New Year the Luang Prabang Way

It is very difficult to reconcile the way the normally polite, shy, relaxed Lao people transform into raving extroverted maniacs. But this dramatic change occurs during their New Year, in Luang Prabang at least.

Perhaps its because they're so reserved for 358 days of the year that they grasp hold of these few days to really let loose. They have fun and many visitors throw themselves into the festivities too.

This New Year period occurs in the middle of April and celebrates the sun moving from the zodiac sign of Pisces into Aries. Basically its about the old spirit departing and a new one arriving. For about seven days, they throw of water at people, obsensibly to cleanse the soul.

Kids, big and small trawl the streets or take up strategic corners and throw basins or buckets of water over people. Many people carry huge water guns, sometimes with reserve water tanks strapped onto their backs. Then they like to smear a white , black or red substance over people - or throw it at them (I never did find out what this was about). Walking the street, driving a car or riding a motor bike - all are fair targets! Once my scooter driver had to stop because white powder was thrown which covered the visor obscuring vision. It's madness.

Consequently people wander the streets soaking wet, smeared in a variety of colours and looking a complete wreck. Towards the end of each day, the young adults ride around town standing on the back of the trucks, music blaring dancing and cheering, sometimes sitting on bonnets and generally having a great time.

I hated it. To avoid the worst of it, I walked very early in the morning because the water bombing didn't begin until around 1000 or 1100. Anyway, this time was by far the coolest for wandering and very quiet. As the day advanced there was a greater chance of being drenched until it all stopped about 1800, only to begin the next day. Tiresome! And, this water bombing goes on for seven days the locals tell me.

But, outside of this New Year peiod, Luang Prabang (an old Lao royal capital) would be a fantastic place to spend time.

The township has no high rise which is a very refreshing change. It is an easy and pleasant place to just wander around. The town is surrounded by water and is like a peninsular with the Nam Khan River on one side of the "V" shape and the Mekong on the other. There is no shortage of special little bars, cafes and restaurants with water views. In the main street (no water views from here), many eating places are raised up three or four steps which is a nice elevation from which to watch the activities below.

The markets here are great too, especially the night market which is open from around 6pm until 11pm. The main street is closed to traffic and local women "set up shop" on the pavement and road laying out their home made (often) wares. The mountain women in particular are dressed beautifully. Their black hair swept up high on their head. They dress in a colourful wrap skirt and the most gorgeous linen (I think) crop top which is often in red or pink. The top has long sleeves and is trimmed in multi hued braid. They are a majestic sight. If only the tops they had for sale were also in these bright hues, I'd probably be loading up my suitcase! On second thoughts - perhaps it's just as well they are selling mainly muted colours for adults.

The workmanship is exquisite and the prices obsenely low. One of my favourite activities is sitting in a bar watching them set up. In true "rush rush - get everything done in a hurry" type of western mind set, I couldn't understand why it was taking them such a long time to unpack their bags of goods and lay them out on the mats. Then, after observing this slow, precise behaviour for a couple of nights I think I know why they patiently display their goods. Carefully unpacking and placing each item means that the movement or colour just might catch the eye of a passer-by and by doing that a possible sale!

Luang Prabang is another of those very special places. I saw lots of people holding umbrellas as the locals use them to shade themselves as they stroll and also while they ride around on their motor scooters. There are many temples here and many monks in bright orange robes stroll around the streets.

Although I said in my last post that I would probably stay longer here than orignally planned, to be honest, because of the water bombing, I couldn't wait to leave so booked an early flight out to Hanoi in Vietnam. Others on my plane had done the same. Having said that - I would definitely come back here, I'd just make sure it wasn't New Year.

Photos: Four this time - Monks, lamp shades, umbrellas, and the New Year celebrations

I'm missing..........all kinds of food from home - a plain sandwich with 5 grains, good coffee, meatloaf, a good steak - get the picture!

I'm reading.......Cuba and the Night by Pico Iyer. Its a novel, but reads more like a travel narrative as I felt as though I was in Cuba. I found it hard to put down as I reached through the pages to find out whether Lourdes managed to find a way to leave Socialist Cuba. A beguiling yarn.

I'm loving........having internet access in my room! Love it. Love it.

I'm surprised........to find that rugby is played in some schools. They are in need of resources - of course - old gear, help with administration, coaching etc. http://www.laorugby.com/.

Taste sensation.........Banana crepes - cooked and eaten al fresco.

Travelers like..........security locks on doors (not always a given here).

Noisy Hanoi

Hello from another bustling, noisy, frenetic Asian city; Hanoi in northern Vietnam. I'm staying in the Old Quarter at the Gia Thinh Hotel http://www.sunshinehotel.com.vn/ and again I have managed to find a great "backpacker deal" but in a nice new boutique hotel where I have a rather lovely room with all the trimmings including in room internet using computers they supply.

It's a lot cooler here and I'm enjoying the respite from the heat.

I'm about two blocks back from the pretty Hoan Kiem Lake. The Old Quarter is a rabbit warren of tiny streets and alleys. In the 13th Century Hanoi had 13 guilds and each one established themselves in a different street. So there were whole streets making and selling things like headstones, another for silversmiths, scales, pipes, copper, herbal medicines etc.

Today some of that remains but tourist outlets seem to dominate with souvenir and art shops; food sellers, tour promoters etc. It's a visual feast and I love strolling and peeking into all the wee shops.

Today I happened across a street with shop after shop selling shoes, another carving and selling headstones. The other day I went along a whole street of vendors selling sweets, all laid out in baskets like the old supermarket "pick and mix" displays before we got all sanitised and put them behind plastic cages with handy pull down dispensers. But there's something I don't understand. All these sweet sellers appear to me to be displaying exactly the same goods, without product differentiation, how would a buyer decide who to buy from in a street of about two dozen sellers?

As I write this, I'm sitting in a small classy (read great service, huge shiny wine glasses) restaurant called Five watching the world go by as I sup a red wine and wait for the chef to cook my wild mushroom risotto.

This is theatre at its best; street theatre. I'm fascinated by the passing parade of cyclos (push bikes with a seat for passengers in front and covered by a wide umbrella). I'm especially interested in the body language of the cyclo passengers. Some people sit back and relax, others browse maps, perhaps following their journey. Some sit with their legs out straight and taut as if to brace themselves against an impending disaster. Others have knees together, ankles wide - kind of unsure whether to relax or not? I wonder what I do?

Of course, I've been ripped off by the cyclo drivers. It's a given really. It was my first ride and I was new in Hanoi. The streets in this area are extremely confusing. As usual, I was trying to go to a particular cafe in the hope of getting a good coffee (I didn't find one and haven't yet!). A cyclo driver saw me stop to review my map and after some discussion we agreed on a price for him to take me. I have no idea what I was thinking to agree to such a big fee, especially when I was sure my intended destination was close, but I did. We seemed to be travelling a long way and I began to feel much relief that I'd agreed to use his services. We twisted and turned and then pulled up outside my cafe. After my coffee, I wandered and after a couple of streets (no more), surprise, surprise I recognised the street - it was my hotel street and only about 4 minutes separated the two! I smiled. At least the guy had the decency to do a little work and show me a little of the old town of Hanoi for his fee.

You can't win with taxi drivers either. My guide book says to use the meter. The other day I was meeting a new friend and my hotel gave me an indication of price which I paid but as the distance seemed so short I felt the agreed price was too high. So the next time I went the same route I declined the set fee and instead went via meter. The drive seemed to take much longer and the price was double. So now I've decided to just bargain the first fee they mention and at least I know the price and I will get there more quickly otherwise they will find a way to get their money anyway! Oh dear....do I sound cynical?

I went to see the Water Puppets the other day which is about a 45 minute show and most interesting. This type of theatre originated in the 13th Century.

By the way I highly recommend Five - the food, service and location was great.

On Tuesday I'm off to Sapa which is a ten hour overnight train ride up into the mountains and close to the Chinese border.

Internet services and the brain willing, I'll send an update from there.

In the meantime, thanks for all the feedback, I really appreciate it. It's great to know who's reading Travelespresso and what you think about it.

I'm loving.......the thrill of anticipating going to a new place. I get all excited as I'm about to head off to somewhere new.

I'm surprised.......at how noisy Hanoi is. I hate to think how high the decibels are.

My favourite coffee.......are you kidding? I have tried several and its awful. That surpises me because they grow a lot of coffee here but I guess they haven't yet learned how to make the kind of coffee I enjoy. They have their own style and I don't like it at all.

Traveler's love........TripAdviser. It's a website where travelers like me write comments on the hotels they've stayed at. I love it because travelers are so objective and I have found the comments most useful. They help me to short list a hotel and to cross off others I had on my "hit list". If you are not familiar with it check it out http://www.tripadviser.com/. I used it to choose my Sapa hotel which is Sapa Rooms Boutique Hotel. To help other travelers, last week I added some of my own comments about various places I've stayed.

Nine Lives - The Road trip between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang

If I were a cat I would most likely have used up at least eight of my nine lives on the road trip from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. The road is extremely windy, narrow and the driver of my mini bus a maniac of the first order!

But before surviving that trip I had three nights in Vang Vieng at the Ban Sabai Cottages http://www.xayohgroup.com/ in a magical spot on the bank of the Nam Song River. High cliffs form a dramatic backdrop. The tall mountains are angular, have mysterious looking valleys and are tucked one behind another in layers. When I was there the heat created a haze adding to the mystery but I am told that during the rainy season they are clear.

The river level is low and from the deck of the hotel, I spent several hours watching the water flow languidly past as I nursed a wine or BeerLao. It all makes for an extremely restful place to spend some time.

The town itself I hated. This really is back-packer town and anyone over 30 (oh gosh is that me!) is seriously outnumbered. The bars and cafes all look the same. I’m not joking when I say that within a 30 metre stretch of the road I walked past three cafes with people laying (wasted….“happy” pizzas perhaps?) on axe shaped cushions watching re-runs of the TV show Friends! I couldn’t wait to leave it. But before I did I had two memorable days away from the crassness in the township.

Tubing down the river on an inflated tractor tyre is a rite of passage for back packers and I joined the ranks. It was great fun. The trip is only 3.5 kms but it took us hours, mostly because one of the people I’d joined decided that this was his day to get drunk and so we stopped many times along the way! I hate to think about how much alcohol he consumed but he began the day with three or four mojitos. Each one is served in a small plastic bag with a straw so its nice and easy to take on the tube! At the last stop he got a small bucket of lao lao which is a strong local spirit, but before that beer and other spirits!

So can you imagine the state he was in? Thankfully we had a guide (Xeng – pronounced Sang) and he took care of the five year old and the drunks antics.

Meanwhile, I drifted slowly down the river away from him, enjoyed being cool and drank in the scenic mountains towering above us. It is a spectacular sight and sometimes, depending upon which view was the best, I tubed backwards so I could enjoy more of the mountains rising above me. We reached our destination some six hours after leaving the hotel. The trip was most enjoyable, but not the company.

One of the reasons the backpackers love this river is the music blaring out, the bars and the rope swings across the river and many choose to stop, imbibe and leap into the river. The people I went down the river with had visited Vang Vieng five months earlier but they were surprised at how many more bars (with accompanying loud music) and swings there were. It seems that someone gets a good idea (whether that be tee shirts, bars, swings, cushion covers or whatever) and then everyone else copies.

I booked the guide, Xeng, for the following day to take me out into the countryside. I left the hotel on the back of his scooter and we went through villages, rice fields, caves, rode across narrow bamboo bridges (yikes!), saw a Buddha in a cave and some bats too among other things.

We stopped for lunch at Pha Tang Resort which is right on the edge of the river and about 17 kms out of town. It’s quiet and beautiful, again with mountains rising right up in front of us. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect place to rest awhile.

I loved the day and enjoyed racing around the countryside. It was an extremely interesting day and having the company of Xeng awesome because he took me to places that would otherwise have been difficult for me to get to. I plied him with questions about the people and customs. It also meant I could stop and take photos when I wanted to. The photo of the four girls (probably about four or five years old) was taken in a village. They just played very happily together by the river without an adult in sight.

Xeng is a very special young man and I would use him (photo attached) again in a heartbeat, except I doubt I will visit Vang Vieng again. He can be contacted through the company he works for - www.laokim.com.

I’d heard all sorts of horror stories of the trip between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang and now that I’ve done it, I agree with them. Everyone! The scenery on the trip is beautiful but in terms of motoring, it is one six hour journey I do not want to repeat.

The road winds up and up and around and around. Just when I thought that we couldn’t climb any higher we continued our journey up and up and up.

There are many very tight bends and not many straight stretches of road so when we got behind a slow vehicle, the driver would just overtake. The blind corners didn’t hinder his overtaking too often. It was hair raising.

I didn’t know whether to sleep so I wouldn’t know what was going on or stay awake to drink in all of the wonderful scenery. Of course I chose the latter option. But that meant I saw a couple of narrow escapes. Once I screamed as a truck came around the corner on the wrong side of the road and of course we were also on the wrong side; both drivers swerved and I swear the huge cab missed me by about 20 cm if that! It took several deep breaths to slow my heart beat. There were other close calls but not quite as close. If you were forced over the edge there would be no surviving it as barriers are few and very far between.

We had to stop or slow almost to a stand still many times for a variety of things:

Big articulated trucks on the side of the road, broken down or having a rest stop – very common and no warning – you would just come around the corner and there they were!

Wandering across the road:
A big fat goose
Mrs Pig and her piglets, curly tails held high and proud
A dog – it could hardly walk it was so fat along with numerous other dogs
Chickens and fluffy babies following behind, single file.
Cows
Goats
Children in dirty clothes or naked
Rocks piled on the side of the road – sometimes blocking one of the two narrow lanes.

The villages we passed through are very pretty. Most of the houses are flimsy and simply constructed with sheets of woven bamboo and roofs of palm leaves. Sometimes they are made of concrete and occasionally wood. The yards are dirt but are swept clean. There is no litter around (unlike southern Cambodia where, for much a trip through the countryside, you could be forgiven for thinking it was one big rubbish tip).

Sometimes on this trip north we passed through big villages. Many times though, high up in the hills, where extra dirt had been pushed when excavating the road, houses have been built on this reclaimed land – sometimes just a few of them, sometimes a dozen or so. Some of these dwellings are precariously cantilevered over the edge of the mountain with a huge drop down into the valley below. The children play in the only flat land available to them; right beside the road. People bathe within a metre of the roadside too.

The road through the villages was often straight so our driver sped on past, honking his horn to scatter a variety of animals and people out of our way.

Aside from traveling on the wrong side of the road and passing on blind corners, the other scary part of the trip for me was seeing, high up in the mountains, young men in the uniform of the youth, holding sub machine guns. Sometimes these weapons were held casually by their side, sometimes slung over their shoulder. At times these youths were alone, sometimes in pairs but once I saw a group of about a dozen. They were lounging, their guns menacingly arranged at the edge of the road, tee pee style, butts pointing skywards.

A lot of the land is being denuded, (even very steep mountains) and we passed many fires burning making the air thick with smoke. The smoke reaches Luang Prabang later in the day creating a haze over the town.

Now that I’ve arrived here, I am carrying on the tradition of telling horror stories about my trip between these two Laos towns along route 13. Having said that, it’s not a trip to be missed and I am still encouraging travelers heading south to consider taking it at least once because of the outstandingly beautiful scenery.

Luang Prabang is a delight and again I will probably stay longer here than originally planned. It is Lao New Year here so everyone is excited, accommodation in the town is full, and there is much celebration and festivals. I will tell you more in my next article.


I’m missing……..not understanding the customs. Much of what’s happening here is beyond my comprehension and I find that confusing.

Best coffee…..At Saffron by the Mekong in Luang Prabang. Its grown here too and is organic. The Arabica beans are grown especially for the café as a replacement crop for subsistence farmers who turned to growing opium poppies before it was outlawed and now coffee.

I’m loving…….wandering around the township taking photos here and there. It is very photogenic.

Bargain of the moment……..the lunch I bought for Xeng and me. It was more food than we could eat and two nice cold beers all for about $4.

Travelers love……tables in toilets or at least good hooks to hang the junk we carry around while going about what you need to do in these small spaces. Sometimes I've resorted to hanging my "hold-all bag" around my neck!

Taste sensation…….Iced teas – I’ve especially enjoyed watermelon of apple teas.

I’m reading……..Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy. Unlikely plot and so, so perfect – all wrapped up in a fluffy pink paper with big exquisite bows and ribbons of cascading stars! Puerile. Not even good escapism.

Eating in Vientiane, Laos

Eating Places in Vientiane

Finally on the eve of my departure from Vientiane, people in the street are recognizing me; acknowledging me. The Lao people are shy and its taken time but slowly they “see” me.

I’ve changed breakfast spots – just for this morning. I’m at Le Banneton a french cafe and I’ve ordered a cappuccino and as always with a new place I wait, in anticipation for its delivery. Will it be a good coffee or one I want to leave? It arrives quickly and is presented with a flourish. The flavour is divine. It is smooth and flavorsome with a pleasant aftertaste which lingers on my palette. But the cappuccino itself is not well made. The pastry and bread selection here is superb and it inspires me to take a piece back to my hotel for a snack later. And I wonder why I’m not losing weight!

Their coffee is organic and fair trade coffee from the Jhai Estate. This is located in Bolaven Plateau which is in Southern Laos. Coffee was introduced to Laos by the French in the 1930’s. Coffee production went into decline with the war but is now a huge business. Whenever I read anything about Lao coffee they proudly proclaim its Fair Trade status. I’m all for Fair Trade – everyone has a right to be paid fairly for their efforts.

It’s very pleasant sitting here on a crudely constructed bench seat and wooden table watching the world go by. This is a quiet street traffic wise but the number of people wandering by keep it interesting; a mixture of locals and tourists.

Women wearing conical hats come past pushing big flat topped wheel barrow type contraptions loaded up with fresh vegetables. They have a set of scales ready to weigh the produce. Women from the shops and houses nearby come out and greet the seller and then they smell, feel and maybe buy. If it weren’t for the motor vehicles parked on the street or that I’m sitting at a café with a digital SLR camera in front of me, you could think it a scene from a bye-gone era.

A woman carrying baskets of food which hang from a sagging rod slung over her shoulder walks by. I’ve seen this a lot throughout my travels. They have an unusual gait, these vendors, which I imagine is attributed to the weight they carry every day. The gait is similar to the road walkers I’ve seen in the Olympic Games. The attached photo (sorry neither is the best quality – you just have to point and shoot or the moment is lost) is of a lady in Cheong Mon Beach, Thailand cooking my lunch. If the photo is clear enough you can see how much she carries – including fire.

My other favourite breakfast place is the Scandanavian Bakery which is by the fountain. I say breakfast place, but the set meal of cappuccino, fresh fruit salad and my choice of roll, cinnamon bun or croissant is enough for lunch as well. All for around $2.40 (and yes, I just checked my conversion). The quality of the food is extraordinarily good and it has a very pleasant atmosphere. By the way, the toilets at this Cafe are spotlessly clean. I might write an article about the toilets here in Asia sometime....but lets not mix it with food!

On my first day here I went to a river front place called SaBai Dee Café (actually this is the local greeting) and they have an extremely extensive menu. I got very excited when I saw their coffee menu and although it looked extremely good (and they served it with a cinnamon stick and a crockery spoon) the taste wasn’t very good. But…the fruit shakes here are superb and well worth another visit.

The other day I went to Sticky Fingers Café and Bar. My guide says it has the atmosphere of a Sydney café and describes it as being one of the best places to eat here, noting the cuisine as modern international. The first time I went I ordered a feta salad with balsamic dressing. It was my first salad for months and I thought I was in heaven. The taste was so fresh, the blend of flavours so perfect it sent my taste buds into orbit. But, I didn’t like the atmosphere. I’m not sure why. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and put down to me (perhaps I was out of sorts, hot or whatever) or that the staff were having a bad day. I went back a second time but I experienced the same feeling so although I loved the food, I’m not going to try it again.

Of course the JoMa Bakery Café is a favourite haunt and the food and coffee consistently excellent. They serve their own blend of coffee and both the cappuccino and espresso are very good. They offer small or large options. Once I tried a large cappuccino. It was indeed large and served in a mug. Three quarters of the mug was thick frothy milk – probably the thickest I’ve had. The only complaint is that they serve them with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Yuk! One day I tried asking for chocolate on top but my request was not understood. When in Rome….. and it’s a no fuss place to while away some time, people watching, writing or reading.

The police presence on the street is very noticeable today. They are standing around all of the corners in large groups. They are tense too. Occasionally I see young men with automatic guns. They hold their guns loosely by their sides. I’ve seen that on the streets and at the markets, here in Vientiane and Phnom Penh. It always unnerves me. What would it take for them to fire I always wonder?

People tell me that Vientiane is very busy and hot at present. They say it’s much nicer during January. But to me it doesn’t seem busy at all. I find it rather sleepy and that’s just fine by me. I love it here. I feel deliciously relaxed and comfortable here. So much so that I am sure I'm wandering around with a grin on my face all the time. Up until yesterday, I toyed with the idea of staying longer but tomorrow I leave for Vang Vieng – a four hour bus ride north. I’ve booked a place on the Song River – the Ban Sabai Bungalows. This area is famous for its caves and stunning limestone scenery.

After that I’m off to Luang Prabang which is even further north and then I’ll fly to Hanoi in Vietnam. But you’ll be hearing from me before that because I plan to be in Laos until my visa expires on the 23rd April.

Some Things I’m Glad I Didn’t Leave Home Without……

Packing clothes, a novel to read and taking a camera are obvious items to put into the suitcase, but here are a few things that have made my time “on the road” more pleasurable…….

1. A stretchy clothesline – even though getting washing done is quick and cheap, being able to stretch my line out to dry a few “smalls” is a boon.
2. My laptop – so that when I have internet access, I can connect with friends and family, reserve my next hotel, have fun writing the next installment for my web page and download photos (I use my laptop to store them, then from time to time send a copy home as a backup). It’s been getting loads of use. I bought a Kathmandu neoprene sleeve for it to help give it extra protection for the times I take it to a café to write and for when it gets packed into a specially padded compartment in my day pack.
3. The tiny travel jug and mug (great for my early morning cup of tea in my hotel room).
4. A small medical kit with items such as; Paraderm for healing bites and minor skin abrasions, anti diarrhea and malarial tablets, Royal D (re-hydration mix), band aids, etc. I have tried to be reasonably self sufficient. Even though in the cities pharmacists and supplies are plentiful, the language barrier, and different brand names on products can be a challenge.
5. Lonely Planet guides – I left with three - Thailand’s Islands and Beaches, Cambodia and Vietnam. But then I decided to add Laos onto my trip so added this guide. I picked up a new one in Cambodia for about $10 versus about $50 at home! All are well marked and have been used extensively.
6. A supply of tiny coloured post-it page markers to use in my Lonely Planet guides. It’s amazing how that “vital” piece of information you read about, or fantastic hotel deal can be nearly impossible to “find” again, but with these markers this “misplaced” information rarely happens.
7. A Belkin Power Surge Protector. The electricity supply has, in places, been erratic – lights dim with monotonous regularity (especially in Thailand and Cambodia) and I’m not using a dimmer switch! When my laptop is charging I have a degree of comfort that there’s less likelihood of the insides getting fried! At least that’s what I think – but what do I know about electricity?
8. My journal (of course). I’ve written a couple so far.
9. The wonderful and powerful (but tiny) LED torch for lighting my way back to my room at night. It gets dark here very early. I keep it handy, on my bedside cabinet, in case of power failure during the night.
10. A plug converter so that I can charge my laptop, camera batteries and for use with the electric kettle.
11. A couple of plastic glad containers – ideal for storing open packets of biscuits, nuts etc so they are sealed and won’t get squashed when I pack.

12. A small photo album with a selection of photos of family and some of my favourite places in NZ (including a small map of where we are in the world). At times I feel like I’m a walking tourism adviser to our wonderful country…..it’s a role I’m VERY happy with - if only I could get paid to do it!

Emergency Health Care in Vientiane

I needed to visit the health clinic here in Vientiane, Laos today. Like going to the Hua Hin Emergency Clinic, (see Travelespresso in February 2008), my visit was for a minor condition but nonetheless, I fervently hope this is my last brush with medical services during my trip.

When I was pitched off the boat into the water in Sihanoukville, I hurt myself and still, two weeks later, my upper rib cage is sore so I decide to check it out before leaving Vientiane (population 234,000) and going north to Vang Vieng (population 30,000).

It’s Saturday and my tuk tuk driver drops me off at the International Hospital (where foreigners are told to go). I am informed that there are no doctors on duty today unless required to attend an accident, heart attack or high fever. I calmly advise the nurse (whose understanding of English is reasonable) that my reason for visiting doesn’t fall into any of these categories. I tell her that my upper rib cage is sore but it is not an emergency.

I was preparing to leave when she says "if I want to see a Doctor now it will cost you $20". Huh? (No point going down the “I thought you just said….…..). Instead I say “OK I’ll pay”.

I’m taken immediately into a consulting room and she instructs me to sit on a bed. To my surprise another woman is led into the room and put on the other bed beside me. The linen looks fresh (but later I notice that it’s not changed between patients). However, the rest of the room isn’t all that clean. Tied to a sink, are a couple of old 2 litre water bottles loaded, almost to the top, with used syringes. The metal side table is covered in rust.

No curtains divide me from the other woman but her consultation is conducted in Lao so I have no idea of her problem, although if I want to watch I can see where the Doctor prods her. After she’s had her diagnosis, she leaves and a man is led in. Because he’s an American I can understand what he’s saying and he’s worried that the needle they’re about to use to inject him is not new. It is, but I too, had been warned to always check this point should I need an injection. Later he told me he had a rabies shot because he was scratched by a cat.

There’s no hand washing between patients but now it’s my turn. The Doctor is a very pleasant woman with a passable command of my language. She presses here and there to confirm the area of pain and concludes it’s not bone, so no broken ribs. However, she informs me, I have strained some muscles. She prescribes massage ointment and time.

I’m directed along a corridor to an outside veranda area where there are two small windows (think TAB). Behind one sits a cashier and the other the pharmacist. I’m waiting in the cashier line, when suddenly the nurse, with the Doctor nipping at her heels, rushes up to me. “You, no pay” the nurse says to me. “Just for today the Doctor says you no pay”. I look at the Doctor but she's just nodding in agreement. I’m confused but say “thank you very much”.

After I collect my ointment, I go on my way.

I stroll back into town, in the sweltering heat, along the Mekong river bank taking the side of the road with the grassy verge which offers a little shade from the overhead trees. Occasionally I glimpse the water in the river some distance from the edge of the bank. The river level is low at this time of the year – nearly the end of the hot dry season.

It’s a relaxing walk and I watch youngsters in groups; in couples, enjoy each other’s company. When I reach town I sit down at a table in one of the air conditioned rooms at JoMa Café, to read, eat and drink. The weekends here at my favourite café are busy, but, the begging lady who always sits right outside isn’t here today. Actually she is just one of two beggars I see around here.

Earlier in the day I spent time at the Post Office where I sent a parcel of goodies home and was asked to pay a “customs” fee (what for or upon what basis the price was calculated, I’m not sure). They helped me to pack the box. I thought I was packing from the bottom up (you know - heavy things on the bottom, light things on the top) but no – that’s not how it’s done. You pack and then tip the box upside down and that’s the top, so then all my easily squashed items where on the bottom!

My visit to the hospital and the Post Office has ensured that again today, I’ve had another interesting morning “on the road”. Even though, at times, I don’t know what’s going on or why. Most times I just go with the flow, remember to smile and forget about how things are done back home.


Taste sensation…….chocolate chip cookies. They’re the best I’ve ever tasted (sorry NZ manufacturers). The chocolate chips are huge and plentiful. I get a solid chocolate fix with just about every bite. Yum Yum. Brand: Pepperidge Farm and made in the USA. I tired to buy some more yesterday but then I remembered that I’d purchased them in Cambodia. Another reason to go back there?

I’m loving……….getting my laundry done by someone else. It costs $1 per kg and it’s returned to me at the end of the day smelling fresh and beautifully folded. This could be the bargain of the moment.

Bargain of the moment……the massage cream for my strained muscles. It cost about 70cents. I imagine I would pay about $20 in NZ, so why is it that we pay so much for this type of product in good ole NZ? On a more positive note, silver is incredibly cheap here and very plentiful.

I’m surprised…..at how I’m stared at. The blond hair? They also love to watch me write. Not quite so much here in Laos but in Thailand and Cambodia they did. In Siem Reap one man stood on the side of the road and watched me for ages as I wrote and had a cup of coffee. He then commented that I must have gone to a good school. I said yes I had. He then said “good….you write more….you write good things about Cambodia” and proudly rubbed his hands together in glee.

I’m missing…..beetroot. Don’t ask me where that came from but suddenly I really miss it. I haven’t seen anything like it so far.

First Impressions of Vientiane

First Impressions of Vientiane
Laos

Well….maybe not quite my first impressions since I have already enjoyed several nights here but I’ve flicked back through my diary and I note that I loved this city from the minute I got here.

Those of you who have been closely following my journey will note that when I left New Zealand, I had no intention of visiting Laos. But, several favourable comments from people en route, and I decided to visit here. And....I am glad I have.

It is considerably more laid back than any of the other places I’ve visited on this trip. Even going through the usual entry requirements; obtaining a visa (easy) and going through customs (waved through even though I’d mislaid my customs declaration), jostling for position to pick up the bags off the conveyer belt (it was waiting for me) was the quickest I’ve ever experienced. I was in a taxi cruising towards the capital of Laos inside 50 minutes from touch down.

Even the tuk tuk drivers are relaxed. One driver politely calls out to ask if I want a ride, and when I say “no thanks” I get the feeling they’re relieved because it saves them the effort of rousing themselves from their stupor. They can then go back and snooze (some even have hammocks strung up in the back) or carry on chatting to their mates. If I say “no” to one, you can be sure his colleague next door hears my reply and he’s certainly not going to bother asking. It’s very refreshing.

The official currency is the kip and this is most frequently quoted but the price could also be in US dollars or Baht so I need to keep my wits about me. However, in my dealings, I have found them to be scrupulously honest. It’s a weird thing entering a withdrawal at the ATM for 700,000 kip (the maximum) but it converts to just under USD100 so it doesn’t last very long, especially considering the great shopping opportunities.

Good buys are clothes – tailor made or off the shelf, jade, silver and interesting jewelry, some of it superb. Silk here is beautiful and plentiful although it appears more expensive than Cambodia. Locally grown coffee is plentiful too. So far all of the coffee I’ve seen is organic, fair trade and very very tasty. It would do well in NZ.

I bought some things at the market the other day and after receiving my cash, the proprietor tapped the kip around several piles of goods she had for sale. She said that my sale was the first of the day and her actions would bring her good luck for the day. These same actions were repeated with my second and third transactions. Bargaining is quick and a satisfactory price is reached very quickly.

Beer is cheap at about $1 or sometimes less. I had one sitting on the bank of the Mekong, looking across at Thailand while I watched the dipping sun turn a glorious red. Actually, sitting on the bank isn't quite what I thought it would be as there is a huge mud flat and the water can be seen in the distance. I guess once the monsoon season comes it will be more spectacular from this side. My guide book says at one part, in southern Laos, the river is around 14kms wide in the wet season! Now to see that would be amazing.

Much of the food is cheap too. This morning’s breakfast was under $3 for an excellent cappuccino served in a mug, a warmed croissant and a fresh fruit salad.

The French influence is strong here and very noticeable in the food. A couple of nights ago I had Lamb Shanks in an orange flavoured sauce accompanied by tasty vegetables and that was very pricey. But they were NZ Lamb Shanks so how could I resist? For my food and two very nice glasses of Italian red wine the bill was $19. That’s the most I’ve paid for a meal this trip and it was worth every cent (not that they have coins here!)

I heard the other day the temperature here reached 41 degrees and most days it is hot but it feels a little cooler than Cambodia. Last night there was a massive storm with shafts of lightning streaking across and brightening the dark night sky. The rain pounded the roof tops but even that hasn’t cooled the temperatures.

My hotel is very central and I can walk to the river, nearby markets (which are excellent), cafes shops and several attractions. It feels very safe and this central area is well lit at night too. The police presence is very noticeable. During the last few days of March there was a meeting of the heads of the Mekong Nations and so flash cars raced around the streets lead and tailed by legions of police. They refer to the six Mekong nations of China, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand – but not the source - Tibet.

I walked to the Patuxai monument the other morning and climbed to the top. It’s said to resemble the Arc de Triomphe. I can just see this, the most prominent monument in the city, from my hotel window. It has four archways rather than the two of its Paris namesake and saying it resembles the Parisian landmark is a stretch. However, what I found funny is the story surrounding its construction in the 1960’s. The US gave the Lao’s the cement to build a new airport but, instead they built this monument! Oh…I’ve just read that taking photographs is banned from the top. What a silly idea - I’m glad I didn’t know about that little “rule”….besides….there was no-one else up there to see me take the attached photo.




I’m missing………….good company.

Taste sensation……….aside from the Lamb Shanks, today I had a warm mulberry pie from JoMa. I’ve never eaten mulberries before and in this pie they were delicious. The tasty generous filling looked rather like boysenberry and had a similar flavour.

I’m reading…………Consuming Passions by Freda Bright. It’s an easy read with the usual “can’t put down” themes of sex, betrayal, ambition and money. I love curling up with my book in the middle of the day to escape the heat in some air conditioned room.

Traveler’s Love…….Royal D – a beaut re-hydration mix with good things for the body.

Best Coffee….YES…I can report on excellent coffee – two of my favourites are the Scandinavian Bakery (they have their first payment of kip framed on the wall) and JoMa Bakery Café. Throughout my trip, I haven’t been able to get a long black though. Americano just doesn’t do it for me as I find the taste too insipid. So I take either cappuccino or espresso and so far in Laos they have been superb. Being organic and fair trade is a wonderful “feel good” bonus.

I’m loving……..the way each day slips by without too much effort and ever so pleasantly.

Am I Slumming it?

Am I Slumming?

Here are a couple of photos of the hotel I stayed at (twice) in Phnom Penh. This is the Sokha Heng Guest House and at $20 per night it is a bargain. I’ve had emails from several people asking about the standard of accommodation and hoping I’m not staying in “grot boxes!”.
This hotel is new and it’s very quiet and in a great location. It’s just across the road from the National Museum and not far from the Royal Palace so it’s ideal for me because I love to walk places. Mind you, after the first day, because of the heat, I decided to take a tuk tuk, regardless of how far I was going.
Located in Street 178, this is also is also referred to as “Art Street” due to the proliferation of art galleries, carving studios and silk retailers. The Mekong River is lined with riverfront bars and restaurants are also very close. A couple of my very favourite cafes (B3 and Café Fresco) are within 50 metres of my hotel.