84 km

We continued north, choosing our way among the small roads closest to the sea. When faced with an option, we just turned right. Mostly it worked. Until we ended up on a dirt road. Which turned onto another dirt road. Which became smaller and smaller and we’d gone in each direction possible only to find dead ends (a house, property on the coastline that was paved for a development but then abandoned, a railroad access trail that ends at a bridge, a yard full of dogs barking and charging on all sides) so that we finally pick our way back to the main highway (4/A1). We decided there must be no other way but highway through this area.

We are glad we chose to ride small roads up to this point, because the 4-lane divided highway was loud and hot and busy. We got off after several fast kilometers heading toward the coast again, and eventually slipped into Prachuap Kiri Khan from a quiet road on the south side. Today felt like our hottest yet, and was our longest after being sick. We felt like melting banana ice cream by the end of the day.

We found a clean and functional old hotel room for 350 baht with a/c and right off the bat took a cold shower. Can I now announce my new favorite product ever? Ok, yes, I will then. Powder. Yes, the product our grandmothers used to keep in the bathroom in pink canisters with silky puffs to apply it is actually the most useful product in existence today in the sauna we are traveling in. However, ours is no grandma powder. It is Snake Co. Prickly Heat Powder, special lavendar scent (though it doesn’t actually smell like lavendar, just less kapow! than the regular kind). It has all kinds of essential oils and herbs that make you feel cool like IcyHot or Tiger Balm but also smelling nice. It keeps us from stinking out our neighbors at the table next to us at the restaurant when we head out for dinner. It is pure magical bliss, and I don’t go out in the evening without it. We were recommended it back in Singapore in one of the we-sell-everything markets in Little India by the guy who told Dave that, yes, this would surely beat the foot odor in his shoes. Too much information, you say? Well, if and when you come to Southeast Asia, you will thank me for this recommendation. Buy a nice big can.