back to thailand

After my stay in muang ngoi neua, I started on my way back to Thailand. I wasn't sure where I'd end up that night, mainly because I got conflicting information on how long the different legs of the journey took. As it turns out I made it back to Chiang Rai in two days. Here's how:

Day 1:
Leave Muang Ngoi Neua on a crowded long tail boat. This time the engine isn't as loud and next to me are the people I met in the village. Going down river takes only 45 minutes (instead of over an hour upriver) and so despite leaving 30 minutes late I arrive at 10:15 or so in Nong Khiaw. Off to a good start. Cost: 20,000 kip ($2.35)

Next I head back to the bridge/bus station and buy a ticket on the 11am mini-van to Udomxai. I end up sitting next to two American girls, one of whom speaks Thai... (thai and lao are very similar) - so this would be helpful. Three and half hours later, four if you include the usual late departure, I arrive in Udomxai. Road was a bit bumpy but nothing compared to what was coming... Cost 40,000 kip ($4.70)

The mini-van driver offers to take those of us in the van who want to go onward all the way to Luang Nam Tha. He wants 65,000 kip, but we soon realize the local bus only cost 35,000 and leaves at 3PM (giving us an hour to stretch our legs). Local bus it is. After buying my ticket, I promptly lose it, get yelled at by the bus driver, but am allowed to continue. The road is just awful. Under construction, dirt road, dust, potholes, more dust, awful. Thank god for Dramamine. We arrive at nightfall in Luang Nam Tha and get on a shared ride pickup for 10,000 kip into town. For some reason bus stations in Thailand are always 8000 miles away from town centers. Anywho, we (the two american girls and I) find a hotel right where we get dropped off, clean the dust off everything and go grab some dinner. Hotel: 60,000kip, Dinner 45,000kip. Total cost 150,000 kip ($17.65)

Day 2:
I had planned on staying in Luang Nam Tha for a couple days, but the crappy roads, dust and long travel day made me reconsider. Instead I jumped on the earliest bus the next morning to Huay Xai at the Thai border. This road is a bit better for a while but quickly deteriorates as we wind through the mountains. It's also packed full, and at one point the kid sitting in the aisle next to me (and on a bag of rice) turns a shade of green that is never a good sign. I opened the window for him praying that he wouldn't lose his breakfast all over me and apparently the fresh air helped. Five minutes later a few people got out and he moved up to the seat in front of me - where he finally threw up. I had been spared. Three and half hours later (1pm) we arrive at the border. From there we catch another shared ride pickup to the border crossing across the Mekong. I swear I've crossed that river two dozen times now. Total Cost 55,000 kip ($6.50)

After going through the formalities and spending our last kip on some Chips Ahoy and a Coke (that was officially lunch i think), we hop on a long boat to cross the Mekong, arrive on a sandy beach, and go through Thai immigration. Welcome Home. Cost 10,000 kip ($1.20).

The girls are considering making the trek to Chiang Mai - another 5 hours, but I'm only headed to Chiang Rai, a paltry 2 hours away. After a 30 baht tuk tuk ride, I hop on the local bus headed to my final destination. After all this travel, I hardly flinch when I see a school bus that appears to be 40 years old. 2 hours in that thing - no problem. Total cost 95 baht ($3)

After all that, I finally arrive in Chiang Rai (which actually has a bus station near the center of town) and after walking around a bit, find a nice hotel room with everything but wifi. It's only 6PM, but feels like much later. I go grab some Pad Thai(!!!), a passion fruit smoothie, check my email at an internet cafe, and call it a night.

So there you go... 2 days, 15 hours of travel on wonderfully smooth roads and comfortable boats, and about $35 dollars later, I was back in Thailand. Till next time Laos. (sorry for the lack of pics through all this - it's best you use your imagination anyway)