Tuesday 25 February 2014

Laos tour goes ahead…….This tour, in doubt since I returned from Krabi 2 weeks ago, is about to get underway albeit in a new guise. On Saturday one piece inserted in this complicated tour revealed that Thakhek in Laos was to be my first port of call after an overnight bus trip from Bangkok. The destination for this pre-booked journey is Nakhon Phanom on the Thai/Laos border. Departure from Mochit Mai (northern bus terminal) will be at 8.30pm with arrival at dawn. The first shuttle bus service departs for Thakhek at 8am.
What’s in a name?....... The original itinerary for this tour clearly is fixed in northern Laos, a tour name that already exists so this tour would be ‘Northern Laos Tour (2)’. However the change in itinerary puts my initial destination in central Laos and despite the fact that it may terminate in northern Laos, I’ll use the more distinguishable name ‘Central Laos Tour’.
(NB: as this tour unfolded and with only two nights spent in Thakhek it became clear that Central Laos was to play a very small part in this tour. It was finally renamed ‘Laos 4 Province Tour’).
Put to the test…….Today is critical in that it will test my health as well as my resolve. The long journey will see to that. But first I have an appointment at the hospital following my discharge last week. Are there any more twists and turns in this complex saga? Certainly there is evidence that the infection hasn’t totally subsided. At 9pm I make my way to Nopparatrajathani Hospital where I check in at 9.30 and join a queue. I’m told the wait won’t be long. However there is still a wait of nearly an hour but it’s not a problem. A decorator is painting the central concrete supports a pale blue colour. He’s in no hurry and I can watch the paint dry! The wait ends when I’m called to see the lady doctor who visited me on the ward. The review is thankfully positive but complete recovery is not expected for at least another two weeks when I need to return again. In the meantime, to my relief, more medication is ordered for that period which fits in well with my Laos tour plan. However I am troubled by cost of these medicines which continue to put a brake on my ambitions. Instead of the expected few hundred baht, I’m asked to pay two thousand. I’ve tried to cut costs but it’s like squeezing the last drop of juice out of a lemon only to find somebody steals the whole bag! Nevertheless I can now make final preparations for departure this evening.
Laos tour starts…….At 7pm I depart for Mochit Mai (northern bus terminal) by taxi with a mixture of relief and some anxious thoughts concerning the long trip ahead. The taxi arrives at 8pm and I make my way to the departure point where the Nakhon Phanom bus is waiting in bay 8. I already have my ticket obtained locally yesterday. On this occasion I have sacrificed cost for comfort. The 32-seater is twin-deck with just 6 seats on the lower deck enclosed behind the driver. This means no forward views so I’ve no means of checking progress apart by the clock and occasional road signage. I have to admit to the quality of this VIP service; the bus is quite new with seats that almost fully recline. There is a TV and hostess service. As soon as the bus departs at 8.40pm I'm loaded with refreshments and a meal. This bus just isn’t going to stop apart from a pick-up in Rangsit in the Bangkok suburbs and for driver changes. I make all available adjustments for comfort. Just after 10pm the TV and lights are turned off and sleep takes over.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Up country…….As the bus makes its way up country I get good periods of uninterrupted sleep punctuated by need to use the washroom only. For these monster long-distance buses it’s a curious fact that the washroom is little more in proportion to a broom cupboard. It’s always been the same as far back as I can remember with little thought gone into this convenience. The room is usually smelly even filtering into the air-conditioning system. However the positive is the unexpectedly high amount of sleep I manage to get compared to long distance air travel. Around 5.30am I wake as the bus negotiates the twists and turns of a mountain range. I later learn that this is Phu Phan in Sakhon Nakhon province but more significantly I’m still one province short as dawn breaks. After a stop in Sakhon Nakhon the bus passes on into Nakhon Phanom province. Despite the impression that one gets of Isaan (Thailand’s northeast) being the poorest part of Thailand there seems little evidence of it here. I’m also aware that this is my first visit here. The tour bus duly arrives in Nakhon Phanom at around 8am, 11.5 hours after departure from Bangkok. At the bus station I can connect with a shuttle bus for the border crossing. Before the new bridge was opened in 2011, the towns on the opposite banks of the Mekong River, Nakhon Phanom and Takhek were served only by a river ferry. Now there is the bridge but its location upriver involves quite a detour.
Welcome to Laos……..I purchase a ticket and head for the waiting bus. Despite scheduled departure times this bus seems to leave when it is full. I’m immediately aware I’m the only Westerner onboard. Most passengers seem to be Lao and some even Vietnamese, a reminder that their homeland is just 5 hours drive from here. Progressing through immigration goes without a hitch and particularly on the Thai side I seem to be fast-tracked. As I head on into Laos, I feel my moral higher than it’s been for some time. There is a combination of reasons. Just being here has relieved the immigration worries that would have arisen due to overstay in Thailand; I’ve bought myself precious time. The reasonable amount of sleep and overnight rest is more than I had hoped, relieving my health worries that could result from such a long trip. Another reason is that Laos is a most relaxing place to visit, free from the pace of city life in Bangkok and dare I add the mad tourism of Krabi. Finally, despite the weather prediction for hot weather here there is a gentle breeze and lower humidity. But as the shuttle bus arrives at the bus station outside the city there is still a little work to do.
Mekong Hotel…….I spend a while at the bus station as I need to get my bearings. After some negotiation I’m whisked off to Thakhek to a hotel recommended. Important to me is proximity to shops and restaurants, one of the reasons I didn’t pre-book accommodation. Unlike Krabi there is no problem here and I can consider my options. As it turns out I don’t need to work hard. I’m dropped off at Mekong Hotel right on the waterfront. As I gaze across this mighty river it’s still hard to comprehend its span here so far from the ocean; it really makes the River Thames in London seem like a small stream. As I check out the room and how much it will cost, it’s a no-brainer. Rarely do I get a chance for accommodation of this quality. It seems perfect at just 590 baht/night. I retire for a shower and a rest. Rehab seems to be complete as a watch a replay of the Chelsea v Everton game.
Thakhek…….When Thakhek first came to my attention I was initially concerned that it would be too remote a location and not serve a traveler well. That myth was partially expelled when I checked it out online. Having arrived here, Thakhek reminds me of Pakse in the south and of Savannakhet also with a twin across the river in Mukdahan. Old buildings from the French colonial era still dominate as Laos has just not considered it necessary to enter into the 21st century. The people in Takhek seem to be typical of Laos in general in that despite some reliance on tourism these days they are certainly not pushy and politely take life as it comes. In that sense it’s my kind of town, a place to totally unwind. It’s time for lunch but as well as conserving energy today, I have to conserve my budget as well, as I stick to rice while a couple of the relatively few foreigners here gorge themselves with massive steak burgers and chips. I head back to the hotel for 40 winks which soon multiply to 4000! Around dusk I venture out to the spectacle of a glorious sunset over the Mekong River. Dinner is a repeat of lunch but as I venture away from the waterfront more options become available for dining which I can exploit later.

Thursday 27 February 2014

Taking it easy…….Today I plan to take it easy as I catch up with some news. I see Chelsea have managed a draw against Galatasaray; the away goal may prove vital. I pay for another night at Mekong Hotel then pop out for something to eat. That will be kow gee (French stick with filling) and coffee. I’m happy with that. I head back to write up some notes. There’s a sense of anti-climax after my trip here yesterday but that’s to be expected in R & R mode. It’s not as if there’s nothing to do here. From Thakhek there is a popular loop tour into Laos’ interior full of adventure and natural beauty with rivers, lakes, caves, waterfalls etc. One could spend a week on tour here with overnight stay in hilltribe villages and towns. Sadly it’s all out of the question for me. For those fit enough and with a healthy budget I would thoroughly recommend it. All I dare do is to gather more information for my next move from here but with 2 weeks stay envisaged I’m loath to up the pace at this stage.
Crossroads…….Thakhek lies at the junction of roads leading to the four cardinal points of the compass. West is back across the river into Thailand, east is a relatively easy trip to the Vietnamese border, south is towards Savannakhet and the towns of southern Laos and north is into the next province of Borikhanxai and Vientiane beyond. Initially I’m told that to reach my original destination of Phonsavan in Xiang Khouang province I would have to make it back to Vientiane first but according to the map that’s a huge detour. After breakfast I’m given new information. I should be able to go directly from here to Phonsavan using a through bus from Savannakhet. This will head north into Borikhanxai and head into the highlands of northern Laos via the town of Pakxan. As an option which looks more attractive from here, I could take a Vientiane bound bus and stay overnight in Pakxan thus breaking the journey into two easier portions. Certainly it would put me bang on track and provide a huge boost to moral being set to exceed all expectations. It’s time for lunch. For once I’m so relieved to have all basic needs on my doorstep.