change in plans

Salakaewkoo
see all photos »

Today. . . I had all intentions of staying in Nong Khai.  I have a lot to write about, but I am not really sure how long I should use this free computer.  I decided to move on after a great day spent in Nong Khai.  Currently I am in Udon Thani at the only place I could find to sleep.  It has been an interesting night to say the least.  I am in a remote area of Thailand where nobody, except ONE lady, can speak English.  They have been great to me!  The kids have never seen foreigners so they are intrigued.  I may try to play badmitton with them after I am done.

mummy
see all photos »

Since I don't feel I should spend too much time on line I am going to write a quick draft of my day so I can come back and remember all of my day.

Our overnight bus arrived bright and early in Vientane.  It was unclear and not stated that we had actually arrived (seems to be a common thing in these parts), but since everybody abandon the bus, we had a good idea we had arrived.  The immediate need to use the bathroom caused us to miss many of the truck drivers.  There was one truck driver that found us and was persistant that we take his ride, so we agreed.  Then he drug his heels to leave bus station.  He kept trying to find other people and when we would get restless he would drive 20 feet to make it seem like he was leaving, then suddenly he would stop.  Finally after two times the amount he told of us waiting, we left.  This was the final destination of Jema and my travels together.  I said goodbye and road away waving as Jema got smaller and smaller. :( Thanks Jema for the travel lessons as we've gone.

X'd the border so smoothly, it was great, no events except me being the only one with a backpack and being crammed in a shuttle bus with a raised up floor space for my feet.

Mut mee was beautiful (tons of guest houses all over Nong Khai); lots of info there too.  That's where I got the excavation info. that lead me to my current location.

Had the best bicycle ride ever today.  Thinner tires (road bike), high seat, basket, gentle hills that I imagined when the book told us about the waterfall.

Lunch with locals (guy from US married to Thai lady - he was a teacher in '99, she was from a remote village)

I picked up a map from the Mut mee guest house that had a diagram of "an exact description of the Wheel of Life at Salakaewkoo, the sculpture park in Nonk Khai"

Salakeawkoo (sculpture park) - so glad I came here.  This was what I wanted to see adn it was amazing.  The guy responsible for the park was preserved and was in the 3rd floor.  Didn't know that when I saw him, but I knew it was a dead guy.  Creepy.   "Luang Pu Boun Leua Sourirat passed away in August 1996 and his mummified body can be seen under a glass hemisphere on the upper floor of the main building."

http://www.mutmee.net/030010_sculpture_park.htm

Market (tajee?)

Shower!

Elder Davis/Panyahipan?

keep interchaning the little Thai adn Lao that I know

Bus did not stop at bus station - side of road.  Book is outdated for this town b/c nothing exists anymore.  Just finding a place was interesting.  Not too time consuming.

Will go to the excavation b/c I saw pics this morning and they were cool then planning to leave for Bangkok so I can go to Angor Wat.  Just a plan though. . .

Lots of love