train to laos

After my TEFL course ended I decided to take the train from Bangkok to Laos to extend my Thai visa 60 days. I’m exploring Thailand and writing reviews of the health resort spas for a wellness guidebook that I am currently creating. I booked the 8pm night train on August 1st arriving in Nong Khai at 8:30am. It was raining all day in Bangkok, which makes for a slow taxi ride, so I decided to leave my hotel at 4:30pm and get to the train station early to see if I could get on one of the earlier trains that left at 6:30 or 6:40pm.

I arrived to Hua Lam Phong station just before 5pm, avoiding rush-hour traffic, and talked with a couple of helpful employees. They informed me that the 8pm train was the only sleeper. I had booked a first class cabin with a bed and if I downgraded to either of the earlier ones then I would be upright for 12 hours amongst many other people. The best choice was to keep my original ticket and wait at the station for 3 hours.

At first, finding a comfortable spot to read and write with my entire life to lug around was not promising. I viewed this with a detached point of view and continued walking down the busy waiting area wandering to find my spot. That is a great motto for me: wandering to find my spot. To see things for not what they are but in wonder to what there could be.

What I found was a small sign for massage. I thought that would be a great idea to kill time and to prepare for the long trip ahead. When I inquired I found out there was an hour wait. As my luck would have it I could wait inside with my luggage. I was able to write in a comfortable reclining chair while listening to relaxing music, away from it all. After my hour Thai massage I found a small travelers Laos map right next door and bought fresh pineapple and mango from a vendor. From there I boarded right away and snuggled into my private cabin.

The next morning the train stopped and we waited 2 hours to start moving again. The tracks ahead were flooded and they had to do something to them to make sure we stayed on the tracks. While we waited I remembered my experience the night before and wondered what this experience will now bring.

emma

During the 2-hour wait I was gifted with an adorable 4-year-old girl, Emma. She reminded me of what I was like at that age. My little girl came to remind me to play! Emma was singing, pretend playing, running up and down, teaching me Thai, and even said something I used to say to my Mom: “I’ll be right back, don’t sleep ok”.

These two nice men that were a couple cabins down from me on the train ended up offering me a ride into Vientiane that they hired. They were asking me about my travels and mentioned the book “Eat, Pray, Love” and asked me if I was soul searching. I replied, “No, I found my soul and now I’m just listening to it”. Then they asked me if I found it in Thailand and I replied, “No, I found it inside of me Thailand just brings it out and lets it shine”. This sparked a good conversation about the world’s new spiritual consciousness of oneness. It turned out to be a blessing that our train arrived 3 hours late and that I missed going to the Thai embassy before they stop processing visas at noon. I really did need to go straight to a hotel, drop off my luggage and settle in.

After checking into the Lao-Paris hotel, I went across the street to the Blue Banana to login, eat and ask a local some questions. This was the 2nd time I’ve been at a restaurant in the last 3 days during a happy-hour drink special 2 for 1. I chose not to drink both times. I’ve reached a point where I value my health, my time and my money more then I do getting buzzed. It wasn’t as easy as it usually is to turn it down, especially after 24 hours of hard traveling, but I am grateful that I did. Since Laos was once a French colony they have good wine here, unlike Thailand, for a good price. I went into the min-shop to get some water and snacks and they even had a whole wine shop in the back. Out of curiosity I went back to price it out and most bottles were around $10. A drunk with a puffy nose, red face and booze breath from Brooklyn/Miami came into the shop as another reminder of why I don’t want any. On my way home I opted for a 2-hour massage/herbal compress that cost me $11. I’d rather get a 2-hour massage than 2 drinks. I’d rather be clear, write and take in life fully. I am choosing my life one minute at a time. Next stop: back to nature in Chiang Rai!