What up! How we all doing?
So once again I’m writing this entree without an internet connection, so I will post it as soon as I can. I am currently on another night train heading from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. It’s Monday night, it’s about 11, and of course I’m still awake whilst everyone else sleeps.
So anyway, I’ll start with the important things, I since found out actually on Tuesday (since writing my last blog, but before actually posting it) that pancake day was last Tuesday, so of course I had some more pancakes (it was an epic fail, they were disgusting).
But I’ll start with the struggle that is Laos Kip:
You probably think this note is worth 6000 Kip…..
…Well like me, you are wrong, it’s worth only 2000 kip
And again, this looks like 90000 kip…
…Wrong again!
OK, so anyways, from my last blog entree. We left Vietiane last Tuesday and headed for Vang Vieng, Vang Vieng is East meets Faliraki with a 2 o’clock curfew….and some very strong red bull! Whilst in Vang Vieng I did get to experience some what it was like to be cliff hanger though, pretty hardcore:
After 2 nights in Vang Vieng we had a 7 hour drive to Luang Probang:
Whilst in Luang Prabang, I headed for a ‘do it yourself’ Laos BBQ, a pretty entertaining night out with the Laos locals (to say the least), elephant riding (yeah screw you England, I can’t drive a car back home, but I can drive an elephant in Laos), and a pretty sweet swim in the Kuang Si falls, where some fish could eat on my feet! (again, there are some pictures missing (I thought me stuff would get wet whilst riding the elephants)):
FYI Canada: THIS IS A BEAR!
This cricket scared the crap out of Jorge once he realised that it could fly!
After 2 nights in Luang Prabang, we headed off on a two day boat trip down Mekong River, stopping off at the small town of Pakbeng for a night, and stopping in a small Laos tribal town (as much of a tribal town that it was, and no matter how poor they were, they still had their big massive satellite dishes) on the second day:
Our Laos tour guide down the Mekong River, Phet.
Our boat
So the end of this 2 day trip down the Mekong River led to the end of the Laos adventure (and another $1 charge to get my passport stamped to leave)…
…crossing the river in another small boat….
…before getting to Thailand (where there were no charges for my 15 day visa).
Since then the last few days have been travel heavy. We spent last night (my first night in Thailand) pretty chilled out staying in the quite border town of Chiang Khong, looking over the river at Laos whilst eating a Thai curry…..
…before heading off early this morning on a bus ride to Chiang Mai. Stopping on the way at a pretty awesome temple (I think I’m templed out now, but this one was pretty metal). I wasn’t able to get any sly photos inside (like Melissa could in St Paul’s) but the art work was different, Keena Reeves was even on one of the paintings, not your average mosk stuff:
I think this dude’s name was Malcolm
Only had a few hours in Chiang Mai, which to be honest is pointless. There’s loads to do there but there’s nothing to do in just a few hours. If I was staying there longer I’d’ve done loads of the activities on offer, but you can’t do any of these when you’re only there for a few hours, so it’s kinda just another temple town. But heading off through the side streets does show the city does have it’s own character about it.
Sorry, I had to put it on, our bus’s “No Smoking” sign!
So after a few hours there, we jumped onto the night train, where I am currently writing this blog, in my bed that I just had made up about half an hour ago, about an hour after everyone else….well we wanted to have a few beers on the train (and buying beer on this train, is like being in Canada for prices, expensive!)
The “Train Police” making up a bed
My Bed….
….Everyone else's bed!
My tour ends on Wednesday, in Bangkok, but I’m ending it a day early. I get to Bangkok at about 8 in the morning (Tuesday). I plan to eat, then take the 3 hour train to Hua Hin, to meet up with my Auntie and Uncle for a night a two days. As I found out that they’re going be in Thailand the same time as me, and I aint seen them for over 6 months now. Then I’ll journey back to Bangkok late on Wednesday night, to get my flight to Koh Samui on Thursday morning.
At the moment it feels like I’m just rushing through Thailand, but just means I’m looking forward more to my time in Hia Hin (after my train ride) and my four nights on Koh Samui.
And Thai currency is ALMOST as confusing as Laos, but much fewer zeros!
*It’s taken me nearly a week to be able to post this. I’ll have to write a complete new entree soon.
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