We awoke at 7:30 am, yay! We made it past 3, and 4 and 6 am. However, I did wake up many times as I was sweating while I slept. We had a cool fan and a breeze from the window, but a comforter! not a bed sheet. I am going to have to learn to sleep without any covers. Alas, I had a shower, it was a sandal’s on kind of place, only because the last occupant had his/her shoes on and they left muddy footprints everywhere. The shower had the option of hot, but I chose luke warm. I used my quick dry towel as there were no towels in the room, something to get used to I’m sure. I asked at reception for a towel and was given one, so that Kirk could also shower.

For breakfast Kirk had an egg and cheese omlette and I a “sexy omelette” (basically an omelette with chicken, onions and barbecue type of sauce in it). We also had bacon (just not the same, not even like precooked bacon). I think will stick to cooked thai dishes for breakfast. The omelette was good but nothing like my Dad’s or like the rest of the thai food we have had so far at our guest house.

After a leisurely morning we rented bikes from our guest house and travelled around town. A super way to see the town, cool breeze, and great sights. Lots of kids waved from their homes or on the street and said allo (hello). Very friendly. We were off to see the town and maybe find the sculpture park. We didn’t locate the park (as our map had no street names) but we saw life in Nong Khai. See the gallery for some pictures of oxen (cows?) we saw crossing the road.

On our way back to the guest house we stopped at 711 for water and a sweet drink (lemon drink, non-carbonated). At the guesthouse we chilled out, to drip dry from our sweaty adventure then later head to Bangkrit road for homemade Vietnamese spring rolls. The place we searched for no longer existed so off we went in search of an internet cafe. We found food first (and beer of course) at the Danish Bakery cafe. Many old men farang drank outside with several Thai ladies (i.e. prostitutes) inside. Still a nice joint, with a fan and patio seating.

After lunch to the market west of town to check out what all the talk was about. A nice quiet market. We saw the many vegetables, fruits, seafoods (live and dead), they had some clothing and and shoes of course. Much quieter and smaller than the markets of Bangkok. A big plus. We found an internet cafe, where I type to you from now, inside a used bookstore with a playful kitten and a monk checking his msn messages on the computer next to me. Alas, tonight we are on a sunset cruise down the Mekong river, for . We’ll keep you posted on our adventures here in Nong Khai, and then to Laos (just across the river)