Bangkok-Suphanburi (Day 1)

Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 1)

Leaving Bangkok.

It’s not the first time I pedaled out of Bangkok towards the West. I decided to use my long route, with a few variations. This is a ‘detour’ heading north-west first through parts of Nonthaburi and then westwards using small road, mostly they type without center lines. I very pleasant and interesting ride out of Bangkok, about 65km from Bang Sue to the Hidden Holiday House along the Tha Chin river.

As it would be a long day with all the stops for food and at temples I left early in the morning. Rama VII bridge was the first destination, to cross the river there. With no ferry here it’s carrying the bike up the stairs, not a big deal thanks to my bike backing setup. The day was heating up in the meantime, but there was a nice breeze up on the bridge, very enjoyable and time to take the first images of this trip.

Next goal was Wat Chalo (วัดชลอ), easy recognizable as it comes with a gigantic bird. Part of the temple sits on huge a stylized barge with a swan’s head at the bow. This swan depicts the Hongs, heavenly swans from Thai fairy tales. According to Thai mythology, these mystical swans live in the Himmapan forest on Mount Meru, the center of the Buddhist universe. From here on it was small roads and paths roughly following Khlong Om Non. A delicious bowl of noodles waited at a small old style kitchen right along the canal. What a great place to have a meal and hang out for a while!

Not long afterwards it was finally time to head West, this time more or less along Khlong Bang Yai. There are two roads following this canal, one South, one North of it. Some small wooden bridges make it possible to change back and forth between those two roads. The bridges are usually where temples are located, connecting the communities of both sides of the canal. To get there first I had to cross Highway 9, which I did using an overpass on my last trip here. This time I opted riding along the highway for a few hundred meters and doing a U-turn under a bridge there instead, definitely an easier solution.

After crossing the construction area of the highway leading West it was finally mostly small and quiet country lanes. I passed by the recycling place once more, they seem to deal mainly with second hand car doors of all kind of makes. Not too far from there was the pack of dogs which followed me last time for quite a stretch. However, it was smaller in numbers, guess some of their buddies weren’t around today. They were much less self confident and no big deal this time. Not far I stopped for a coffee in a beautiful but hidden spot build around a fish pond. There were several local cyclists around there and we had a friendly chat. I took a look – and some photographs – at the cactus green house of the owner as well. Some were flowering, very pretty indeed!

Next stop was the beautiful eatery near Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. I ate a plate of spicy Pad Kra Pao Moo with a fried egg on top and enjoyed my time at this great little place along a canal, to be reached over a shaky bridge. From there on it wasn’t too far to my final destination, but it did get somewhat tricky from there on.

First challenge was one trail I used last time had more or less disappeared. I opted for a nearby farm road, which was partially flooded. Thailand had seen very heavy rains quite late this rainy season and this resulted in quite some flooding in the Chao Phraya river basin. Here were the first signs of those, with plenty more to come during this trip! I had to walk the distance along this farm road, it was all squishy and muddy. Still, it got me across the fields where a beautiful, quiet local road reconnected. This was the final fun ride towards my destination.

Beautiful it was, the golden afternoon sun bathing the shrubs and trees in a soft yellow colour, and fantastic dark grey clouds hanging above. Soon I was speeding up as the menacing clouds came closer and closer. Reaching the main road along the East side of the Tha Chin river I found a small waiting shed to seek shelter. I was completely soaked by that time, but it was impossible to continue as I couldn’t see anything with all the rain drops on my glasses. The sky was real dark and it was pouring down so heavily, with wind gusts, that the shed didn’t really offer much shelter.

Once the rain slowed down sufficiently, perhaps half an hour later, I continued a few hundred meters to the South and then across the Tha Chin river. No time for any pictures on the bridge this trip as it was still raining. Heading back up North pas the bridge for about a kilometer and I arrived at the Hidden Holiday House.

The rain almost stopped by that time, and I had a chat and a beer with Chris, the owner of the resort, a fellow cyclist as well. He and his wife run this place and beach house down South. At times he organizes bike touring trips as well, usually in Thailand or Laos. The clouds cleared in no time, and after a shower I drank some more cold beers, enjoying the fantastic vista right from the floating bungalow, which I had to reach over a little foot bridge as the edge of the garden of the Hidden Holiday House had been flooded as well. Never mind, I made it, balancing carefully across the planks. I sat until late outside of the raft house, so beautiful what a great way to end the day!