Thailand motorcycle – Drama in paradise
I was breathing sand and sweating salt while squeezing the brakes as strong as I could. If I would loose my grip for the smallest of seconds I would most likely slide into the cliff and disappear for ever. Swallowed by large green leaves and digested by the dark moist soil.
Stranded in the jungle
My first solo journey into the wild was an adventures mix of great experiences and miserable moments. There were plenty of moments when I relaxed and plenty of moments when I got in trouble. In this article I will tell you about a particular bad situation, which made me cry for my mommy in the land of smiles. It all happened when I got stranded with my motorcycle in the “jungle” of Ko Tao, Thailand.
Making a wrong choice
I had rented a motorcycle in town and then I wanted to drive back to my bungalow before sunset. However, to get there I had to drive trough a rough, sandy road full of huge stones, sticks and coconuts. Steep cliffs on both sides of the road and the pending darkness of the evening made it even more of a challenge. But of course I made the decision to go anyway.
The beginning of the end
Somehow, somewhere I made a wrong turn, and that was the start of a miserable night. It got dark and the road became a real challenge. On top of that my motorcycle started to break down. Sprocket and chain decided to separate while I was struggling on a steep and sandy hill. I dropped to the ground and it cost me all my strength to keep the motorbike from sliding down into the cliffs.
However, I managed to get the chain back on the gear. Only to experience the same situation after a few more meters, the chain snapped lose again. I had to drop myself on the heavy bike and squeeze it to the ground otherwise me and my motorized friend would disappear in the jungle forever.
Pure Thailand motorcycle misery
I managed to drag the motorbike uphill and there I sat down to weep while drowning in my own sweat. I had no idea where I was, where I should go and how I should go somewhere anyway. I cried out of misery and I swore to myself that this would never happen to me again.
The rescue mission
Somehow, I managed to drag my motorcycle to a house in the jungle. The Thai residents in that house stared very confused at the white boy who was weeping at their doorstep. I put up my saddest puppy face and eventually managed to explain that they needed to call my resort.
After a while some people from the resort arrived with a pickup truck. The brought me and my bike back to the resort. I was relieved as I had overcome my stupid mistake. A mistake that taught me some valuable lessons about myself and about renting motorized vehicles in Thailand.
Some Tips
- Before renting, always check your motorcycle for existing damage
- Do not underestimate situations. Especially in an unfamiliar place
- Rent an automatic scooter if you are not used to shifting gears
Useful links
- Renting scooters in Thailand: Do you want to rent a motorcycle / scooter in Thailand? Avoid making the same mistakes that I made. Do yourself a favor and check out this Youtube video from Darren Brinkworth. In the video he talks about how you can avoid scams and how you can drive safely. He also gives advice about legal matters when it comes to renting a bike in Thailand.
- Renting a motorcycle in Southeast Asia: For the readers. This is written down advice about renting motorbikes in Asia. The writer from the artice, Greg Rodgers, describes into detail what you need to be aware of when renting a bike in Southeast Asia.
- Back to the Home Page