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  Vang Vieng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Sunday, August 20, 2006

Who would have ever guessed that coming to Aisa during the monsoon season would mean that it rains everyday? IT HAS BEEN RAINING NONSTOP FOR 3 DAYS STRAIGHT!!! I am waiting for my China visa to clear so I decided to make a back track to the tourist town of Vang Vieng to waste a few days. The word waste is an understatement here. It is a small tourist town where holiday tourist spend days on end staring like helpless zombies at the countless Friends/South Park episodes playing 24 hours a day. To be honest I watched 9 episodes of Friends in a row yesterday? But this is not about me! Lots of holiday tourist come here because drugs are everywhere and seem to be openly accepted. These kids are smoking things like its a high school science lab out here! FYI: Drugs and or science class were never the Nomad's gig. Both of them make him very nervous to be around!

Definiton of a "holiday tourist" = The sole purpose of their 1 - 4 week holiday is the constant pursuit of vagina and cheap booze/drugs.

I am really enjoying my time in Laos! The Laos people are hard working simple little people. They mean no harm to the world! All they seem to really want out of life is time with their families, a simple home, a few bowls of rice soup, and the afternoons to spend squatting. I notice that they like to squat a lot? I notice this only because, I myself am a big fan of squatting vs. sitting! Most of the population of around 6 million practice subsistence agriculture. Subsistence agriculture still accounts for half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. Here is a break down of what things on average cost me in Laos!

Laos uses the Kip as its currency.

1.00 USD = 10,024 LAK

Private Room in a guest house with a shared bath 20,000- 40,000 Kip = $2-4 USD
Large beer in a store 7000 Kip = $.70 USD
Small beer in a store 5000 kip = $.50 USD
Large beer in a restaurant 10,000 Kip = $1 USD
Cheap meal in a restaurant 7000 - 20,000 Kip = $.70 - 2 USD
Laos cigarets 4000 kip = $.40 USD
Pack of Malbro Lights 10,000 Kip = $1 USD
1 hour on a public bus 9000 Kip = $.90 USD
30 day visa for Laos = $40 USD
A quick pee in a public bus station 300 Kip = .03 USD
This hour of Internet 16,000 Kip = $1.60 USD (tourist town price the usual price is $.50)

My avg daily budget = $15-20 USD

Here is some crazy stuff. I copied the following off a restaurant menu posted out on the street. There is no attempts to hide this what so ever. When I was writing this list down one of the guys came out and asked me if I was police? I got a bit nervous when he asked me this. I said to him "come on buddy do I look like a Laos police officer? I am writing down the prices to show my friends back at my hotel. Me and my friends are going to come back here later and get FUCKIN' WASTED MAN!!"...........I was telling a fib ofcourse! Creepy drug dealing waiter guy 0 points - Johnny Nomad 1! So now I share the list with the world!!

Weed
Happy Shake, Happy Pizza, Happy Tea 40,000 Kip = $4 USD
Joint 15,000 Kip = $1.5 USD

Mushroom
Mushroom Tea, Mushroom Pizza, Mushroom Shake 50,000 Kip = $5 USD
10 Mushrooms 100,000 Kip = $10 USD

Opium
Opium Tea, Opium Coffee $50,000 Kip = $5 USD
1gm of Opium 150,000 Kip = $15 USD
Joint 40,000 Kip = $4 USD

I am not joking. This is printed on restaurant menus all over town. They sell this stuff as casually as one would sell pea soup. Wait a second pea soup is gross. Well more like Oreo shakes (yummy!)Laos is a long way from Kansas to say the least. Wait a second they were all on drugs in OZ! I am so confused!! I must be takin crazy pills!!

Till next time......Follow the yellow brick road! ~el Nomad

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