April 11, 2022, 08:19 PM
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One Singaporean has embarked on an impressive journey across the Land of Smiles, and not in a car, campervan, motorcycle, or any vehicle of the sort.
Andrew Lee's road trip, which has spanned a month so far, is solely powered by foot as he makes his way across the country on his trusty bicycle.
Was unable to travel during pandemic
The 57-year-old started his trip on Mar. 13 after spending several days diving in Phuket with his wife and daughter.
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After his family left for Singapore, Lee began his trip directly from Phuket.
Speaking to Mothership, Lee's wife, Adeline Chung, shared that her husband travelled monthly for work.
Being completely grounded for the past two years during the pandemic was "tough" for Lee, Chung said.
Thus far, Lee has been in Thailand for a month, and his trip does not seem like it will end any time soon.
Despite the amount of time he has spent away from home, Chung is completely supportive of his journey.
"We're very supportive of his endeavour and couldn't be happier that he has taken the time off to do this.
He has been working so hard for the family and we love that he is now able to take that time to pursue this 'bikepacking' journey."
Two to five times
Lee would sometimes cycle two to five times a week back in Singapore.
"Nothing strenuous, about 30 to 60km each session," he adds.
Lee also used to backpack in his younger days. Although his current cycling trip is not his first, it is his most ambitious one yet — he has previously embarked on similar cycling trips in Japan and Indonesia, but those were shorter.
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There was no particular reason Lee chose Thailand, and he shares that it was simply convenient as his family had already planned a trip there.
He thus decided to tag along and "add my own adventure at the back of it".
'Bikepacking' and camping
Lee described his trip as 'bikepacking', an evolution of backpacking.
He carries no luggage and instead spreads all his belongings out in multiple bags attached to his bicycle.
Altogether, he has six bags — two panniers and a backpack at the rear, one frame bag, and two more on the bicycle's handlebars.
"Stop me anytime and ask for an item, and I will know exactly where and in which bag it is located lol."
"With bikepacking (or bicycle touring), you start fit and you become fitter," Lee said.
Each day, he finds the journey less arduous.
"I find that hills are not so scary anymore, and that as each day passes I could cycle longer and go further if I wanted to. It's also about the little things… the small villages, farmers, roadside stalls, uncharted temples and all."
So far, Lee has covered 1,983km and an elevation gain of 9,200km, and is able to cover an average of 70km each day.
Photo from andrew.leekl / IG
There are, however, days when he does not cycle at all and takes the time to relax.
Several of these were spent at a friend's mansion in Hua Hin, and another two days were spent hiking in the wilderness.
You might be wondering how Lee finds lodging every day since he is constantly on the move.
He often books a cheap room at roadside lodging — these are basic but clean and come with hot water and air-conditioning.
However, if Lee comes across a camping site at a National Park, he often takes the opportunity to pitch camp and spend the night there as these are free, and the toilets and shower facilities are clean.
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He has also slept in his tent on temple grounds — of course, not without obtaining permission from the temple staff.
"I try to put in some donations [at the temple] whenever I can (50 to 100 baht)," he adds.
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Making memories
However, Lee isn't on a mission to clock as many miles as possible on this trip and does not even have a proper route planned.
He typically decides where to go the night before and is simply heading northwards. This gives him the flexibility to make amendments to his route on the go.
"There are big ride days and then there are days where the next interesting spot is just a couple of tens [of] km away. This is not a riding trip, so it's not about the distance I cover or how fast I get from A to B. Like the saying goes, it's the journey that matters."
The journey has afforded him many breathtaking sights.
Lee documents everything about the trip on his Instagram, and his photos showcase the varied scenery Thailand has to offer, from winding roads, sandy beaches, the intricate architecture of temples, to the sprawling wilderness.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Pictures of the local delicacies he eats and the occasional fast food meal were also posted.
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View this post on Instagram
Along the way, he's met plenty of "nice and helpful locals", and observed that the further away one is from towns and cities, the more hospitable the locals are.
"Most people are curious why someone would be interested in cycling in their villages. Mostly, they want to know where I'm from and where I'm going. Their first guess is that I am, almost always Japanese and their eyes widen when I say I'm Singaporean. "
To converse with the locals or to buy food, Lee uses a Google translation app.
He also recalls one of the more exciting moments during his trip was when he met a fellow Singaporean in Erawan National Park who had lived in Thailand for 11 years. The pair ended up chatting for hours.
Another particularly memorable or "scary" incident was when a snake fell onto his back from a tree.
"I turned around and for a brief moment our eyes locked. Then as quickly, it fled and swam out of sight. Based on its triangular shaped head I'm guessing it could be a green pit viper (after checking the internet)."
"There have been no other dangerous, unwanted or difficult situations on this trip thus far, and I am hoping it stays that way," he says.
Plans change
Lee's mode of transport is a German-made bicycle with an all-steel frame, equipped with a Rohloff internal hub and Gates Carbon Belt.
His bicycle has been lovingly named Kangkong, as sambal belacan is his favourite dish.
"The structure of Kangkong is tubular and when you think about it, a bicycle is just a bunch of tubes welded together to form the frame."
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For those inspired by Lee's journey, the man notes that 'bikepacking' entails much solitude and might not be for everyone.
He still urges people to give it a try, though.
"If you like quiet times with your own thoughts, and are not afraid of getting bored (yes, imagine 20km of straight flat road), then you should give it a try. Some people say it's dangerous. What I found is that you have to let go of the fear and begin to trust the people around you. So far I found only smiles and politeness, but then again I'm in Thailand."
Lee had originally planned to travel towards northern Thailand, pass over the border into Cambodia, make his way south into Vietnam and meet his wife sometime in early May.
His plans were disrupted, however. On Apr. 9, Lee shared that officials at the border said entry was barred for tourists. The Thai-Laos border is also closed.
He has to stay in Thailand for the rest of his trip and now hopes to reach Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai.
He is far from disappointed by this sudden turn of events, though, stating that there is still plenty to explore, and cites the old adage about journeys and destinations.
"This is truly a blessing in disguise. It doesn't really matter where the destinations are. It's the daily ride, the local interaction, the beauty of the places I pass by, that is why I'm doing this."
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Top photo from andrew.leekl / IG
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