Feels like coming home ...

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Geo: 18.7904, 98.9847

The overnight bus stops somewhere for a toilet break in the middle of the night. I had been sleeping, it was dark and I had never been there before and have no idea where it was. Arrive in Chiangmai about 06:15 and take a tuk-tuk to our faithful where we used to live, Kong Court Guest House, Kampangdin Road. Jai had booked us a room over the phone but we had to wait until after 08:00 before the cleaners arrived to actually prepare the room for us. The guest house is full and we have to have a room for tonight before the room we usually stay in becomes free tomorrow. We always take it in turns to walk to the market at Wararot to buy our breakfasts while we are here but first morning we both go to stretch our legs after the long bus journey. After settling in to the room I head out for a walkabout and find that not much appears to have changed in the year plus since we were last here. Same familiar faces in the shops and foodstalls greet me as I pass. My usuyal bookstore is still there and he is happy to 'buy' the books that I have brought with us. Out to our normal place for lunch and sit besides the street with Isaan favourites Gang Nor Mae (bamboo curry), Nam Tok (spicy and sour pork) and sticky rice.
Go back out in the afternoon and stop for a chat with a friend Lily who works for Penguin Tours here. Book a visa run up to Burma for Monday.
Go to freinds Bill & Bens (yes, that really is their names and neither of them have ever heared of the flowerpot men !) Sugar Bar to eat in the evening but we are both too tired to stay drinking. I do watch Leicester v Clermont rugby on the bar TV and make it back to our room to watch Gloucester v Connaught. At 16 v 16 and with 10mins to go out TV blacks out and I miss the end of the game.

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