Day 217 – 9th November 2014 Leave 7am Miles rode 185 Kyaikhto – Mae Sot

It was the last day in Burma today and I was sad to be leaving.

I had hoped to leave the group a day ago and stay in the country on my own for a few more days but I was told there is fighting between local tribes on the road to Myawaddy and the military and the local rebels and given us permission to ride to the border! It wasn’t a difficult decision to stay with the group and enter Thailand safely.

A great ride again with jungle all around, we passed beautiful mountains which looked like they had pushed straight up out of the jungle and dominated the landscape.

After lunch we only had 70 km to the border but it was over a mountain and for the next few hours we rode up, down, through mud, stone and water and around many switchbacks, I loved it.

20 km before we arrived at the border there was a check point and they were expecting us.

Getting out of Myanmar was easy and quick.

Getting into Thailand took an hour or so but was difficult as the forms were complicated to complete. A customs office took photographs of every bike and number plate.

Having ridden through so many developing countries over many months Thailand instantly felt ‘Western’. Roads were good with lane markings, traffic lights and nobody driving straight at you in the wrong lane. It felt like Europe. The hotel owner took me to an ATM on the back of his bike, it was inside a Tesco supermarket!

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