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Looking Back at Isaan

Posted by Stuart at 12:19 PM on August 18, 2005

So the trains in Thailand have a dining car afterall! Of course it's not air conditioned, but on my ride back to Bangkok from Ubon I am enjoying the (relatively) cool dry air coming in through the window as the rice fields, the wooden shacks, the water buffalo, and the kids riding motorbikes along dirt roads go by.

An hour or so ago I was sure I would miss this train. I was in Ubon, and had planned to take the #2 Songtaw to the train station, but it was slow going. So I jumped off with 20 minutes to go before departure time, found a tuk-tuk, and said bai satani rot fai reow reow -- which (I think) roughly translates to "Go to the train station, fast!"

Luckily though, I did make it in time, but with not enough time to eat before I boarded the train. So I walked the length of the train from my 2nd class air-con sleeping car through the fan-blown sleeping cars through the 3rd class fan seats to the dining car. I can't imagine riding 11 hours in one of these uncomfortable seats with no air-con, so I was even more afraid to see what was behind the diner!

Looking back over the last week or so, it has been a fantastic trip. Sure, at times it was uncomfortatble (sitting next to the buffalo-scented woman in a crowded songtaow) but other times it was exhilarating (boppin' to a rockin' live band). At times it was disorienting (arriving in Pakse with no sense of direction) but other times I felt right at home (visiting my favorite internet shop several days in a row). At times I was frustrated with my stupidity (forgetting my passport) but other times I was prouid of my progress (chatting with the street vendor for over two hours).

I can hardly wait to leave home again.