Wednesday 1 February 2012
Northern Thailand
Bangkok to Phuket finished, the route is posted on the blog. Chiang Mai down starts tomorrow.
Sunday 8 January 2012
Friday 6 January 2012
Final Thoughts
Final Thought on the Ride
Well it is a totally different place to ride than New
Zealand that’s for sure! The drivers are
not bike friendly although most will at least try not to hit you. The roads don’t have the scenery either as
the coastal roads don’t seem to have views of the see as a rule but the ferry
trips and the small beach towns are very special. The trip is more about the stops than the
cycling so give yourself plenty of time to make the trip.
The cost of living and camping is quite high with some
places around $40 for the night and $50+ in Byron. Camp kitchens are rarely more the BBQs so you
might need a stove if like me you need a coffee in the morning. We had a cold and wet spell for the time of
year during our trip but it was still too warm to wear waterproof trousers in
the rain. Our little tent could get
mighty warm and a sleeping bag was used more to lie on rather than in. On a hot day cycling was far better than standing
still as the breeze took the edge off the heat until you had a slow steep climb
to contend with.
So 1000km on a mix of dirt, quiet and main roads. Plenty of wildlife and a little surfing. I have enjoyed the ride even though it wasn’t
the initial plan as our trip to Oz was
all about meeting up with my friends for Christmas. Would I do it again, maybe not that ride but
I would cycle in Australia again for sure.
Tasmania looks like a great spot and the south coast looks like another
awesome area to ride, better start saving again!
Cycling Evans Head to Byron Bay
December 17th Evans Head –
Byron Bay 73km
Well this turned out to be our last days riding due to my
buddy Adrian meeting us in Byron and taking us to his lovely house in Kooralbyn. We left Evans Head early in the bright
sunshine, the road were quiet and
although we had to go on the highway for a short distance most of the ride
followed smaller roads and included our last ferry crossing taking us into
Ballina. From Ballina we headed towards
Lennox Head where a detour changed the route slightly. We were rolling into to the packed tourist
town of Byron Bay before noon. The beach
here was beautiful but it was very busy, I guess we are in peak season
now. This is definitely a place where
the young and beautiful hang out, as I am neither it was nice to see but not to
stay as Evans Head is more my speed and $20 for a sandwich in a café is pushing
my budget!
December 18th – January 3rd
Kooralbyn
Chilling with Ade, Grace and Tom the cat was just
great! I hadn’t seen these guys in
awhile yet they made both of us incredibly welcome even though they had never
met Maria. Their place is just so
beautiful complete with great views from the infinity edged pool!
We did a nice mix of chilling out and visiting places like
Surfers on Christmas day. We even got
involved with helping Santa dish out sweets from the fire engine! Too much food and drink was the order of the
stay.
A walk in the rain
Surfers Christmas Day
Maria Ade Grace
Me cooking!!! The wine helped alot!
The 2 weeks flew past and before we knew it Ade was dropping
us off at Brisbane airport with the bikes in homemade boxes as we couldn’t get
any from the local bike shops. Mine was
sporting 3 broken spokes in the rear wheel which had happened on the last ride
into Beaudesert on New Years day so a job for Bangkok. The flight took us back
to Sydney where we switched planes to head for Thailand.
Thursday 15 December 2011
Evans Head
December 13th-16th Evans Head
We liked Evans Head so much that we have stayed here a week. It feels like your back on one of those beach holidays from your childhood. We have spent the days either trying to surf or body board, you will see from the pictures we still need practice!
The weather has been warm but not always dry with showers most days but nothing to spoil the fun. We have eaten out a few times and sampled quite a few pies!
It is now time to move on, the school holidays start tomorrow and the campsite is preparing for an invasion. We are off to Byron Bay but meeting Ade and Grace there for lunch and then they are taking us to their house. Can't wait to seem them again.
We won't have cycled as far as we were expecting but should have still managed about 1000km.
We liked Evans Head so much that we have stayed here a week. It feels like your back on one of those beach holidays from your childhood. We have spent the days either trying to surf or body board, you will see from the pictures we still need practice!
The weather has been warm but not always dry with showers most days but nothing to spoil the fun. We have eaten out a few times and sampled quite a few pies!
It is now time to move on, the school holidays start tomorrow and the campsite is preparing for an invasion. We are off to Byron Bay but meeting Ade and Grace there for lunch and then they are taking us to their house. Can't wait to seem them again.
Maria on main beach
Big black parrot thingy
Chinaman Beach
Chinaman Beach path
Ready to pop
I look much better than this, it's just a bad photo honest ;-)
Sunday 11 December 2011
Evans Head
December 11th Evans Head
It is nice here for sure so we hired body boards and got beat up in the surf. Tomorrow we are going to get surfboards. We caught lots of good waves but I had forgotten how tiring it is! There is no camp kitchen here just an undercover BBQ area so we are using the gas stoves which are proving to be a great buy!
We had a downpour for about 30 minutes, it absolutely bucketed it down! Thunder, lightening and then suddenly blue skies again.
Got a dvd out to watch in the tent, we are certainly comfortable campers!
December 12th Evans Head
Body boarding in the morning and longboards in the afternoon. I am a bit rusty but managed to stand up on the first wave! Maria did just as well but it was hard work. I think we can manage at least a couple more days here!
It is nice here for sure so we hired body boards and got beat up in the surf. Tomorrow we are going to get surfboards. We caught lots of good waves but I had forgotten how tiring it is! There is no camp kitchen here just an undercover BBQ area so we are using the gas stoves which are proving to be a great buy!
We had a downpour for about 30 minutes, it absolutely bucketed it down! Thunder, lightening and then suddenly blue skies again.
Got a dvd out to watch in the tent, we are certainly comfortable campers!
December 12th Evans Head
Body boarding in the morning and longboards in the afternoon. I am a bit rusty but managed to stand up on the first wave! Maria did just as well but it was hard work. I think we can manage at least a couple more days here!
Now where do we put the surfboards?
Cycling Iluka - Evans Head
December 10th 67km
John took me to the bike shop in Ballina at 8.00am they parted me from $150 and we were back before lunch. The manager had let Maria stay in the cabin until we were ready to leave, not the usual 10.00am check out. By early afternoon I had fitted the wheel loaded up and we were on our way.
This time we made it with no dramas. The ride wasn't as nice as the recent days as we spent quite awhile on the highway but the shoulder was good and the trip fast. Once in Evans Head we found a site right next to the beach at a bargain $21.50 a night. There is a super market here, a board hire shop and several takeaways and resturants. I think we will stay here a few days instead of Byron Bay.
Thai for dinner tonight and a bottle of wine!
John took me to the bike shop in Ballina at 8.00am they parted me from $150 and we were back before lunch. The manager had let Maria stay in the cabin until we were ready to leave, not the usual 10.00am check out. By early afternoon I had fitted the wheel loaded up and we were on our way.
This time we made it with no dramas. The ride wasn't as nice as the recent days as we spent quite awhile on the highway but the shoulder was good and the trip fast. Once in Evans Head we found a site right next to the beach at a bargain $21.50 a night. There is a super market here, a board hire shop and several takeaways and resturants. I think we will stay here a few days instead of Byron Bay.
Thai for dinner tonight and a bottle of wine!
I hate spiders! Good job it was on the otherside of the window
Big Mean Looking Spder
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