My solo bike ride to Khao Yai National Park
4 am on Saturday morning. My alarm goes off…but getting up is like resisting gravity. I want to stress… I don’t feel like getting out of my bed . I had a really busy week working but I know it will be worth it. I am going to drive my bike from Chaiyaphum province to Khao Yai National Park it’s a 250 km trip and I have been planning this the whole week. A Spanish vision in denim: denim jacket, denim dungarees and my trekking boots (which aren’t denim, but bad ass a shit) per my dad’s advice. My dad always told to wear thick clothes when you ride your bike in case of an accident and I am doing so because I am a great daughter even tho it’s hot and humid in this country. In my bag a tent, a sleeping bag, a pillow, a book, and some clothes, I am ready. As soon as I start my trip a red light goes off in the bike apparently it’s overheating and needs water…. This is going to be happening during the whole trip I am letting you know right now it will be a constant thing and quite annoying. The guy from the petrol station is really nice and asks me about my trip while wishes me good luck! An hour after I started my trip I get to stop by the rice fields because I want to see the beautiful sunrise, I will show you a picture of it because it’s worth a look, what a wonderful experience feeling the wind in your face, some mosquitos in your mouth and the sunrise in your back.
The red light is on again, stop have a coffee, let the bike cool down, more water lets go! A few minutes later the light goes off again so… same thing but this time I stop by a little mechanic workshop and the man is so nice he invites me over for food.
We shared some food in his workshop while his son stares at me amazed with my skin and hair, I feel like a Hollywood star and I don’t know how I am going to cope whenever I get to be a normal mediocre human being in Europe and not the semi-goddess kids make me feel here.
Well, let’s keep driving I am almost there when I see the demonic red light again stop, water, cooling down time and go.
Highway time is quite scary with all the big lorries but I am being extra careful driving through the hard shoulder and wearing my really sexy double denim outfit to protect me in case I fall even tho I am boiling in here it’s already 11 am and the sun is so intense but I will make it safe there. I can see the entrance to the park! I am almost there when all of a sudden a car cuts me off and we crash, thank goodness for my denims!! I am lying on the floor, really confused when the people get off the car to help me I have to admit the first thing I thought they were going to run me over again to make sure I was dead because apparently in the Philippines it’s cheaper to pay for a dead person that for a hospital! Seems like in Thailand hospitals are cheaper, glad. Well they are really nice and I am just a little bit bruised and my metallic glasses case has protected my ribs from the crash so we just have to wait for the people from the insurance to come and see what happened, it was actually a CCTV pointing at us so I think I will be fine, I know it wasn’t my fault he didn’t even indicate!
I called the lady that rented me the motorbike and she spoke to the people, told me to stay calm, everything is insured and they want to help then I called Mediakids to inform them. Narm is really nice as usual and speaks to the people too, same thing just stay calm and let’s see what the guy from the insurance company says!
The guy comes and says it was the car drivers fault as expected so they will pay for everything. Finally I can leave and go to the park, on the way back another guy will pick me and my bike up and drive us both back so I am happy I don’t have to drive back even tho I enjoyed the ride and the extra proteins from all the mosquitos, being a vegetarian you never know when you will get this chance again.
Morale of the story, troops…take extra care while driving a bike, always wear protective clothing and think ahead of what kind of silly move can anyone driving around you make. Always get a bike that you know is insured and let people know if you are driving solo where you are going and if you made it there safe.
Enjoy your time in Thailand you only live once!!! And this country is beautiful and its people too.
