I have good news: I saw a woman looking for a cycling companion from Bangkok to Hanoi, so I contacted her. We met up and it was a lovely meeting. Timing and everything is perfect, so my days as a solo cyclist have ended, and I will have lovely company for the next two months.
Paulina is from Poland but lives in Germany. She flew to Bangkok from Taiwan, where she has been cycling with her French boyfriend. He has gone back home because of work commitments, and she is continuing her travels for another couple of months.
"Social cycling" is a term a friend in Wellington and I have come up with. We both commute by bicycle to the Wellington CBD. The best commutes are the ones, where we cycle together, side by side, talking about our day and everything else. It is one of my favourite activities.
I have done a bit of social cycling on this trip, either with people who have seen me pass or known I was coming through. I still think very fondly of the Federal Community in Indonesia, where I got to cycle with a lot of great people.
In Bangkok, I spent some good time with a lovely friend from Wellington. We had a great time together, and I was sad, when she flew home. However, I have something very exciting to look forward to: I have been supporting a child through World Vision in Cambodia, and I'm about to meet him and his family!!
Paulina and I are now cycling in Cambodia, so for my Thailand cycling statistics:
Total distance cycled: 579km
Number of flat tyres: 0
Number of rainy days: Nearly every day
Longest day: 172km (didn't know I could complete such a distance in one day during daylight hours)
Highest temperature: 32°c
Lowest temperature: 25°c