Pak Khat

October 24, 2024

Bueng Kan seemed to be only waking up by the time we hit the road this morning. Consequently all the breakfast options were still closed or just starting their charcoal fires. We had eaten a couple of mandarins each before leaving so we weren't too concerned.

Most of today was spent on the 212. Neither exciting nor stressful.

Ten kilometers out of Bueng Kan we came upon a new bridge being built across the Mekong to Laos. Will this be known and the Third-and-a-half Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge?

After about twenty kilometers we encountered the first food options on the 212. By now they were shutting up shop so all we managed to find were some rather strange donuts. These would have to do until we reached Pak Khat.

Soon after the donuts we turned off the 212 to have a look at the Navel of the Mekong. The wat there, Wat Ahong Siliwas, runs a hotel for visitors who come to worship at the Navel. We had stayed there eight years ago but it looks rather down at heel now.

The Navel of the Mekong. One of it's deepest places, claimed to be almost two hundred meters deep. During the heavy flow of the rainy season, which has just past, a whirlpool forms here. All we could see today were a few ephemeral eddies, similar to what we saw eight years ago.

This is a photo Leigh took eight years ago but the sign no longer exists.

This new one is where we think the old one was.

First thing we did upon our arrival in Pak Khat was to find a restaurant and order a couple of plates of pad kapow moo. Suitably fed, we headed down to the Mekong where we found a nice chalet for the night. There was a restaurant next door with tables overlooking the river so we spent another evening enjoying sunset over the Mekong.

Between here and the Navel, the Mekong has a hundred and eighty degree bend so here the river is flowing south to north.

Today's ride: 51 km (32 miles)
Total: 1,384 km (859 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	4
Comment on this entry	Comment	0