Hua Hin:
I went (with Bart) for a long weekend down to Hua Hin, a resort on the coast two hours south west of Bangkok.
Or rather, I went to a resort near to Hua Hin.
Or rather, I tried to go to a resort near to Hua Hin but ended up in a mostly empty place 40km from Hua Hin.
Here's an enormous two-headed elephant statue I spotted en route..
*Note: The elephant wasn't en route, I was. I doubt the elephant's moved in years.
Anyway wherever I went, it was very, er, relaxing. Actually on the first night we chickened out and drove to Hua Hin itself and booked into a hotel. Horrendously expensive on top of the cost of the resort itself, but at least we managed a decent pub crawl without having to drive afterwards. The receptionist at the resort had laughingly suggested we drive into HH, have a few beers, and drive back. "haha, don't worry, it's fine to drink and drive in Thailand". Fine yes, but what if you kill someone? They just don't get it here.
Here's me wearing someone else's hair halfway through the afore-mentioned pub crawl..
A good night was had by both, and at 3.30am I was still awake. Quite an achievement for this old codger.
Bike stuff:
I was talking to squash-friend Terry the other day and mentioned that I'd been in a mountain bike race in New Zealand three years ago, and that there was photographic evidence on the internet somewhere. Subsequently I went looking for the photo's and I've finally decided to download them. Originally I'd refused due to the fee involved. Here are three of the pics, and in order you can see:
Me on the last downhill stretch at 45kph, stupidly waving to the camera. (Mistake)
Me realising that, due to waving, I'd missed my braking point and that the oncoming hairpin bend was rushing up a little too quickly
My bike, having gone over the edge in a most undignified fashion
I actually did a face-plant into the hillside and blacked out for a few seconds. When I came to I was 20 feet below the road caught up in a bush. There was a considerable drop still below me. Very lucky not to do the full plunge, or break my neck. I looked up and there was the photographer saying "oh dear". I managed to collect the bike and finish the race, albeit with a nice gash across my nose, no peak on my hat and a general feeling of second-handedness. Ah well.
In other (and better) news, I took the bike on a little spin around Bangkok yesterday. It's running well after its trip here and being reassembled by me. Predictably I ran out of water on my 30km ride, and equally predictably I got lost. Good fun though, can't wait to go on a proper offroad ride. There's a group here called Bangkok Hash House Bikers, and they meet once a month in different locations around Thailand, ride all of Saturday, have a few beers and stay overnight, then ride again on a Sunday. Then they return to Bangkok. Sounds like just the ticket for me, more to follow. I need to get up to speed though, they do 40-50 km offroad, which is a lot.
More soon, be good.
I went (with Bart) for a long weekend down to Hua Hin, a resort on the coast two hours south west of Bangkok.
Or rather, I went to a resort near to Hua Hin.
Or rather, I tried to go to a resort near to Hua Hin but ended up in a mostly empty place 40km from Hua Hin.
Here's an enormous two-headed elephant statue I spotted en route..
*Note: The elephant wasn't en route, I was. I doubt the elephant's moved in years.
Anyway wherever I went, it was very, er, relaxing. Actually on the first night we chickened out and drove to Hua Hin itself and booked into a hotel. Horrendously expensive on top of the cost of the resort itself, but at least we managed a decent pub crawl without having to drive afterwards. The receptionist at the resort had laughingly suggested we drive into HH, have a few beers, and drive back. "haha, don't worry, it's fine to drink and drive in Thailand". Fine yes, but what if you kill someone? They just don't get it here.
Here's me wearing someone else's hair halfway through the afore-mentioned pub crawl..
A good night was had by both, and at 3.30am I was still awake. Quite an achievement for this old codger.
Bike stuff:
I was talking to squash-friend Terry the other day and mentioned that I'd been in a mountain bike race in New Zealand three years ago, and that there was photographic evidence on the internet somewhere. Subsequently I went looking for the photo's and I've finally decided to download them. Originally I'd refused due to the fee involved. Here are three of the pics, and in order you can see:
Me on the last downhill stretch at 45kph, stupidly waving to the camera. (Mistake)
Me realising that, due to waving, I'd missed my braking point and that the oncoming hairpin bend was rushing up a little too quickly
My bike, having gone over the edge in a most undignified fashion
I actually did a face-plant into the hillside and blacked out for a few seconds. When I came to I was 20 feet below the road caught up in a bush. There was a considerable drop still below me. Very lucky not to do the full plunge, or break my neck. I looked up and there was the photographer saying "oh dear". I managed to collect the bike and finish the race, albeit with a nice gash across my nose, no peak on my hat and a general feeling of second-handedness. Ah well.
In other (and better) news, I took the bike on a little spin around Bangkok yesterday. It's running well after its trip here and being reassembled by me. Predictably I ran out of water on my 30km ride, and equally predictably I got lost. Good fun though, can't wait to go on a proper offroad ride. There's a group here called Bangkok Hash House Bikers, and they meet once a month in different locations around Thailand, ride all of Saturday, have a few beers and stay overnight, then ride again on a Sunday. Then they return to Bangkok. Sounds like just the ticket for me, more to follow. I need to get up to speed though, they do 40-50 km offroad, which is a lot.
More soon, be good.
Lllllloooolllllllll. Oh my god...I have just had a complete laughing fit. I know you raced but good god, that could have been catastrophic. I am still laughing as still have a really bad cough and once I start I cannot seem to stop coughing/laughing until I have coughed my guts up. Not pleasant but thank you for cheering me up no end, after a 15 hour day having travelled to London and back for a meeting! Was an early start this morning was up at 5.15 am and on a train at 6am (uurrrgghh) absolutely shattered.
ReplyDeleteYes I would agree 40-50km offride sounds bloody awful hard work (get that bloody seat padded and don't expect to be able to sit in your office chair the next day without some pain :)), hopefully in Thailand there will be less ice to have to negotiate!!!!
Lx
Actually I've put the "flight" seat back on for lightness, hard as nails (ouch!)
ReplyDeleteGlad you laughed.
I saw you are attending the Triathlon. Does that mean you've entered? I did it two years ago and it was ace.
Sorry I laughed. As I didn't know you had crashed and you had obviously lived to tell the tale, I hadn't thought there had been any damage but Lynny has kindly filled me in....sorry x
ReplyDeleteTriathlon, maybe next year, still suffering and don't think I will be up to par for some time yet so with some training I might be able to do it next year. I am infact attending to support David, Brenda and Phil's son, who is doing it for the second year on the trot.
Flight seat sounds ominous1 shouldn't it be comfy if it is a flight seat!
Well if I didn't want people to laugh I would not have posted it. Laugh away, it makes me feel loved.
ReplyDeleteActually I think it's called a "Flite" seat but I hate deliberately misspelling things. It's bike-speak for an extremely lightweight saddle with virtually no padding. I used it for my ride the other day, without too much pain.
My first outing with the Bangkok Hash House Bikers is now looming so I have to be ready. It's the weekend before wifey gets here, I'll probably be hobbling to the airport...she won't be pleased.