Serious 3AM jet lag in Chiang Kong, a Northern Thai border town on the Mekong. Can see the hillsides of Huay Xai, Laos just across the river. Border opens at 8AM and will take ferry across followed by a 3+ hour bus ride to Luang Namtha, the next destination. LNT is famous for its hiking and other wildlife adventures (no, not THAT kind). If I put more stock in omens, I probably wouldn't have left Eugene since the trip over could have gone a lot better:
1. Alaska lost parts of my reservation to Seattle and it took 1/2 an hour to complete what should have been a two minute check in. Not exactly a stress free way to start a trip.
2. Computer problems which dogged me all the way through Eugene, Seattle, Seoul and Bangkok. Finally resolved. Weird glitch in Windows 8 that requires I open my computer to all networks on a public router...huh? That's exactly what you're not supposed to do.
3. About 1/2 of my meds fell out of a new container. There must have been a leaky bag in the overhead and the pills formed a big blob that at first I thought was a Halloween cookie. Sinking feeling when I realized what it really was, but meds are reasonable here in Thailand and you can buy most without a prescription.
Flights weren't bad. Decent grub on Asiana for coach class and not too many screaming babies. Sat next to an old Korean guy who didn't speak English. Perfect. Watched the excellent To Rome With Love (Woody Allen's latest) and revisited Dog Day Afternoon.
Arrived in BKK at 1AM and grabbed a cab over to the "old" airport from which my next flight to Chiang Rai would depart. Nice to travel at 75MPH in BKK! Stayed at the Amari, which was previously too rich for my budget; they dramatically reduced their prices when the old airport closed, but the quality is very good and now they've got some business besides Chinese tour groups. Arose early for my flight to Chiang Rai upon which I was surrounded by four screaming kids. Jet lag is like a bad hangover and screaming kids are not an antidote. Fortunately, the flight was only an hour. Got a free ride into town on a "corporate" songthaew (a pick up truck with bench seats in the bed) with a bunch of drunk lower management types.
Then onto the dingy bus to the border. Really beautiful 2.5 hour bus ride with the sounds of Tame Impala, Coltrane, Donald Harrison and the Beatles. Playing a lot of the heady stuff and watching the rice fields and wats go by. Two people puked, but that's about par for the course over here. I guess these folks either have bad stomachs or just don't get out very often. I understand it's going to get worse in Laos.
Got into town around 5PM, or just before nightfall. Staying at the Green Inn, which I just about blew up by mistakenly plugging a 110v surge protector into an outlet (I thought it was a dual voltage protector) and came out of it with a blackened hand. Well, that'll wake you up! Out to dinner and the first place I passed was a Mexican joint...in rural Thailand?!? Passed and instead had a rather meh! meal in a Thai joint, saved only by the Magnum bar I ate for dessert. The Magnum was about 1/2 the price of my meal, but twice as good.
1. Alaska lost parts of my reservation to Seattle and it took 1/2 an hour to complete what should have been a two minute check in. Not exactly a stress free way to start a trip.
2. Computer problems which dogged me all the way through Eugene, Seattle, Seoul and Bangkok. Finally resolved. Weird glitch in Windows 8 that requires I open my computer to all networks on a public router...huh? That's exactly what you're not supposed to do.
3. About 1/2 of my meds fell out of a new container. There must have been a leaky bag in the overhead and the pills formed a big blob that at first I thought was a Halloween cookie. Sinking feeling when I realized what it really was, but meds are reasonable here in Thailand and you can buy most without a prescription.
Flights weren't bad. Decent grub on Asiana for coach class and not too many screaming babies. Sat next to an old Korean guy who didn't speak English. Perfect. Watched the excellent To Rome With Love (Woody Allen's latest) and revisited Dog Day Afternoon.
Arrived in BKK at 1AM and grabbed a cab over to the "old" airport from which my next flight to Chiang Rai would depart. Nice to travel at 75MPH in BKK! Stayed at the Amari, which was previously too rich for my budget; they dramatically reduced their prices when the old airport closed, but the quality is very good and now they've got some business besides Chinese tour groups. Arose early for my flight to Chiang Rai upon which I was surrounded by four screaming kids. Jet lag is like a bad hangover and screaming kids are not an antidote. Fortunately, the flight was only an hour. Got a free ride into town on a "corporate" songthaew (a pick up truck with bench seats in the bed) with a bunch of drunk lower management types.
Got into town around 5PM, or just before nightfall. Staying at the Green Inn, which I just about blew up by mistakenly plugging a 110v surge protector into an outlet (I thought it was a dual voltage protector) and came out of it with a blackened hand. Well, that'll wake you up! Out to dinner and the first place I passed was a Mexican joint...in rural Thailand?!? Passed and instead had a rather meh! meal in a Thai joint, saved only by the Magnum bar I ate for dessert. The Magnum was about 1/2 the price of my meal, but twice as good.
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