Day 20, Friday 7 December

Green light……..As I wake this morning there is residual muscle pain but otherwise with a reasonable amount of sleep I’m recovering and in position to complete my journey to Bangkok. Having now abandoned my blog until I arrive in Bangkok, we’re ready to depart at 9.30am. I hope I’ve learnt the lesson to keep myself hydrated: When I look back at the last 24 hours, I realise what little I had to drink yesterday. Even at lunch I had just a coffee rather than a water bottle. As it’s turns out there are no lasting effects and I give the green light to add that final visit from yesterday.
Wat Ban Rai……..The location I’m looking for, recorded in this area some time ago is known as Museum Mönches Luang Phor Khoon. It’s a pity sometimes that I don’t add to my research a blow-up of the site location. This is a valuable indicator of how long the site visit might take. In this case it would also have shown that the museum is just part of the complex albeit an important one. I should mention straight away that as I begin my research’ this temple complex should be referred to as Wat Ban Rai including the museum and the iconic Wihan Thep Witthaya Khom.
Museum Mönches Luang Phor Khoon was built to house the spirit of Luang Phor Koon, a famous monk who died in May 2015. Such was his reverence that King Rama IX afforded him special honor, members of the Royal family visiting here on a number of occasions. While the museum is a memorial to his life and works it isn't his mausoleum, at least not yet. He graciously donated his body for research which is currently at Khon Kaen University. His cremation date is yet to be decided. Apart from visuals and mostly religious objects, relating to Luang Phor Khoon’s life and works, there is nothing in English in this museum what would add greater meaning.
Update 2-Feb 2019: Finally in the evening of 29 January 2019, during an elaborate ceremony, Luang Phor Koon's body was cremated in Buddhamonthon in Khon Kaen's Muang district. It is understood that his remains will be placed in the Mekong River at Nong Khai view.

My attention now turns to a building on the water with the large elephant standing on it. It is made with 20 million pieces of ceramic tile and named “Wihan Thep Witthaya Khom”. The elephant is “Airavata” which carries in mythology the Hindu god Indra. It’s another example of the highly advanced skills the Thai artisans possess.
Despite my recent difficulties, I’m able to explore inside this fascinating building. Due to its massive size, there is a spiral ramp that allows access to three floors. With the addition of a viewing area at the top, accessed by a staircase and a basement area the total building consists of five floors. Making it to the top level, I’m pleased to be offered the lift as a way down although I don’t generally class myself as disabled.
Expecting little in English to support the visuals, I’m quite surprised that on the three middle floors there is a narrative that I can read which gives me a sense of what this wihan represents. Effectively it is a history of Buddhism over two and a half millennia. The key dates that have brought Buddhism to this point, are all recorded here. This means that not only is this a centre for religious study but an historical record in its own right. As readers will realise by now when someone mentions history, I’m all ears. It means that I can still learn a lot from this display while still restricted in the understanding of spirits other than that found in bottles.

Full Revolution……..Although this has taken us close to lunch, we head on but not in the direction I intended. Feeling I would end up in Sikhio District again, I factored in a visit to a site we missed before. However, Katoon doesn’t think it’s worth getting minced up in traffic on the Mittraphap Highway and chooses another route further north which will take us to the northern end of the Pasak Jolisid Reservoir. She believes there is an interesting viewpoint which she describes as a farm. In the meantime we stop for fuel and may as well get a lunch from 7/11 where at least you know what to expect from their warmed up meals. Regarding the farm, well, she’s is right, there is a farm but not of the type I imagined, In the distance there are several clusters of wind turbines, the most I’ve seen in one place in Thailand. It has to be remembered that we’re on the lip of a plateau here and that we now face a long decent down onto the Chao Phraya Delta. The mountain range is known as the Dong Phaya Yen Range. It is an ideal spot to plant wind turbines. Katoon feels in the mood to get up close and drives to the base of one. Well, Looking up at a massive structure like this that can be seen for miles is certainly awesome. However, wind turbines are hardly unique these days. It’s time to take on the final leg of this tour.

Arrival……..The only other stop we make is to take photographs of the Pasak Jolisid Reservoir from a direction I’m not familiar with. Finally, we connect with Highway 21 and head for Saraburi. From there we pick up Highway 1 until it connects with the Kanchanapisek motorway. Base is not far from here now. Arriving in Kubon Road well before 6pm, we take dinner, my favorite kow moo dang and add some shopping. I can now declare this epic tour 18C truly over. The strange thing is there’s little emotion arriving back. This has been a highly productive tour but it’s come at a price and as well as being excited about reviewing this tour, I’m also very relieved to arrive back unscathed after a topsy turvy three weeks. As this page closes then it’s necessary to write that review. That won’t take long but editing and sorting photographs, will. Next Page.