Road Through Wooden House Villages in Thailand

HTMS Prasae (PS 2) Memorial

Traveled on : Dec 2019

Friday, 14 June 2019

Pit Stop Trat & Exploring Koh Chang Island

Back to Thailand and I stopped at Trat for one night before finding out about Koh Chang the second largest Island in Thailand.

I knew Island in Thailand was really poison for tourist but a ferry ride across to an island where the reviews says the roads are treacherous with curves and steep slopes makes me even more intrigue.

The actual part that make me decide that it will be ok instead of the struggle in Chumphon and Cambodia was that the review also said all the roads were sealed tarmac so if this time I fall down riding, it will be pure skill instead of inexperience riding on weird surface road.

Trat was nice and easy with few things to see. Could not really justify staying more than one night especially with the price of accommodation and the quality of it but the turning point to move and visit the island immediately was when I suddenly saw a price drop at booking.com giving me a whole bungalow Air-Conditioned Hut for 300 baht per night. Koh Chang it is then.

Lighthouse at Trat on the wyay to Natural Bay Harbour

Trat to Natural Bay harbour was about 30 km , slow nice ride and once there I just rode up to the ticket booth and paid 120 bath for the ferry over with Bluey. They keep asking how many cc is my bike which I said 125 cc and I wondered if it made a difference in price but i guess not.

Ferry from Natural Bay Harbour Trat to Koh Chang

Bluey on the Ferry to Koh Chang

At Koh Chang immediately after disembarking the ferry I headed for the main beach area on the east coast of the island. I could understand now why they asked for the bike cc. If your bike was too small, there was no way in hell one can go uphill in Koh Chang without power.

It was steep as hell and at any point in time if one were to stop dead middle at the steep hill, it was an accident bound to happen.

The View after climbing the treacherous Steep Winding Road of Koh Chang Island

The steepest part always comes together with a ridiculous sharp curve ... needless to say, for those that like riding, even slowly this was a very nice road to ride a bike with very stunning scenic views.

Double rider seams to be more dangerous though. At some uphill point climb with sharp curves, I could see the pillion getting down and pushing the rider uphill till they reach a more gentle slope. Bluey was all the way down to 1st gear but still within good faith.

Koh Chang was just riding around for me. The roads were scenic and beautiful without the tarnish of mass tourism or rather the mass tourism was contained on one small street of the island.