Early start to catch a bus for the long journey from Old Sukothai to KhonKaen, apparently there is a direct bus that stops outside my guesthouse, unbelievable. A bus arrives at the time I was told but it only goes as far as Phitsanulok, but I'm told to get on and change there. No problem, I haveno better plan! On the way, the Khon Kaen bus flies past us !!! Aaaarrggghhhh!!! 'Wait', I shout, but it doesn't hear me. Fortunately at Phitsanulok station, the bus is still waiting, unfortunately it's now full, even though I have a ticket, but that's normal in this region, busses have no maximum person limit, so I stand for 96% of the the 9 hour journey. We cross mountains, traverse countless towns, villages and masses of paddy fields, that give the first indication of how Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice. For a short while I had a seat, but then we passed a broken down bus and picked up their passengers, as some were fairly elderly I gave up the seat I had had for all of 20 minutes.
At KhonKaen, one of the tuktuk drivers seems to know a popular guesthouse where most travellers end up, so I go there. I'm about the 5th person to have signed in their guest book in the last month, "it's out of season" they tell me, but they also tell me that five years ago, they were always full. Thailand tourism has been hit badly since the tsunami apparently, they think that's the primary reason. I suspect it's also an effect of the increasing popularity of other countries in the region, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and China whose visitor figures are increasing rapidly year after year. Some other people I met had other reasons I won't mention here.
Khon Kaen isn't anything special, I just stopped to break up the journey and because it gives access to various border crossing to Laos, and I hadn't yet decided which crossing to use. But while here, I found the one site worth visiting, contrary to the advice of the LP, it is not their museum, but Pra Mahathat Kaen Nakorn a pyramidical temple, near to the lake, quite sparkling it is.
Left: Elephant at the Mukdahan market. Right: Mukdahan's Pra Mahathat Kaen Nakorn.
Next morning, having decided on which route to take I found a bus to Mukdahan and then a decent hotel near to the Mekong river ferry terminal and customs house for the crossing to Laos. Took a walk down to the riverside and met some elephants in the road, yes, quite normal here and after all just across the river is Laos, "The Land of Elephants". Although nothing to really see for the tourist, Mukdahan had a nice feel, it feet quite deserted at times, except for the busy night market where I found some fine fresh fruit drinks, snacks and friendly locals.
In the morning I tried to cross over to Laos, but the customs would not let me. It seems since the Friendship Bridge II (number I crosses the river between Nong Khai /Vientiane) was opened earlier this year, foreigners can no longer use the ferry to cross the river to Laos between Mukdahan and Savannakhet. Shame as this would have been a far more colourful way to cross international borders. So, anyway, I backtracked to the bus station and took the international bus across the bridge to Savannakhet and to my favourite country in the world, Laos. A bit of painless form failing and a slightly overpriced visa fee later, I had a Laos visa in my passport and continued to Savannakhet, it all took less than an hour before I was at my hotel of choice. But it would have been quicker and nicer on the ferry!
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