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My crossing back into Thailand was evidential that geographical proximity bears no neccesary reference to cultual similarities, as the shock I received, was apparent:

-- Border crossing: Huay Xai Laos to Chiang Khong Thailand --

In the morning, we stamped out of Huay Xai and went across the river to Chiang Khong; the border on the Thai side. The friendly immigration official on the other side stamped our re-entry visas and arranged for two motorbikes to carry us free of charge to the bus station. The buses were all full and so we purchased tickets on the local bus to Chiang Mai. Seven hour journeys have become a thing of normality and we were happy to board the bus. What we did find bizarre however, was the reverse culture shock we were experiencing. After a whole month in Laos, Thailand (a developing country) suddenly seemed.... developed, orderly and industrialised. Jeez. Shops, roads, houses, banks..

Thailand; round two

Asha Patel
2006-08-23 10:40:55

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internet cafe, the skies opened and released what seemed like more water than is contained in Nile. With water soon rising up over the tyres of vehicles, many tuk-tuks refused to transport us back to the guesthouse. We had a bus to catch in thirty minutes. Moreover, Kat had lost her purse. Whilst she went on a hunt for it, I managed to hop onto the back of a tuk tuk and wade through knee high water back to the guesthouse. I quickly pulled a creative rather than destructive effortsfew dry clothes from my backpack and changed into them. Kat arrived minutes later, purse in hand but no less soaked than had she have jumped into a pool. She too, quickly dressed before the arrival of our transport. It came in the form of a 4x4 drive, full of wet, grim looking travellers. Fortunately, the driver took to us kindly and permitted us to ride in the front with him. He blasted RnB tunes from his Kenwood sound system and suddenly the world was good again! But not for long...

-- Chiang Mai to Bangkok --

We boarded the smelly, cramped bus and prepared for a long overnight ride to Bangkok. Still damp from the rain, I was cold under the air-con vents and accepted the blanket offered by the staff. I spent the next two days scratching from whatever lay in the musty old blanket and wished I hadn't. I was also feasted on by a single mosquito that remained buzzing around my legs for the entire ten hour journey, piercing a different part of my flesh every hour. Great. We arrived in Bangkok at 5am, greeted by a spectacular sunrise that shone over the city as it slowly came to life. To wake anyone that might have been fortunate enough to be sleeping, the loudspeakers cranked screeching Thai music at full volume, notifying us of our arrival into Bangkok. I looked over at Kat whose face displayed severe irritation. Whilst she grit her teeth in annoyance, I laughed. It was, truly Thai. We lifted our luggage and set off in search of a guesthouse, mistakenly believing ...