Laid Back Laos
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2008
1
11
22
Trip End
Jan 20, 2009
Luang Prabang,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Despite Laos tragic reputation for being the "most bombed country in history", life is relaxed and laid back, which at times puts the 'Westerner" within us to test! Women stroll around in their pajamas, no eye brow was raised at the Cambodia\Laos boarder despite an entire missing surname on Michael's visa, karaoke is openly and passionately sung on the buses as loud as it is bad, bedtime is a strict 20.30 hours, that said you can party away until a tiring 23.30 at the Capitals 2 nightclubs whilst over enthusiastic cockrills dictate a 05.30 AM wake up and warm, friendly smiles are abundant.
So what have we been up to.....
------~We've discovered a 650ml bottle of 'BeerLaos' costs 52p & if Carlsberg hadn't thought of the slogan first ...'Probably the best lager in the World' it would belong to Laos,
~The mozzies are unrelenting & deet really does remove nail polish
'Interesting' plant pot!
! But on the up we have discovered 'cool' tiger balm, works wonders on bites~The Mekong is truly "mighty" and intimidatingly wide. A dirty, earthy colour that rushes by us looking aloof and uninviting
~We've indulged in numerous herbal sauna's with the locals sweating out our "think to much" Western attitudes. It's amazing how bonding profuse sweating, a natural yogurt face mask and frequent cups of saa hawn (sweet hot tea) actually is. Michael informs me it's aerobic stylie arm exercises in the boys sauna
~Been lucky & managed to see a brief flash of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins on the Mekong
~At last we have paid the same as the locals on the bus
~Visited Vientiane, possibly the quietest verging on dullest Capital city ever. The only time out attention was firmly captured was when out of the dust, moto's, tuk-tuks, NGO 4 x 4's (non Government Organisations) and people, Michael spied a fully specked to drug lord status, SLR McClaren Mercedes! The average monthly wage is $70 USD - go figure
~Whilst on one home stay, I heartily, passionately & with numerous enthusiastic mmm"s tucked into soup. Only when our host stirred it did the tiny chicken's feet complete with nails float to the top & reveal themselves! I like 'chicken's feet' soup!!! I guess vegetarian got lost in translation along with Paramedic. Much like in India, when the family we were staying with presented me with their epileptic son for a drugs review, but this time I was lead to a women in a hut with Malaria, thankfully being treated. I bid her a hearty, big smile & a get well soon and decided to tell all from now on, I am 'Unemployed"
~Elephant trekking was disappointing, it was more like an 'elephant circuit' but it did amuse us greatly when she did an enormous fart whilst scratching her rear leg against a tree trunk, I now understand why elephant dung bio-fuel is a real possibility
Am I pulling or pushing?
! Her skin was very wrinkled, rather like an old, over ripe passion fruit & surprisingly soft like peach fuzz, it was also good to feel the vibrations of her rumblings through our bodies as she communicated with her mates~Beautiful coloured orchids hang & flower effortlessly out of old coconut shells whilst the tail-end of bombs greet you at the front doors of shops & guest houses planted out with lush, deep green foliage
~An early morning stroll around the fresh food markets revealed small brown snakes, giant sized frogs tied together in large bunches by their back legs (very cruel I thought because they never actually manged to jump anywhere, their mates always holding them back!), fury brown animals that I called water voles, but Michael states my measurements were way out for a vole so they must have been water rats & something that looked like super-sized moldy honey cones containing thumb sized, fat, white, wiggerling grubs causing lots of excitement.
And finally we have ended up in Luang Prabang the "jewel" of Laos. A very sleepy, beautiful World Heritage Town, where the Mekong rushes through & is surrounded by misty covered mountains. We've spent our days cycling around, eating from local food stalls, mixing with the monks, relaxing & enjoying. Before we head off for Chaing Mai, Northern Thailand tomorrow for hopefully an altogether better experience this time.
Look forward to hearing all the news & seeing you all very soon.
Lots of love, the Buddha, Wat (temple) & sticky white rice fatigued "falangs" (tourists)
Suzy & Michael
xxxxx
