As we flipped through the guidebook and looked at the maps of SE Asia, it dawned on us that travel through Northern Cambodian and Southern Laos would be a rough and tumble experience. With our limited time, we decided our best bet was to cut through NE Thailand to the Laos border at the capital city, Vientienne. So off we went to our first stop in Thailand.
We read about a town in Thailand called Surin that hosted an annual elephant festival every November, but the book did not specify the exact dates, and we had not checked online either. We decided to head there anyway as it sounded like an interesting place. As soon as we de-bused, we got caught in a torrential downpour. Luckily for us, we were already in a tuk-tuk with our bags. Unluckily for the driver, who was taking us by bicycle, he was not covered, but did not seem to mind anyway. About an hour after our arrival, the rain had stopped and we headed to the night market to grab some food. We found endless stalls with local food offering cheap fare that was a nice introduction to the country. We feasted on stir-fried Thai noodles and corn on the cob. At the edge of the seating area stood chang, an elephant. For 20 Bat, it was possible to feed the elephant and Marc took a turn so he could get close and feel what this mammal felt like close up.
Since the elephant festival would not begin until the end of the month and there was not much else to see in town, we decided to continue travelling North towards our destination. After a train and bus ride the next morning, we arrived in Khon Kaen. The choices for accommodations were thin and it rained all night. Even though our room had a television and we planned to watch the election results the following morning, we decided to leave as early as possible for our next stop.
Our arrival in Nong Khai was warm and sunny. We raced over to Mut Mee, a unique guesthouse we had both heard and read about, as we heard the place fills up fast. By the time we checked in and discovered there was a television in the riverside bar, it was clear that Barak Obama would be the next president of the United States. This may have taken the surprise element out of our experience, but we were thrilled, nonetheless with the results. We spent the next few days relaxing in this quiet town along the Mekong River. This was the first time that Marc had experienced a real Thai massage and it seems like he may have become addicted. They did not warn his beforehand...
Other highlights included a sunset cruise on the Mekong, creamy cheesecake at a German bakery, and a very relaxing facial ending in cucumber strips over the entire face (these were left on our faces for 20 minutes).
The town of Nong Khai seems fairly nondescript. There are several restaurants lining the Mekong River, but we spent most of our time at Mut Mee. The owner is a gregarious Englishman named Julian who cannot stop himself from talking to his guests. He always has a story to tell. On one night, Mut Mee hosted a benefit to help Hmong people from Laos who were being held by the Thai authorities for immigration violations. Julian opened the festivities by retelling the story of how he ended up in this part of the world. He told us how he was terrified of dying, not of death itself, but of dying of boredom in England. Mut Mee is the kind of place that is a magnet for expats who seem to spend weeks or even months lounging around this riverside oasis. Perhaps it is the cheap drinks served on the floating bar, the $5 per night pricetag for the rooms, or the tranquility of the garden setting filled with wooden hammocks.
To see more pictures of our NE Thai adventure, go to: grossmintblog.shutterfly.com
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