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.

We were all children once. Here's a Primer 1 photo from 1967 of my friend, and fellow Hands Across the Water rider, Andrew Blair (bottom left) and me (top right).

Both of us again, 12 January 2013, at Home Hug orphanage, Yasothon, Thailand, after completing Hands Across the Water's northern bike ride alongside the Mekong River from Nong Khai - 800km in 8 days.

Fundraising for the southern ride on 4 November 2013 with my Ministry of Transport friends Brenden Crocker and Felicity Connell. The 10-hour spinathon held at Habit Evans Bay raised $4,300, with the generous support of 20+ riders.

Putting myself to the test: completing the 160km Taupo Challenge on 30 November. Jacket from Brenden, bike from Mike Booker and photo by Stephannie who waited 1.5 hours under an umbrella. Time? 9 hours with stops (the bike wanted to go faster). Photographed with fellow Hands rider Nickie Race-Jones.