Started with an early Friday 27th
call, having survived the night without the TV, we had a good laugh.

So breakfast overlooking a misty river, bit of a change in the air a it is a couple of degrees cooler, down to about 35 C.

Left at 7.30 a,m, for a long run north to the border at the Golden triangle, where Burma, Laos and Thailand all meet on the River Meekong. The run took us up through some really rugged mountains, wild forests and jungle, through all sorts of plantation, rubber, tobacco, rice, etc, but once again the roads were superb.

We arrived at our lunch time stop at 12.45 pm. and had a lovely buffet lunch washed down with beer, before heading along to get on a boat which took us on a short trip along the river to see a massive Casino on the Burmese shore, used by all the locals here as gambling is forbidden in Thailand. About turned and headed along the other shore and landed in Laos at a small village where we were able to get our passports stamped. The vender was doing a whisky tasting!!!! With a difference, jars full of whiskey but each one was being flavoured by the contents . Tigers Penis; scorpion; cobra snake ; turtle, and a few other odd creatures. A bit different to say the least, but we tried them and two hours later am still standing.
Bought a postcard and then a hat to protect the old bald bit !! and back onto the boat . On the Loas side they are building an even bigger casino than the Burmese one and setting up in competition. They should do better becase there are problems when the Thai police set up roadblocks and disrupt their business.
The river is very low at the moment, and on the Loas side where they have no infrastructure or irrigation system like the Thai’s the land is already very dry and there are no more crops till the rains come..

Now heading for the most northerly point of Thailand, about 900km north of Bangkok, before heading back southwards to Chiangrai, for another single nights stop over.

We stopped at the Thailand and Burma border, place was just moving with people passing back and forth over the border, very colourful, market stalls everywhere, and no one really getting into your face - other than the Burmese beggars who had crossed over for the day to have a go at the tourists. Bit late in the day when we found a lady doing 40 minutes of foot massage for about £1.50p.

Now at the Legend Chiang Rai, this place is beautiful, facilities superb but the prices obviously reflect this. Spa for a foot massage is now £8 for twenty minutes, and everything else proportionate.