Nan to Chiang Khong
I have to admit riding two up definitely takes its toll on your body . Waking feeling rather fatigued we decided on a lazy morning . After all, we are on holiday so what’s the rush? So after a lazy breakfast that was mediocre at best for the price we paid, we got ready and checked out around 10am. The hotel itself was vet nice and quaint but not at all worth the near 3,000 THB that I paid. Certainly won’t be staying here again !
As we left I took a slight detour to cross the river that runs through Nan, and also a ride around the town. I would advise readers not to make the same mistake, it’s a waste of fuel and time .
I then proceeded along the road I had taken at the beginning of the month having ridden the road once I knew what I was in for and looking forward to it . I had advised my wife Rifat beforehand to be ready with the camera for the amazing views we’d see and made a point to slow at some of the best places that I remembered from the last trip . Indeed this Route 1080 is a wonderful road and when it turns onto Route it gets even better. It really is like a roller coaster. There are some bends where through the turn the road will change both incline and camber quite dramatically and approaching the national park, it gets quite steep indeed. I decided a photo stop at the same point I had stopped before.
Thai people are just great. Very friendly, inquisitive and warm. There was a family also who stopped for a break. Mature parents, their teenage children and two grandparents. So we had a little chat with them and I shared a few of the brownie cakes that Rifat had packed with us.
About 20 mins later we set off and carried on towards Chiang Kham where we stopped for lunch. Stopping for lunch at the same petrol station I stopped the last time, it’s amazing how many bikers you see . As I pulled in there was a group of 3 foreigners on different bikes on their way to Chiang Khong and as we were getting ready to leave a young couple pulled in who were from Bangkok en route to Chiang Rai. I had a chat with each of them. Bikers a the most friendly people and where ever you go you’ll always end up having a chat over something .
The final leg, up through Phusang to Phu Chi Fa and then down to Chiang Khong along the same route I followed last time . As we got to the top Rifat said she was tired now and asked how long to the hotel. Two up even from Nan to Phu Chi Fa is a long ride and can be tiring. You don’t always realise and it’s very important to safeguard the comfort and safety of the pillion. So I speeded up, taking a few brief photo stops and got into the Daywaterfront hotel in Chiang Khong around 5pm.
- Distance Covered Day : 296.2km / Total 1005.6km
- Fuel Used : 5.4L/100km
- Roads Travelled : 1080, 1148, 1021, 4010, 1093, 1155, 1020
- Hotel : Day Waterfront Hotel, Chiang Khong
- URL : Day Waterfront Hotel
Motorcycle Chronicles by Jamil Siddique 