Winter in Laufaburg, Swizzyland. Cold, cloudy, no incredible sensations, politics as usual, the local tribes celebrating their ever same rituals and Hähnle, our beloved watering hole gets ready for us by May only. No reason to maintain jealousy.
The way from Savannakhet to Luang Prabang where we park Prado until next May. Then a few days in Bangkok and back to Switzyland for hibernation.
From central Thailand the long way to the east. Entering south Laos to visit the 4000 Islands in the Mekong River and the Bolaven Plateau.
From the northern capital Chiang Mai to the border to Myanmar and following it southwards. Lonely roads, jungle, Teak plantations and villages of different ethnic minorities.
Chiang Mai, Thailand; December 2016.
The north-east and the north of Thailand. Along Mekong River and steep mountain ranges covered with thick jungle.
The story about the long way from Mae Sot in the west of Thailand to Nong Khai in the east.
Under the strong influence of Robbie Williams’ song and to a lesser extent the 1 of Kipling’s poem, usually everybody rather refers to the road to Mandalay. Whatever, we´re already in Mandalay, so it’s rather about the way back
80 years after George Orwell imagined these days in Burma and 35 years after our 1st visit we enter this country again. Not only its name has changed. Also everything else we expect to be different.
Out of China into Laos. A world completely different. Now we arrive at the Banana Pancake Trail which got its name from the countless backpackers trying to go native in South-East Asia.