A few days ago, Pat called a different lady who sells bus tickets by the highway.  This one sells tickets for the Green Bus.  I’ve ridden the Green Bus once before.  They are slightly more expensive, in nicer condition and make longer trips with less stops.  There is no way to book Green Bus on line and pick my stop as a pick up point so I needed this lady’s help because she is able to do that.  I paid for and picked up my ticket a few days ago.  So, now I know where her store is.  She pointed to a store across the highway as the place to pick up the bus.  So, my instructions for today are to drive my motorbike to the store.  The lady’s mom will let me store my motorbike at her house which is behind the store.  Then wait for the bus.  Again, seems unlikely, but I know from experience that it will all happen like that.   It did.  I arrived at the store and was about to ask the man about the green bus when he asked me “Chaing Rai” which is where I’m going.  So, I’m at the right place.  I asked “motorcye”? (motorbike) and a lady came out and showed me where to park it.  I sat at a picnic table outside the store until the bus came.  I mostly watched a rooster go about his daily business.  He would root around in the bushes, looking for bugs, I assume.  Then he would find a high place like the picnic table next to me and stand and crow for about 5 minutes.  Then he’d go back to the bushes.  Then he’d find a new high spot to crow.  Back and forth covering all the high spots to announce from.  About 5 minutes before the bus was to arrive, the man came out and put up a green flag.  I assume that was to tell the bus to stop.

A few days ago, Noi asked me how I was getting to the bus and I told her I would ride my motorbike.  She didn’t like this idea and said she’d drive me.  I asked how I would get back because I don’t like the motorbike taxis.  She said I could call her and she’d come get me.  I tried texting her and calling her this morning to see if she was picking me up and I never got in touch with her.  I’m kind of glad because I might be stranded with no one to pick me up like last weekend.

The bus ride was over 5 hours.  I checked into my hotel, paid for a tour for tomorrow and now I’m going to head out to find some food.