Sunday, 17 January 2010:  2:30pm (Bangkok Time) 

It's the afternoon before the big ride and you can see the excitement has set in.  Most of the riders have arrived in Bangkok and are enjoying their last day before the pain begins.  Lots of last minute preparations are being had by many to ensure their bodies are in top condition for the 800km journey including:

• a two-hour long Thai massage (Pete & Nic)
• relaxing dip in the pool followed by an hour or two of reading (Andrew & Willie)
• bomb diving others relaxing in the pool and running from room to room (Kels & Jack)
• eating (Lachie & Julian)
• wandering the streets and soaking in some Thai sunshine (Dan)
• shopping, shopping, shopping (Jules)
• a little bit of sight seeing (Lyle, Erin, Maddie & Nadine) 

Tonight we are off to the Khlong Toei slums for a tour and dinner with  Hands Thai partner - The Duang Prateep Foundation (DPF).  It won't be a late one tonight as tomorrow will be an early start as we will be setting off by 7am to beat the traffic and the sun. 

Looking forward to enjoying the scenery, keeping up with Ed Jackson (our semi-professional rider - otherwise known as "the machine #2" as Mike Mitchell was the original machine during the 2009 ride), a great adventure and lots of laughs. 

Nicole Perry