"When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you..."
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| (Phu Tubberk Peak) |
It has been one of those times where my focus has been more on everything else than it has been on updating both my blogs. This is the update of our latest travel before our trip to the three Stans states namely, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in August.
This trip was actually planned after our Umrah trip in March but when both of us were down with bad cough and flue we decided to postpone this trip. Instead we went for a relaxing driving road trip and ended up in Krabi and Phuket Thailand. That was before the month of Ramadhan...
Phu Tubberk Ride
Date: 13 - 21 July 2017
Route: KL - Hatyai - Chumphon - Nakhon Pathom - Khao Kho - Phu Tubberk
- Saraburi - Thap Sakae - Khanom Beach - Hatyai - KL
Total Distance: 4,265 km
Day 01: Thursday, 13 July 2017
Route: KL - Hat Yai
Distance: 534 km
Hotel: Hatyai Golden Crown Hotel (B850)
We started riding from Bidara house around 9:00 am. We stopped for refueling and rest at Rawang, Simpang Pulai and Changlun. In Changlun we completed documentations for insurance and entry cards. There was a long queue at the Immigration new complex but it didn't take long to get cleared as there were many open counters. Custom declaration forms were submitted at the old counter. This time we did not have to pay overtime fees to the immigration officers. Border clearance was completed around 3.30 pm. We rode direct to Khaled Restoran in Hatyai to have a very late lunch then later checked in Golden Crown Hotel. We slept early and skipped dinner.
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| (Sadao new Immigration Complex) |
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| (Hatyai Golden Crown Hotel) |
Day 02: Friday, 14 July 2017
Route: Hat Yai - Chumphon
Hotel: Chumphon Jansom Hotel (B590)
We had breakfast at Khaled's. The weather was cloudy all the way to Chumphon. We stopped at Thung Song R&R for an early lunch. After, we rode in the rain all the way to Chumphon and checked in Chumphon Jansom Hotel. At night we walked to Restoran Fareda, a short distance from the hotel for banana pancake dinner.
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| (Early lunch at Thung Song R&R) |
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| (A few accidents on slippery road) |
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| (Chumphon Jansom Hotel) |
Day 03: Saturday, 15 July 2017
Route: Chumphon - Nakhon Pathom
Hotel: Nakhon Pathom Mitphaisal Hotel (B450)
After breakfast we checked out and rode towards north. We refuelled in Chumphon and Prachap Khiri Khan and stopped for lunch at Husna Restaurant in Cha-am. Mr Amran, a generous local man paid for our lunch. In Nakhon Pathom we checked in Mitphaisal Hotel situated near some famous attractions in town. As it was still early we visited the Masjid Pakistan, Sanam Chandra Palace, Aircraft and Army Surplus and Phra Nakhom Chedi. We had dinner of fried rice packed earlier from Cha-am.
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| (Riding towards Nakhon Pathom) |
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| (Pakistan Mosque Nakhon Pathom) |
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| (Meeting the Imam at the mosque) |
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| (Chali Mongkol Asana, European style castle) |
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| (Bridge crossing the canal to another castle) |
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| (Aircraft and Military surplus site) |
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| (The site for flea market twice a week) |
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| (The 2nd tallest Chedi in the world, Pra Pathom Chedi) |
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| (At 120.5 m, standing tall at night) |
Day 04: Sunday, 16 July 2017
Route: Nakhon Pathom - Phitsanulok - Khao Kho
Hotel: Khao Kho Thalamok Hilltop Hotel (B1000)
We had breakfast at Amazon cafe and refuelled at Nakhon Pathom PTT. This morning we had to ride on alternative route which was a little further to avoid going through Bangkok. We made a stop in Chainat but to our disappointment there was no more food at the Nasi Ayam Muslim Restaurant. For lunch, we detoured to Nakhon Sawan and had Rice with Beef Soup in the Muslim Restaurant by the lake. We took the route to Khao Kho via Phitsanulok and stopped for coffee break at Route 12 Highway Restaurant. We stayed a night at Thalamok Hilltop Hotel in Khao kho and enjoyed the sunset from the mountain viewpoint.
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| (Alligator couple welcoming us to Phitsanulok) |
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| (Highway 12, long and winding hilly road) |
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| (Panoramic view from the mountain top) |
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| (Windmills over the horizon) |
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| (Coffee break at Route 12 Highway Restaurant) |
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| (Our room in the belly of the Sphinx at Khao Kho) |
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| (The panoramic view from our room) |
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| (A new resort with splendid view of the valley) |
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| (Waiting for the sun to set) |
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| (Riding into the beautiful sunset) |
Day 05: Monday, 17 July 2017
Route: Khao Kho - Phu Tubberk - Petchabun - Saraburi
Hotel: Saraburi Hotel Kyo-un (B900)
We had breakfast of toasts and fried eggs in the resort cafe. We rode leisurely up the winding road from Khao Kho to Phu Tubberk. It was raining very heavily all the way to the Phu Tubberk view point. We had some photo shots and rode carefully on the slippery road downhill. We stopped at Restoran Aminah in Petchabun for lunch and packed fried rice and omelette for dinner later. We reached Saraburi early and checked in Hotel Kyo-un.
Day 06: Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Route: Saraburi - Ratchaburi - Thap Sakae
Hotel: Thap Sakae Malai-Asia Resort (B600)
We had toasts and fried eggs breakfast in the hotel cafe. We rode south bound for a while and stopped for coffee break at Amazon cafe at Song Phi Nong PTT. We reached Ratchaburi around noon and had our lunch at Hawa Muslim Restaurant. Here we met Mr Amran and again, discreetly, he paid for our lunch. We did not have the opportunity to thank him for his generosity on both occasions. We continued our ride and stopped at Hua Hin PTT for refueling and coffee break. We reached Thap Sakae Beach late evening and checked in Malai-Asia Resort at a 50% discounted rate.
Route: Khanom Beach - Hatyai
Hotel: Hatyai Golden Crown Hotel (B850)
We had breakfast in the resort before we checked out and rode the coastal route by-passing Nakhon Si Thammarat. We stopped to refuel and coffee break at Amazon Cafe in Bo Lo. Later we exited at route 41 before Phatthalung and rode direct to Hatyai. We arrived Hatyai early and had nasi kerabu lunch at Khaled restaurant. Tonight we stayed in Golden Crown Hotel and indulged in a full body massage at Charawa. Later in the night we had a sumptuous pulut durian at PakAji stall.
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| (The new mosque in Nakhon Si Thammarat) |
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| (Mouth watering nasi kerabu at Khaled's) |
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| (Nasi Lemak and Teh Buih for dinner) |
Day 09: Friday, 21 July 2017
After a heavy breakfast at khaled's we rode direct to the border. Border clearance was smooth and fast. We refuelled in Changlun and rode direct to Pak Su Mee Udang Resaurant in Changkat Jering for a hearty lunch.. We made another stop at Simpang Pulai to refuel and prayers then rode direct home. We arrived at our Bidara house safely. Alhamdulillah...
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| (Restoran Mee Udang Paksu) |
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| (ABC and Len Ci kang to quench thirsty riders) |
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| (Mee udang goreng special) |
