Tuesday 4th March
The boat to Nong Khiaw was due to leave at 08.30, so I was out of the guesthouse by 07.00 or, had some breakfast and made my way to the riverbank from where the boat would leave. I was more than a little concerned on seeing the boat, not wanting to accept that the narrow, cramped and uncomfortable looking vessel would take us on such a long journey. Anyway, we had little choice but to grin and bear it – and not for the first time – and we eventually set off at about 09.00.
The scenery was indeed very beautiful and the boat ride itself was made all the more colourful as our clearly experienced driver expertly navigated his way through minor rapids and shallow waters. It seemed he knew the place like the back of his hand. We reached Nong Khiaw about six hours later, at around 15.30. The boat had been full of fellow travellers and we had got chatting during the course of the trip, so some of us headed off in search of somewhere to stay. There were five of us in total: Arnaud, Don & Clara from Paris, Femke from Holland, and me. We found some huts at the 'Bamboo Paradise Guesthouse' before having some dinner and getting to know each other better.
Craving some home comforts, we decided to visit 'Le Cinema', a place where you could watch DVDs in the comfort of your own TV room, and with plenty of cushions to lounge about on. After we all voted for our choice of movie, my own favourite – 'Old School' – won out and it proved very popular, not least with myself, as I pissed myself laughing all the way through. It just happened to be my kind of movie and, as usual, provided us with a few innane quotes to fling at each other over the next few days.
