A long day ...

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Geo: 16.392, 103.924

The flight isnt too bad and I think I even manage to get a bit of sleep. Taking off only a few minutes late doesnt usually make any difference but today we also arrive a few minutes late at about 09:45 Thai time (GMT +6).
I am one of the first from our flight to reach immigration only to find it extremely quiet and it takes jujst a few minutes before I am standing besides the carousel waiting for the bags to arrive. The problem with getting here quickly means that there is longer to wait as the service here is never very quick.
Jai had warned me that I might have problems with my phone and she is right. Apparently I need to register theSIM whatever that means.
Bag arrives and I walk across the airport to the taxis and head off across town to Don Muang airport for my domestic flight north to Khon Kaen. The driver tewlls methat yesterday the airport wasclosed for a while due to flooding but all looks dry today.
BY the time I have checked in to Air Asia FD2347 and walked to thedeparture gate which feels miles away I only have about 20mins to wait till thegate opens. I was going to look around for an office where I could get the phone sorted but dont have time.
I am really tired now and it isa struggle to stay awake on the 45mins flight to Khon Kaen. I briefly consider staying in town here for the night and completing my journey tomorrow but decide to get it over with in one go.
Take a taxi from the airport towards the bus station and as usual the driver offers to take me all the way to Phon Thong. Driver normally asks for a silly amount but today wants only about 30GBP. I quickly do the maths and it is going to cost me about 15GBP to take this taxi to the bus station, wait a few hours for a bus, bus 3 hours to PHon THongthen take a half hour motorbike taxi out to the village. It is hot out and I am tired and suddenly the comfy aircon taxi seems the easiest option so I tell him to carry on. This is when I realise he is not sure where, or how far away, Phon Thong actually is, as he gets a map out. I tell him that I will give him directions and off we go.
It is a lot better in the taxi than the bus and as we approach PHon Thong I persuade him to take a detour and take me right back to Khamnadie. The road is terrible and the driver isnt too happy about his shiny car through the potholes and the dirt but we eventually we drive under the village gate, wend our way through the village market traffic and I am being dropped off outside the house about 16:15, several hours earlier than I expected.
Jai is waiting by the doorand enthusiastically helps me to unpack to see what I have brought back.
Jai has roasted a chicken for dinner so after a nice long shower, cold water, I eat my first sticky rice for a few months.
It is still very hot when I walk up the road a bit to report my arrival to mum on Jai's phone. Talk to brother Rob and I will leave a longer chat till later when my phone is back in use. Two of the neighbours see me passing and ask why I amnow fat. Thank you, nice to you as well. Dont think the weight will stay with me for long though if this humidity keeps up I will have sweat it off in a few weeks.
Back to the house for another shower and I am in bed by 19:00.

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