Woke to sight of bats circling endlessly at low level round tree outside bedroom window in semi dark (screeching noise of yesterday morning?) heaps of lycra-ed cyclists on road... one copped spillage from Guys grey water hose! Today we’ll enter our third country! Yesterday checked all paperwork for border - hope the double shuffle of passports doesn't cause problems. Original one listed on carnet for Malaysian officials, but Thailand visa is on concurrent passport (evidence of entry and exit may be asked at both places). Cleared city, and smoke and smog haze, more open country, rice paddies appearing. Plenty of investment in infrastructure obvious. Roads, bridges, Rail gangs. Ninja gardeners prune highway verges; robots control stop- go flags. Malaysia has been good to us, good food, no reactions/ illness from foods/ hygiene, water readily available.
Crossing the border took about two hours - I will figure out how to put the info into the blog elsewhere (including issues with concurrent Australian passports!) A drab and dirty town met us, crowded with stalls and rubbish; a light rain started which didn't improve matters. Thick, multitudinous electrical wires obliterated the views on both sides. Luckily we found a Tesco down the road and stopped to exchange money, withdraw cash and eat. Refreshed we ventured forth to find the rain stopped and an increasing clean and open countryside appearing. There is definitely a middle layer of industry in Thailand compared to Malaysia, factories and light industry. Each small to medium enterprise has its own compound, with a small temple or prayer house in the grounds – there seems a thriving business in sparkling spires and religious statuary.
Went looking for hot springs but found Lake Thale Liang instead, and the kind of campsite we'd dreamed of before leaving home - open space, cool breeze, water views, lapping waves, no insect pests, a drink watching the sun go down, stars and planets in the sky, planning the next day... The celebration that grew around us was an unexpected bonus. We ended up on tarps on the ground watching a shadow puppet play with the local community, being showered with rice dishes, watermelons, and drinks. Because of a picture on top of stage, Guy thought it may have been in aid of a local boy who was ill. So very friendly - we gave them our coins; Guy had glow sticks and dried fruit in return.
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