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Sparrow or snail ?

Day starts early at 03.00 a.m.


Sharp at 04.00 the driver arrives, and delivers the bags as arranged to the boat.
Another episode of travel starts.

The dock is dimly lit, the waters of the Mekong gushing below when we cross the narrow
bridge to the vessel.

The skipper starting the engine at 04.50 a.m..

Dark the sky, I wonder when he steers the boat into midstream.
The giant Mekong lies ahead of us, some 700 km north our destination.

Slowly, the engines take up speed, the boat shivering under the mighty
force of the two Diesels.

Once again, like so many times before, I begin to wonder how I ended up in this corner
of the world.






As always, I find no answer. I traveled through dark age Africa, many times over
have I seen strange places on my journeys.

This is a new, unknown territory, as I am unfamiliar with prolonged boat rides, I have a natural
aversion towards the waters of the sea, or lakes, or rivers for that matter.

We are two hours into sailing when daylight finally breaks. The misty hills along both shores
hang deep down towards the water; jungles filled with heavy fog.

Chilled the air from beneath the waters, the rushing stream of the murky Mekong glides
below us. The Diesels run below deck in a round, continuous run; nothing can stop those powerful
500 HP 8 cylinders.

First daylight brings us on deck, a stern cold awaits us, swimming vests warapped we climb
the outer deck.

Now only we are aware of the Mekong' s treacherous rapids; swerving left and right the skipper
avoids shallow waters to avoid running the vessel aground.

Sometimes he releases power to slow the boat down; when rocks appear from the waters, sometimes dangerous
close.

He knows the river, one can be sure.




Continued ....

Reached Banna in China, 16 hours on board; more details later;

Five days four nights - by compliments of our hosts -  Thai Tourist Organization. We grow fatter by the day - and night.
Full accommodation and - board, the calories counter went berserk.
Everything one can dream of, you name it, food from near and far.
WE cannot continue, thank you TOT, but what I was looking forward was my flight booking from Suvarnabhumi,
and this was not possible.
The days kept on running away - and no sign of our Airlines who kept us for hours on hold by phone.
Their Managing Director disappearing to the sanctuary of the Khao Yai mountains resorts he owns,
the thousands of passengers stranded in Hotels around Bangkok, offices blocked.
As one employee who we managed to speak to privately put it : '
You can not visit our office we are closed for security reasons'.

Thailand's Airline of the year award went to a discount Airlines : Airasia.
It seems to be an open secret that the Airlines is owned by the now defunct
former Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Whilst he and his cronies are enjoying the fruits of his enterprise,
their passengers are stranded, for weeks.

My advice is brief : ' Never use Airasia' . Even if you opt for their insurance, it is worthless.
You are tossed around from their Malaysian headquarters and their defunct Thai offices.

We finally took a decision to move out of Bangkok in our bid to reach China on land.

Our stop is Chiang Saen in the Golden Triangle between LAOS, MYANMAR.

This town still maintains some of the old 'Thai character of the past'.
Nice town with the Mekong river flowing beside its borders.

One can cross to Laos to the other side on special boats, or perhaps take a boat ride
upstream to Myanmar to visit a casino.

Countless old temples line the city's main roads, 14 century's ruins from the old
'Ayudhya period'. During the middle ages countless border skirmishes took place
between Thai and Burmese troops.

Tomorrow will be a milestone of our journey back to China.
we opted for the high speed boat into Xishuangbana.
The boat ride is not cheap, at 850 Yuan a multiple of the usual 3 days trips
from here.

The difference is we should be there in only 13 hours.

Will keep you posted and perhaps send some Video too.


Sorry folks we have to get up early, boat takes of at 05.00 a.m.
Our passports are with them, and I won't miss the ride.


See you next, and will blog later, using modern day 3G technology
an easy task in Thailand.

Pictures to this article will be posted later.


See you in China or elsewhere.