Thursday 1st March 18
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- Getting the last sun at Chiang Mai Airport
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- Bye Bye Chiang Mai
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- My theme tune… 🙂
I arrived at the airport last Sunday morning in plenty of time for once; time indeed to sit outside and enjoy the morning sun as the temperature climbed to 30 degs C. 14hours flying time later I touched down at LHR, the temperature was 0 degs C!!!… 32degs F for our American friends.
So this Adventure is over and as I sit here now to recap on the trip its snowing and MINUS 5degsC….I know where I’d rather be 🙂
Snow on my Black Beauty
Early on in the trip it was decided to create a WhatsApp group “The Four Country Tour Boys” so we could share pics and keep in touch ( the four countries are Thailand, Myanmar, China & Laos). The group is made up of 3 Brits; Jon, Pete and Me. 3 Americans; Kevin, Fred and Mark. And 1 Indian; Mohammed, RIZ as he is known. As of yesterday everyone is now safely back home.
This is my 4th tour with Duncan from TBB and whilst each trip has been great, this has been one of the most enjoyable because of the group of guys that were thrown together…A stock controller, a CNC operator, an air steward, a firefighter, a scuba diver, a business landlord and me, an old retired guy. Add in Duncan and Manop (our Thai support vehicle driver) we had a great group that bonded quickly and had some really good laughs along the way. Thank you guys; ride safe..bikers are the best 🙂
As always a tour in Thailand & Laos is a mix of many many things; some great roads, some awful roads, some great scenery, lots of noodle soup, cold water in the bathroom, a couple of really good hotels, a couple of not so good hotels, myriad scooters everywhere, crazy driving, naughty overtakes, HOT up to 37c, beer Lao, Singha beer, Chang beer, green curry, Chinese New Year, Elephants, Temples, Buddha, pretty girls, ladyboys, smiling and waving young children, the smell of wood smoke, border crossing paperwork…these are just a few.
Here’s a summary of some pics which tell the story:
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- London to Chiang Mai
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- The approx route
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- 2500 kms ridden
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- Good advice
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- The place to be
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- Scary
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- Chiang Rai clock tower
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- My trusty Vstom 650
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- Laos border
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- Motley Crew
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- Nearest to China
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- Plug that hole
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- Hotel in the jungle
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- sunny side up?
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- Ready for another day on the road
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- what you looking at?
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- Lao kiddies
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- Good Dad
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- Tasty noodle soup
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- Selfie at the Chinese border
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- another cute kid
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- The river Mekong
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- Beer Lao
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- You can find these on the roadside
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- A young monk
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- Nice….
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- Still finding live bombs
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- Bombs holding up the building
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- Up in the mountains
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- REALLY slippery wet tar
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- We’re high up
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- Big country
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- They eat rats…
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- On the bus to the Jars
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- Ready for a new day
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- The history
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- I can ride one handed
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- Hi Nellie
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- She’s a poser
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- Famous waterfall
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- Has a bite to it..
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- We found the Buddha
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- Lets go
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- Another day in ….
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- We have to ride this?
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- Spectacular
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- The Amigos
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- Arc de Triomphe Laos style
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- RIZ, our own Buddha
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- Maybe not..
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- On the Friendship Bridge
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- another border
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- All aboard for an evening out
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- Boys on a night out
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- smoothe tarmac
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- It flows
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- Classic cars
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- Sold mine in 1973
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- More noodle soup
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- Love Singha
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- A haven
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- The alternative beer
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- Last supper
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- My theme tune… 🙂
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- Ladyboys love BigJohn
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- Yes…she’s a Ladyboy
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- For a change
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- Happy little Buddha
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- Bye Bye Chiang Mai
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- Black Hawks front man
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- Does this go round corners?
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- Bedtime reading
My favourite videos
This Adventure is over but the next is all planned and booked….July to Norway, a big one 4500 miles on my trusty GS.
Stay tuned and ride with me……. 🙂