On the motorcycle to the south…. (key lock)

Tim Poelsma gets back on the bike with his Nokia as a (sometimes unreliable) guide. In part 2 and also the last part, Tim visits the south of Thailand. Some time ago you could read the first part of his story here: www.thailandblog.nl/reisverhalen/naar-het-zuiden/

Tim Poelsma (71) studied medicine. In the second year he no longer appeared on the university grounds. He worked here and there and went out into the wide world. Back in the Netherlands, he picked up his studies again and completed it. Tim worked as an independent homeopathic doctor for many years. After that he ended up in addiction care. He has a daughter; friend Ee has given him the name 'doctor tim' with her overcrowded network. Under that name he responds to postings on Thailandblog.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014 – I packed my things and told the reception that I was leaving. I still had 200 baht credit for the key. I had received a note of this upon check-in. I had to bend over the counter to give the reclining receptionist the note. She went about her business; it was over for her. Not for me. I stopped. She opened a drawer and gave me 100 baht. She looked at me with questioning eyes. Then came a broad smile. But she could jump high or low, those pennies would be on the table. And that eventually happened, but not wholeheartedly.

The call sent me out of town, unbothered by Los Angeles-esque civil engineering structures. On the 41 it should not be a problem to travel further south. But the gauges that were supposed to indicate the temperature of the engine did not work. Quite some time after the start, things were still at zero. That could mean that the petrol light no longer worked because that was also there. I put the engine aside. When I turn the ignition on, all the lights come on briefly. And the broken one wasn't, I reasoned. A motorcycle came up and passed me at a leisurely pace. Judging by the sound, it was a Harley. I started and drove off. Softy. I completely forgot to look at the light. I would fill up at the nearest pump. Then I could not be surprised with an empty tank for the time being. The thermometer could have become disturbed because rainwater had entered it yesterday. Driving makes everything warmer and the headwind could also cause the water to evaporate. I looked at the temperature again. At that moment I saw the pointer go up. The moment I looked! Statement of the week: 'Happiness is broken junk that works again.'

The call said I should get rid of the 41. Because I wanted to know where I was going, I followed the instructions. They took me to the 4134 which over time became the 4112. This road parallels the 41 but is two lanes. I prefer to drive on these kinds of roads; the phone call started to feel better to me. Things still went wrong, but I didn't dare say anything because I broke the window of Nokia. Not because of a fall in a ravine or something, but just home from a silly side table because I misunderstood. He is now doing his best because replacement is imminent. On the 4112 I had the chain tightened again. Yesterday I had no problems at all. Also because of the rain? At the city of Ta Chang, the phone lost it again. He sent me in all directions again or back and forth. It was only after a while that I realized that the kilometers were counting down if I just continued to follow the route. I turned off the phone because the battery was low. When the battery completely drains, it can take a very long time to recharge, sometimes up to 3 days. Nokia already had this ailment a few weeks after purchase. I took a road map from the luggage. I was near Phumphin. Now I had to get on the 401. There was actually a plate. In Thailand, yes!

In the beginning of the 401 there was rain. But then it came. The road sloped up, down, left and right, and after every crest or bend there was a new picture that should have made my old heart stop. High limestone cliffs, partly overgrown but often too steep for that, waterfalls, rivers, streams and other running and stagnant water. Trees, too coast and too choice; blooming, sprouting and growing. Yes growing all the way. This was the most beautiful road I have ever driven. I had to drive quite a few kilometers before I could enter the park. Breathtaking miles. Once in the jungle, pizzerias, resorts, moped rental companies and travel agencies set the tone. In the middle of this entrance I had to find a place to sleep.

In a side road I stopped at Bamboo House; one of the oldest companies here. The Bamboo House had been there for over 20 years. I was given cabin number 1. I wanted to take a shower right away, but the shower could only supply cold water. That was not the agreement. The lady of the house acted surprised, knocked on the device and would send for a technician. I was allowed to take a hot shower in another cabin. I ate and drank a few things. There was no change at checkout. Mrs. Bamboo made a lot of theater to get change. I was used to this southern folklore by now and waited patiently for the money to arrive. In the evening the whole Bamboo family sat on the terrace. They told each other stories. I took a beer and sat down. I couldn't understand everything by a long shot, but it went better than in the beginning.

The mother cat who was also on the terrace had three cubs. The mother cat walked like a gorilla with the shoulders moving back and forth alternately, as far as a cat could have shoulders. The boy walked like that too. But when they ran, there was a tripping. Then all of a sudden that toughness wasn't there anymore. Bats flew in and around the house. They flew up by the lamps, then dropped again and caught the fall with spread wings. Time after time and lightning fast. When I went to sleep I was awakened by a cicada with 2 times 200 watt output power. Heavenly goodness what a noise. I've heard it twice, thankfully not again.

Wednesday – November 26, 2014 – Next to the stuff where we guests could make coffee, I saw a router. Internet in the wilderness? I grabbed my computer and was online almost immediately. And lightning fast too. I checked a few things on the web and then decided to go for a walk. The Bamboo company was partly on a river that had carved a gorge about ten meters deep. The water in the river was crystal clear. Along the small road I walked up were plastic bags and bottles, cups, plastic chips and candy wrappers, empty lemonade cartons, straws, and what wasn't there wasn't worth mentioning. "Das hat es unter dem Adolph nicht gegeben." This sentence came as a thought from a fascist brain core. Another core wondered how nature should turn all that plastic into a new jungle? I was now walking on the main road, the road to the entrance of the park.

On a bridge over the river I took some pictures and went back because I didn't go here for the long line of companies in this street. I wanted to stay another night, but didn't feel like showering outside all the time. I had already hinted that I might stay longer. Since I didn't get an answer, I came up with a ruse. I studied the road map extensively. People with their own transport who want to leave look at road maps. The ruse worked immediately. The lady of the house came to me and said that I could move to the cottage with the hot shower. A leap forward for more reasons than the shower. I did some reading there and looked at Khao Sok on the internet, the place where I was now. For that I had to walk back to the terrace. I did see what I had come for on the internet. Should I have stayed home? I do not think so. I will go to this place many times now on the internet. And not just on the internet because I'm completely blown away from the way here. Khao Sok is said to be the oldest rainforest in the world.

After noon it started to rain. I couldn't do much but eat and drink and read. I called Ee. She was hit by a moped with a drunken farang on it. Her foot hurts very much, but is not broken, because that was seen in the photo in the hospital. She told something about the school fees for the children, a story I couldn't quite follow. When I went to dinner that evening, the tiled steps to my house had become very slippery due to the rain. I felt I slipped. No handrail. Pitch dark. I could only walk the steps with the fall. With a rotten pace I ran into a soaking wet tree. The tree swayed and I got wet and I had nothing. I was very shocked, because it could only have gone wrong on that tiled concrete staircase.

Donderdag November 27th, 2014 – I left the Bamboo House at about eight o'clock in the morning. The 401 took me to the north south route no. 4. I drove towards Ranong. I decided to stay in Chumpon again because it is about half way to Hua Hin. At the beginning of road 4 I kept seeing posters of a place where you can dive to a sunken warship. A wreck from World War II. This road was certainly beautiful. But he didn't make it to the 401. I shouldn't have gone there, because after that everything seemed to be disappointing.

Near Ranong, it became more winding and hilly. In Ranong I had breakfast. I did that in a place where I saw a farang eating. We got talking. He came from Munich and now lived here. His girlfriend ran the restaurant where we were at the time. The stories of all that rain in Ranong are true. The road to Chumpon is a feast for the motorcycle at the beginning. Up, down and turns. In short, a mile-long roller coaster. Fortunately, after the narcissistic 401, I was still able to enjoy other avenues. At Chumpon I called Ee. If she had a lot of trouble with her foot, I would drive home. She preferred that, because the foot hurt a lot, so I did. I arrived in Hua Hin without any problems. I really enjoyed the trip to the south, but I was also happy to be back home.

Sorry lung Addie, I tried but nature turned against me with uncontrollable violence. Another time better.