Cycling in and around Bang Yai was interesting, to say the least. We had moved here in October, and up to press, I have not done any blogs. Bang Yai is out of the way of its busy neighbour Bangkok. More countryfied, green, and clean air, plus a load of colourful garden centres.
Annie and I had cycled around the area if only to develop cycle routes for ourselves and to get an idea of the landscape, but it was Monday’s when I got the chance to explore on my own, although we did do this exact run again the week after.
It was around nine o’clock when I set off from home. Our home was near the Wat Pamaneekarn, (a temple complex). I cycled out towards the 1011 road which brought me to a place where Annie and I had discovered a shortcut which just added to our escapade.
The route we took was narrow, ideal for cyclists but not for traffic. It had been Annie that had spotted it. It was a shortcut to the Puttamonthon Road. This narrow road about 3 to 4 metres wide was long, and straight passing through a long narrow village. Eventually, I ended on the 4006 road, between Mahidol University (Thailand’s top university), and Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin.
Later, now cycling along the 4006 again. This was becoming a bit tedious, so I took a right turn curious about where it might take me. One thing for sure was that it was going to take me over the railway line. From here I turned left and cycled along just enjoying the views: trees, paddy fields. I was hoping I might see a snake, but that wasn’t to be, although there were snakes in this area.
The first strange thing that I came across was a huge quarry truck painted bright yellow. Then further on I came across a parked up London Bus, with Piccadilly Circus, Regents Street, Marble Arch and Oxford Street. Obviously, the driver made a wrong turn somewhere.
I had arrived at the Jesada Technik Museum. The day I cycled here on my own, the place was closed, but the week after when I came with Annie cycling it was open, so we had a look round. The place was packed with old and vintage cars. Some of them would not have looked out of place in a Disney production. There were quite a lot of Isetta’s including a BMW one. Yes, in the 1950 and 60’s they built economy cars. I think these are the ones my sister and I knew as bubble cars.
On the day that Annie and I went it also attracted quite a lot of curiosity from cyclists. On leaving the museum. We cycled in a big circle. Again I had done this cycle the Monday before then I cycled around the museum not realizing it. I had to carry my bike over a bridge and down onto a very narrow stilted walkway.
A Thai lady tried to explain to me that it came to a dead end, which it did, but there were more steps going up a banking, so I carried my bike up to find myself on a railway line. To my right was a rather sturdy looking steel bridge, spanning the Tha Chin River, a distributary of the Chao Phraya River. To my left in the distance was a road, about half a kilometre away. Knowing that this railway was not a busy line I decided to walk along the railway sleepers to the road, believing that there would be a footpath somewhere.
Eventually, I saw some of the railway fencing with a gate in it, so I quickly carried my bike down an overgrown banking and commenced with cycling on the dirt track. Now my fear were punctures.
On reaching the road, I cycled only to find myself confronted with two steam trains which again were part of the Jesada Museum, not exactly York Railway Museum, but they were interesting.
Cycle In Thailand 