Nong Khai to Bueng Kan

Sun 29/12/13,140km

Woke rather late and breakfast took an age to get going so I didn't end up on the road until gone 9am. In retrospect this wasn't the best of moves.

I'd dropped into the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) when I'd arrived as they generally have some quite good information such as maps and regional booklets with sights and accommodation in them. Armed with these I decided to make for Pak Khat today, around 90 km away. First 20km stretch was great but then I joined Highway 212 and hit a patch of dusty roadworks with more traffic. Quietened down after a bit though.

I got one of those devil take it moods on me where all I wanted to do was cycle. On a subconscious level I think that's why I dropped into Thailand, I know it's got the hills and terrain to let me just disengage the brain, engage the legs and drift along the road. The call was finally made at Pak Khat over a lunch of iced coffee and a 7-11 sandwich, I'd put the extra kilometres in. And very enjoyable it was too.

Got to Bueng Khan about an hour before sun down and found a room down on the Mekong for 400 baht and after the usual shower and food hit the sack tired but happy.

Nice quiet open road to cycle down

But I only have baht and dollars...