Was up for 9.30 bus ride from Chiang Kong. Would like to add about Chiang Mai that it is a beautiful city and you really need a week to enjoy.
The bus ride was a 7 hr journey to the small river based town of Chiang Kong. They have a post office and temple there and that's it.
The people on the bus were good. A couple from Mancherster... living in Cyprus. She's German and was suffering from a really bad cold but they were really nice and helpful on Cambodia and Vietnam
Another nice character was Nicola, an italian sailor in his late 40's. Very pidegeon english, but he has been everywhere, and not seen much unless he's taken himself off. His ex-wife is Brazillian and living in Sicilly with his 8 yerar old daughter. He looks a bit of a rogue initially but is actually one of the lovliest people I have met. He's saved my bacon a couple of times already. His travel knowledge is so helpul.
We got to the port town after the bus journey, lunch didn't look great so we had some food and Nicola went off with the Japanese tourist who are all such a laugh. I had an early night as recovering from trek still I think... or maybe the beers.
Next morning it was up early at 7.30 a tuk tuk takes 6 of us plus big rucksacks to the passport control (if you could call it that) we wait an hour for a 5 minute ferry ride into Laos. Then passport and forms the other side and an hour wait for a tuk tuk to take us top the boats.
The slow boat tourists went first and then us speed boats went another half hour later.
Posted by alexd at March 21, 2004 05:16 AM