Once everything was sorted, together with yet more crazy modifications, a new chain oiling device - the mechanic must be fed up of creating crazy contraptions for me, I set off back to the the tourist area. Whilst sat having a beer with Marc who should happen to wander past but John and Bev, a couple from the UK on their way to New Zealand. It's funny how we overlanders keep bumping into one another unexpectedly.
I set off early the next morning with just enough time to get to the Burmese border before my visa expired. Although I could have extended it in Bangkok it would have cost me about 30 Euros, plus I couldn't be bothered with the hassle.
I arrived in Mae Sot after about 600km on the road and found a cheap guesthouse, a room with a bed and a fan. The next morning I left my luggage in the room to pop over the border for an hour and get a new visa.
At the border I was told that I wasn't allowed to take my bike over by the Thai immigration, I think I was, but they couldn't be bothered with the paperwork. I set off on foot over yet another 'friendship bridge' and was immediately joined by a Burmese man who started telling me things about Burma.
He pointed out the people crossing the river below on their daily commute to work from Burma to Thailand in giant tractor tyre inner tubes. They Thai's had conveniently built some concrete steps to facilitate their illegal commute. Apparently it costs 30 Baht to get across. I might try it sometime.
The other way from Burma into Thailand
About halfway over the bridge and I was beginning to wonder whether he would want money for being my guide, so I asked him. He said he did not and we walked the rest of the way to the checkpost in awkward silence where he promptly disappeared.
At the immigration office I had to pay 500 Baht (10Euros) for my visa. The officer proudly handed me a scrap of paper with my passport number scribbled on it. They would keep my passport until I returned.
I trudged off in full motorcycle gear to explore the dusty, noisy border town. Once again the locals wondered who the oddly dressed idiot was. I just smiled like the idiot I was.
I found a coffee shop so sat people watching for half an hour. A lot of the Burmese had ochre coloured face paint on. Others seemed to have half wiped it off so they looked unwashed.
I exchanged 100 Thai Baht for an unknown exchange rate and was given a few notes in exchange. This was plenty to pay for some cigar type things they were selling and a fried samosa. I still don't know what's in the cigars, they looked similar to Cuban ones but have rolled leaves inside. It wasn't until after I had crossed back into Thailand that I realised I may have smuggled some sort of drug across. It turns out that after trying them with Morgan and George that they are just very bad cigars akin to eating a piece of charcoal.
I quickly got bored of wondering round in the increasing heat and traffic chaos and set off back to the border. Burma is indeed the missing link between India and Thailand. I handed back my 'visa' in return for my passport and was armed with a fresh 15 day Thai visa on the other side of the bridge.
Back at the guesthouse I packed up my bike, went for a quick coffee and set off North along a road next to the Burmese border. I had originally planned to head to Sukkothai, some ancient ruins, but realising that there was a less travelled road decided to take that instead. Sukkothai can wait, once again, until I travel South again.
The road was almost perfect. Lots of twists and turns and a few potholes on the more remote stretches. For the first time ever I got travel sickness on a bike due to all the turns.
Tomorrow I will catch up with George and Morgan who are about 150km North of me and we will head up to the Golden Triangle, the corner of Laos, Thailand and Burma, for a gander. I shall also try to get deeper into Burma at some point, possibly from one of the border crossings further South.
Also at some point I intend to write a detailed description of why I hated India. I have had many arguments and conversations with people on the subject. It seems it's the country people either love or love to hate.
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