Sabaidee - Hello from Vien Chan!

So I left VT on Monday, and today is Friday... and I am finally in Vien Chan! i am here! it is incredible, and i am so happy!! what a trip it has been so far... here's a short but hopefully sweet synop and some pics too!

The Train Station

once i checked out of the high class hotel, i took a cab to Hua Lompong (i know i'm not gonna spell any of these places names right). if i had to make a movie about this cab ride, i would have called it 'hydroplaning to james taylor'. once i arrived at the train station i got my ticket and checked a bag so i could check out around this place called Bangkok.

for the most part, from the highway bangkok looked like i imagine new jersey really... sprawl sprawl and just when you think more sprawl a BIG billboard. but once you get to the little streets though. it's different. so it's the same but different... it pretty much smelled like exhaust and sewage, and i couldn't believe how much traffic! after wondering around for a while as a target for random acts of violence (Elling!) i did find a nice temple with what was called the gold buddha in it... it was very beautiful, although parts of it were undergoing some kind of re-construction.



i also saw lots of stray dogs, it made me sad. i saw one particularly injured badly and wanted to throw up.

anyway, back to the train station, where i watched a ridiculous version of thai MTV and slept on the floor, until my train was ready to board. i got on train 69 to Nong Khai.

this was the sweetest train ride i have ever been on! it was nice to get on the train with a big open window and watch the city lights slowly disappear on my own darjeeling limited (or something like that)

after a few on the train, one of the stewardesses asked if i wanted dinner and beer. i said of course! she said me too? i said sure! so we pulled the curtain so her bosses wouldn't see her, and she joined me for a couple rounds of Thai beer to round out the night. actually i'd say these were more like a couple of liters of beer! (liter of cola, do we sell liter of cola? :)) but i was happy for the company even if we couldn't understand a word each other said. she also kept slipping me some nice sweet fresh fruit, which i don't know what it was... i think mao mao she called it?

i woke up this morning to the beautiful thai countryside...

we made it to Nong Khai around 8:30am... crossing the border was a debacle but luckily i enjoyed the tuk tuk rides and long lines with some nice English and German friends.
Crossed the Mighty Mekong into Laos!!!

also met up with a school librarian from San Fran, Laura. we decided to share a room tonight to save some kip! we each paid 4$ for a less than spotless room at a guest house and just enjoyed my first real meal in a long time!

now we're gonna take a tour of Vien Chan. i can hardly believe i am here! it seems so surreal after thinking about it for so long... i am totally overwhelmed, but in a really good way! there's lots more traffic than i guessed... the guide book described it as a 'sleepy little town'. my guess is that the Lonely Planet researchers have never been to Ludlow, VT.

i wish you all could be here with me! i hope you like the pics.
love and peace.