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Life =C2=BB=20 Family
Marriage for most people is settling down and = creating=20 some sense of stability in their lives. It spells the end of an = adventurous life=20 and giving up their single status for good.
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Photos: SOMKID CHAIJITVANIT and courtesy of = www.thaibikeworld.com
However, for Orawan and Charoen Othong, otherwise known to most = people as the=20 "globe trotting bicycle-riding lovers from Thailand", their adventures = are still=20 going strong.
"Wan" and "Mou" tied the knot in July 2001 and four months later = decided to=20 ride their bicycles around the world with the starting point in = Thailand. They=20 then made their way to Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and = flew to=20 Latin America; they pedalled through Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia and = Mexico=20 before entering the United States.
Another flight over the Atlantic Ocean took them to Morocco which saw = them=20 take a boat to Spain and then on through Portugal, a handful of European = countries, Russia, Middle Asia, China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and back = to=20 Bangkok on the November 1, 2007. The whole trip took almost six = years.
This epic journey gave the newlyweds a life that was so much more = than a=20 bicycle ride. Both agreed that the time spent together was the most = testing=20 period of their whole relationship. Although they love each other = dearly, being=20 together 24 hours a day for six years, making decisions together on = every issue=20 - be it food, lodgings, selecting travel routes, facing health and = medical=20 problems, getting mugged by criminals - was not easy.
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Charoen and Orawan Othong
The international media paid a great deal of interest in the travels = of "Wan=20 and Mou", both of whom called this journey their "honeymoon". But this = wasn't=20 just any honeymoon but what they also termed as "honeymoon and = fighting", a time=20 to learn and adjust to each other, especially in the first two years. = Both=20 husband and wife had a lot of adjusting to do despite dating for two = years=20 before exchanging marriage vows.
But once the journey was completed, they became much more confident = about=20 their future relationship. After going through a catalogue of obstacles=20 together, the couple believed their marriage was going to work = regardless of=20 what the future threw at them in the years to come.
LOVE AT 'FOREST' SIGHT
Before this love ride began, Mou, then a confident young man from = Amphur=20 Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, was working as an assistant engineer. His = fondness=20 for nature took him on long walks in the jungle; often with groups of = friends.=20 He loves mountain biking and photography, and also had dreams of = becoming a=20 travel writer.
Meanwhile, Wan, then a manager for an import-export company, shared = similar=20 dreams of travelling the world. So she decided to try jungle travels = first=20 before going further afield. It was here in the forest and jungles where = she met=20 Mou.
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His initial impression of her was not that encouraging as he thought = Wan's=20 personality did not suit the outdoors. But after completing a jungle = trip at=20 Mokoju hill at Amphur Maewong, Nakhon Sawan, both Mou and Wan realised = they=20 shared similar traits - those of an avid traveller. Another trip = followed and=20 this time the activity shifted from jungle treks to mountain biking. = Neither of=20 them realised that this was the beginning of an epic adventure for both = of=20 them.
As their relationship moved to the next level and plans were made to = get=20 married, disaster struck when Wan was laid off from work. Mou came to = her aid by=20 finding Wan room and board at a small house near a forest, and which = didn't have=20 any electricity or running water in Nakon Si Thammarat. The living = conditions=20 were not what she was used to, but she managed to cope extremely = well
AGREEMENT FOR HAPPINESS AND FREEDOM
Mou recalled being impressed by the inner strength of Wan, and by the = many=20 qualities that he lacked such as the ability to manage and negotiate. = She also=20 got on well with his friends, he remembered.
On the other hand, Wan spoke of Mou by describing
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him as a person who appears to be serious, but in reality he hides = his=20 cheerful side. He is always in a good mood, is determined and very = charming to=20 women. She said Mou is well-versed in household chores due to his = experience as=20 a temple boy when he came to study in Bangkok.
''He likes to wash clothes by hand. If he wants to be alone, he does = the=20 laundry. Me, I usually read a book. I go out sometimes to let him be = alone,''=20 said Wan.
It wasn't easy for both of them to achieve some sense of stability in = married=20 life, but a life time of experiences, meeting people all over the world = and=20 living together has allowed them to nurture and hone this = relationship.
FIRST TWO YEARS DO OR DIE
By chance Wan read about Tom Claytor, a bush pilot in the United = States, who=20 travelled the world in his small plane. She was impressed and decided to = email=20 the American pilot about her own experiences in the jungles and mountain = biking=20 treks. Mr Claytor eventually came to Bangkok and the Othongs visited him = frequently to tell him about their dream of bicycling around the = world.
The Othongs earlier wanted to hire a professional travel consultant = to=20 organise the trip, but Mr Claytor suggested they make their own = arrangements=20 instead. He was confident that the Othongs could do this because of = Mou's=20 personal traits such as being a cautious person, detailed and a skilled=20 organiser.
True to Mou's nature, he was confused and apprehensive about this = journey,=20 and worried about potential obstacles and dangers. But Mr Claytor's=20 encouragement made the Othongs decide to go on.
The American made sure he left a message for the couple before they = embarked=20 on this mission, ''The end of a journey is made of two things. You are = either=20 successful or both of you break up.'' Throughout this journey, both Wan = and Mou=20 knew they were standing at the crossroads where they had to choose = between=20 making the trip and thus the marriage successful or break up.
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''In the first two years, I felt very uncomfortable. In fact I was = not happy=20 even before the start of this trip. I felt that bicycling around the = world was=20 not my dream but Wan's dream alone. It was as if after getting married = to her I=20 was bound by a condition that forced me to take her bicycling around the = world.=20 True, I am a traveller but I never thought that I had to prove myself by = pedalling around the world. It is very difficult. I thought from the = very=20 beginning that Wan didn't realise the scope of what she was getting us = into.
''During the initial stages of the trip we'd get into petty arguments = and=20 fights all the time. We'd do the silent treatment or try to pedal away = from each=20 other as far away as possible. But when it was time to rest and spend = time with=20 each other, we'd quarrel again. It came to the point that married life = was=20 interfering with our personal space. Throughout the journey I thought I = was=20 being left in the dark, unattended especially when my English language = skills=20 were not as good as I would have liked. She wouldn't translate when I = wanted=20 something to be translated. During heated quarrels, I really wanted to = leave her=20 and return to Thailand but my poor English prevented me from doing = that,'' said=20 Mou.
During one major quarrel, Mou removed his wedding ring. He tore up = pictures=20 of him and Wan together. She retaliated by picking up the torn photos = and=20 writing ''enough is enough''. But the Othongs had no choice but to pedal = on=20 under a cloud of tension.
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The couple live a simple life by growing their own veggies.
END OF LOVE, END OF LIFE
Quarrels and fighting aside, the Othongs made it into Equador. They = reached=20 the base of a high mountain about 8km away from the city of Riobamba and = stopped=20 for a rest. All of a sudden five masked men walked straight up to them = and=20 marched the Othongs into a nearby wood. Guns were pointed at their heads = while=20 all their valuables were stolen. They were then tied to a tree and the = robbers=20 made their escape after letting the air down in the tyres of their = bicycles.
''We thought we would not survive. But we made it. That experience = made us=20 believe that there are good things in the bad. It made us realise how = important=20 we are to each other. We quarrelled and brought bad things into our = life. This=20 served as a reminder as to how lucky we were to have each other. From = that point=20 onwards we never got into another quarrel again,''said Wan.
The opportunity to stay in the homes of strangers, provided the = Othongs with=20 some happy memories of the trip.
''Many families we stayed with were the perfect examples for us of = what=20 married life is about. They all lived beautiful lives together, happy = and=20 content, full of respect for each other, living life without worldly = riches but=20 instead choosing to give and help others. It was as if we became = citizens of the=20 world. The world made us see that a great life full of happiness does = not=20 require money. Happiness in life is really not that hard to find,'' said = Mou.
A SIMPLE LIFE AND A JOB TO LOVE
At the end of their journey, Wan and Mou chose not to be permanent = employees=20 in order to find the time to create a ''Bicycle Map network in = Thailand.''.
Cycling is taking off in Thailand, so to speak. People ride to work = and to=20 travel. However, both local and expat cyclists experience the same = problem,=20 which is a lack of proper maps outlining bicycle routes in Thailand.
''Right now we are thinking of making an integrated bicycle map. Our=20 capabilities and experience makes it easier for us. In the long term we = would=20 like to establish an exhibition detailing our travels around the world. = I was=20 hoping we could do it at Amphur Sichon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, which is my = home=20 town,'' said Mou.
With the cycling over for the time being, both Mou and Wan have = settled down=20 to a peaceful life. They're in the same apartment they stayed in before = their=20 journey. There's no steady job but they are neither worried, nor feel a = sense of=20 instability because both have already lived life in its simplest = form.
''When we were on our travels, both of us spent about 30,000 baht a = month and=20 we managed to see the world. Today we refuse to be tied to materialistic = things.=20 We'll be happy as long as we are not in debt and can afford to eat. Our = travels=20 taught us to be aware of and be content with life. As long as you have a = good=20 heart, be true and give, everything else will come to you,'' said = Mou.
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Customers withdrew 2 to 3 billion baht a day from accounts at the=20 Government Housing Bank (GHB)early this week so they could subscribe = to the=20 govrnment's 80 billion baht savings bonds offer on Monday and = Wednesday, GHB=20 president Khan Prachuabmoh said ...
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Joe M
Discussion 2 : 17/07/2009 at 04:04 AM
Amazing couple! Most people wouldn't have the guts to even think =
about=20
taking this life adventure, much less completing as a couple. =
Best=20
wishing to Wan and Mou. I'm sure they will continue to find comfort in =
having=20
each other.
Cheers! Proud of you!
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Phoo Juntrakoolchai
Discussion 1 : 16/07/2009 at 03:04 PM
I remember them; they had their wedding in a Mc Donald maybe that =
explain=20
their fight. Not a very Thai culture way to get =
married.=EF=81=8C
They have a very=20
good bicycle shop sponsor money, can=E2=80=99t make you happy.
I =
thing travelling=20
when you have a lot of sponsor its easy.
What about travelling on =
a=20
bicycle for ecologic reason that would be a better article.