Songkhla-Narathiwat

Total Distance:204.16km
Total Time:10h47m51s
Average Speed:18.9km/h
Maximum Speed:35.0km/h
Total Distance So Far:10,295.97km

I had toyed with the idea of spending a day in Songkhla. However upon arriving there I could see nothing spectacular about it. The next day I was off. I didn't want to make the same mistake I did in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Finally I got a break from the wind. For about an hour, what little wind there was actually was at my back. The farther south I head, the less dense the traffic is. This may have to do with the recent civil unrest occurring in this particular region. In spite of it, the people still remained friendly. The scenery wasn't the most exciting, but it was nothing to scoff at either, It certainly beats the Bald-Ass prairies of Alberta.
I experienced my first leg cramp today, and it was a bad one. I was making such great time too. Once the cramp hit my calf though, I was forced to stop for almost an hour and try to rub it out. It helped a little, but the cramp was still present throughout the rest of the ride. It was rather unpleasant. Of course, it had to happen on the longest ride of my journey. That's right. I broke my personal best distance. 204km in a single day. I hate to toot my own horn (oh, who am I kidding? I love to toot my own horn), but of all the cyclists I have met on this trip I am the only one to break 200km in a day. I might add that I've done it three times, not including the day I did 198km.
Due to the leg cramp, the last hour of the ride had to take place in the dark. I've had to do this a few times, ride in the dark. At first it really freaked me out. I've learned the best thing to do is stay calm and take it slow. I had really great lights for my bike before I left Canada, but I lost the charger for them. I haven't been able to find anything that lets you see very well in the dark. The easiest thing to do is use the headlights if passing cars to guide you.
As I was biking in the dark on my way to Narathiwat I looked up at the sky. It was pitch black and the stars were just starting to appear. I sat there looking up and as I did a shooting star went flying across the sky. It was sort of a perfect way to end my visit to Thailand.