Expedition

Off on the #14 bus (once I'd found CBS2 again. Very confusing signs). The buses here seem to work well, they are air-conditioned and have conductors so no problem with working out how to buy a ticket.

I thought I was going to Freedom Bridge, the border withThailand, but there is nothing to see there so I went on to Buddha Park a very odd sculpture park. Today's drama was I left my hat on the bus but luckily as we were pretty much at the terminus I got it back when the bus came back up the road 15 minutes later. It was very hot, again, 34 Deg, no cloud and no rain either. Nice flowers but the sculptures were weird and the one you could climb up inside quite daunting with vertiginous steps. The extra is the view from the top towards the Mekong.

The best bit about the expedition was seeing the countryside outside Ventiane. It was 26 km and took 40 minutes on the way there and well over an hour on the way back due to a long layover at the Immigration point, waiting for passengers I assume. All for 26k kip return, £1.45. (I also discovered later that the tuk tuk driver didn't"t fleece me yesterday, 50k, £4.55, is the rate for that journey. Should have remembered about the bus timetable. The other update is everything dried out ok and m now using my bag clip for the water bottle. Much safer).

Unfortunately all that time sitting awkwardly on a shoogly bus did for my back and I hobbled back to the hotel via the Sisaket Temple and the huge King Anouvong statue overlooking the Mekong. Came back through the eponymous park where sensible people were sitting in the shade of the trees. Not me, of course! I was glad to get back and into the pool.

Later another sunset, and another Laobeer, by the Mekong. This time, I walked right down to the riverbank, through deep sand, to where there are little branch covered shelters for enjoying the view in peace and tranquillity.

Then dinner. I mistakenly ordered 2 mains and even although I'd had no lunch I struggled with the sticky rice and left the noodles. Despite plans to the contrary it turned into an early night, after I'd washed the grey sand dust from my feet.