The biggest change of all now was driving on the left. There was no sign when we entered to tell us "which way to go". Although the customs building was on the left side of the road, we carried on riding on the right as usual. The Thais are very considerate drivers. No honking or head-shaking: they simply let us ride wherever we thought was right. It took more and more oncoming traffic before we realised that something had changed.

In a few moves, the rear-view mirrors were switched from left to right so we could get used to the new situation as quickly as possible. And yet, it isn't that easy. Our old habits keep catching us out: crossing the road, turning right, changing lanes and making unfamiliar "U-turns". Driving on the left now calls for extra care.

Are we back in the West already? The change of country from Cambodia to Thailand felt like being back at our start in Istanbul. On the smooth asphalt the bikes roll almost by themselves, and the kilometres soon add up.

On the multi-lane expressways, with hills no higher than 15 metres, we reach Bangkok after just 2 days. Vehicles of every kind, from rusty bicycles to oversized coaches, tolerate each other so that everyone gets ahead. Criss-crossing every which way, it works amazingly well. By now we have got used to driving on the left and quickly find our way into the centre of this metropolis of 8 million people. Putting up the tent, unpacking the stove and washing in a cold mountain stream: that now definitely belongs to the past. We are adaptable! With so many hotels, finding a place to stay shouldn't be a problem. How wrong we were! After 3 hours of circling blocks and hearing the familiar answer "fully booked", the only help left is McDonald's, Starbucks and all the rest. In an internet café we use "ebookers and booking.com" to find somewhere to stay within our budget. Searching the websites took two coffees with cake, patience and a bit of luck. At 18:00 we "check in" to a 5-star hotel at a bargain price. In our sweaty cycling clothes, with vehicles that look like anything but luxury limousines, we are given a friendly welcome. The bikes find a safe spot in the hotel lobby, and we find ours in a "deluxe room" on the 26th floor.

For breakfast an 8 x 3 metre buffet awaits us, with French croissants, sushi, eggs in every variation and everything your heart desires. A treat for the taste buds that unfortunately also goes straight to the hips, and we aren't spared either. The white bathrobes stay in the room; we prefer to visit the "fitness park" in our usual outfit. On the 14th floor: a swimming pool, wicker chairs and loungers, an air-conditioned gym with floor-to-ceiling glass, and the whole area bathed in "chill-out" music. Oh yes, we almost forgot: plus a magnificent 180-degree view over the "skyline" of Bangkok. Through the hotel's own passage you reach the elevated "Skytrain" in a few steps. Our bikes stay safely in the care of reception for 4 days.

Our "sightseeing tour": 
The Royal Palace, or Grand Palace, is the most spectacular sight in Bangkok and an absolute highlight. From far away you can already see the high white walls and huge gates. The complex consists of more than 100 buildings and covers an area of 200,000 square metres.

The Wat Phra Kaew temple, the holiest shrine in the country, lies in the north-eastern part of the palace grounds. Wat Phra Kaew is a cluster of buildings decorated with gold leaf, coloured tiles and mirror mosaics. Golden statues of mythological beings (kinnari), and statues of nature spirits and gods (yaksha), all guard the treasures in the temple buildings.

At Wat Pho we meet the legendary reclining Buddha. At 15 metres high and a full 43 metres long, it is the largest Buddha in Bangkok. The huge grounds hold countless statues and temples.

The Emerald Buddha is the most important religious symbol in the country. It is said to have magical powers that bring prosperity to its owner. To this day, Thailand's king changes the Emerald Buddha's robes in a solemn ceremony. They are adapted to the seasons, so there is a separate robe for the cool season, the hot season and the rainy season.

The Chao Phraya River is the largest and most important river in Thailand. Ferries, also called the "river boats of the Venice of the East", link the piers along the river. Apart from the Skytrain, this is the most pleasant way to get around and explore the city and its main attractions. A trip on the Chao Phraya, with its peaceful atmosphere in the middle of a modern city, was a "highlight" for us.

The Floating Market is one of Thailand's biggest attractions. This tourist magnet is not in Bangkok, but in Damnoen Saduak, 110 kilometres away. Every day from 9:00 to 13:00, huge crowds of tourists visit the floating market. This kind of sight seems overrun to us, and it has turned into a souvenir shop. We do without the old flair of Siam and cycle on towards Chumphon.

Now it's time to cover as many kilometres as possible again. There isn't much exciting to see on the hard shoulder and along the crash barrier. For a change and some relaxation, in Hua Hin and Prachuap Khiri Khan there are unobstructed views of the "Gulf of Thailand" and a dip in the cool water.

We still have the best memories of Laos and Cambodia. We had imagined Thailand differently. Where are the lonely white beaches with the turquoise sea? The shady palms with coconuts lying around? The thatched bungalow with the roaring surf?

We reach Bang Boet, a completely unspectacular place by the sea, 15 kilometres from the main road. Here we hope for a few days of beach life. The road leads through a fishing village and disappoints us with the stinking smell of rotting fish carcasses. The beach is covered with rubbish, and the water is cloudy brown. The fishing boats look as if they will soon be making their last trip to the scrapyard. This can't be it! An inconspicuous path, climbing steeply and winding round a rocky outcrop, catches our interest. Our curiosity paid off. By chance we come across a "bungalow resort". Three barking dogs greet us, the doors and windows of the main building are open, there's no vehicle in the car park, and the place seems completely forgotten.

After a short exploration, this deserted place turns out to be an "oasis" and exactly what we had dreamed of. This is where we want to spend the next few days. No welcome? No reception? Nobody there? So one of the empty bungalows was ours to use. Settled comfortably in a deckchair on the veranda, we wait for the "hotel manager". A moped pulls up: the gardener is the owner. He gratefully accepted our suggestion of a daily rate of 500 baht. We get the keys and a few extra tips on using the whole beach complex. The first-class resort next door gives us free access to its restaurant, swimming pool, beach showers and Wi-Fi. What more could you want?

We leave Bang Boet heading for Chumphon, our starting point for the planned island hopping. The minor road runs along the coast through pine forests and oil palm and pineapple plantations. A welcome change for us from the hard shoulder of the main road.

Looking for:
bungalows, palms and white sand
the pearls of the "Gulf of Thailand"
idyll on lonely beaches

Koh Tao (Turtle Island)
Just after 12:00 we reach the town of Chumphon. The ferry piers for Koh Tao are 20 kilometres away in an outlying district. With no idea of the departure times, we cycle to the port area. At the ticket office we learn that the pier is another 20 kilometres away, that the "Lomprayah catamaran" has already left, and that it doesn't carry bicycles anyway. There are no more ferries today. A night in Chumphon was unavoidable. A local tour guide advises us to load the bikes onto the island supply boat and have them taken over overnight. The next morning we will be picked up at the hotel and taken to the "Lomprayah speedboat", which leaves at 13:00 and reaches Koh Tao 2 hours later. As an extra offer he suggests an idyllically located bungalow with a private beach. A look at a few photos, accommodation booked, tickets bought: tomorrow we'll be able to enjoy "paradise on earth".

On Koh Tao, the owner of the bungalow we booked is already waiting for us. On an unpaved, washed-out track, past steep slopes, he took us in his 4WD pickup to his resort on "Lang Khaai Bay". Great! We are the only guests. Another "Bang Boet"?

After a sleepless night we left this exotic spot. What had looked like a Robinson Crusoe idyll in the brochure turned out to be a massive mosquito infestation, bedbugs in the bedding, and barking dogs. The white sandy beach had been washed away by the breaking waves, making room for sharp-edged banks of shells. This idyll wasn't what we had imagined, so we have ourselves taken back to civilisation. A little closer to the pulse of Koh Tao, we spend 3 days at the "Sairee Beach Grand Coral Resort".

Koh Phangan
It doesn't always have to be the last corner at the end of the world! With the "Seatran Ferry", island hopping became much easier. The loaded bikes could easily be pushed up the "gangway" onto the deck and covered with a tarpaulin. Because of heavy rain showers, storms and high waves, we had a very uncomfortable crossing. As the faces of some passengers turned a pale white, little blue paper bags were handed out. Spared from seasickness, after two hours of rocking and rolling, we left the ferry in "Thong Sala".

Koh Phangan is famous for its Full Moon Parties and was a mecca for tourists in the 90s. A small island with only 13,000 inhabitants, it has more than 5,000 hotel rooms, more than 100 bars and a lively nightlife. The first party goes back to 1987. By now the event has grown into wild festivals and Half Moon Parties twice a month. A recommendation from the local tour guide: party on the beach, then enjoy some sleep in a bay "behind the mountain".

Koh Samui
With an area of 247 square kilometres, Koh Samui is, after Koh Phuket and Koh Chang, the third-largest island in Thailand in the "Gulf of Thailand". After an hour's crossing we go ashore in Nathon. On Koh Samui the Christmas and year-end tourist rush has already begun. Some beaches are already overcrowded. Relaxed sunbathing is now only restful on the surrounding islands. Guests are taken to the island beaches in longtail boats. While the sun-hungry wander around with snorkelling gear, food bags, sunshades and unsuitable footwear, we stay behind and "relax" on the roof of the excursion boat.

Krabi - Ao Nang Beach
Still searching for the romantic, idyllic white sandy beach, we decide to switch from the east coast to the west coast. From Surat Thani to Krabi there are small rises, called mountains in Thailand, to get over. In Krabi Town and at "Ao Nang Beach", 20 kilometres away, we want to spend Christmas in a holiday paradise. The public minibus, with variable seating, standing and running-board places, carries people and anything that fits somehow on 4 wheels. We choose to ride on the running board.

Where's the lonely beach with turquoise water? Over the road here, down the steps, was the driver's answer. We hadn't expected that. A crowd like at a fairground. On the beach we count up to 35 "longtail boats", which run to the offshore islands like buses. Noise and blue fumes pour out of the unsilenced exhaust pipes. Often the exposed four-cylinder car engines aren't switched off, because without a battery they can no longer be started. There are no sun loungers. Plastic chairs lined up in rows save space. Each seat has a number. The front row may, or must, enjoy the sun, while the back rows have the luck, or bad luck, of sitting in the shade. We found the quiet corner at the end of the beach, near the bar with a visibly stressed barman who was still clearing away the empty bottles from the night before.

Ao Nang wasn't what we had imagined. No hasty prejudices! Together with other tourists, shopping bags, Heineken six-packs, flippers and snorkels, we sit down in a "longtail boat". We wait patiently until all 30 seats are taken and the boat can put to sea. The destination of our afternoon: Poda Island, Tup Island and Chicken Island.

Already as we pass the small islands, we realise that we had the wrong expectations of this trip. Once we've run aground and got off the boat, we're immediately asked to pay the national park fee. We are released into a crowd of people moving from left to right along the sandbank. 2½ hours to hold out until the return trip. A few "water rats" wear swimming costumes and stand up to their hips in the water. The reef, rocks and broken coral limit the fun of swimming and bathing. Astonished, we watch what's going on, sitting in 40 cm of water in the scorching sun. This isn't how we had imagined it.

Buddhists and Muslims
1,300 kilometres to Singapore still lie ahead of us. Undecided about which coast to take, the monsoon, the beaches and places to stay, we decide to cross over to the east coast once more. On the way to "Hat Yai" we noticed the first mosques and headscarves. In Songkhla we realise that the southern part of Thailand, 5 districts in all, is mainly populated by Muslims. Between Songkhla and Pattani we pass more and more checkpoints, guarded by heavily armed soldiers.

After the hotel manager in Pattani has explained the conflict between religion and government to us, we face another decision. Back to the west coast, heavily used by tourists, or carry on through the disputed area? At the breakfast table we discuss what to do next, while armoured vehicles drive the hotel owner to a Buddhist ceremony. An uneasy feeling!

A word with the "District Senator" confirms that it is safe for foreigners to stay, and that the checkpoints keep the roads secure. A hotel employee, a member of the "Cyclist Association Pattani", had a brilliant idea. The 90-kilometre route to Narathiwat is split into three sections. Club members of Buddhist and Islamic faith are to accompany us. Despite the heavy rain showers and the holidays, 18 cyclists from various cycling clubs followed us. With shouts of "hello" and clapping, the bicycle convoy, led by two Swiss, rode through villages and along the market stalls.

For once the monsoon rain was kind to us. We were able to cover the remaining 42 kilometres to the Thai border without the annoying business of putting our rain capes on and taking them off. Because the big ferry was out of action with engine damage, there was only limited customs processing for pedestrians. That sounds familiar: ferry out of action for weeks! We already know the solution: we need a boat! Negotiate the price, load the gear, soaking wet shoes, a rocking crossing, unload again, empty the shoes and dry our feet. A private "longtail boat" for passengers brought us and the bikes to the Malaysian bank opposite.

We had the wrong expectations of Thailand. Lots of kilometres covered to visit Bangkok and the Royal Palace and to spend a few days on "Bang Boet beach". What we will never forget are the friendly, helpful Thais and the "Cycling Association Pattani".

Biker info for the route

-	Active (18 days of riding)	1,715	kilometres
-	Total climbing	5,917	m
-	Average speed	19	km/h
-	Riding time in motion	91:30	hrs