One could hardly call it “running” as I merely chugged along
grimacing, gasping for air, arms flailing wildly. Taking all that effort, I
should’ve moved at quite a pace but scarcely moved at all. It’s
extraordinary how others can make jogging look so comfortable.
Drenched in sweat, I returned to my mattress and found no water in
the shower due to a broken pipe. The lack of amenities made me load
up and move around the corner to another and considerably better
joint at the same price. At least I had a bed, bedside table, writing
table, two chairs, and a “shower inside”, but the toilet was still
outside. LOL.
Following my morning run, I met up with Rickee Lee, a native of
Penang and fellow cycle tourer. We had breakfast together and
jabbered on about all kinds of things. It’s incredible — the awesome
people one meets when travelling by bike.
The following day, a bus took me to the Snake Temple along the
town's outskirts. The temple is quite old and was constructed in 1850
by a Buddhist monk. Surprisingly, the snakes weren’t in cages but
slithered at random. One had to tread carefully, as pit vipers were
everywhere. After a few pictures, I made a hasty retreat.
Finally, Tuesday arrived, and it was time to collect the passport
containing a new two-month Thailand visa. The reason for the two-
month visa was that I planned on meeting Tania in Bangkok around
mid-June for a three-month cycle ride in Asia.