So I heard they opened a new Carrefour store in Udon Thani.
I had to go check it out and see if I could buy the things I generally bought in Bangkok.
I had Samat drive me there. He brought along his favorite grandson.
We departed as agreed at 7 a.m. It was overcast all the way, no sunglasses needed.
As we left town I noticed the advertisement for the annual food fair which starts tomorrow.
The trip seemed almost uneventful. Lot's more buses than usual were on the road.
Of course that is because of the holidays.
It did get a bit hairy when two double decker buses approached us side by side. All you can do is get out of their way.
Even hairier was when two cars passed a parked car.Looked like three cars approaching us. Again, all you can do is get out of the way.
40 kilometers from Udon, the highway opens up into four lanes, freeway like.
We were a bit amused by the U-turn signs. Make a u-turn and Sakon Nakhon is 165 km in the other direction.
The store is somewhat outside of town on the airport highway.
Found all the things I had in mind, German candies, cheeses, and freshyly baked bread.
In fact they had just wheeled the bread out. I tried to grab some, but it was extremely hot.
I can attest it was fresh. Nine loafs of bread, and shopping was done.
A quick lunch and we were on the return trip before noon.
Dark clouds to the North forewarned us of what to expect.
As soon as the rains hit, all traffic seemed to pull over to the side to cover up cargo and passengers.
One truck ahead of us, yes a double decker. The passengers below were dry, but not the ones on the sundeck.
.
Most traffic seemed to slow down because of the inclement weather. But not all apparently.
We briefly slowed down. One pickup partially in a ditch, the other closing down a lane of traffic.
The pickup truck was apparently hit from both sides. The cab of the vehicle looked more like an accordion.
If there was a passenger, he had no chance of survival. Passenger seat was not to be seen.
At least a dozen road checkpoints had been set up along the way.
Only one in operation, checking for drivers licenses. The cops looked bored.
Plenty of "Be Safe for the Holidays" signs along the way.
Apparently there are new route markers. "AH15" part of the Asian Highway Network now being developed.
Back in Sakon Nakhon finally noticed a sign promoting Songkran.
And final preparations are underway, as bamboo huts are erected.
