Blogs from Phimai, Central Thailand, Thailand, Asia

J'ai passe les 4 derniers jours a Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat). C'est une ville qui est tres tranquille et qui ne ressemble a rien de ce que j'ai vu jusqu'a present en Thailande. C'est une ville qui semble ne pas avoir ete touche par les touristes. J'en ai donc profite pour commencer a travailler sur mon livre 'Thai for beginner' et je dois vous dire que ce n'est pas facile! Apprendre une nouvelle langue avec un nouvel alphabet de 44 consonnes et 32 voyelles! Mais ca avance tranquillement. J'ai deja un peu plus de vocabulaire, je suis capable de dire quelques phrases de plus et je suis capable d'ecrire une douzaine de lettres! J'ai decouvert un petit pub sympathique qui s'appelle le Cafe 88. Toujours plein! Que des Thais! Un des employes parle tres bien anglais, ... read more

ok we have done alot since my last blog so gona start with one for khorat and phimai. we arrived in khorat on friday night got a nice hotel then went off to eat. tuk tuk driver took us to the wrong one but was a good result - ended up i a bar with live music and we chatted to lead singer who turned out to b the owner and was so friendly - free tequilla!! again no westerners though. the next day very hungover we wondered round khorat, saw the few things it has to offer - and old city gate and a pillar! then in the afternoon we got bus to phimai - got local bus and that was an experience - packed full and with no air con but it only took ... read more

A bit cooler in Phimai than Bangkok. Travelled across the rice paddies to Jantamlah where Lamud spent her childhood. Everyone was laying out their rice to dry and there's enough mangy cats and dogs to fill about 15 tuk-tuks. This is real rural Thailand and nothing like Bangkok or Phuket's tourist den. Visited the "Banyan Tree" - which is the oldest tree in the world (?) and the ancient Khmer ruins in Phimai. We are having such a great time we even ended up doing Karaoke. I (Roy) was abosutely brilliant. Keith was rubbish (well, he was quite good at Hotel California but not very good at his Bono impersonation). Lamud is enjoying being back home so much that she no longer speaks English with us. Some kind of mish-mash of Cockney-Thai. Can't understand a thing ... read more

So I decided to make a couple stops in eastern Thailand in South Isaan before heading south to the islands, and I'm so glad I did. I really have loved this area. There are very few tourists and the people are incredibly friendly as usual. During the bus ride from the islands to Pakse (near the border to Thailand) I met three Canadians. Two of which were heading to Vietnam and the other (Deep) to Thailand. Deep and I headed over the border and got a lift to Nang Rong. This is a pretty unexciting town in itself, but just out of town there are a couple of angkor era temples. I was pretty hesitant because I hadn't been impressed by any sort of temple since Angkor in Siem Reap, but I thought I'd give it ... read more