28
Mar
Diary of the World Record: Day50
- By Vin Cox
28th Mar. 21.5 miles cycled.
Actually 22.5 miles, but some back-tracking [so not counting for Guinness World Records].
Come to see Sally and Marcus… and baby Layla.
Went for a meal with them at a posh hotel. Buffet. Spent 3 hours constantly eating! So good to be with friends and to talk of our shared friends.
Trying to upload videos so I have spare memory – not working!
Also been buying inner tubes and a new pump in town.
21.5mi @ 12.4mph.
Female security personnel and airport staff strode confidently around Bangkok Airport as equals. The contrast with India was stark, and I was surprised I hadn’t been more conscious of it before arriving in less misogynist Thailand. These were women who could look a man in the eye, and had personalities. I was sick of only talking to men.
My phone connected to the local network as I walked to passport control and collected my bike. It updated it’s clock (in the uncomfortable direction), received text messages telling me what good value calling home was, and then picked up more useful messages. One message rocked my world and brought me to tears instantly: My old university friend Sally wanted to meet up! Sally, Marcus, and baby Layla lived near the airport, so I might see them ever so soon!
Just trying to think about greeting old friends was very difficult for me. I had no idea how lonely I was until this moment. Every time I approached it in my mind, from any angle, I just welled-up. I took a few meandering diversions on the ride across town to see them, just to compose myself. I hadn’t thought about the day of the week, but it was the weekend, so Sally and Marcus had the day free from work at the prestigious Patana School. They talked me towards their apartment building on the phone until I saw them on the street. I decided as I hugged them that I’d stay all day if they’d let me – and they offered straight away to put me up for the night. The record could wait.
Vin with Sally and Layla, and Marcus taking the photo.