Hiking and drinking
Very energetically, Natalie and I went to Wat Phuna lao on Thursday afternoon.
It was a slightly cooler day so we took our chances, bought a picnic of Phad Thai and cycled several kilometres out of Namsom to the temple.
Wat Phuna Lao is set into a small mountain and is as beautiful and ornate as most of the temples in Thailand. However, most do not have 600 very steep steps up the mountainside to a pagoda or shrine at the top.
It was hard work hiking in the early afternoon heat even on a slightly overcast day. Sometimes the steps were so steep we almost had to crawl up them.
But it was worth it for the view at the top. The mountain fell away to reveal the green valley which stretched out to the mountain ranges in the distance. We sat and admired the peace and calm. We were the only ones there and the only sound was the tinkling of the bell on top of the pagoda as it swung in the light breeze.
We ate our phad thai looking out at the view and sat taking in the beautiful surroundings which are seen by so few westerners. It seems crazy so few people venture to the north east when there are dinsoaur remains, cave paintings, national parks and scenery like that before us.
Going down was hard on the legs and but the cycle back was luckily mostly downhill.
That evening we felt justified to go for fried chicken at the market (not an American delicacy but an Isaan one) and to eat the rest of our delicious banana dessert with Pi Mon.
On Friday we came to Nong Khai after school and Natalie went to Laos for the weekend. I was invited bowling in Udon Thani with volunteer Becky, coordinator Nick and their Thai friends A, Moo, Pik and Bird.
We played several games with Becky, Nick and I winning one each and Becky introducing me to the wonder that is the wine cooler. It is basically an alcopop drink but you can buy it in most places. Like a fizzy sweet wine. Much more my kind of thing.
We went for large ice cream sundaes and then headed back to Nong Khai for a night on the tiles. For the first time since I arrived I felt like a proper night out drinking and hit the whiskey and soda with Becky and Nick. We then went with the other volunteers and A and a few others to Bar Nana for a dance.
Later we stayed up chatting to Norbert and Geoffrey, two new volunteers from Holland who seemed like they had known each other their whole lives. They were hilarious and we spent a late night talking about the wonder of the Bar Nana shows.
On Saturday, Becky, Nick and I went for Vietnamese breakfast before spending a lazy day in hammocks and the sunshine and drinking iced coffee.
That night we went for a meal with paid for by Travel to Teach and met some lovely new volunteers and ate great food overlooking the Mekong. We went to a bar and then I showed the new people where they could get milkshakes and bubble tea sat on mats on the outskirts of Nong Khai by the Mekong.
I was persuaded to go to Bar Nana again but could barely keep my eyes open. It must be the heat which is killing my stamina...
It was a slightly cooler day so we took our chances, bought a picnic of Phad Thai and cycled several kilometres out of Namsom to the temple.
Wat Phuna Lao is set into a small mountain and is as beautiful and ornate as most of the temples in Thailand. However, most do not have 600 very steep steps up the mountainside to a pagoda or shrine at the top.
It was hard work hiking in the early afternoon heat even on a slightly overcast day. Sometimes the steps were so steep we almost had to crawl up them.
But it was worth it for the view at the top. The mountain fell away to reveal the green valley which stretched out to the mountain ranges in the distance. We sat and admired the peace and calm. We were the only ones there and the only sound was the tinkling of the bell on top of the pagoda as it swung in the light breeze.
We ate our phad thai looking out at the view and sat taking in the beautiful surroundings which are seen by so few westerners. It seems crazy so few people venture to the north east when there are dinsoaur remains, cave paintings, national parks and scenery like that before us.
Going down was hard on the legs and but the cycle back was luckily mostly downhill.
That evening we felt justified to go for fried chicken at the market (not an American delicacy but an Isaan one) and to eat the rest of our delicious banana dessert with Pi Mon.
On Friday we came to Nong Khai after school and Natalie went to Laos for the weekend. I was invited bowling in Udon Thani with volunteer Becky, coordinator Nick and their Thai friends A, Moo, Pik and Bird.
We played several games with Becky, Nick and I winning one each and Becky introducing me to the wonder that is the wine cooler. It is basically an alcopop drink but you can buy it in most places. Like a fizzy sweet wine. Much more my kind of thing.
We went for large ice cream sundaes and then headed back to Nong Khai for a night on the tiles. For the first time since I arrived I felt like a proper night out drinking and hit the whiskey and soda with Becky and Nick. We then went with the other volunteers and A and a few others to Bar Nana for a dance.
Later we stayed up chatting to Norbert and Geoffrey, two new volunteers from Holland who seemed like they had known each other their whole lives. They were hilarious and we spent a late night talking about the wonder of the Bar Nana shows.
On Saturday, Becky, Nick and I went for Vietnamese breakfast before spending a lazy day in hammocks and the sunshine and drinking iced coffee.
That night we went for a meal with paid for by Travel to Teach and met some lovely new volunteers and ate great food overlooking the Mekong. We went to a bar and then I showed the new people where they could get milkshakes and bubble tea sat on mats on the outskirts of Nong Khai by the Mekong.
I was persuaded to go to Bar Nana again but could barely keep my eyes open. It must be the heat which is killing my stamina...
posted by charlie at 4:15 pm
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