Along the west coast of Thailand I descend further south, towards the border with Malaysia. A short, heavy rain shower just in front of me wets the road, but I don't have to take shelter and a few kilometers further the sun is shining again. I set the trip counter of the motorcycle to 0 when I left the Netherlands and today the 30,000th km appears on the counter! What a great machine that GS. I enjoy every kilometer.
It is quiet on the two-lane highway and with the cruise control at 95 the kilometers tick away. Suddenly the engine makes a huge jerk. I have no idea what's happening but when I look in my right mirror I see the white hood of a pickup truck. I've been hit!
Together we drive to the hard shoulder. A young man gets out and immediately looks at his front left fender. I go to my right luggage compartment. Nothing to see except for a few faint stripes. I ask the driver if he hadn't seen me but he apologizes that he doesn't speak English. He, too, is clearly shocked.
My heartbeat slowly returns to normal and we both continue on our way. I still have no idea how it happened but I suspect the driver was distracted and didn't see me when he changed lanes. Actually exactly the same as what happened to me in India, only then I stood still and fell. The motor, which is very stable due to the speed, has now saved me. I thank my guardian angel because this could have turned out very differently.
The 'resort' on the coast in Pak Nam has few guests and for 1200 baht (€31) I can stay in one of the cottages for two nights. Across the street is the beach and a boulevard with a night market where mainly Thai Muslims come to celebrate their weekend. As the setting sun sets the sky ablaze, I stroll around the market. I do not encounter white tourists here.
