Day 10, Saturday 28 October - Savannakhet

On yer bike!...... It's another full day in Savannakhet as my return to Bangkok delayed because of the flooding there and I'm stretching the budget a bit. Today I get a fresh baguette, Lao style with meat and vegetable filling. I've located a good coffee shop where I watch production of filtered coffee using local coffee beans. It's not a bad cup for 4000 kip as I make my way back to the internet cafe. I've decided to rent a motorbike while still not sure what I plan to do. I take lunch in a local restaurant and produce my maps. It's still going to be tricky. So far, I've only managed to locate one international direction board and that most likely results from the construction of the Friendship Bridge. I'm heading for That Ing Hang Stupa. I read that this commemorates the Lord Buddha having rested here during his travels, becoming ill from eating pork. Oh! I had pork for lunch. I pay my respects before heading back towards 'Savan'. ODOP open and heavens too!...... I stop at ODOP (OTOP in Thailand) which is a centre for locally produced and crafted products (fair trade). It hasn't rained since I've been in Laos but strangely a rogue rain cloud appears dropping its heavy cargo with such force as to cause staff to close shutters in the centre. Then as quickly as it appears, it's gone not even affecting downtown Savan. I head towards the Friendship Bridge II just to get some photos. It's a very quiet piece of tarmac but this two-lane bridge upstages its mentor at Nong Khai. I head back along the Mekong riverbank gazing over to Mukdahan where I intend to be tomorrow looking back at Savan! There's nothing special planned this evening, I just catch up with news about the flooding in Thailand and write up my notes.