In an earlier post I mentioned a former orphanage child who is now studying law at university and accompanying us. On the first day of riding after the rest day, this student, Game, wore the white captain's jersey for the day.
We left Nana Beach, Chumphon, at 7:30am on 21 January and headed south for a 118k ride to Lang Suan.
There were a couple of falls along the way but nothing serious. We had lunch by the beach and an undulating ride with a couple of short, steep hills.
Early afternoon we were met by a ute from the Duang Prateep Foundation which had brought us some chilled coconuts to drink. Several young men from one of the foundation's projects joined us for the ride for a few kilometres. One had a small white dog.

After arriving at Lang Suan, we visited a home the foundation runs to rehabilitate young men who have become drug addicts. After three years at this retreat, some of the men go onto university; others to paid work. The men put on a display that included kick-boxing and fire-eating. Hands and the foundation work closely together.

This poster at Pirates Terrace cafe could be a good maxim after the celebration of last night to mark the ride's half-way point.
Today Andrew, fellow New Zealander Carol, Melbournian Keith, local expat Paul and I enjoyed a rejuvenating Thai massage. Sore muscles were teased out so that we feel refreshed to resume riding tomorrow.

'Nowhere riding' - that's what you do in the middle of nowhere when your group draws away in front of you and you just have to keep turning the pedals. There was a fair bit of that today as we headed inland and took on some rolling hills, with warm winds sucking the moisture out of us.
We came back to the coast through a fishing village and then it was back inland.
The ride turned out to be 128k and the last leg was the toughest. We kept on, knowing that we had a pool and Nana Beach waiting for us at Champhon. We also have a rest day tomorrow.

Andrew was given the captain's white jersey for the day by Peter Baines, in recognition of his work with his wife Sue for Hands Across the Water. He led the riders out early in the morning along the coast and we stopped to feed some sprightly monkeys.
We spent some ks out on the highway again and then we rode inland through plantations of coconut trees, fanned by sea breezes.
Then we climbed a short but steep hill to a large temple overlooking the plantations and the sea. We all found the lowest gear on our bike, and our lungs, in the ride to the top.
The descent was short and sweet and in no time we were drinking a coconut before lunch.
We checked into a seaside hotel, Keeree waree, at Ban Krut with 70-odd ks on the clock and a chance to let our bodies recover further from yesterday's long hot ride.
Tomorrow - 120ks to Chumphon.

After a 114 km ride on day 2, it was a welcome sight to see a banner dedicated to us hanging above the entrance to the Hadthong Hotel at Prachuap Khirikhan, a town looking out on the Gulf of Thailand.
Leaving Hua Hin this morning, we had passed through fishing villages and seaside resorts, and skirted spectacular rocky hills. One leg on the highway was particularly hot and noisy as large trucks sped by.
Yesterday we left Bangkok at 7am, avoiding the protests at major intersections, and began our eight-day ride at Hat Chao Samran. A little group of local children, accompanied by three orphanage kids now at university, and the orphanage director, gave us a rose each to send us on our way.
Last night at Hua Hin, Andrew and I and a French rider Jann, met a friend of Andrew's who lives in the town at a pool tournament at a local bar. There was some sharp playing and after a few beer Changs we took a tuk-tuk home in the temperate climate in the moonlight.
Tomorrow we ride to Ban Krut.

On the rooftop of Four Points Sheraton, with Sukhumvit skyscrapers rising above us in the evening sky, the riders to Khao Lak were each presented with their riding jersey by Hands founder Peter Baines in the company of family and friends at the riders' dinner.
One of the riders is a tsunami survivor now educated at university and a role model for the children at the orphanage. Six of the riders going south are resident Zealanders, out of 40-odd riders who are mainly Australian and include one German.
New Zealand trade commissioner Karen Campbell and New Zealand Tai Chamber of Commerce executive director Julie Littlejohn attended as guests to support the Kiwi contingent.
Peter Baines introduced and welcomed each rider, who were delighted to find that their jersey had their own name and Hands cycling record printed on its side.
The riders leave the hotel for their first day's ride at 7am today.

It was with a sense of caution that a little group of riders, including myself, headed off from our Bangkok hotels in Soi 15, Sukhumvit, to go shopping at the Mbk complex. We had watched the early news reports of the first day of protest including images of government supporters dressed in white holding lit candles harangued by anti-government, whistle-blowing supporters dressed in red, white and blue.

However, the  protests appeared and proved peaceful and the trip on the Sky Train was uneventful. From the train's elevated level we could see the large gatherings of protesters at intersections below.We mingled with some of them on our elevated walk to Mbk above one intersection. Below a sea of sitting and lying people, tents and flags in the hot sun surrounding cars going no where. Occasional megaphone calls led brief chanting. A game of chess is being played out here and hopefully cool heads will prevail for a peaceful solution.

We returned to our hotels. I prepared for the ride by taking a Thai massage with Gideon and Mita from the Rising Foundation. The Thai masseurs were much taken by the size of these two young Maori men and there was much laughter as they applied their restorative skills.

We finished the day in Bangkok style at a restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms. This was set up as a charity to promote safe sex in the late 70s. To eat Thai cuisine again was a treat and we swapped stories on fundraising, training and life journeys until the evening's end.