mr_hippo
Living Legend & Old Fart
After my wife died, I decided to stay in Thailand but move out of Bangkok. 10 years in Bangkok was enough for me, traffic problems and having to cycle about 30 kmsbefore I could get into the countryside.
After visiting many places, I decided to move to Korat – full name is Nakorn Ratchasima but the Americans who were here in the Vietnam War shortened it to Korat and the name stuck. Korat is about 300 kms from Bangkok or about £4 on aVIP bus!
I have been here for just over 4 weeks; about 2 weeks ago, I moved out of my Bangkok apartment and moved here full time. I hardly done any cycling after my wife died but now I am back in the saddle.
I have been to 3 bicycle shops here. The first sells locally made LA bicycles as well as 'Tesco specials’; I stayed outside for a few minutes before deciding not to go in. I took my bike into the second one – about 2 kms from home but…my confidence soon evaporated. The latest fashion craze here is single speed – either fixed or freewheel both are supplied without brakes! One of their mechanics looked at my bike and said “They are small pedals!” - they are just normal SPD ones. As he was putting the bike into the bed of the pick-up, he was going to put it driveside down. So it was onto the third one.
Possibly the best bike shop in Bangkok is ProBike and they have a network of dealers around the Kingdom and one is just 3 kms from me .Properly trained mechanics, good workshop facilities and a well-informed salesforce. Guess which one is having my custom?
Bangkok is flat and Korat is not so I will have to get my climbing legs back! I have been exploring and have found a few nice circuits.My favourite circuit starts flat but after about 2 kms goes up hill for 10 kms –not steep but it’s a long slow grind up the slope. There’s a stiffish 2 km hill on the return leg. All major roads through the city have wide cycle lanes for bicycles and motorcycles. You do get the usual problems here – cars parked in the cycle lane and contraflow traffic . Contraflow for motor cycles and bikes is acceptable here and I admit that I have now joined them! On the last part of my trip, I can either cycle a further 2 kms to traffic lights and the U turn or use the U turn about 20 metres shy of my street and contraflow those 20 metres.
The countryside around here reminds me of an old poem that I learnt in school which goes something like this:-
A reeling road, a rolling road
Which rambles round the shire
Can anyone give me the title and author, please? A Google search proved fruitless. Sounds like Betjamen or Auden or someone from that era.
After visiting many places, I decided to move to Korat – full name is Nakorn Ratchasima but the Americans who were here in the Vietnam War shortened it to Korat and the name stuck. Korat is about 300 kms from Bangkok or about £4 on aVIP bus!
I have been here for just over 4 weeks; about 2 weeks ago, I moved out of my Bangkok apartment and moved here full time. I hardly done any cycling after my wife died but now I am back in the saddle.
I have been to 3 bicycle shops here. The first sells locally made LA bicycles as well as 'Tesco specials’; I stayed outside for a few minutes before deciding not to go in. I took my bike into the second one – about 2 kms from home but…my confidence soon evaporated. The latest fashion craze here is single speed – either fixed or freewheel both are supplied without brakes! One of their mechanics looked at my bike and said “They are small pedals!” - they are just normal SPD ones. As he was putting the bike into the bed of the pick-up, he was going to put it driveside down. So it was onto the third one.
Possibly the best bike shop in Bangkok is ProBike and they have a network of dealers around the Kingdom and one is just 3 kms from me .Properly trained mechanics, good workshop facilities and a well-informed salesforce. Guess which one is having my custom?
Bangkok is flat and Korat is not so I will have to get my climbing legs back! I have been exploring and have found a few nice circuits.My favourite circuit starts flat but after about 2 kms goes up hill for 10 kms –not steep but it’s a long slow grind up the slope. There’s a stiffish 2 km hill on the return leg. All major roads through the city have wide cycle lanes for bicycles and motorcycles. You do get the usual problems here – cars parked in the cycle lane and contraflow traffic . Contraflow for motor cycles and bikes is acceptable here and I admit that I have now joined them! On the last part of my trip, I can either cycle a further 2 kms to traffic lights and the U turn or use the U turn about 20 metres shy of my street and contraflow those 20 metres.
The countryside around here reminds me of an old poem that I learnt in school which goes something like this:-
A reeling road, a rolling road
Which rambles round the shire
Can anyone give me the title and author, please? A Google search proved fruitless. Sounds like Betjamen or Auden or someone from that era.
