Day 18 – Arrived in Huayxai, Laos - Can't wait to see you Shirl

It occurred to me that I’ve only been riding my bike in SE Asia for 5 days. It feels like much longer.

Road 60km to border. Slick and easy crossing into Laos. – Can’t wait to see Shirley

I need to learn to ask better questions.

On reflection, what would the question have been in this case?

-       Will it be easy to find the wharf for the Speed boats?

 You see – I assumed the Mekong River was busy. Huayxai is a border town with a big river running through it. I ‘guessed’ there would be husslers wanting to buy my ticket at an inflated rate and just guide me to the wharf.

I found the launch site for the fast boats. It was 10km from the border crossing. I found it after 60km of doing circles!!!  (It is stupid hidden. How is that even possible?! It’s a river. Seriously, it can’t be just me and my poor orientation skills. It was Stupid hidden.)

See this video me getting lost in Laos - but it wasn't the 1st or last time.

See my track on Strava. xxxx  - (this does not work. someday ...)

I mediated for the 2^nd time. Yesterday being ‘not quite’ the first. I tried this morning – but it didn’t work.  I tried again at my fav time of day – twilight. It ‘sort of’ worked. At least I made it to the end of the 25 minutes of the “Guided Meditation”, Tara Brach - Smile. (I only laided down once.)

Ok.

Big decision.

Do I take the fast boat tomorrow – or the slow boat?

Fast boat takes 6 hours – it’s noisy and apparently some people think it’s dangerous.

Slow boat takes 2 days. People describe it as nice, relaxing & an opportunity to meet other travelers to compare notes.

Question of the day:  Which boat will I take? Fast boat leaves at 9am and is 1 km from my guest house. Slow boat leaves at 11am (I think) and is 15km from my hotel.

Leave your vote here – by way of comment.

(Somehow I feel it is a very important decision in the “Hub” of life.)

//

On another note – I’ve been married 21 years in 2 days. Shirley is incredible in so many ways – most recently – understanding & allowing this phase of life to happen.

She allows me to me – and do all the crazy stupid stuff I do. 

I been thinking lots of Shirley … so far she would have most enjoyed the breakfast of fresh fruit, muesli & yogurt; and the swim in the Mekong today. She would love many parts of the bike ride as well.  (I’m sure if she were with me – I would be enjoying it way more. Not working so hard at ‘discovering’; looking for meaning; navel gazing.)

… but I want this.

I’ll live a fuller richer life because of this.

… and since I plan to live to be a 116 years old – this isn’t even a mid life crisis. (We can look forward to that at 58 years. Instead of buying yellow panniers for my bike at ‘nearly48’, at 58 I’ll get that red sports car.)

Can’t wait to see you Shirley.