Our drive from Chiang Rai to the Laos border was dotted with large mountains of limestone rising randomly up through the rice paddys, cute little wooden shacks would also appear, the a village & repeat.
Crossing the border was relatively simple receive a stamp to say your leaving Thailand, jump on a bus through no mans land, complete visa forms, get passport back, goodbye.
A tuk tuk took us to our slow boat, road rules in Asia are pretty non existent or make I yup as you go. Our slow boat is this long boat that just putts down the river, plenty tables & chairs to sit, charging points (but no wifi), the roof opens, bar & western toilets. It was so relaxing just to putt down the river, there's just something healing, almost magical about south east Asia. Mountains looked untouched but you would realise there was a power line there,you would see people by the rivers edge & wonder how they got there, villages perched high on the mountains, so beautiful not sure how ill tough out another day of it.
Pakeng is quiet but I dare say in a few years it'll be more commercial there building a resort as its the overnight stop for boats. Out guest house is perched almost overlooking the water there's mention that we may see elephants in the morning if were early enough
