A-ra-ka-die No more!

Well up until now ive tried being adventurous and learnt the word Arakadie which translates as 'whatever'!This i thought would allow me to experience a bit more of indigenous thai food!However, yesterday it backfired yet again to a degree I struggled to keep down!

I had luckily pulled into a Police station to ask directions as nick (and thus his satnav!) have deserted me to go and get some in Germany! Im glad i did as I had just missedthe turning i wantedby 2kms. anyway on this juntion in a very small town, was a little cafe-bistro well noted in all good cuisine books! Well actually,it was a tin roofed shack with a couple of tables and stove! Anyway, with a big smile i asked for arakadie! And with an even bigger smile she dished up some noodle soup with something that I think wasmashedup mork and gristle balls, some chunks of intestine and something else which was dark brown and served in chunks about an inch square and about 3mm thick!anyway, these didnt have the texture of liver or kidney or anything else ive eaten and the after taste almost made me yak! anyway, the noodles and stock was lovely!

Ihave also forced fruit down my throat so as not to offend (oh and tomatoes!) for those that know, fruit and tomatoes have not passed theselips for a goodnumber of years but when i pulled up at a guest house in a small town that clearly had not seen a white face for a while and this guest house had clearly not done that much business recently, the house keeper showed me upstairs to my room (which over looked the mekong river so not all bad!!!) gave me a fresh towel and then sent her daughter to get me a whole plate full of lovely fresh fruit! anyway, so as not to upset them and also because i had no way of tellig them i didnt eat fruit, i tucked into a good half dozen slices of pinapple and something else that was pinky orange and had the texture of a soft apple! i drew the line after one slice of the white fruit with black seeds. i also drew the line when they brought me another bloody plate full in the morning!!!

Anyway, enough of that. i am now on my jack jones and at the Laos border. Have stopped in a guest house with the most english speakers in than i have seen for a while so may go crazy and iondulge ina beer tonight- my first for 6 days!!! Will be tackling customs and immigration tomorrow morning so I have all day to sort out paperwork for the bike as i have been warned that it takes time!

I will then be tackling the Laos roads which Nick (although having left has obviously not forgotten me!!!) has just forwarded me a link to a website warning about the condition of the Laos roads, especiallyin fact the ones that i have planned formy itinerary - super!!!

ran over a chicken, well more a chicken flew into my bike! I felt it on my side but took most of the brunt on the hand guard! Decided not to stop as dont know what the penalty is for running over someones chicken! I would probably be indebted to them for a lifetimes salaries orsomething crazy!i have heard stories about a Thai guy being run over by another drunk thai guy but only got injured so the driver then reversed over him again until he was dead because if he was unable to work he woudl have to pay the guy his salary for the rest of his life whereas if he was dead it is only a one off payment of 25 000 bart! thats about 450 pounds!!!

Anyway on that cheery note i will love and leave you and be in touch again when i am in laos!