Visiting the Khon Kaen National Museum in central Isaan, Thailand, implements an interesting look into yesteryear. Archaeology museums give a glimpse into the past by way of time travel. Why not engage the mind in a museum? That was my impromptu mantra when
Year: 2023
![The view from above the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vat Phu in Champasak, southern Laos.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/View-From-Atop-Resized.jpg)
The ruins and grounds of Vat Phu, in Champasak, Laos, are a uniquely aesthetic and ancient Khmer Hindu site. Like many vintage earth spaces, strolling around and absorbing the open-air energy and its ancestral remnants, provides for great pondering. How different was life
![View of the wide Mekong River in Pakse, southern Laos](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/RIver-View-Across-the-Mekong-in-Laos-Feature-Resized.jpg)
I’ve been in peaceful Pakse on the calm Mekong for three weeks, with nine days before the 30-day Lao visa expires. The original, but loose plan was to stay in Pakse for the full, in-country time allotment. However, during the first few days,
![Wat Toong Shetthi on the outskirts of Khon Kaen, Thailand](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Toong-Setthi-Temple-in-Khon-Kaen.jpg)
I found to my pleasant surprise that Khon Kaen, Thailand is a city of unknown world wonders. The above Thung Sethi has been compared to the Taj Majal. It’s certainly not that, as this architectural astonishment isn’t recognized on a world scale. Only
![Room with a view at the InTouch Guesthouse, Vientiane, Laos 15 dollar room](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Room-With-View-InTouch-Guesthouse-Resized.jpg)
It was day 30. Time was up on my Lao stamp validity. The wonderful woman at the In Touch Guesthouse in Vientiane said she could get me a door-to-door drop off from the guesthouse, all the way to the customs office in Nong
![Buddhist-style architecture at Vat Sensoukharam in Luang Prabang, Laos.](https://earthdrifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Resize-Vat-Sensoukharam-Street-View-2.jpg)
Temple gazing has never been high on my travel to-do list. Like so many people drifting in SE Asia, I’ve taken the following stance: Another temple. How many temples can I see? However, as humans, we have the open-minded ability to change views