On the Way to Buriram.

Currently on my way to Buriram to visit my friend Jean Baptiste who as a solar charger for me. Also I hope to get new forks and wheel hubs for my mountain bike. Rode down here from Vientiane,Laos following the Mekong river to Khemarat,Thailand then heading west to Ubon.
Been cycling mainly on rural roads which are quiet with less traffic going through small villages. And dodging the rain but it is the rainy season here in SE Asia so I cannot complain.
The trip as been uneventful up to now. I have been camping most of the way and last night had a visit from a village chief and policeman. I was camping under a large permanent shelter by a lake when around 7 pm two men on a motorbike turned up and started talking to me in Thai which I am not very good at. This went on for a while until one man walked off and I never saw him again. A few phonecalls later and another man shows up then a policeman turned up. He took a photo of my passport then talked to me in Thai for a while and made a phonecalls.
The outcome of this was that I was to go and sleep at the house of the chief in the village of Ladoo. I was a bit pissed off at having to pack everything up in the dark. Then had to cycle in the dark to the village but at least they have street lights in Thailand.
Arrived at the chief's house and was given the use of a shelter with "en suite toilet". Then they wanted to take photos of me with the chief and policeman. The only one to take photos was the chiefs wife. What a pantomime that was. It took her an age to take them but she finally succeeded. I ended up with 3 photos of the floor.
Photo session over the policeman went home and left me with the old couple who gave me rice,pork and a boiled egg. I had quite a funny talk with them and enjoyed the rest of the evening before turning in for the night with their dog asleep at my feet so I was quite safe.Read more