Martin Tomlinson

So today was a mostly welcome rest day, with a whole day of visiting Lendwithcare's local Thai partner who vets the entrepreneurs and their projects before disbursing microfinance loans to them. None of the 'clients' would likely be funded by me as I tend to focus on female, Cambodian, farmers, and we are in Thailand now, but the model would be similar. After a presentation from the development partner we visited 5 projects, covering farming cows, weaving and growing crickets for food, chicken and mushroom farming, another cow farm, and a sewing business. Massive amount of enthusiasm from all, through translators, to talk and show us what they do.
The local community cooked us this excellent lunch, quite unlike Thai food we normally experience, even in Thai holiday resorts. Very authentic rural I guess. Later that evening the development partner hosted a dinner in a restaurant in Surin, where are staying, which again was so different from what we expect and very tasty, with a few familiar spicy favourites like mango salad and Tom Yung.
Still, not everybody with dodgy tummies is 100%, and one or two almost shake it off then regress.
I'm ok!
"...….Briefing for tomorrow: pay hotel extras, check out and be ready to depart on our bikes at 7.30. Tomorrow we cycle from the hotel. We leave at 07:30am.
First stop 19km (we will decide whether to break after each 10k or less)
2nd stop at 35km
Lunch at 50km
The restaurant is near Elephant Village. After lunch we will discuss the planning for the afternoon.
Terrain is relatively flat. End destination for our hotel is Roi Et....."
So with a bit of luck I'll do 60km tomorrow. So far this week, in first four days, I've done a modest 185km.Read more