Day 32 Still Nan

I like this quiet provincial town with friendly people. Owner of Hot Bread used to work for the UN but is still nice and has good coffee. Apparently while in the past Thai sex workers were survival sex worker driven by poverty now about 50% are driven by needing the newest i pad. Some families except this as it changes their economic situation also. Fellow villagers who borrow money from the family have no objection either but still gossip behind their backs. In places like Pattiya the police are complicit and support which ever mafia pays the most. At the moment this seems to be the Russian.

I didn’t use the bike all day until going for dinner and found I had a puncture. The first and from cycling around town rather than all the bad roads. Found my glue had solidified so changed the tube. Still needed to be able to fix any future puncture so rode around town and found a place with bikes in the front of the shop. Not sure if selling or renting or just collecting but seemed a likely candidate for having rubber glue. I disturbed a man sitting watching TV in another room with a cheery hello. He gave me his pot of glue. By cycling around makes one vulnerable and gives locals the opportunity to assist and thus gain credit and improve their karma. In a way I am doing a public/religious service.

If one looks at the topographical map it is clear why Nan was isolated for so long and popular with Communist insurgents. It’s surrounded by mountains. This is also one reason I have not left yet also. People keep saying, ‘ooh’ and gesturing steep mountains. This is supported by bikeroutetoaster that shows that tomorrow I will have to ascend over 1,00m and descend about 1,000m as shown below:

Course Details

Track Points	750
Distance	66.20	kms
Estimated Time	5:33:42
Ascent	1181	meters
Descent	1106	meters
Start Elevation	202	meters
Finish Elevation	277	meters
Minimum Elevation	202	meters
Maximum Elevation	767	the brown parts are the high parts so his Magistracy knew Elvis.