Pirom makes sure we got a place where to go before letting us wander again. A complex Thai discussion and a phone call later, we leave the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) in a "song-ta-ou" (small BYO [Build Your Own] pickup taxi) and head North along the Mekong. A small and smart guesthouse has been arranged for us in That Uthen. While feeding the fish from the bank, the owner tells us in a rough English that he built a "nest" for them several years ago : dams and overfishing endanger the river biodiversity. Later on, he lends us bikes for a lovely sunset cycle.

That Uthen
That Uthen

Further on, off the beaten track and waiting for the bus, we are surrendered by local curiosity. From students to police officers, they all want to help us despite the fact that none of them really speaks English. After a long discussion and laughter, everyone agrees : we are waiting at the right place for the right bus. We waited for three hours ...

Ban Kham Pia, here we are! We are welcomed bilingually by Bunloed (he couldn't be more local) and Angelina (from France). A peaceful breath comes out of those small bamboo bungalows and invites us to rest after Pirom's busy tour. Cycling, guided walk through the national park next door, playing cards : we take it really easy for the next 5 days.

At Bunloed and Angelina's
At Bunloed and Angelina's
Cycling and Biba
Cycling and Biba
Walk in Phu Wua National Park
Walk in Phu Wua National Park

Bunloed and Angelina propose us to help them in the garden, in the rice paddy and even in the bricks making process. We couldn't paddle against our wwoofer soul and so, in exchange, some delicious meals were for free.

'Wwoofing' in Thailand
'Wwoofing' in Thailand

We don't plan to stay a year in Thailand so we hit the road to Nong Khai, a little town close to Lao border. We mix with the locals at Loi Krathong festival. We buy a small boat made of banana leafs and stem, decorated with flowers, candles and incense. Then you launch it into the river and make a wish that the water spirits supposedly fulfill. The bigger and prettier the boat, the more likely your wish will come true.

The region is so flat, we cannot miss the opportunity to cycle again : 55kms under heavy sunshine to visit, among others, a sericulture research centre. We don't learn a lot about how to breed silk worms since nobody is fluent in English. But we have some good fun with the employees as they ask us to join for a drink of coconut. Unbeatable Thai hospitality.

Loi Krathong in Nong Khai
Loi Krathong in Nong Khai
Cycling again, around Nong Khai
Cycling again, around Nong Khai
Same old cycling (!) at Lamai's
Same old cycling (!) at Lamai's

This article was published from Bangkok airport so see you soon my friends (from Europe)... ;)