Tallabomba Blog

Crossing Phu Phalampan

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Crossing the mighty Mekong River.

New road.

New road across the Phu Phalampan mountains.

Muddy mountain road in the wet season. Phu Phalamphan, Laos.

The unhelpful heritage vanishes.

To Laos 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:56:00 +0000

I was exhausted as I put the tent up after the first day of cycling after a few months of R&R in Chiang Mai, Thailand. My legs were not used to the hills and riding with luggage. It took three full days before I started to get back in shape, and the roads were increasingly mountainous as I got closer to Nan province. It took me five and a half days to get to the new border crossing north of Muang Nan. It was a very quiet border and I didn't see anyone there except some salesmen and border officials. On the Lao side I got a 30 day tourist visa for 31 dollars.

The road quickly deteriorated on the Lao side, but a new road is supposed to be completed and sealed within a few months (late 2011). Unfortunaltely the half finished road was not much help in heavy rain. The red dirt soon turned into slippery and sticky mud that made it almost impossible to ride a motorbike, or even a car. Even I had great difficulties. I was either sliding and slipping all over the place in even the slightest inclines, or I got the wheels and gears full of the sticky mud. I had to stop for the night after just a few kilometers.

In the morning the road was drier and much more useful, and I continued to Hongsa - a district capital in Xayabouli province. Hills, mud and road construction made the 35 km trip take most of the day.

A new 12 meter road being built between Hongsa and The Thai-Lao border at Muang Ngeun.

After a rest day in Hongsa I continued on a small but decent asphalt road to Xayabouri (many spelling alternatives).

Most of the more exciting sections can be found as tracks on GPSies.com:

Wang Neua - Phayao

Pong - Song Khwae

Song Khwae - Chiang Klang

Mae Man Ngeun - Hongsa

Hongsa - Xayabouri

...but the most exciting section will be covered in the next blog post.

Western Forest Complex: Day 5-7 (and to Chiang Mai)

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:53:00 +0000

Morning at our camp at the Sri Nakharin Lake. Kevin is making coffee and oatmeal.

Ready for another day of cycling.

A typical lunch restaurant in a mountain village on the road.

Small country roads in a farming landscape.

Kids getting ready to soak the crazy foreigners (falang bah!) with their buckets of water. Songkran water festival in western Thailand.

During the fifth day we basically cycle east ocer two nountain passes. After that we follow the eastern edge of the Western Forest Complex to the north.

Western Forest Complex: Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Fri, 06 May 2011 04:30:00 +0000

Farming, forest, and mountain landscape near Ban Khli Thi.

One of the checkpoints on the road from Ban Khlity to Sri Nakharin Lake.

We cycle back the same way we came during most of the day. It's a bit disappointing but still a beautiful landscape to travel through, and great cycling. We also miss out on the steep climbs on gravel and concrete slabs near the Nakharin lake.

Monk and kids on the ferry across the Sri Nakharin Lake.

We get to the lake shore and the little ferry on the beach at 2 p.m. and we leave for the western coast at 3 p.m. An hour later we arrive on a similar beach on the Si Sawat side of the lake.

Enjoying a cold beer (Beer Leo) at the camp fire on the beach at sunset. Sri Nakharin Lake, Kanchanaburi Province.

We camp on the beach near the ferry. There is a small hamlet with a restaurant where we buy a couple of cold beers. We swim and wash in the lake.

To be continued.

Western Forest Complex: Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Wed, 04 May 2011 08:15:00 +0000

Misty morning in our camp on day three. Lam Khlong Ngoo National Park, Western Forest Complex, Thailand.

We have oatmeal and coffee for breakfast before we keep cycling north further into the wilderness. We see another road junction and a small restaurant but mostly jungle and some very noisy bamboo forests. The noise comes from cicadas. Ear plugs would be good here. There is also a ranger checkpoint but no questions asked.

Local farmers on the way to remote fields. Ban Khli Thi, Western Forest Complex, Thailand.

We arrive at the remote village of Kli Thi (sometimes spelled Ban Khli Ti or Ban Klity) in the early afternoon. There is a restaurant with a small shop here so we sit down and have a bowl of noodles, and do some last shopping (snacks and noodles). A man who speaks good English explains that there is no road to be found that could take us north to places like Umphang or Ban Palatha. There is only jungle, he says. He reckons it would take a lot more than a week to walk through. He lives up here so we kind of trust his knowledge on this. It's a bit disappointing, but we are still eager to try to get as far as possible into the wilderness to see for ourself even if we just have to come back the same way. We continue north on the road to the park headquarters for Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary. Our man says it's eight kilometers to go.

On the road to West Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctaury - one of the largest and most remote protected areas within the Western Forest Complex.

As we arrived at the ranger station checkpoint we had our second disappointment. They told us that we can't continue into the park. We insisted to talk this through, and they informed us that a permit is needed. We told about our phone calls and a young lady took us to the main office where we were promised a phone call to whoever gave us this information. We made the call and I handed over the phone to the lady and here colleague, and they still said we can't go. We moaned about this and tried to take it all in, while studying a 3d model of the park. After a few minutes the lady tells us that she has spoken to the officer on the phone and that we can now get a permit, but only to go as far as the second ranger station inside the park, at about thirty kilometers from the headquarters. This is good news in the circumstances, but we wanted to go all the way to the Burmese border area (approximately 100 kilometers) and continue north to Umphang or Palatha. That was the grand plan. The lady also tells us that we cannot leave the road, that we have to report at the ranger stations (15 and 30 kms respectively) and that we cannot camp because of dangers. We have to make it to the ranger station for the night. When I ask here to be more specific she mentions tigers. I assume she just doesn't want us to camp, because tigers would probably want to stay far away from humans if they have a chance, and they do; They have 18 720 square kilometers to roam.

Local villagers coming out of the rain forest. Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary.

We promised to follow the instructions and started cycling into the dark rain forest. We had been warned about the road conditions but it turned out a bit worse than we expected. After just a few hundred meters we had to get off our bikes and push through flooded areas with deep mud. We could still cycle through some of the ruts or on the side, but the obstacles got more frequent as we got deeper into the forest. It takes a lot of time to travel like this and it was already late in the afternoon.

Poor road conditions in the West Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Deeper into the forest the road got worse (even a bit worse than on the photo above) and we had to push through deep mud ruts full of water. We thought we may be able to get to the next ranger station before dark, or at least to higher and hopefully drier ground, but we also thought about going back the same way the next day, because they didn't give us a permit to go further than ranger station two 30 kilometers into the park. We didn't think we had much chance of making it through the dense jungle off-road and we would be easy to track and stop if we tried to sneak past the checkpoints. A decision had to be made. We decided to go back. We camped on a hill near Ban Khli Thi.

To be continued.

Western Forest Complex: Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:45:00 +0000

We kept cycling along the western side of the Sri Nakarin (Sri Nakharind) Reservoir during the morning. At the largest village there was even a short stretch of asphalt. As we got closer to the lake shore and the ferry the road got smaller and rougher again. There is a small shop/restaurant at the "jetty" (gravel beach at the end of the road), and the ferry is supposed to leave at two p.m. or whenever it's full. The "ferry" looks like a barge with a longtail motor at the rear right corner. It has some shaded seating space along the sides and can probably take up to nine cars or other loads.

We continue inland and west from here and the road climbs steeply into the forest complex. Some sections have concrete, but it's mostly loose or hard packed gravel.

Steep climbs into the higher areas of the Western Forest Complex, Thailand.

The road meets another road connecting to highway 323 later in the afternoon, and there is some asphalt road around a larger village. We see the first foreigner on the trip in this village, a dutch pensioner living there with his Thai wife. We camp a couple of kilometers north of it near a couple of steep limestone formations.

Morning mist and coffee at our second camp site.

Western Forest Complex

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:42:00 +0000

The Western Forest Complex (WFC) is a large wilderness, or near wilderness area in western Thailand. It's located between Kanchanaburi in the south and Umphang in the north. To the west it's bordering Myanmar (Burma), and to the east lies the central lowlands around Bangkok, Uthai Thani, Kampaeng Phet, etc. The area has World Heritage status and consists of seventeen protected forest areas like national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. There are some settlements, but few roads. No roads connect the southern part with the northern, and the northern part has no connection to the east, where the central lowlands lay. You have to enter from the south, the southeast or directly from the north via the spectacular Mea Sot - Umphang road.

The challenge, or a major challenge among many others, is to cross this vast area from south to north (or the opposite direction) by bicycle. The trip has been done for the first time on motorbikes (late 2010), but that was with a local Karen guide and GPS. Me and my friend and touring cyclist Kevin decided to try on our own, with no guide and no GPS. The odds didn't seem too good, but we were optimistic and had some advantages. We had tents and can carry food for many days on our bikes. We have plenty of time. The bikers had a long weekend.

We started by cycling to Kanchanaburi. There we went to the TAT (Tourist Authority of Thailand). The ladies there gave us telephone numbers to park officials who may or may not give us any necessary permits. We went back to our veranda at the river Kwai and made the phone calls. A lady who spoke some english explained that we may get permission but she had to ask her boss first. I should call back in ten minutes. After 15 minutes I called back. A man explained that we could get permission to go as far as Laiwo, but not to Tilaipa, the last village with a road coming from the south along the Myanmar border. This is kind of understandable since the village is right on the border, and the area is sensitive due to refugees (and possibly drugs) coming in from Myanmar, but it is also the route the bikers used. They probably got a permit because of their guide. I asked about the more central areas casually, and Mr F told me that it would be no problem to go there, but we didn't get into any details. We decided to try the central route into the wilderness.

On the road to Erawan National Park, Thailand. April 2011.

We left the next morning with food for a few days. We would still be able to find small shops and restaurants for a couple of days ahead. We cycled up to Erawan National Park and Erawan Waterfall, but didn't enter. Instead we continued on into WFC on steeper and steeper dirt roads. Soon we where high above the Nakharin Reservoir, a huge man made lake. There are a few small villages in this area, and some farming, but mostly forested mountains.

Kevin high above the Nakharin Reservoir in the Western Forest Complex, Thailand. April 2011.

We camped with great views of the lake, after a rice dinner in a roadside restaurant.

To be continued..

The Therm-a-Rest case: E-mail problems

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 06:46:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my last post, I sent in photos of the ballooning mattress. The latter bounced however, and I had to send it again. Eventually I got in touch with people at Cascade Designs. They promised to replace my mattress based on the photos I sent, and that I could choose one of two equivalent models from today's product line. I chose a Prolite regular. I picked up my new Therm-a-Rest a few weeks later when I was in Kuala Lumpur. I works fine, and is lighter and more comfortable than the older one. I guess the lifetime warranty was for real this time.

http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/prolite/product

Sorry for the late update on this issue.

Is lifetime warranty for real?

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:32:00 +0000

I have used a Therm-a-rest on some of my trips, abut on this trip it failed on me. The outer fabric has disconnected from the foam material, creating a large 'balloon' or 'bubble' across the middle of the mattress. It failed in Malaysia so for seven months in Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, Indonesia and East Timor I used a simple (and very light) foam mattress from a local Malaysian supermarket (Rm 17).

The Therm-a-Rest has a lifetime warranty though and I prefer the comfort it provides. I'm no about to find out if manufacturer Cascade Designs is good for their word. There are some rules about cleaning your gear, and storing with the valve open it in a dry place. I've followed the rules, so let's see what happens. They have now asked me to send in photos of the mattress, so they can conclude if I have the right to a replacement or repair, or nothing. See photos below:

Ballooning with a little extra inflation.

Ballooning with extra inflation.

The tag/sticker.

Do you have similar experiences with "lifetime warranty" products in general or the Therm-a-Rest in particular?

Do you think they will help me out?

I think so. They would loose out big time if they get a bad reputation about their warranty. They depend on this to keep selling their products at the premium price. Why would people by "the original" if there is no benefit, and the warranty doesn't work when you need it?

UPDATE (April 4): Still no answer, so I sent a reminder to my contact at the local distributor here in Malaysia. I was also surprised to learn that the e-mail address I got from Cascade Designs doesn't exist (the mail to that contact person bounced).

UPDATE 2: I got the good news on April 6. They will give me a replacement.

Borobudur

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:12:00 +0000

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia.

Flower of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:05:00 +0000

Work in the rice paddies of Java

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:06:00 +0000

Photo of the Day: Purple Flower

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:30:00 +0000

Flower in garden near Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.

Motocross in East Java

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:51:00 +0000

Photo of the Day: Water Lily

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:27:00 +0000

Water lily in a pond near Surabaya, Java, Indonesia.

Gunung Bromo

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:07:00 +0000

Men with their horses are waiting to bring tourists down from Mt. Bromo.

Tourists at the crater rim of Mt. Bromo. Sulphur fumes from the active volcano are constantly exhausted from inside the crater.

The Sand Sea (Lautian Pasir) and Mt. Bromo in the Background. Gunung Bromo, East Java, Indonesia.

Camping near Mt. Bromo in the outer crater, just south of The Sand Sea.

The less traveled entrance road to Mt. Bromo from the south.

The Fishermen of Southeast Sumba

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 11:49:00 +0000

Fishermen with their nets at a beach on the southeastern coast of Sumba, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia.

Fishermen with their nets and catch. Southeastern Sumba, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia.

Gili Trawangan

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:46:00 +0000

Gili Trawangan: A small but touristy paradise island off the north-western coast of Lombok, Indonesia.

Garbage on the beach of Gili Trawangan, with Gili Meno and Lombok in the background.

Sumba Funerals

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:17:00 +0000

Two down - three more to go; Ritual sacrifice of buffalo at funeral ceremony in western Sumba, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia.

More than ten men are holding the Buffalo while one man kills it by cutting the neck with a machete.

Sumba Hills HDR

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:50:00 +0000

The rolling hills of Central Sumba at sunset.

The rolling hills of Central Sumba at sunset. Sumba Timur, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia.

Roads of Sumba: Toward the central highlands

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The road from Tarimbang to the main "Trans-Sumba Highway". Sumba Timur, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia.

This will soon be a nice asphalt road through a beautiful landscape of rolling hills. It's the road from Tarimbang to the main "Trans-Sumba Highway". Sumba Timur, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia.

The road from Tarimbang to the main "Trans-Sumba Highway". Sumba Timur, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia.

Roads of Sumba: Livestock

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Cows on the road 14 kms north of Terimbang, Sumba, Indonesia.

Roads of Sumba: Rain forest road

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:42:00 +0000

A tree has been cut to clear the main coastal road in south-eastern Sumba. The nature is varied. Here the road climbs from sea level to 600 meters in just a few kilometers. The rainforest is very dense and it has the strongest protection; It's a national park.

Roads of Sumba: On the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:22:00 +0000

The road is laterally on the beach just before Tawui on the southern coast of Sumba.

Around Tawui it's possible to cycle on the beach, and go for a swim if it gets too hot.

Roads of Sumba: To the beach!

noreply@blogger.com (Tallabomba) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:08:00 +0000

The main coastal road in south-eastern Sumba follows the beach just before the village of Tawui.