It was another late „evening“ yesterday, because the internet connection was very poor and I tried to upload blog posts and for each photo, I had to wait 10-15min and sometimes it didn’t work at all…
So, I slept until seven and even this was hard for me after another series of short nights. But before 8, I sat on the bike and went to the Malaysian/Thai border.
I came to the first rice fields for me in Malaysia and the green was very clear green!
A local cyclist on a racing bike caught up and we talked a bit. He also makes cycling tours sometimes, but he uses a foldable bike because of the flights and he normally goes for 1-2 weeks. But, at least, in the last moment, I met a touring cyclist in Malaysia!
He told me that there are 3 possible ways to the border and said that mine would be highway, but open for cyclists. After my positive experience with highways in Iran, I was ok with that.
But later, I have to say, for the first and only time in Malaysia, I felt insecure on the road, because sometimes there was no hard shoulder to make way when necessary and some big trucks didn’t keep enough distance. But later, with a look in my mirror, I could see what a truck driver would do and if necessary, I gave signs for him to change to the other lane and signs for thanks when he did (and all of them did!)
I wanted to spend the smaller Malaysian money for food and a barber. I found food suitable to my stomatitis (soft and not sour!), some pastry made of rice flour but TBC was not inviting enough for a barber shop, additionally a closed one!
I reached the border around 11:30 and first queued up with all the others (the car drivers) and additionally following the sign for motorcycles. The more it was annoying when the officer sent me away to another building for pedestrians and (motor)cyclists. But then, it was easy, filling in a form, getting the stamp and go to Thailand!
Compared to Malaysia, it made a more chaotic impression, but some things looked also similar. For me as a cyclist, one difference seems to be that not only trucks or cars but also motorcycles tend to overtake without enough distance and that drivers don’t always like to wait when the come from a side street but come in and I have to brake. I am used to that from other countries but in Malaysia it was different. There are many motorcycles with sidecar and some women sitting on the back sit on the side like on horses in the old days. Thailand is apparently poorer than Malaysia (6500$ compared to 9800$ per capita and year), Mr.G brought me to villages looking (and smelling) like slums.
But people are at least similar friendly, I experienced it when I bought some fruits and something to drink.
On my tours, I often think on the word “if you have to walk 100km, consider 90km as the half!” For me this half is between 60-80km. It is noon or early afternoon and very hot and I am tired. Later it is still hot, and I am still tired, but the end is near!
In this case, the end came in the form of the train hotel. It deserves the name because it is directly in/on the station. By loudspeakers, you are continuously informed about arriving or departing trains, if you understand Thai. I had booked a bed I the dormitory and until 21:30 I was the only one. Then, an Indian guy came. At that time, I was sitting outside, because the room is only four beds and nothing else (including: no space) and I heard him pray and sing. I hope, he has no need to do that during the night!
I had the best internet connection ever but didn’t want to upload to many videos and blog posts, in case someone wants to watch and read that, because it would be too much.
So, I also cut videos and did other things that don’t depend on internet.
My nose lost another layer of skin what surprised me, because most of the time I had been going north, making shadow for my face (and feeling the sun burn in the neck)
