Timew to extend my visa ...

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Geo: 16.42, 102.83

As we are not able to go to Laos this week as planned we are taking the day to go to Khon Kaen where there is an immigration office where I can extend my current visa without having to leave the country.
Up with the alarm at 05:00 and at 06:00, just as daylight arrives, we are leaving to bike into Phon Thong and drop the bike off. Walk across town to the bus station. I usually drop Jai off at the sttion first with our bags and walk on my own but as we dont have any bags she has to walk as well today.
There are no signs of any of the small minibuses this morning so we end up on a normal bus service. This bus goes the long way through Roi Et and Maha Sarakham before reaching Khon Kaen and can take up to 3 hours. I decide that we might just as well be on the move on a comfy aircon bus as sat at Phon Thong bus station in the hope of something quicker coming along at some time. Get to Khon Kaen about 10:00 and take a taxi out to the immigration office a few kilometres to the north of town.
The immigration office is really busy this morning but there is nothing I can do about that so complete the paperwork, photocopy the relevant pages from my pasport, take a queue number then sit and wait my turn. Overhear several farangs who have 'problems' and/or 'issues' with their visas and are asking for special treatment but the girls at the desk continue smiling and saying no, sorry, cant help. I only have to wait a little over 30mins and being a good boy and having all of my paperwork in order it is only about 10mins before we are leaving the office with a 30 day extension allowing me to remain in country till 27 December.
I had told the taxi driver I would be about 20mins so he would wait but as it is now nearer 45mins he isnt too chuffed and wants some extra money; tough.
Back at the bus station we join 13 other people on a full minibus that is just about to leave in our direction. Eat lunch that we brought with us on the bus as we leave Khon Kaen. Everything was going swimmingly until the driver stopped to fill up with gas. The garage was bedlm with vehicles of all sorts everywhere. We sat here for almost an hour, mostly waiting for a pump to become free. It was early afternoon by now and pretty hotsat on the small bus especially when he turned the engine and aircon off to fill up. To make things worse the driver decided that it would make our wait nicer if he started playing Thai pop at full volume in the back of the bus. We were sat vibrating with the beat ... loved it as you can imagine.
Eventually we set off agin and the aircon soon dryed me out again. Got back to Phon Thong about 14:15 and took a tuk-tuk across town to collect the bike.
Arriving back in Khamnadie I took a detour to the villahe hospital for daily check-up. The Doc seems to think that the infection has gotten quite deep and will take a while to clear up. He also thinks that maybe they will try something else when I go to the hospital in Phon Thong again on Thursday so am looking forward to that immensely !!
Back at the house I shower and change and sit down with a nice cup of tea.
We actually get some mains water for a while late afternoon so even the veggies get a good drink tonight.
I set the alarm for 02:45 as there might be UEFA Champions League football tonight.

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