The initiative was launched, earlier this month, with a fund raiser ‘Cycling City Tour’ that should help to pay for a fleet of rental bicycles for use within the city’s boundaries.

According to TAT Nakhon Phanom, the city can promote an interesting tour that follows the river frontage road, but it needs funds to invest in a fleet of city bikes, hence the community fund raiser.

The concept is based on the popular Velo bike project in Paris, but on a much smaller scale and limited to a specific route where the bikes will be stationed for rental at suitable intervals.

Local residents joined the funds raiser on a route from Commemoration Park in Muang district (Nakhon Phanom Public Park) to the embankment road at the side of the Mekong River passing Wat Srithep Pradittharam, City Hall, the city pillar, National Library, the former governor’s residence, the clock tower, Okat Si Bua Ban Temple and the Indochina market. A stop was made at the so-called retro market of Tha Nam Muang Nakhon Market.

According to the plan, the city will buy commuter bikes and station them at specific sites along the route to allow tourists to rent them. The rentals will cover maintenance costs and payment will be based on an honour system with visitors asked to contribute by placing a recommended amount in donation boxes

The project is still in the fund raising stage and its success will depend on public support and whether the city authorities can generate enough community spirit to prevent theft.

If all goes well the bikes will be stationed at various locations, convenient for tourists, including the Tourist Police office in Commemoration Park on Chayangkul Road, next to the governor’s  resident on Sunthorn Wichit Road, Viewkong Hotel, Nakhon Phanom Riverview Hotel, iHotel, Phutarin Resotel and Dala Renotel.

For more details or offers of support to the bike fund, call TAT Nakhon Phanom 0 42 513 490-1.

State Railway of Thailand is rolling out two 1950s Japanese-built Pacific steam locomotives for the historic trip that will attract hundreds of local railway buffs. SRT commissions the engines just four times a year for special event trips, some in co-operation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to promote train travel.

The charter train departs Bangkok’s main Hua Lampong train station at 0800 arriving in Ayutthaya at 1010 where Spice Road’s group splits with other excursionists and uses cycles rather than tour buses to tour Ayutthaya’s historical park that has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991.

From Ayutthaya the group cycles part of the way back to Bangkok stopping at Bang Pa-In summer palace using a rural road that skirts the Chao Phraya River. Overall, the trip involves 25 km of cycling on quiet country lanes.

The tour sells at Bt2,950 per person (25% discount for children 12-16 years old) and includes pick-up and drop-off at a Bangkok hotel or home, train ticket, lunch, mountain bike and helmet and a guided tour by bicycle of Ayutthaya. Space is limited to 16 people.

SpiceRoads Cycle Tours claims to be the first company to organise a cyclist to ride on the historic WWII military supply route. It is offering just two departures in early 2011 for a maximum of 16 riders per group.

It will be one of the toughest routes the company has included in a tour programme in a remote part of Myanmar far from the usual tourist support facilities.

Covering 590 km over hilly terrain, riders will need to accept the challenge of “primitive overnights” and unpredictable of local authorities once they leave popular tourist destinations for an off-the-beaten-track experience.

The 14-day programme will start innocently enough in the capital Yangon where the group will transfer by aircraft to Mandalay.

The actual cycling journey will start at the colonial British hill station town of Maymyo ( Pyin Oo Lwin) and then continue north to the Shan State, riding though small Shan villages.

The tough adventure component kicks in on the Ledo Road through numerous checkpoints to the river Bhamo before boarding a riverboat, downstream to Mandalay and back to the capital Yangon.

For accommodation, cyclists will experience overnights in a hill station resort, but for most of the route it will be tough (near-camping experience) including the top deck of a riverboat for one sector.

Advance bookings are required as there are only two departures; 16 January and 20 February 2011. The maximum capacity of each trip is 16 people. The tour costs US$2,250, including internal flights. Most of the cost goes to guides, support and route facilitation (dealing with indifferent authorities). Apart from the stops in Yangon and Mandalay, accommodation and food quality will be basic – backpacker style.

Don’t even think about complaining. This is an itinerary as rough and tough as they come.

For further information, contact 02-712-5305 or patricia@spiceroads.com  and www.spiceroads.com

SpiceRoads is a specialist bicycle tour operator based in Bangkok offering a range of two-wheel tours throughout Asia. SpiceRoads tours cater for every level of cyclist and range from day-trips to complete country explorations. Participants are invited to join tours with fixed date departures scheduled throughout the year, while private or tailor-made tours can be arranged for groups or individuals on request. The professional operations set-up includes a fleet of well-maintained mountain and road bikes and support vehicles. All tours are led by experienced cycle guides.

This journey starts in Hanoi and heads north by train to Lao Cai on the Chinese border. From there cyclists venture east into the province of Ha Giang, a region that has just  eased rules on access for tourists.

The limestone mountains of this pristine region provide a stunning background for the riders who will follow a route through the hills to emerge in the flatter terrain of orchards and rice fields. Non-biking excursions such as a cruise by river boat  to an overnight stay at a resort on the banks of Vietnam’s largest natural lake and a visit to an island in Ha Long Bay are on offer.

The accommodation ranges from eco lodges and standard hotel rooms to overnight stays in ethnic villages and a beachside resort.

This is the company’s first venture in this northeast region.

Check out <http://spiceroads.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=30dccad5767b39ccf8a5ddbfa&id=021e1376f9&e=2937f4bd12> for details of a tour that departs on November 27 .

SpiceRoads supplies mountain bikes geared for hilly terrain for the tour. Participants are responsible for helmets, glasses, shoes and cycling clothing.

TTR Weekly’s Mekong Odyssey Ride for Life raised Bt90,000 for the Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother. We wish to thank friends and readers who so generously supported this charity ride.

TTR Weekly editor, Don Ross and Peter Brierley present the final cheque –- donations from the Mekong Odyssey ride last November -- to Ass. Professor Therdchai Jivacate, secretary general of the Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother, at the foundation’s office in Chiang Mai, earlier today. The charity ride raised Bt90,000 for the foundation.

Don Ross and Peter Brierley visited the foundation at its Chiang Mai headquarters, earlier today, 18 January, to hand over a Cashier’s Cheque for Bt74,850 to the foundation secretary general, Ass Professor Therdchai Jivacate.

A Cashier’s Cheque for Bt15,150 was presented to the foundation last December, as an initial donation.
Overall the ride raised Bt90,000.The foundation has provided 24,000 free prostheses to people who lost limbs through accidents or disease since it was formed in 1992.  For more information see www.prosthesesfoundation.or.th.

All the ride and supporting expenses were covered entirely by the two riders.

For the record, here is the final list of supporters and their donations to acknowledge their generosity for such a worthwhile cause:

Go to Blogs >>

Friends and colleagues in travel helped to raise funds for The Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother, based on baht donations multiplied by the km cycled over the entire ride.

All our possession in pannier bags

Chiang Rai resident, Peter Brierley, who handled all the photography on the ride, joined TTR Weekly’s editor, Don Ross, who chronicled the ride’s progress with daily reports at www ttrweekly.com.

They set out on a route from Chiang Rai that took them to Nan, Dansai, Loei to connect with the Mekong River at Chiang Khan. The target was to reach the final destination, Ubon Ratchathani in 18 days with two rest days on the way, averaging 100 km a day.

A chilly Isan morning, but busy with the camera

They also had the notion that the cycle route, following the Mekong River trail through Isan, was  off-the-beaten track. The Mekong River is not acknowledged as one of the world’s classic cycling tour routes, but they discovered, despite its obscurity, Dutch tourists regularly pedal its length from Nong Khai to Ubon during the cool season months, November to February.

Staying connected via an air card

While a key objective was to raise support for the foundation, the other was to track the tourism potential of the Mekong River as it wends a path between Thailand and Laos. The ride also confirmed just how safe and secure Thailand is for visitors, even those who are travelling with just a bike and a set of pannier bags crammed with clothes, cash, passports and valuables including cameras and a laptop computer.

Then there was reaffirmation that this vast region, known as Isan, that borders the Mekong River for most of its journey through Thailand, has a well deserved reputation for hospitality and friendliness to all visitors.

Transport on our rest day in Nakhon Phanom

Yet, they also concluded that the region’s tourism assets and the role of the Mekong River are vastly understated. It should be a star attraction for visitors to Thailand, on par with the country’s beach resorts and islands, but very few of the picturesque towns on its banks feature in mainstream tourism.

In retrospect, they challenged the travel agency notion that distances between tourist attractions are too far apart for tourists to enjoy a meaningful tour.

“We cycled 100 km a day at an average of 20 kmph and there was no shortage of natural and cultural attractions for us to explore from dawn to dusk,” they concluded.

A day in the Nakhon Phanom branch office

“The Mekong River trail through Thailand should be a classic discovery route for cyclists, motor cyclists and even tourists who opt for self-drive car rental. The trick is to slow down, do fewer kilometres and enjoy side trips off the highway to explore riverside villages and attractions.”

For the cycle tour niche market, serviced by specialised travel companies such as Spiceroads, the Northeast and the Mekong River route should be a top seller. It fits the bill for every touring cyclist in the world, who yearns for quiet rural roads and an opportunity to enjoy the WOW factor at every turn of the journey.

The route took the two seniors through some very steep country in Nan province, to Si Nan and Phu Soi Dao national parks bordering Laos. There were stops at Dansai before journeying on to Phu Rua and Loei. From Chiang Khan, where the Mekong River re-enters Thailand, the route followed the most scenic section of highway that fringes the Mekong River almost all the way to Nong Khai.

Phra That Phanom a religious Icon in Isan

After Nong Khai the road stands back about 2 to 3 km west of the river, but small lanes lead to villages on the riverbanks offering spectacular views of a river over 1 km wide.

There were stops to explore Nakhom Phanom, Mukdahan and finally Khong Chiam, all attractive towns on the river before they headed west to Ubon Ratchahani that stands on the Mun River and is an important southern gateway to neighbouring Laos and towns in the Mekong basin.

At intervals of 30 to 50 km, for the length of this 1,600 km odyssey, they discovered small resorts with restaurants some of them having free internet. In the places where they could not locate an internet café they used an air card slotted into the Sony Laptop to stay in touch and files reports.

Phra That Rueang Rung, the finishing line for our trip

“We were never too far from a resort or a place to stop for a meal. This was civilised, but not exactly credit card touring as very few of the resorts bother with plastic money. The Odyssey confirmed that travel in Thailand is vastly rewarding,” they added.

Throughout the trip very few of the resorts were pre booked. The hotel bill rarely exceeded Bt500 for air-conditioned rooms, with hot and cold water, TV and mini bar. Internet was always free. If it wasn’t free they checked in somewhere else.

Conclusion: “Travel in Thailand is not complicated. You just smile and as long as you are patient you discover true hospitality and encouragement. We are a couple of old codgers, with 126 years between us, but we were treated with respect.

Peter celebrates, almost in Si Sa Ket, near the 1,600 km mark

“It was summed up by a village policeman who greeted us with the thumbs-up sign. Yiam, Yiam, (great , great) he called out as we passed by. That said it all. We felt great.”

All the reports covering the full 18-day tour are posted on the website under Mekong Odyssey with photographs and a map of the route.

The southern Isan railway line runs amost parallel with the road from Ubon Rachathani. Both rail and road are as straight as an arrow, the makings of a pretty monotonous journey for a couple of cyclists used to the meandering route the Mekong River follows from Chiang Khan to Khong Chiam.

Ubon Rachathani has all the features of a busy metropolis with morning rush-hour traffic; students piled high on motor cycles dashing off to college and a profusion of pick-up trucks. After more than two weeks of rural cycling we are glad to leave its crowded streets for the wide open highway heading west.

Again we marvel at the variety of resorts that have taken root on the outskirts of town. Who stays in these picturesque chalets? Knowing the going rate is between Bt300 to Bt500 a night, we wonder how these ventures turn a profit. They probably won’t, but they enhance the value of the land adjacent to the highway and are probably a status symbol if you already have a fleet of pick-ups and Mercedes parked in the garden.

The four-lane divided highway has a generous shoulder for motor cyclists and bikes allowing us to ride comfortably side-by-side, while the passing tour buses and trucks add a drag factor on top of the prevailing wind at our backs to spur us along at a heady 30 kmph.

We roll past the right-hand turning to a famous monastery, 15 km from town, but this is too important for us to miss so we back-track and very cautiously cross the busy highway. The province’s famous Bung Wai Forest Monastery, established in 1975, is the highlight of today’s ride rounding off our 18-days tour on a serious note. We might even discover why we set out on this trip in the first place.

It certainly reminds visitors of some very important principles that should govern our life and travels, often forgotten in the rush to be successful.

Wat Nanachart is one of 300 forest temples in the country inspired by the revered Abbot Chah who resided in Ubon Ratchathani, until his death in 1992. He was progressive enough to see the need to establish a monastery for expatriates using the English language, while adhering to the strictest of rules adopted by forest monks.

The monastery stands on 375 rai of donated land and has 20 foreign and two Thai monks in residence. The current abbot is a German national, but a long-time resident of Thailand.

Surrounded by rice fields the monastery grounds are a thick forest of bamboo and tall trees, an oasis of calm for those prepared to take their vows.

It is not technically a meditation centre for lay people, but it is possible to stay here and learn from the monks by participating in the same lifestyle that they have adopted.

There no exceptions in the daily routine so spending time here is not a matter to consider lightly, or on the spur of the moment.

Forest monks have no contact with money in any form. They have no savings accounts, or funds set aside to buy food stuff, not even a bar of soap.

Only a limited amount of food stocks are allowed on the premises. Essentially, they survive entirely on accepting alms from surrounding villages.

Once the daily meal at 1130 is over, they seek refuge in the surrounding forest  sitting in tiny wooden shelters where they meditate until sunset.

On the driveway to the wooden buildings, signs ask visitors not to take photographs. Apart from an occasional car arriving there is hardly a sound, just the whispers of conversation and the sound of the birds.

The former abbot and forest monk, who  resides for most of the year  in the forests of Khao Yai, explains to us the procedure for those who want to stay at the monastery.

It falls into the category of religious tourism, but that does not mean conditions are easy. Those interested must apply in writing to the abbot at least a month in advance explaining their objectives and presenting details of their Buddhist lifestyle. They should have some knowledge of Buddhism and have practiced the religion in a serious manner for the stay to be meaningful.

We talk to a New Zealander who practices Buddhism at a temple in Wellington. He qualifies as a genuine religious tourist, who has visited Thailand on many occasions. Shunning the usual tourist traps, he travelled to Ubon Rachathani to spend two weeks at the monastery.

He described an uncompromising lifestyle that started with him placing his cash in a plastic bag and being shown a safe in the temple office. The monks stood at a distance and pointed to the safe and he deposited his worldly wealth there for the duration of his stay.

We tend to stereotype travellers to Thailand with some justification. Based on the thousands westerners that prop up bars, drinks litres of beer and seek cheap sex in Sukhumvit Road’s bar land, we assume this is the sum total of tourism in Thailand.

But it is not entirely accurate. There are travellers who value Thailand for other features.

We met a Norwegian couple in Ubon Rachathani who were visiting temples and sightseeing in between two diving tours out of Phuket. There were Dutch cyclists, who we never actually saw, but they were certainly touring the Mekong River basin. In Dan Sai we met a Swiss businessman who was travelling north having hired a car to follow the Mekong River.

The monastery’s abbot chatted to us asking us how far we had cycled and wished us a safe journey home. On two of the stout tall trees in the courtyard, the observations of the monastery’s founder had been posted for all to read. I broke the rule and photographed them before hopping on my bike and heading for the gate.

On the outskirts of Si Sa Ket we stopped at an Amazon Cafe for a hot “cappa” and a short break to go online to check the TTR Weekly daily.

By now we had forgiven Amazon for its surly coffee lady who refused us entry on a rainy morning in Phon Phisai, a couple of weeks earlier.

In fact, the coffee makers were so delightful we followed up with an iced Mocca and pineapple pies, while I tapped away on my Sony Laptop reviewing the saga over the PB Air suspension.

I thought it was quite amazing that I could enjoy a very fast WiFi connection courtesy of Amazon Café. What a delightful office location, I thought. I should do this more often.

The coffee girls even gave us accurate directions to Phra That Reuang Rung, one of Si Sa Ket’s most revered temples and the place we decided was a fitting spot to finish our ride.

Phra That Reuang Rung is located on the outskirts of the town on a small country lane in the midst of rice fields and surrounded by small villages.

As we cycled to its colourful frontage, our GPS showed 1,612 km- cycled distance over 18 days since we left Chiang Rai.

We had just enough time to take the stock photograph shaking hands under the shadow of this famous temple located in the heartland of Isan.

Then we set off for Si Sa Ket railway station to board a train for Nakhon Ratchashima for an overnight stay and then a car transfer to Bangkok.

At Si Sa Ket station we bought two second class passenger tickets priced at Bt320 for the 1750 train  that would arrive in Nakhon Ratchashima at 2220.

The State Railway of Thailand is quite cycle friendly when you know the routine. The passenger ticket must be bought first and then the next hurdle is to deposit the cycles with the goods department.

Here the station master explained that if we wanted five-star service with porters loading and unloading the cycles then the fee was Bt360. The do-it-yourself way, which requires a sprint to the front of the train to load and then unload the cycles, costs Bt200.

We splurge on this one and the station master sticks pink labels on the saddles. It’s goodbye to the bikes for the next four hours.

Glue bottle back on the desk, the station master smiles and opens a small tin box containing six amulets. Two of them depict the famous Isan monk, Luang Por Khoon Parisuttho, who resides in a Nakhon Ratchashima temple.

“This will help you on your journeys,” he tells us, as he presents us with the amulets.

I didn’t want to say that our journey was over except for the train ride.

On my return to the office I showed the amulet to one of the editorial team noting I was surprised that the station master was so generous with an amulet that is considered valuable and auspicious.

“Considering the state of the railways, perhaps it was to ensure the train got you safely to your destination,” was the pertinent observation.

That was when I recognised I was back in Bangkok; down to earth with a thump. The realities of the travel trade in Thailand; no romance just the plain fact that some things could work better.

Our Mekong Odyssey was over, yet it taught me afresh just how enthralling travel in Thailand can be if you slow  to a snail’s pace and enjoy the experience. From time-to-time I recall the station master’s expression of genuine hospitality, noting it was a common thread of our experience throughout our Mekong Odyssey.

Tale of the Tape: Today’s distance 101 km; average speed 22.7 kph; Cumulative distance 1,612.88 km.

Our ride was for charity to support the Prosthesis Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother. You can still pledge support based on the total kms we rode during the Mekong Odyssey, or offer a flat donation, which is ever is convenient.

Email details to the Mekong Odyssey 09 email mekongodyssey09@ttreport.com attention Don and Peter.

Tale of the Tape Ride Statistics

Mekong Odyssey 09: How to support

No punctures, no accidents and only minor technical snags with our Cannondale touring bikes.

We filed reports daily from each destination uploaded to the TTR Weekly server, using a Sony Laptop carried in a pannier bag. In villages and towns we connected via WiFI, ADSL or by using an air-card in the laptop. With just a few exceptions roads were surfaced and in good condition, ideal for cycle and motor cycle touring.

Here are the statistics on our original target, actual distances covered and even the calories we consumed during 16 days of cycling with just two rest days.

The trick is to choose a resort that is near a market if the objective is to roll out of town shortly after day break. Usually, the day starts with a strong sweet coffee and a plate of local donuts that you dunk in condensed milk or coffee. It might not be listed in a health and fitness guide, but the alternatives are even less appetising. One is the local porridge known as “Joke” served with an egg floating in a mass of watery rice with minced pork and slivers of liver.

Then there is the staple Khao Tom (boiled rice) with a salty egg and tiny dried fish that your sprinkle as a topping. It’s piping hot and with a few drops of Nam Pla (fish sauce) makes for a nourishing start to the day.

We have two options today. Either we ride southeast to Chong Mek and visit Pakse in Laos, a distance of 73 km or head west for about 90 km and stay in Ubon Ratchathani.

Most touring cyclists head for the border, stop overnight in Pakse and continue south for another week or so to Stung Treng in Cambodia.

We have been on the road now for 16 days so we opt for the excursion to Ubon Ratchathani, which should place us about 80 km short of our ride target of 1,600 km, or 1,000 miles.

The route follows highway 2222 to Phibun Mangsahan where we can, either continue on 2364 north of the Mun River, or cross the town’s river bridge and connect with the main highway 217 for the remaining 50 km to Ubon Ratchathani.

We cross the bridge and take the smooth route to Ubon on a divided highway which has the luxury of a motor cycle and bike lane.

A prevailing Northeast wind pushes us along at a steady 30 kmph over mostly flat terrain; dull and dreary after two weeks following the varied terrain of the Mekong River basin. If  travelling by bus we could have taken a nap, but on a bike, you turn on your Ipod Shuffle and just pedal letting your mind wander through the highlights of the tour and possibly ponder over tomorrow’s final goal. There was just on short diversion to stop and watch craftsman making traditional gongs at small factories on the roadside.

By noon we are looking for Ubon Buri Hotel wondering how it could possibly be just 1 km from town as described in the brochure. It turns out to be 2.5 km away and in an obscure part of commercial Ubon. It is in fact the only attractive building in sight, but isolated with no restaurants or tourist attractions in the vicinity at all.

This was a mistake. We asked the receptionist if the hotel had internet in the rooms. Despite its modern appearance, three-star facilities, tropical gardens and spa, the only spot with WiFi was in the lobby with an hourly surcharge of Bt60. A twin room cost Bt990 with breakfast.

But even the prospect of an American Breakfast was not enough to convince us we should spend a night in this attractive retreat on the outskirts of Ubon.

By now we have a standing rule for the selection of accommodation. They must have free WiFi, or be near an internet café with a fast ADSL line so we could download photographs and they should be in walking district of a market, restaurants and tourist attractions. When in a remote village we parked at a resort as close as possible to the mobile phone transmitter and used the air-card in my Sony laptop to stay in touch.

We moved on cycling to the city, crossing a bridge over the Mun River where we consulted with the undisputed experts on where to stay – the local Sky Lab (samlor) drivers. They had it sussed out in seconds.

“Turn right at the traffic lights, take the next right and try the Sri-Isan Hotel, right next to the river.”

Sri-Isan Hotel fitted the bill perfectly. It stands on a corner with tables and chairs on the side walk, just 200 metres from the river and close to what will be the “Indochina” Market, when it opens later in the year.

Rooms sell for Bt650 and include breakfast. The hotel has WiFi throughout, free of charge, and it worked well enough to download photographs, some quite large files of around 1.5 to 2 MB.

If I had to put this hotel in a category, it would fit Accor’s Ibis brand perfectly. The rooms were clean with a simple, but bright décor and had all the facilities you would find in a modern three-star property –TV, WiFi in the room, stocked mini-bar, air-conditioning and a bathroom with a hot and cold water shower.

It goes to show, Ibis standards flourish in Thailand quite independently, even down to the dimensions, one size up from a shoebox.

But everything worked. Service was impeccable, the place was cycle friendly and genuine Isan hospitality shone through.

Over two weeks, we have stayed in rooms at Bt200 and felt cheated and another destination, a resort chalet at Bt1,600, was a luxury but still didn’t qualify as real value for money. Then there was the Bt350 room in a small resort in Ban Pheang, where we told the owner it was only worth Bt250. He said “fine,” and took our cash. It turned out to be the oldest resort in town with a very tardy reputation.

We didn’t ask anyone for a deal, a free room or offer to write a nice piece in return for a complimentary night. We assessed quite honestly what we were getting for our money. Sri-Isan Hotel came out tops over the entire ride.

Ubon Rachathani came as a shock. I was still harbouring images of a town I visited 10 years ago. The encounter with traffic jams, branded restaurants, shopping malls and crowds jostling in a rush hour was disconcerting.

Of course, the historical temples are still there, the national museum, the park where people exercise, lift weights, jog or snooze on a park bench. It was all there; the provincial city glow survived.

Then, there was the other side of the coin, a city that has embraced all the mega stores, hyper marts and shopping malls you would find in Bangkok. That was a let down.

Ubon Rachathani is a commercial hub for southern Isan and a key gateway for trade to Laos and Vietnam. It is probably a thriving market for agencies promoting outbound travel. You sense there is money to spend, although the houses and building are not lavish and most of the vehicles are practical pick-ups or motor cycles. Yet beneath the veneer, it is still a traditional Isan town with an abundance of fun loving features and the perception that life should be enjoyed preferably in the company of friends, with a bottle of whisky and a few spicy Isan dishes for good measure.

We check our GPS and note we are just 80 km short of our 1,600 target. So in the tradition of Isan folk, we order two more beers, some fried chicken and sticky rice to help us find Si Sa Ket on the map.

Due west on the main railway line to Bangkok we find the black dot on highway 226. We will end the ride there at one of the historical site and then catch the train home.

But before we go to Si Sa Ket to complete 1,600 km, over 18 days, we will make an unusual detour, 15 km beyond Ubon, to visit a Buddhist forest temple where the abbot and monks are all expatriates.

Tale of the Tape: Distance 87.38; average speed 21.2 kph  Cumulative distance 1,511.88.

Our ride is for charity. You can pledge support based on total kms we ride during the Mekong Odyssey, or offer a flat donation.

Email details to the Mekong Odyssey 09 email mekongodyssey09@ttreport.com

Mekong. Odyssey 09: How to support