	Ubon Ratchathani overstay Trainspotting........I decided to stay in Ubon a second night. Ubon Ratchathani is a typical provincial town but with not too much to do for tourists. I headed for the railway station, which is at Warin Chamrap south of the river Moon. Colour coded songtheaws (taxis) cover the area for just 10 baht. From Chayankul Road white songtheaws (2) go to Warin Chamrap south of the river. Directly from Intrend blue taxis (10 and 11) go into the city and to the bus station. I spend a good couple of hours at the train station before heading back across the river stopping to take pictures of the Moon River in flood. Thai to Lao........In the evening I am happy to eat at a local restaurant where normally my Thai is good enough to get me what I want. However some unfamiliar questions arise. At first I don’t understand until I realize they are speaking in Lao, basically a dialect which has a strong Laotian influence. Lao and Thai are closely related as up until 1894 Laos was part of Siam. Thais usually can understand Lao particularly if they come from Isaan, the northeastern provinces. So today I learn some Lao. While eating they ask me ‘seb baw?’, which translates in Thai to ‘aroi mai?’ (does it taste good)? Normally in Thai I reply’ aroi maak’, yes, it tastes good, but in Lao I have to reply ‘seb li li’. It’s back to Intrend Place.
Railway Station at Warin Chamrap

Moon River in Flood

Ubon Ratchathani overstay

Trainspotting........I decided to stay in Ubon a second night. Ubon Ratchathani is a typical provincial town but with not too much to do for tourists. I headed for the railway station, which is at Warin Chamrap south of the river Moon. Colour coded songtheaws (taxis) cover the area for just 10 baht. From Chayankul Road white songtheaws (2) go to Warin Chamrap south of the river. Directly from Intrend blue taxis (10 and 11) go into the city and to the bus station. I spend a good couple of hours at the train station before heading back across the river stopping to take pictures of the Moon River in flood.
Thai to Lao........In the evening I am happy to eat at a local restaurant where normally my Thai is good enough to get me what I want. However some unfamiliar questions arise. At first I don’t understand until I realize they are speaking in Lao, basically a dialect which has a strong Laotian influence. Lao and Thai are closely related as up until 1894 Laos was part of Siam. Thais usually can understand Lao particularly if they come from Isaan, the northeastern provinces. So today I learn some Lao. While eating they ask me ‘seb baw?’, which translates in Thai to ‘aroi mai?’ (does it taste good)? Normally in Thai I reply’ aroi maak’, yes, it tastes good, but in Lao I have to reply ‘seb li li’. It’s back to Intrend Place.