Of Trains and Stations

The train is often my least frequent mode of transport back home in Singapore(unless you are referring to the subway) and I do enjoy my time on a train. Time on a train is about the journey,it is not as fast as flying, it is noisy, and sometimes,the loo stinks..We could have flown back to Bangkok via Vientiane,but I planned for this train journey and got my friend in Bangkok to purchase the 1st class sleeper tickets way before the actual journey as they are usually sold out.

Hanging around the train station for half a day is really pointless,that I did not plan in advance.However,we observe some things that we normally would not think of..the train is a good cargo transporter judging by the amount of goods unloaded at this out of the way station.

My most distant memories of my 1st train ride were with my parents when i was still a kid.The journey must be to Malaysia..I mean where else can you 'train' to from Singapore?I think back then,the train must have looked like the below picture..non-air-con cabin.

One of my favourite part of the train..they always have a canteen' area where they serve food and drinks.I can barely remember eating an egg back then on the journey with my parents while watching the vegetation and the villages zoom you by.
Nice memories..but since now,since its about the journey,I am glad we were very comfortable in our sleeper cabin.

pardon my socks..I think my sister has got nicer ones.. :P

Nongkhai to Bangkok by train.

After a good night's rest..I was woken up by the sounds of drum beats and trumpets. The music came from a building a few blocks away,I assumed it must be a school band.

As I made my way down to scout around for a breakfast place,I noticed traffic was stopped at the small lanes and the music is drawing nearer..

It was actually some kind of celebration for a bank down the road and the band marched all the way across the town.
I decided to focus on the breakfast I mentioned earlier and came across what I deemed to be a suitable menu for breakfast that day: The Danish Baker.


This kind of reminds me of the Scandinavian Bakery the day before,only that this place is not as cool in weather and here,they offer 2 warm buns!

I also added to my order a chicken pie,since I have not had one for a long while.When the Chicken Pie came up after my 1st set..never did i expect it to be a set too! I thought it would just be a pie.

I took the brown gravy and poured it onto the pie.

The pie was pretty good..but maybe i was too full to really enjoy it.
12pm was the time to check out of our guest house,but our train schedule was at 6.30pm,and with our big bags and boxes of the the famous Vietnamese food,we decided to go super early to the train station and wait till our train is ready to move.


There were not many people there when we arrived..its like we have the whole station to ourselves..With so much time to wait out,we just go around taking pictures..



I did came across a staff napping on the stuffy cabin in the hot sun..


Thinking back..we must have been very bored spending so much time in waiting..

Crossing into Nongkhai, Thailand.

After crossing the border into Thai soil across the Friendship Bridge,my feeling back then was like finally returning to familiar grounds again.

Despite the tattered flag in the above photo,we were really glad to see it again. It signifies our completion of one part of the journey and coming back to a familiar part,altough none of us have ever been to Nongkhai before.

Of course,just like any parts of our journey before this on the trip,we did not manage to book any hotel here and thus,our 1st task in this border town is to look for a place to put up for the night.

Simple,clean air-con room with TV at only 400 baht a night..this place is known as Huan-Lai Apartment.

We only managed to find this place with the help of some very helpful tuk-tuk drivers that picked us up from the bus station. The tuk-tuks here are not like those from Bangkok,instead,they more influenced by the Laos type. Here's a photo of how it looks like..

After putting down our stuff at Huan Lai,we started to go around exploring the surrounding areas. A short walking distance away(about 8 minutes)there is a very huge market where you can find anything from clothing,toys,food and all other necessities.

Right beside this market,if you can find any pathways along the rows of shops or walk through any of the food shops that open up at the other side,you will actually come to a seemingly newly built walkway along the length of the river that overlook the other bank belonging to Laos.
We managed to take a rest right after the sun had set and soon,its time for dinner plans. Our plan back then was..we had no plans. We got a tuk-tuk(since they are so helpful and friendly) and asked him to bring us to the most famous restaurant in Nongkhai.We even asked for him to send us back after that because this restaurant is outside of the town.The price for the ride was 100 baht per trip,but there were really no regrets!
The food was really wonderful!I guess all of us enjoy Thai dishes more..
The 1st to come on the table..Tom Yum Gung..hot,spicy and full of ingredients..its better than what we had in Bangkok.

Then along came "Braised duck with mushroom"..

..and also our usual fried egg with minced pork(I still think this dish in Laos may taste better)..

Last but not least,deep fried shrimp cake..crispy on the outside,juicy and soft on the inside..the photo actually cannot do justice to this dish..

Everything about the dinner was right..the location,the cool weather,the hot food.I really wish to have dinner there again.