Big Splashy Surfy Waves then Dinner at the 7.

Route: Tha Yang, Phetchaburi to Hua Hin
Distance: 45km

Nice & easy ride today! The closer we got to the touristy area of Cha Am Beach, then Hua Hin, we saw fewer soi dogs (except for the scrappy brave one that decided Randy should NOT be there on the bike path) and the more English signage was around to help us decodify words. We finally got a menu that had some reasonable English translations to help out our wholly inadequate brains. Therefore, we were able to order up a crab omelet, coffee, spring rolls and fries!

Everything looks “slicker” in this beachy touristy section of Thailand—cars are more luxurious, landscaping is all polished & manicured and little communities have security guards gatekeeping to keep the likes of us—grubby-looking bicycle tourists—out. The community feels “far from Thailand” and quite westernized. We already miss those friendly “helloooooos” from Thais that we’ve come to love.

Supposedly tourism is picking up, but we aren’t seeing it anywhere we have been. Mind you, we have veered off the beaten track much of the time. We went to an “outlet” mall carrying mostly name brands you’d expect to see at home and in the massive complex, there were exactly three browsing customers—Randy, Deana, and Me.

We checked into a lovely hotel tonight. We are talking gorgeous! White bathrobes, slippers, a sauna, steam room etc. Hahaha! Like we’re actually going to consider sitting in a sauna after the days we’ve had!! The check-in staffer seemed to anticipate we’d arrive thirsty and greeted us with cold glasses of some sort of fruity drink and facecloths. I’d like to think the facecloths were to just help us feel refreshed but who knows… Perhaps they just wanted us to stop dripping sweat onto their beautiful lobby floor. I asked how to get to the beach and they said it was about a half kilometre away and that we can ride our bicycles there. Or, as they pointed at a big golf cart, they said we can get ride there if we prefer. An even bigger hahahaha—we just rode our bikes 1200+km—we are taking a golf cart to the beach!!!. We went to the beach and acclimatized to the water which took less than 2 seconds cuz the water is that warm. We didn’t go gentle into that water—we barrelled right on into those waves, leaping and frolicking. Body-slamming against every big glorious wave, floating, laughing and marvelling at the size of those big rolly waves. Wave, jump, laugh, repeat. we can’t even begin to describe how much fun it was! And for miles and miles, we couldn’t see another soul swimming! We had the whole coastline to ourselves. Another big giant wave came blasting up behind me and right off my face flew my fancypants favorite sunglasses. Apparently they don’t float, and now I’m out a beauty pair of sunglasses that will probably wash up on shore someday when I’m long gone from here. As we waded toward shore all wave-whipped and happy we noticed the “Beware of Jellyfish” sign. Now we wonder it that’s why nobody else was swimming in the water?

Sunglasses by the way, are essential. It’s what I mount my rear-view mirror to in order to ride safely and know what’s behind me at all times. Therefore, shopping for a replacement will be a top priority.

We debated (albeit briefly) going to a restaurant and doing the menu-battle once again, or just going to the 7-Eleven. The 7 wins. They have pizza! And chocolate milk! (and squid flavoured potato chips, and a big aisle of seaweed snacks! And drinks with weird balls in them.) Not very adventurous to be sure, but rewarding nonetheless. We sat there reflecting on how much we have come to rely on the 7–it’s been a lifeline for all our daily needs (Tiger balm, electrolytes, ice, laundry soap, ham & cheeses, coffee, ice cream). Anything you need—the 7 has it. It’s usually the busiest joint around!

We will spend two nights here. We may even venture out to buy some floaty toys to play on the water with! Now that would be a hoot!

Sunshine, salt water and waves—what more could we want?