|
|
|
“Try a Squat Toilet and Bucket Shower!” |
After our 12 hr train trip from Bangkok Dennis (Sams Uncle), his wife Sue and their baby, Craig (his friend), Sam and Katherine and I finally arrived at our destination - Nong Khai. From there Sue's brother met us and we all packed ourselves and our luggage into a 2door ute! Imagine huddling in the back of the ute tray with all the luggage traveling at 100kph! :D Hiiiddeeho! We drove 40ks south following the Me Khong (Me = River) to Phon Pasai where we bought some food to take and alcohol from a very western looking shopping complex (only it was all asian). Just after sunset we arrived in Sue's home village of Non Som Boon where we shared the food alcohol with Sue's family that we had bought earlier.
Non Som Boon is a small sleepy and quiet village of a couple of hundred people situated about 12Ks West of Phon Pasai. Each morning you wake to the sound of roosters and other wild life and watch buffalo as they are herded down the recently cemented lanes or monks chanting on an early morning walk. And if this didn't wake u then the "town crier" on his PA system could be heard giving the daily news from somewhere in the village. All this set amongst a backdrop of a red glow cast by the rising sun over recently harvested rice feilds, scrub and old yet clean village houses.
Unlike other towns we had been through, the village did not have nasty smells. It was probably the cleanest air we have breathed since arriving. The locals we very friendly and we were invited to a local 'festival' by one of Sue's family's friend Nong. It was upon arriving to the 'festival' that we realised we were the main attraction. Most of the people here do not see Ferungs (white people) so as we looked different to them we attracted a lot of looks but this also gave us the opportunity to interact with many of the friendly locals. And it must have been quite a site to see 5 ferungs arrive in the back of an oversized country wheel barrow attached to a 3 wheeled moterised tractor. Here we found the festival was more to do with a ceremony of at the local Wai (I think I spelt it properly and it means church), where you bought a robe for the local Monks and participated in a blessing ceremony. After which we returned to Nong's and drank the evening away with other locals regularly joining us.
It was too cold in the evening to have a bucket shower but the traditional freshly cooked food warmed us well and tasted beautiful. It was after dinner I tried Cow Low (rice alcohol) and man was that potent! A couple of shots of that plus the remaining Bundy combined with the cool air and i was out like a light.
Next morning it was time to brave the cold bucket shower and squat toilet. At least this time the toilet was not on a moving train and really they are quite easy to use and better than a public toilet back home! The shower was refreshing after the first few buckets and really a good way to save water. During our time we were also treated to a bike ride with some of the kids in the town and went to their school camp play night which would really have only been interesting if you could understand the language and if it was one of your kids.
Overall the stay was an extraordinary experience where I had the opportunity to feel like a visitor rather than just a tourist!
previous travel blog entry
Would you like to comment or ask a question?
Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).