Day 4: Trang to Satun and the end

It was complete rest and eat and sleep in Trang. We had to move back to the main agenda of finishing the tour. It was time to pedal back down south towards Satun. We don't have much options to make the distance shorter since there was no nice place to stay in between these two towns. Hence, it was a gruesome 150 km ride.

The ethic of riding in a tour group is preferably...in a group. You'll be noticeable by other road users. And the most important part is patience especially pacing with the slowest member. You can opt to breakaway on your own or invite another or two, but the possibility of you missing the group fuel stop is high. Tour rides do not have proper planned stops. It can be a judgemental one or depends on other various factors such as weather or mechanical issues. Unless you don't mind eating lunch on your own at whatever places that might deemed to have uncertainties.

The speed of the group will depend on the slowest rider. Throughout this tour, majority of our members aged 60 above, hence we kept an average speed of 20 kph or slower. The key is to enjoy the ride and the sceneries and be creative on bike. If you are the kind that can't survive slow pace, which might bore you to death, then, tour might not be your style. 

Now back to the ride plan. We started superbly early. 6.30 a.m. local time equivalent to 7.30 a.m. Malaysia time. We got it right this time. The chilling morning should provide us with more ground to cover before the skies open up.

We left Trang empty streets. Most probably it was a week end. Some perspectives appeared to be similar to the stretch of road leaving Hatyai as it opens up to wider two carriageway. Now, this group stops for breakfast after an hour ride. It suits me. I don't take breakfast early. We stopped at a superb breakfast spot. A Muslim restaurant somewhere across a Tesco Hypermarket. The food was awesome. Rice with mutton in curry and some veggies. Simply formulated for big distance. We indulge without hesitance. We smiled for the road to come.

It was the same way we came from Pak Bara. The route was to go back to La-ngu via those smaller towns in between we've passed earlier. From La-ngu, we shall then decide whether to finish the ride or opt to take transportation. Some of the familiar names of the districts that I can still remember were Yan Ta Khao, Palian and Thung Wa (in southward sequence).

We had another short break at Amazon Cafe. This cafe provide praying facility and that's cool. The next stop was for lunch at Thung Wa and it was already blazing hot. We seek refuge at the market. It was too hot and thirsty, I can't barely swallow too much lunch. We waited out for the peak temperature rise while performing our solat and continued our ride after 2.00 p.m. when it was a little bit forgiving. 

We crossed the limestone crops again and eventually reached La-ngu. It was still hot. We had a short meeting and rest while deciding the next option. Some prefer to take a transportation but later decided just to ride it out to Satun since we still have time. But we didn't quite notice the weather change halfway into the ride later.

The two third of the day's ride turned out the opposite from what was anticipated. A little bit on the ugly side. From La-ngu District to Tha Pae, we invested more time and effort. The route was endless rolling and to add spices, it rained. It was a 40 km stretch that rolls forever. We stench and drenched ourselves creating public attraction among locals who passed by. We stopped for a hot tea and 'roti canai' stuffing our starving cold tummy.

Due to the rain clouds casting dark shadows endlessly, daylight didn't seem to be on our side. We reached a small town named Chalung at almost dusk and made the final turn towards Satun. It was dark and busy as we entered the town area. It was all favoured to Victor whom simplified our search for the night's stay with his GPS.

We checked in at DD Resort, a very cosy place. We placed our smelly apparel for laundry and cast ourselves for dinner at a nearby Muslim stall. They served Nasi Kombok, which happened to be similar to Nasi Bukhara in Malaysia.

We had to stay two nights in Satun since our train ride will only be on Monday night. The whole day in Satun was commuting around town looking for eateries, money changer and spectating a mountain bike jamboree. Satun is a nice place. Seemed peaceful with abundance of Muslims and Muslim foods. A side walk breakfast was laid back, just like they do it in Paris but nothing can beat the 'roti canai' and 'teh tarik'. And the locals talked better Malay language too. Maybe due to Satun's closest location to Malaysian border. If you ask me, Satun is almost similar to Kulai in Johor.

The next day we rode back to Wang Kelian bound for the 6.30 p.m. train. The climb back up to the border was less tormenting since it was still morning. The routine of disassembling the bike took place again at the train station. It rained in Padang Besar that evening, creating cool and humid climate preparing us for the long train journey back to Kuala Lumpur.

Two pinches from the album...

UFO...?

Gorgeous sky

  

Beautiful road

Thung Wa market for lunch

New contact

Penthim Resort