And now for something completely different...

[theape]

Hey Digger,
thanks for taking the time to post your updates when you are probably shagged after a hard day in the saddle, its all amazing.
You are star.
Take care.
Alex

[KoosWA]

Great going!

+1 for Maps.me, been using it since Argentina Jan. 2014.

Handy having good maps offline on the phone or tablet.

[Digger]

Hey Digger,
thanks for taking the time to post your updates when you are probably shagged after a hard day in the saddle, its all amazing.
Alex

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'll agree, it doesn't take much rockin' to get me to sleep each night and I sleep pretty soundly.

[TonicBomb]

If you change your route and want to stop by KL for a few days, let us know. You can email from our website www.kenandtoni.com

Nice travels...

[Digger]

If you change your route and want to stop by KL for a few days, let us know. You can email from our website http://www.kenandtoni.com

Nice travels...

What a surprise...it's hard to keep up with you two. You are more of a nomad then I am. I stopped at Klang last year and took a day trip into KL but it is not on my itinerary this time. Big cities make me nervous. I'll be heading due east from Burma and head for Cambodia to see parts I haven't seen before.
Thanks for the offer.
Keep shiny side up.

[Digger]

More road maintenance at a local level. They were actually widening the road. I expect they've allowed a long time for a completion date. That stretch went for 10km. Here they can be seen heating up the bitumen ready to hand pour over aggregate before hand spreading finer aggregate over the top.



Golden Rock...the third most influential Buddist site in Burma (not sure who rates them). This was another Disneyland for Buddists. They even have hotels on site. I rode my bike to the village at the base but from there you either walk (10km) or catch tip trucks that have been converted to buses. The climb was steep. VERY STEEP.

[Digger]

The Rock from another view...not sure how it stays there. I felt a little uneasy walking around the base.



Pack 'em in Boys. 6 wide and 8 deep. Between Nov and March is peak season for the Rock and they had about 20 trucks doing the route. No truck leaves till its full. The trip was rough...the road is pourly laid concrete with many severe switchbacks.The women sittong behind me was throwin' up within minutes of departure and passed out only coming around occasionally long enough to throw up several times.

[Digger]

These Pill Boxers were either side of a bridge but I don't think they were a legacy of WW2. More likely the Civil action from the 1980's.



This truck was traveling in the same direction as me. It makes me wonder what would've happened if I had been on the bridge at the same time. This was a 'freshy'.

[Digger]

Took a small deviation to the Bayin Nyi Caves and hot springs today. I never entered the cave because it involved no shoes, climbing and a 'foreigner fee' I've been a bit crook the last day or so so I passed. Would've liked to immerse myself in the water though.



As I travel further south, the landscape starts to change. Limestone karst are starting to appear.

From here the road forks. The road east is the main border crossing into Thailand but I will continue heading south for another few days to take a lesser used border crossing. It will be more in line with Bangkok. Hopefully, traffic volumes will decrease from tomorrow but will probably mean road conditions will deteriorate also.

Distance to date - 909km.

SPOT link is here;
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... UCtYLNPufa

[wightman]

Yes, that golden rock is so holy, only males are allowed to touch it.

You must try and get to Hua Hin, the Thai royal city. Hopefully they don't mistake you for a rogue (muslim!) extremist

Keep sending snaps jealous ++++

[Digger]

I stayed two nights at their former Capital during the 1800's, Mawlamyaing (formerly Moulmein). This bridge was only completed 10 years ago. It goes for 7km spanning waterways and low lying ground.


The bridge (or part of it) from another angle.

[Digger]

I visited the War Graves Cemetaty at Thanbyzyat. This one is significant because it has the graves of some (only some) of Servicemen who died during construction of the Thai / Burma Railway. Many more were buried in camps along the route. The railway ended in this town and joined existing infrastructure laid down by the Poms during their rein.



A small but significant museum recently opened last year dedicated to the Death Railway. This part of the country has only opened to foreigners since 2011.



This was the end...the start is in Kanchanburi in Thailand. I will visit there in a few days time.

[Digger]

Recently abandoned?




I caught the 6.30am train (which left an hour late) the following morning because accomodation along this next stretch was a bit iffy. These are the Hawkers of the next generation hanging around the station prior to school starting at 8.00am.

[Digger]

If I stop longer than a few minutes a crowd always gathers. Blokes are always curious how the trailer attaches to the bike, the sprung rear end and the 'combination' in general.



The trip was slow and painful...255km over 11 hours. The carriages were old and poorly maintained with wooden slated seats and a cushion. Cheap; but uncomfortable.

[Digger]

These rocks were placed on the side of the track for upcoming remedial work. The Loco missed them but....



The bogie of the first carriage hit them and derailed the train. That was a first me me...I've never been on a train before when it derailed. Nobody was hurt or injured just a little shaken.



We were 48 km from town and a couple of km to the main road. To find out how it ends you'll have to watch the Video.

From here (Dawei) I catch a bus to the Thai Border. Distances are too great with no villages to be able to ride that section. I should be in Thailand from Saturday afternoon.
Distance to date- 1097km.
SPOT Link is here;
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... UCtYLNPufa