Wednesday 4 June 2008

Freewheelin'

Before I left London I promised myself and my cycling group that I would endeavour to cycle in as many places as possible, such is my passion for peddle power and 'green' transportation. I admit I haven't really kept to this (except in Japan) and today, in the absence of push bikes on Koh Phangan I resigned myself to a motorised one and right now I am just thankful top be alive!

The day started off well. The weather was glorious and my Honda seemed easy enough to use with its automatic gears and good brakes. Everyone else makes it look so easy but I must note that this was the first time in about 15 years that I'd ridden one and I was absolutely terrified!

We set off from our Dream Hill (the clue is in the name) resort down the steep and winding roads in search of Hat Rin, the party end of the island. I must have been clenching every single muscle in my stomach and could hear myself emitting a quiet whimper all the way and I kept imagining what would happen if I twisted the handle even just a little too vigorously the wrong way.

Ric delighted in speeding off at 60 miles an hour on some stretches while I chugged behind at what I think was a perfectly adequate 40. To cut a long story short and without wishing to alarm any parents reading this, I came off the bike. Would never have happened on my trusty bicycle.

I was going up a steep road which had a very sharp bend in it and a truck coming at me from the other way. I panicked and turned left too hard and the bike just rolled in to the ditch. I somehow managed to avoid injury except for an impressive leg bruise. The bike was badly scuffed though and my powers of b***sh** proved rather useless when I showed the damage to the owner later. I don't think he believed my sorry tale: 'Gosh! Was that me?! Someone must have pushed it over when I went to the shop for a drink'. Yeah, right. I should have just come clean.

With Ric nowhere to be seen (grrr) I was aided by two gallant, yes gallant, Australians who scooped me and the bike out of the ditch and helped me back down the hill so I could start all over again. All I wanted to do now was go back to the hotel and jump in the pool.

I didn't though. Ric finally came back for me and I bravely re-mounted and eventually made it to our destination where we wandered around for a while hoping to get a sense of this so-called party town but where we actually found the season to be well and truly over - it's dead! That's a pity in a way even though neither of us are particularly crazy about raving at all-night parties these days. Koh Phangan is a funny place. I've heard that it's a wonderful place to live and it's true that the locals seem very laid back and friendly and the beaches and hill views are beautiful but the touristy bits we've seen and stayed in feel just like Ibiza! We've observed dozens of almost identical beach resorts, similarly samey sunbathers (Ric noticed the topless ones), restaurants serving typical Thai-Euro fare and even British style pubs. Thank you for offering but I don't want Western food and beer! I shouldn't grumble. This is what we expected and it's obviously what most people come here for.

To continue with my biking story...

After haggling for fake Billabong swimming trunks and bikinis (something we seem to have done on numerous occasions in Thailand!) we set off again. This time to find the elephants.

Ric disappeared yet again and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere because I soon found myself horribly lost and spending the next two hours trying to find my way back to the hotel. I must have stopped at least 15 times. I even cried at some woman in a petrol station who laughed at first, then brought her sons out to confer, then walked off and then took pity on me and gave me a map. This didn't help much though as she couldn't tell me where we were on it!

I carried on a bit further. Tears welling. Sweat pouring. Skin reddening in the unforgiving sun.
Eventually, another motorcyclist took pity on me and told me to follow her as it wasn't far now.
She put me to shame as she whizzed along in spite of her friend on the back seat and huge shopping load on the back. I arrived back at Dream Hills to find Ric with his feet up watching a film in our lovely air-conditioned room. How he has laughed at my feebleness. I'll never hear the end of this one. I did find the elephant centre though and I've seen a side of the island Ric hasn't!
I think I'll ride on the back of his tomorrow though.

What an...erm...adventure!

We've just watched the most incredible sunset and no, we didn't go to the half moon party which was actually a black moon party (any excuse for a party ey?). Maybe tomorrow.

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