October 15, 2024
Nakhom Phanom
I apologize for posting far too many photos today but, in my defence, there was a lot going on.
We were at the wat by six o'clock this morning to catch the first rays of the sun hitting the chedi.
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Then it was back to the hotel where we filled ourselves up on what was, by usual Thai hotel standards, a really good breakfast. Despite the late opening of the breakfast buffet we were on the road soon after seven.
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The first ten kilometers were along the riverbank but then we were spat out onto highway 212.
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The 212 wasn't too bad. Four lanes with an excellent shoulder. The speed limit varies from sixty to ninety kilometers per hour depending on the type of vehicle but most vehicles were driving even slower than that. After thirty five kilometers of the 212 we finally found an escape route, probably twenty kilometers after we should have.
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About five kilometers from Nakhom Phanom we ran into three "ex-pats" sitting in the shade at a wat. We stopped and had a long natter with them. Martyn and Martin originally from the UK and Pete from New Zealand. They have all lived in Thailand for many years, Martin for eighteen if I recall correctly. They have a daily cycle together Mondays to Fridays. When the conversation became racist and xenophobic with respect to immigrants to their own original countries we felt it was time to cycle the last few kilometers to Nakhom Phanom. I suspect the irony of where they now live was lost on them. Isn't it strange that folk from the so-called developed world living in middle and low income countries are referred to as ex-pats while people from the developing world who move to the wealthier countries are called immigrants ?
When we arrived in Nakhom Phanom we discovered that the boat races were in fact happening. The celebrations apparently go on for nine days and the races were being held today. We could only check in to our hotel at two o'clock so we bought some lunch from one of the many vendors and sat down to enjoy the festivities.
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Once checked in and showered, we headed off to a laundry nearby. Fifteen minutes into the washing cycle the machine started spewing water all over the floor so the manager had to hurriedly move our clothes to another machine and mop up the floor.
A thunderstorm started developing late in the afternoon but that didn't stop us cycling back to the river to watch the evening light on Laos across the river.
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Not sure where we will be tomorrow. It all depends on where we can find accomodation.
Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 1,032 km (641 miles)
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