A night in Chiang Khong

I woke up early and walked to the local 7/11 to get some supplies for the journey to Chiang Khong - water, nuts and tissues. With the shopping done I went back to Nice Kitchen for some breakfast - so much for eating somewhere new everyday! - and ordered some muesli with fruit and milk, plus a fruit shake. The waitress brought to my table what I can only describe as a 'mound of food in a bowl'. The bowl was full to over-flowing with pieces of fresh and dried fruit, cereal, nuts, seeds and milk. At one point I didn't think I would be able to eat it all. They really do make a beautiful breakfast there, a definite recommendation if you're ever in Chang Mai.

I checked out of the guesthouse and had to wait about 30 minutes for the minibus to arrive.


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Four and a half hours and two stops later, the bus arrived in Chiang Khong just as the sun was disappearing behind the mountains.

My accommodation for the night can be accurately surmised as a 'shithole'. It beagan with the rather stern Thai lady who greeted us at the guest house - I've already blocked it's name from my memory - and who  assigned everyone to a room. There were lot's of quizzical looks and quiet smiles at each other.

I had a quick look around my room - it was actually worse than the Sitdhi guesthouse in Bangkok - and set out to buy an international phonecard to phone home. I ended up having to walk about three miles along the main road that appears to be Chiang Khong, until I reached the 7/11 supermarket, and then all the way back down the road to the international telephone. I made a quick phonecall home to wish my Dad a 'Happy Birthday', my Mam a 'Happy Wedding Anniversary' and to be wished a 'Happy Birthday' myself in return. What are the chances of two birthdays and a wedding anniversary all on the same day?

After the phonecall I walked to the only open restaurant that I could find - did I mention that Chiang Khong is a 'shithole'? - and ate a beef in oyster sauce and Pad Thai and sunk a few gin & tonics before heading back to my room to read through the Laos section of my 'Rough Guide', which was a good idea since I'd be arriving there the next day and didn't really know what to expect.