Spurs 2 Wigan 2 (Still above the gooners!)

After a non eventful 12 hour train journey we arrived in Nong Khai at around 11:30 am, we put the bikes back together and headed for the centre to look for some accommodation. Steves bike still had a flat rear tyre so we limped around for about an hour, we managed to miss the town centre but found a very nice hotel called the Gold Lucky situated about 3 km from Nong Khai itself.

Friendship Bridge to Laos

Our room had cable tv and a private bathroom so we were laughing at just 3 pounds a night. The first night we were woken up by a very loud and unusual sound, similar to our talking alarm clock running low on power. Thinking something was in our room Steve did the manly thing and hid under the covers... later in the week we found out that it was a harmless gecko.

It's an ants life!

We liked Nong Khai, it was peaceful and relaxing, a change to what we had endured so far on our treks. A very clean indoor market pinpointed the centre of the town, there are many restaurants lining the banks of the Mekong river and a couple of temples hidden away down sandy Sois. There was a fitness park across the road from our hotel, which we visited a couple of times to hang out our hand washed laundry... getting the odd look from the locals as they jogged around the lake.

We decided to stay the week, most of the time just playing cards, reading books and watching the boats glide down the river. We met a brummy named Paul with whom we spent the Sunday evening watching Tottenhams effortless draw with Wigan.

Sun setting over the Mekong

On the Thursday we decided to pimp up our bikes, Steve added some gleaming yellow tyres to his, whilst Jo upgraded her bike rack to a nice new silver one, bearing the 'GTO' emblem on the back... not sure if that will make her go any faster though!

So before we new it our 30 day visa in Thailand was about to expire, having already sorted out our Laos Visa back in Bangkok we were ready to cross the border to explore a new country. So on Tuesday morning we did.... to be continued....

Thai Kids swimming in the Mekong

The Gold Lucky Hotel