Started our registration by signing waivers, copying of our passports and final trials of our bikes. Met Jeff for the first time. Bikes were taken for benzine top up and by nine thirty we were ready to roll. Crossing the town was briefed as the most difficult part with traffic being irratic but quite less being a Saturday.
I believe once you drive in India you are prepared for traffic everywhere, compared to back home traffic sense in Thailand is amazing. Everyone drives on their side of road, no one honks and people actually wait for merging on main road till there is a break in traffic. Roads are wide, smooth and clearly marked.....what has happened to our traffic in India. How did we come to become so irrational and unruly. Is it because of population or just our sense of being free or trying to be kings on road when we are part of rat race......
The bike had all trappings of power burst and after riding Royal Enfield for long it's like this beast between your legs buzzing to go free. One can feel the reserves of power and speed available in the bike. Seats are comfortable even for pillion and bike switches are conveniently located within your thumb movement space. There are no switches for head light as main lights are always switched on for two wheelers out here.
Natural line up started with Jeff leading the pack followed by Adam with Rita as pillion and last being me with Rekha as pillion. Support vehicle would follow in our wake and wet us at lunch break location. Our first halt was just outside the town for breakfast and initial briefing by Jeff on Do's and Don'ts of the ride, traffic concepts and what he expects from us and what can we expect from him and the ride. Breakfast was in a place called 'Sausage King' located in outskirts of the town. Place again owned by an expat with authentic Thai as well as Indian and Continental food. Most of us let go and had a hearty all American breakfast along with doses of advice from Jeff. Though he was quite optimistic as both of us had experience of driving within Asia.
Breakfast over and we started our ride to Nan on Route 118 to Mae Kachan, this is hills country with excellent roads and traffic conditions. As we were getting used to our bikes the pace set by Jeff was reasonably medium with going at around 70-80 Kms per hour. Twisting and wide turns had us banking on our rides by the time nature welcomed us to Thailand, we had our first showers. Though initially it appeared we were out running the rains, it finally caught us in its wake and petering of rain drops reduced our speed considerably. Shortly though could see indicators of Jeff blinking us towards a cafe. It was our scheduled coffee halt in Goods Northern Cafe. A cafe like no other I had seen before with hot water springs gushing water inside the cafe channelised into feet soaking pits. Water pipes had various figure head one can imagine, one looked like Indian lady of yester era with water gushing out of her water utensils, what we call Ghara, and off course best was small boy similar to 'Mannequin Piss' of Brussels with water gushing out of his deformed privates. Had our hydration drinks waited rain out and did essential photo posturing in front of old temple and away we went with promise of better roads and more hills in yonder.
Not to repeat myself but ride kept on getting better and better with minimum fatigue and even pillion comfort in the bike as we rode onto Route 120 to Phayao where we halted for lunch in a lakeside restaurant, had lovely Thai food, clicked snaps with water dragons and hit the highway again via Routes 1251 and 1091.
As we got closer to Nan the weather continued getting overcast but we could see that heavy rains had preceded us, with uprooted trees and wet pine leaves on road. Driving speed was further restricted though we made good time and reached outskirts of Nan by mid afternoon where we were joined by Andy, another expat rider living in Nan. Now we were four bikes and headed for bikers drinking hole called 'Tony's Pub' where we celebrated our first day of ride with chilled beer, Singha for me as usual. Hotel was nearby, check in was already done by support staff and moved straight to rooms for our shower in Hotel She vara in Nan.
Evening we met for beer and dinner in the hotel restaurant only which offcourse was preceded by Thai massage for both Rekha and me. The lovely roads, excellent bikes, good lead biker like Jeff and smiling Thai people all around.....what else can one ask for.....
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