This was a regulation flat day – one for the sprinters 😁
It was raining at breakfast time and the forecast was for 36mm of rain in an hour, so I almost decided to stay another night. The rain stopped and the forecast changed and this opened up an opportunity to leave. The towns I was going through weren’t expecting so much rain as Chiang Rai, so I thanked my luck and got going.
The first 27 kms was the section I’d done previously between Mae Chan and Chiang Rai.The poncho got a good workout, and a store with a large awning appeared just as I realised the rain was going to get crazy. I think I spent 40 minutes there just watching the deluge. Then it was gone, and play resumed, and it was a nice ride into the very very nice looking town of Mae Sai.
I checked into the excellent and wonderfully quirky homestay Baan Tuek, cleaned up and went downstairs for a Khao Soi – superb, but I’d been warned by Andrew Haycraft that it it was very very good.
Then it was into town for a look around. There was flooding and I was lucky to get through the covered market area and up to the point which is the most northerly in Thailand. I must have had helmet hair, as my Facebook friends have had a great laugh at my ‘new look’. The only change these days, is that I rarely look in the mirror because I simply can’t give a stuff. 😁
Most northerly point in Thailand
Back into town for an excellent Latte and a phone call with Pete and Marl – gotta love technology – as some market stalls were set up in front of me.
That evening, I went back into town to the line of food vendors for an excellent Kway Teow Moo (pork and noodle soup), a banana Roti (a personal fave) and a mango smoothie (almost mandatory every day).
Needless to say, sleep came very very easily after this day.
Mae Sai is a very nice place and just a little different. For instance, the streets near the homestay seem cleaner and more organised, the river and nearby mountains look great and they apparently get quite a bit of rain. As a result, there a many motorbikes with the almost fully enclosed shelter for the rider – Chinese style.