06.05.17 Pai, northern Thailand.

Three hour bus trip north from Bangkok in a fairly cramped “People Carrier” gets us into Pai at around 15:30. The countryside improved greatly after leaving Chiang Mai and started the climb into the mountain area in which Pai is embedded.

06:00am…C29..It’s going to be a beautiful morning here in Pai

Three hundred hairpin/switchback bends later, we cruise down main street to be greeted by a really “Bohemian” environment full of “young trendies” doing their thing and “hanging out” as I believe the phraseology goes. Paitopia is our domicile for the next three nights. Its a grouping of a number of purpose built wooden “A”frame houses on stilts built in random fashion near an outdoor pool and bar/restaurant around a small lagoon/lake.

A “Massiman” repas, along with a bowl of spices and a cool Leo.

Hired a moped for a couple of days (100 Tai bahts(GBP 2.20)!)
Although the immediate future involves a move to another domicile called Bulunburi on the banks of the Pai river, the intention is to head south again to Chiang Mai and out east to Chiang Rai and Chiang Khong to make the border crossing  over to Laos at the Friendship bridge over the Mekong river at a small border town called NongKhai. A two day boat trip down the Mekong then ensues, to a town in Laos called Pakbeng, stopping overnight. The following day the boat trip continues until we disembark and head out to Luang Prabang. However in the interim, I have to gain some motivation to do an “on-line” application for a subsequent border crossing at a later date, into Myanmar.

23.04.17 Bangkok to Chiang Mai

C37 here in Bangkok today, clear blue skies and busy busy down the Khao San Road. Traders, stall holders, massage parlours, bars, eateries, hookers, hawkers, beggars,  and bible bashers, all in an undulating, pulsating ephemeral tide.

Checked into “Thai Garden House”  19.04.17, which is, as Thai descriptions go more generally, “never knowingly undersold.” However, everything and everyone seem to rub along well together. Time spent here is dedicated to “Chillin’, Relaxing & Planning”.

The Thai Garden House Hostel is a traditional old wooden clapperboard property which has kinda’ been overpowered by subsequent development. However undaunted “Mr.Thai” the owner, works assiduously to keep customers happy.

The trip north by bus, ensues at (19:30pm) Monday evening. Chiang Mai was missed last time one was here, so once there, will provide an excellent opportunity to head east into Laos.

A decision has yet to be made how to get to Laos. There are two possibilities via the Mekong river,(9hours fast boat…or 2 days slow boat). However, one has been advised to reject the “fast option” as too dangerous. Apparently, there have been many accidents, with boats hitting rocks in the river, capsizing and throwing occupants and luggage overboard!!!

Alternatively, one could fly to Vientiane (southern Laos) or go overland to Luang Prabang.

Just discovered, subsequent to having bought overland tickets north, (isn’t it always the way..) that flights are available to fly to Yangon (Myanmar) for £25!!!! from Bangkok. Anyway, coming back to Bangkok after Laos, to pick up some luggage we left behind to lighten our burden. Therefore, leaving Myanmar a considered option for later.

Yeh!!! 1920’s rocks!!!

On a completely separate note, I got some “RayBan “Gatsby”” sunglasses as a birthday present from my two daughters and their husbands…..What do you think?????…mmmmmm

HCM to Phnom Penh via The Mekong 12.09.2011

What an amazing eco-system the Mekong river delta is! We spent the whole day travelling by boat, visiting floating villages, markets, entrepreneurial tile factories, fish farms….the list goes on, in our transit to Phnom Penh. It is just amazing that a river that we acquainted ourselves with in China, so many months before, re-emerges giving life and sustenance to a plethora of disparate lifestyles, cultures, businesses, in the Mekong river delta.

How fortunate we are to witness this environment. How gracious these people were to suffer the intrusion of  foreign interlopers that came there “snapping pictures” and impacting a lifestyle that has been unchanged for millennia.

Travelled all day in the Mekong Delta heading toward the border and Cambodia.

Disembarked at the Vietnamese border post, to check out, then had to drag our luggage a hundred yards or so to the Cambodian border post. Whilst waiting for the other passengers to “pass muster”, I went down to the waters edge and snapped a picture of the Customs Launch, that had obviously seen better days.