No Rain to Fend

The heat was intense right off the bat. We rolled out of the border town of Nong Khai well before sunrise and made our way along the scenic highway paralleling the Mekong. The early start was key to making the 105k trip to Chiang Khan before the sun started to sizzle. Laos was a 200 meter stone throw across the river from us for the first three days of riding, but what a difference those 200 meters made. Glorious Laos is not at all like its shiny sassy neighbor. On the Lao side of the Mekong the banks were populated by kids with spears running around in nothing but their Fruit of the Looms and belted fish baskets. As soon as we crossed the bridge the banks were lined with well lit, concrete tiled esplanades and fancy river side restaurants. Thailand can clearly afford its aesthetic. Evidence of the very well established tourist industry was immediate in Nong Khai- map kiosks, menus (and in English), flowers in the highway medians. We passed into a whole new world. A hot new world (I know I already said that). The rains haven't come to relieve the heat. Sancho Z (the rig) has been outfitted with homemade water bottle/zip tie fenders in anticipation of the coming rainy season, but there is not yet any rain to fend off.

From Nong Khai we headed west 105k to Chiang Khan. We rolled along on smooth flat road catching glimpses of the withered river and the uncommonly exposed sand bars and rock formations. The region is no stranger to water scarcity it seems, the banana and pineapple plantations we passed by were dotted with 500 gallon rainwater catchment urns, which eventually became popular fixtures next to homes along the route as well. We rode on to Loei and spent a few days to rest and explore. We caught an early bus to Phu Kradung National Park, paid a hefty entrance fee (clearly well used, the grounds were immaculate) and spent the day hiking up the mountain and circumambulating the plateau. We strolled along the cliff edges for great views until the trail veered off through savannah and crisscrossed a crystal clear stream. We had enough time to play in the water and find one of the many seasonal waterfalls before turning back in time to catch the last bus back to town. From Loei we pedalled on to Phitsanluok through the small town of Dan Sai. We managed to get a quick fly by tour of Dan Sai's famous wat by a visiting nun. The grounds were gorgeous and our hostess incredibly gracious given our dusky arrival. The gardens were in full bloom and lined with precise topiaries. The polished granite walkway wound along a cluster of ornate temples and monastic compounds dripping with traditional decadence.
We spent less than a day in Phitsanluok. The only train with a cargo car for bike transport left in the evening, so we waited it out. The cheapest hotel in town was catty corner to the train station, so our stuff stayed stashed during the heat of the day while we found refuge at a mall. Sacrilegious I know. The building was mercifully air conditioned and sported a whole floor dedicated to whimsy. We killed time playing ping-pong and reading through the Bangkok Post to catch up on the heating Red/Yellow Shirt battle in the city.