Bankok to the Cambodian border

Every time we asked someone for directions how to get of Bangkok to head to the Cambodian border they advised us to catch a bus.  We did take this advice on board and made enquiries but we would still have to ride to the other side of the city to catch the bus.  Mike had maps and worked out our route but we were a little apprehensive about setting off.   As we were leaving the hotel we met a Chinese cyclist who had just come through from Cambodia  and he had come the same route that Mike had mapped out which gave us a bit of confidence. The traffic was every bit as terrifying as we had imagined. The road was very congested and sometimes we walked along the footpath because it was quicker than riding in the traffic.   There is a wide shoulder for cyclist and motorbikes to ride on which was great, only problem is the motorbikes use it to ride both ways and this took a bit of getting used to, a bit frightening the first time it happened.  The cars drive defensively, weaving in and out of lanes and coming very close but there is no road rage and very rarely to you hear the screech of brakes, drivers only give way if they have to so we needed to ride the same way otherwise we would never be able to change lanes.  Mike did a great job of navigating and we made it out of the city in one piece and did not get lost once.  The traffic reduced in volume as we got to the outskirts but we still had to keep our wits about us.  Now after this harrowing day we had to find accommodation and a place where it was safe for us to eat which we eventually did, then found a market to buy some essentials like soap and toilet paper.    Toilet paper is not provided anywhere and we need to make sure we have an adequate supply.  In Bangkok we had to pay 2 bahtt to use the toilet at markets and another time 5 bahtt when paper was supplied.  Now we have discovered Jiffy petrol stations since leaving the city, they have clean free toilets but no paper.  Sorry about all this trivial information but it is something that we have to live with.  On our second day we are at long last out in the country with rice paddies and open spaces, but still a lot of pollution and traffic.  We were riding on a four lane highway, no hills, no wind and high humidity. There is ample opportunity to stop regularly for cold drinks and we do. We have not seen another tourist since leaving Bangkok and we know we are in the country now because locals wave to us and call “hello” as we ride by.  No one speaks English but we get by with pointing and gestures and we all have a giggle.   The next day we turned off the main highway into a quieter road and rode through a farming area and gum tree plantations.  There are few hills, not large ones and a bit of a breeze which is most welcome as it is hotter and more humid today.  The smog was not as bad and this was a very pleasant change. We made it to Sa Kaeo,a fairly large town with lovely gardens down the centre of the town, our last stop before the Cambodian border, found a hotel and had a great meal at a  market  stall, the best we have had since leaving Bangkok.  It started to rain while we were eating our meal and we had to scramble to get under cover, it is almost the end of the dry season here.  It was a bit cooler as we rode 50ks to the Cambodian border, no markets along the road but there were a few modern cafes to cater for tourists. It took us three hours to cross the border, standing in long queues first to wait for our visas, then to leave Thailand and then to enter Cambodia.