Things I have forgotten: Nothing today I think. A first!
7am start this morning. I continue to be impressed by how amazing I am in the mornings here. I wake up before the alarm and quite happily get up when it goes off – even when I’ve only had 5 hours sleep. It is a very odd feeling. Something perhaps to do with the sun coming up earlier – I’m sure it won’t last when I get home!
Anyhoo, this morning Kelly and I had signed up for a morning bike tour. We both were very apprehensive about this, seeing as Kelly hadn’t ridden a bike since she was twelve (and crashed into a bus stop) and I – well, you know what my biking skills are like.
In summary, I spent the first half of the tour thinking we’d made a fabulous decision, and the second half of the tour wishing I didn’t even know what the word ‘bike’ meant.
The cycling began in the city but soon headed out into the country, which was much cooler and very green. All the roads were completely flat, excepting some muddy patches and plenty of fun potholes.
We had a really great tour guide who told us a lot of personal things about his life and the Thai people – such as his past experiences as a monk and why Thai people want to be like Westerners. He took us to a temple first, and then to an old leper colony which is now a retirement village. The village also had disabled Thai people making artefacts that are sold through Oxfam – their stories were very moving.
After that there was another temple, lunch and then some old ruins. This was about the time things started getting tough – the midday sun was beginning to get strong… did I mention this was a FOUR HOUR bike ride? There was so much self-talk and swearing to get myself back to the hotel! So much burning!
Overall, I did actually enjoy it and am glad I did it – even if I did spend most of my time furiously concentrating on the road in front of me instead of looking at the scenery. It was a lovely way to see a bit more of the city, even if I was near death after the 32km.
Back to the hotel for the best shower in the world. And then checking out, all ready for the five hour bus trip to the border. After a four hour bike ride, sitting down for five hours seemed like the best idea in the world.
The trip began with a two hour drive and then a stop at a cashew factory – yummy coconut and sesame cashews, nom. And then another hour drive to the White Temple. This temple was all kinds of cool. My pictures don’t really convey how the whole temple is white AND silver. It’s also covered with funky death motifs, it was all a bit twisted really. And very impressive. Most people agreed it was easily the best temple we had seen so far.
Back into the bus for another two hours, up to the Thai border. There is not much here in Chiang Kong…it is basically just a stop over so we can cross into Laos nice and early tomorrow. Accommodation is certainly more budget – our air conditioning doesn’t really work and there is a big cockroach under Kelly’s bed!
Up nice and early tomorrow morning for a brand new country! I’m very intrigued to see how my legs hold up in the morning!
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