The roads in Thailand are generally excellent, even the white roads. Road signs mostly have destinations in Roman as well as Thai (thank goodness). Riding here is great; and British drivers could learn a thing or two from the Thais about using mirrors and indicators.The banyan tree near Phimai is huge. There are winding paths through the roots, and lots of shady places to picnic under the canopy. I have no idea how old the tree is, but it's certainly the biggest single plant I've ever seen.

I find it amazing that in Britain even a moderate-sized town has no broadband available, and yet a small place in the back of beyond in Thailand has three internet cafes, all with high-speed broadband. The cost is generally 20-30 baht an hour (that's about 30-45p), although the one I'm sitting in now in Surin charges 15 baht.

I'm staying at Pirom's House, a nice little teak guesthouse near the town centre. Pirom has two Land Rovers - a IIa and a III, both LWB, and is jealous of me having a 90 (he'd love one but can't afford it). Pirom and his wife Aree both speak good English and have a large fridge full of beer. When I arrived yesterday no-one was at home, so I helped myself to a beer and sat in the shade with the cat on my lap; that's how it works here (it was much the same at Phitsanulok). When you help yourself to beer or water from the fridge you just write it on the sheet with your room number, and pay when you leave. No
problem. Very relaxed.

I was stopped at a checkpoint yesterday (they're usually too busy scraping their jaws off the tarmac to stop me). The nice young policeman asked "Where you from?". "England". He squeaked and patted my arm. "You go". The world (so far) seems to be full of nice young policemen.

Tomorrow I'll be meeting the chaps from the BMW Club of Thailand at a place east of Ubon, and on Sunday we go to Laos for a few days. Not many roads in Laos, and what there are have a pretty awful reputation.