ISAN TRANSIT

After a number of transits it is my opinion that the Laos/Thai land border at Chong Mek (40 km West of Pakse in Laos) is the "least hassle" of the borders between these 2 countries. With a bike you can enter Thai through the car gates quick and easy (avoid weekends and holidays, and if you have a visa then all you need to do is fill in the entry/departure card).

Once again, soon after the border I camped at the Marine Police on the Mekong River at the town of Khong Chiam. This was quite a spectacle as the river was at its highest in about 10 years (look carefully at pictures taken now, and on previous visits, from the same 2 view points). I am guessing, but possibly 15m to 20m higher water now (see the concrete paths and steps leading down, as well as the islands and exposed rocks).

The picture above shows the chief monk at a very nice temple off this road (Buri Ram district). He treated me very well, and I am thankful. He could possibly be a good guest house manager.

And then I stopped off at Pannee's house on the farm in Ubon, not far off my intended route. The tent which I had been using lately was becoming rather thin underneath, causing a wet sleep each time a floor was flooded by rain water (somewhat unpredictable). I had arranged with Pannee to swap this tent with the other tent I had left there last year when I also left her (she does not usually live on the farm, and was not there on this occasion). However, she did instruct her Mama to let me stay in the house for a night or 2, while I adapted the tent and did some maintenance to my bike.

Daily distances cycled from Laos through Eastern Thailand to Pattaya have been as follows (total for this stretch is 852 km):- Khong Chiam 38 km; Ban Trakan 82 km; Kantararam 89 km; Samrong Thap 73 km; Non Daeng 85 km; Nang Rong 86 km; Lam Nang Rong 59 km; Wattana Nakhon 84 km; Phanom Sarakham 89 km; Chonburi 96 km; and Pattaya (Jomtien) 71 km. My grand total distance since leaving Cape Town, South Africa, on 27 March 2007 is now 163 749 km.

The picture above shows the front entrance to Pannee's house on the farm (and I did tell her that I would paint the door the next time I went to the place). Tropical weather is harsh.

On the day which I arrived here in Pattaya, a car slowed down alongside, and the woman in the passenger seat handed me this pair of genuine RayBan sunglasses. I was going into a stiff breeze, in bright sunlight for a change. They simply drove away after that donation, so "thank you". ALSO NOTE:- Please excuse the unsightly ULCER on my nose. By the time I arrived here in Pattaya my whole body was full of these festering sores! It started from mosquito bites and heat rash, and when my defence was low due to weeks of diarrhoea while I was exerting myself by cycling, the bacteria nailed me. I have since been on a heavy antibiotic course, and things have drastically improved (so I end off with this good news).