Majority of the path was devoid of curves and zigzags, enabling the inexperienced riders such as myself to focus on maintaining a straight line while exerting more or less power when going uphill and downhill respectively.
Following our stop for lunch, we set out to Orillia for some fun on the water. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, making the drive through the downtown section of the city a very pleasant journey.
By mid-afternoon, an incredulous amount of people, local families and tourists alike, had already gathered along the waterfront and claimed their territory via vibrant-hued beach towels. Fortunately enough, we were able to detect an empty parking spot almost immediately upon our entry into the busting lot.
The centre front section of the lake had been sectioned off for swimming, leaving the remaining area to be shared amongst kayakers, rowers, speedboat enthusiasts, and compact cruise ships. With safety as our top priority in the water, I opted to pick the brighter yellow of the two Nereus kayaks. Banana-like in both shape and colour, the boat rendered us highly visible to other occupants of the lake even at a distance, and also more distinguishable in the case where photos were to be taken from the shore.
The self-proclaimed authentic Thai restaurant had apparently operated in Toronto since 2004, but recently made the move to the more serene city of Orillia. (And who can blame them? It's absolutely beautiful here!)
The conclusion following ten minutes of intense discussion (and the absence of Khao Soi on the menu) was to order two dishes for sharing, and three uniquely Thai iced beverages to accompany them.
The Singha Beer, as I had been informed, lacked the standard wheat-iness of other beers. Personally, I found this to be a positive factor, really.
The Fresh Mango Chicken, ordered in conjunction with a plate of star-shaped Coconut Steamed Rice, was tasty and only slightly spicy. The dish was brimming with copious amounts of thinly-sliced chicken breast, red bell peppers, and semi-ripe mango chunks, which was both a pleasure to witness and burden to scoop up without disturbing harmony.
In comparison, the Red Curry Chicken plate possessed a higher spice content, but also exuded the most divine fragrance of coconut milk and complex blend of herbs. Each bite was hotter than the former, but delicious all the same. Bamboo shoots and succulent pieces of lychee were great additions as well. The heart-shaped plate of Jasmine rice was useful in soaking up the curry sauce, though wasn't nearly as memorable as the Coconut Steamed Rice.