Pak Chong - Saraburi - Pak Chong on the Wave = Stained Underwear

[somtamslap]

Forgot all about Loi Krathong so I went down to Saraburi (as mentioned before, a total cesspit of a place) to run an errand or two.

After weighing up pros and cons, the Wave (as in my shitty little motorbike) seemed a better option than sitting on a bus being chaffeured by a geriatric ex convict with a nervous twitch.

The journey was begun in high spirits as I left Pak Chong for the grotty shitehole of Saraburi..



This journey, in its entirety, was to be done down a particluarly nasty part of the Mittrapharp Road..



I say nasty because the amount of accidents I've witnessed and actually been involved in ( sat on a bus, bus driver being a twat, crash, bang, wallop, lots of blood and unconcious people) is phenomenal.
So, lets break our concentration for a milli second as we take in a very shite picture of Chok Chai Farm..home of cows and steak houses..

[somtamslap]

25 Km's up the road and we've only sworn painfully loud 387 times. Because A) They drive like wankers over here and B) the motorbike lane is like the fucking Grand Canyon. Infact I got some pretty decent air out of obe of the bumps.

Time for a prayer..surely this chap can see us safetly on our way..

[Stinky]

Nice Tiger

[somtamslap]

The large feline looked a tad unimpressed with my Nokia 3110 so I hit the road and buggered of in the direction of Saraburi.
Ironically, this place has more cement factories than Thailand has licensed drivers of heavy goods vehicles, so why don't they sort the roads out..they are in an apalling state.

Arrived safetly into a city that resembles a sauna with a dead animal in it that nobody can locate..

[somtamslap]

Dis what I had to do there and buggered off lively. The Mittrapharp Road was teaming with pick-ups full of people returning home to Issan for Loy Krathong. That and the even worse state of the road on the return leg moved me enough to stop for another prayer..



Won't be doing that again in a hurry.

[BobR]

Sorry but that does not look like much fun. I had to give up riding my motorcycle in the sun, got skin cancer. Thanks for the nice pictures. I had always been under the impression that Saraburi was a nice place. The General who was Prime Minister after the 2006 coup retired there when Samak was elected PM, so maybe I assumed wrongly it was nice.

[withnallstoke]

so maybe I assumed wrongly it was nice.

Too damn right. It's a shithole.

[BobR]

Sadly the "geriatric ex convict with a nervous twitch" who is also an alcoholic is probably still there in his bus, and you're better off being a passenger in the bus than a motorcycle rider close to it.

[somtamslap]

^ At least I feel I have some control on the bike and can pull over or slow right down when things get a little hairy. Got no say at all on the bus, the drivers and their pals are idiots of the highest order..any requests to slow down would either be met with further acceleration or physical assault.

[somtamslap]

I had always been under the impression that Saraburi was a nice place. The General who was Prime Minister after the 2006 coup retired there when Samak was elected PM, so maybe I assumed wrongly it was nice.

Some parts of Saraburi province are extremely beautiful and a pleasure to ride or travel around..but the actual city is awful.

[pompeybloke]

Only good thing about Saraburi is the departing train heading east. Stops at Pak Chong, doesn't it. That has to be a better option than a yaba head driven bus trip or sore arse on a wave...

Anyway, good pics somtamslap. At least you have Khao Yai nearby, and Pakchong itself has some interesting hills around....though I've never stopped there. Got that impression while staring out from the train window.

[Udonite]

Those cement factories near Saraburi are located in the middle of some lovely scenery, not where you think they should be, like on a industrial estate. They are really a blight on the landscape.

I would not say Saraburi is a shithole.
It does not have a centre or any atmosphere about it.

[sabang]

I would not say Saraburi is a shithole.

I would.

Not far outside of Sarat Buri there are some pleasant areas though- head to Khaeng Khoi, then turn off the road into the mountains and it's similar to Pak Chong really.

[panama hat]

Nice photoshop, mate! Why do you wish us to believe that anyone stops at a red light??????

[somtamslap]

Not far outside of Sarat Buri there are some pleasant areas though- head to Khaeng Khoi, then turn off the road into the mountains and it's similar to Pak Chong really.

Yes, from Kaeng Khoi to Pak Chong on the back roads, the scenery is nothing short of spectacular..it's one hell of a detour on the bike though.

Nice photoshop, mate! Why do you wish us to believe that anyone stops at a red light??????

Taken near Pak Chong hospital that shot..maybe an omen for drivers to act like normal people for a 20 metre stretch?

[BKKBILL]

Nice photo’s I’ll be heading up that way from Bangkok this week-end although in a Honda CRV. Mainly for a hamburger at Chok Chai farm and to just get out of the city. Agree with you about Saraburi but as said some nice areas around there.

[Butterfly]

nice report,

Bus driving monkeys are nasty creatures, to be avoided

think they can race you even when you drive a powerful car,

[Loy Toy]

Nice one Slapy!

Glad you got through the adventure in one piece.