RIDE TO LAOS --DAY11-13

12 Nov 2011 day 11 CHIANG MAI--NAKHON SAWAN--NAKHON PATHOM
The ride home was straight forward double lane Thailand Highway and we're still 1800km away from home.

Crunchy banana snack

Nakhon Sawan Mosque and it's free from previous flood hit

Yamaha Fazer 1000 front bearings gave away after 10 days hard ride bumping into Laos potholes just before we arrived at Nakhon Pathom.. Part easily available since its Japanese bike and total cost plus labor is lest than 750bht

USMC bike 1968 slightly older than me...
Didn't know that US marine corps has a bike???

13-14 Nov 2011  DAY12-13 NAKHON PATHOM--PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN--SUNGAI PETANI
From here most of us were homesick.. Safety issue and usually the rides back home have been more dangerous than away because we're tending to arrive at home quickly.

HatThong hotel Prachuap Khirikhan

A calm morning at Prachuap beach

Bike and rider safely at home no issue on Yamaha SuperTenere XT1200Z this bike is up to the task
I truly give thanks for the gifts that I have and if you are reading this right now you are one of my greatest gifts.
SABAI DEE

RIDE TO LAOS--DAY10

11 NOV 2011 DAY10  CHIANG MAI
We rode 10-12hours daily for 9continous days and today we rest.... We take this opportunity to wash all riding gear and apparel at the nearby laundry shop. A whole day to explore Chiang Mai city.. Booked a van for sightseeing and shopping... Place that we visit in the morning Silk factory, cotton shop, gems gallery, umbrella factory and Doi Sutep... Too bad could not buy much as we're on a motorcycle.

Buy some of this... Will warranty your upcoming trip

Beer

Chiang Mai from Doi Sutep

Body pampering at night ..

Loi Kratong festival

RIDE TO LAOS--DAY9

10 Nov 2011 Day 9 MAE SAI--DOI MAE SALONG--CHIANG MAI
Dawn at Mae Sai.... The first thing is to clear the cement like dirt and tar... From the radiator, windscreen and its.. Before we embark on our ride again. Today from Mae Sai we headed up to Doi Mae Salong then to Chiang Mai.

Sharp curve, hairpin, small, slippery, steep downhill and uphill all a scary combo on route 1234 and 1089 from Mae Sai..
The Mae Salong view was spectacular with sunflower and tea plantation, the weather was cool enough for Japanese cheery and Sakura trees to blossom along side the road. Mae Salong is very reminiscent of parts of Yunnan China. Mandarin as a common spoken language here.

One of many tea plantations

Enjoying the Oblong tea at Mae Salong

Mae Salong flower hill resort

Muslim Chinese Yunnan restaurant at Mae Salong

KTM doing Oil change at Harley Shop in Chiang Mai..... Almost a disaster as the mechanic didn't notice  that this bike had dry oil sump... He just unscrews one drain plug only instead of two and then pour the new engine oil . So for new or season rider on new bike spent some time to know some basic maintenance of your bike it help later on. 

Need to say more.... Beautiful Chiang Mai

 Night Bazaar

RIDE TO LAOS--DAY8

9 NOV 2011 DAY 8 LUANG NAMTHA--HUE XAI--CHIANG KONG--MAE SAI

                               
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Cold morning in Luang Namtha. It has been drizzling since last night... If you don't ride in the rain - you don't ride.. As we are headed to Hue Xai immigration check point.

wet and slippery road

One of Laos primary school 

The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome... Sure he misses it....                                                             

Hue Xai

Waiting for a ferry to cross Mekong river to Thailand

Laos is the most charming country we’ve ever been to, the people and landscape are truly beautiful and those few days were some of the most interesting, fun, hard and rewarding of our whole ride. The only thing that has ever stood between a person and an adventure is the person themselves

Hue Xai from Chaing Kong

Mekong river from Thailand 

I'm here again for the 3rd time... Golden Triangle 

Chinese Yunnan restaurant in Mae Sai

MaeSai at night