A Choice of Stories
Right, I've actually nicked this idea off another blog but it serves to purposes. Firstly, it means I'll have some stories left to tell when I get home. Secondly, it get's the interactive thing going. So here's a choice of stories you can have told:
More Scooter Woe~ Driving safety on two wheels in Lao PDR.
Beek, International Reporter ~ Sauna's, networking and job hunting in Lao PDR.
In A Tube ~ Beer, inner tubes, silly behaviour and a new TLA.
That's it. Just put in a comment of the one you'd like to hear most and democracy shall prevail. Depending on the number of votes, i.e. there has to be enough to warrant a tale, the story will appear on the the 11th of this month. Happy voting.
Revoposty
A new batch shall be out shortly. Lao post is safe I have discovered.
Personals
Martha, skirts are en route, let me know when they get there.
Jess, your skirt would be en route but you haven't given me your address yet (yes I know Katy, I'm only teasing her, and you're not shit you're class). Oh and Jess, please define a colour... I've got one already for you but I'm not sure it'll do.
Scroz, your prize is proving hard to find, I think I may have to send you some worthless tourist tat; will that be acceptable?
World leaders, please stop using my blog as forums for diplomatic chat.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Finally...
... civilisation. But could you call it that? Vientiane is the 'capital' of Laos, but let's face it, it hasn't really worked that hard to earn its title. Many of the roads are still dirt, last night the power was down for 3 hours in the guesthouse, and these guys are more mental than Thais on the road. Still, coming through Laos has been a treat.
On The Beaten Track
I have to admit I've followed the same route as probably thousands of travellers. Not something I like to do, but lets be honest, I always end up doing it anyway. Before I start, it might be useful to have a look at a map of Laos first off. So I started off in the North West coming in from the border with Thailand. From there it was two days up the river on a slow boat. Slow boat conjours up images of dangling ones toes in the water as you chug along and take in the atmosphere. Not when you're sat in the engine room. It should have been called the ear drum disintegrating boat. Haha, it was only the second day that we were in the engine room though and it wasn't that bad. incidentally, the picture I posted lasted time was from the film Apocaplypse now. The actual slow boats looked like this.
Luang Prabang was the next stop (after a night in Pek Bang... What noise does a chicken in a minefield make? Suspicious lack of chickens there!) and that place was great. Very little to do, apart from wander around aimlessly without a CBD in sight, or visit waterfalls. The waterfalls (two different ones) were unbelievable and the water was actually turquiose even with the sun behind cloud. There was also a random tiger, very strange. So what better thing to do in a place of such natural beauty than try a back flip off a waterfall and smash your face up? Nice one me. It wasn't that bad though, all healed now.
Vang Vieng was next on the well trodden trail. This is basically just a place to break up the long journey to Vientiane, and it shows. Hoards of backpackers, an over supply of guesthouses and a DVD player in every bar/restaurant. Not all bad but it gets tiresome after a while. They also had tubing there. That was truly inspired. If you go to Laos, go to Vang Vieng and tube. I did, two days on the trot.
Up to the Now
So now I'm in Vientiane, the capital city that never was (not even a city). I was thinking about getting a job here if possible but I've been under the weather for a few days now, swollen glans, sore throat etc so I'm not really bursting with the get up and go required. Still, three mails ain't that much to send is it? Might as do it now whilst I'm on line.
Revoposty and Other Matters
I'm afraid I trust the Laos postal system as much as I trust a Laos truck driver who's indicating left. Therefore, revoposty might be on a break for a while, but then again, nothing ventured and that.
As for the competition; well, we've a call for 2007 but that was my brother. We can't have that can we. 2008 was the next one called by a certain Scroz. I'm sceptical that she was 2008th but no call no prize. Well done Scroz, a genuine piece of Laos art work will be winging its way to you shortly. I bet 2000 was taken by some miserable random... come on randoms, give us your addresses... ooh, or anyone currently on the mailing list is welcome to send me some distant rellie's or a mates address. Whatever.
... civilisation. But could you call it that? Vientiane is the 'capital' of Laos, but let's face it, it hasn't really worked that hard to earn its title. Many of the roads are still dirt, last night the power was down for 3 hours in the guesthouse, and these guys are more mental than Thais on the road. Still, coming through Laos has been a treat.
On The Beaten Track
I have to admit I've followed the same route as probably thousands of travellers. Not something I like to do, but lets be honest, I always end up doing it anyway. Before I start, it might be useful to have a look at a map of Laos first off. So I started off in the North West coming in from the border with Thailand. From there it was two days up the river on a slow boat. Slow boat conjours up images of dangling ones toes in the water as you chug along and take in the atmosphere. Not when you're sat in the engine room. It should have been called the ear drum disintegrating boat. Haha, it was only the second day that we were in the engine room though and it wasn't that bad. incidentally, the picture I posted lasted time was from the film Apocaplypse now. The actual slow boats looked like this.
Luang Prabang was the next stop (after a night in Pek Bang... What noise does a chicken in a minefield make? Suspicious lack of chickens there!) and that place was great. Very little to do, apart from wander around aimlessly without a CBD in sight, or visit waterfalls. The waterfalls (two different ones) were unbelievable and the water was actually turquiose even with the sun behind cloud. There was also a random tiger, very strange. So what better thing to do in a place of such natural beauty than try a back flip off a waterfall and smash your face up? Nice one me. It wasn't that bad though, all healed now.
Vang Vieng was next on the well trodden trail. This is basically just a place to break up the long journey to Vientiane, and it shows. Hoards of backpackers, an over supply of guesthouses and a DVD player in every bar/restaurant. Not all bad but it gets tiresome after a while. They also had tubing there. That was truly inspired. If you go to Laos, go to Vang Vieng and tube. I did, two days on the trot.
Up to the Now
So now I'm in Vientiane, the capital city that never was (not even a city). I was thinking about getting a job here if possible but I've been under the weather for a few days now, swollen glans, sore throat etc so I'm not really bursting with the get up and go required. Still, three mails ain't that much to send is it? Might as do it now whilst I'm on line.
Revoposty and Other Matters
I'm afraid I trust the Laos postal system as much as I trust a Laos truck driver who's indicating left. Therefore, revoposty might be on a break for a while, but then again, nothing ventured and that.
As for the competition; well, we've a call for 2007 but that was my brother. We can't have that can we. 2008 was the next one called by a certain Scroz. I'm sceptical that she was 2008th but no call no prize. Well done Scroz, a genuine piece of Laos art work will be winging its way to you shortly. I bet 2000 was taken by some miserable random... come on randoms, give us your addresses... ooh, or anyone currently on the mailing list is welcome to send me some distant rellie's or a mates address. Whatever.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Get Yer Visa, Geezer
In the process of doing so. Unfortunately I hand over my passport to a shifty Thai guy (all Thai's look shifty when they take your pasport) and I only get it back tomorrow. I hate having to do that, but that's what it takes. So now I'm in the border town of Chiang Khong. It's right on the banks of the Mehkong River and over the water you can see Laos. How exciting. The journey here was uneventful despite taking 7 hours. You'd think that something interesting would happen in 7 hours but it didn't. I was on a second class bus with air con. The air con made the interior baltic and the seats were certainly not made with the average Western bloke in mind. Still the views on the way up were pleasant enough and I kept on thiking I was going to come across the reseach station in Khun Kong that I stayed at a few years back. Needless to say, I didn't. But it was the right area.
How to get to Laos?
Well Chiang Khong doesn't have a scooter rental place so my fvourite mode of transport is out. Oh yeah, plus the fact that rivers and scooters don't mix particularly well. Every guesthouse and travel agent in Chiang Khong offers a two day longboat trip up the river to Luang Prabang in Laos. Having looked around for the best price it dawned on me that every guesthouse and travel agent in Chiang Khong infact sells the same two day longboat trip. It looks class and for ten quid you can't moan so I leave tomorrow morning at eight thirty (passport and visa in hand or so I hope!) With England playing Switzerland(?) at eleven o'clock tonight my time, eight thirty sounds like a bit of a push. Since I'll be in Laos for a bit the blog may get a bit stale so amuse yourselves and others by putting up many witty comments.
Revoposty
Started to get word back about my forrays into mass postage. Gald to hear the some are getting through at least. I still need a random name and address though, come randoms... there's loads of you out there, though probably not that many that read this blog. As for the quality of the witticisms, I'm afraid that they might not quite be up to standard. As the number of addresses increases, the quality decreases. Sorry about that. At least you still get the bloody card.
Points Win Prizes
Indeed they do. As do page views. At the last look there's only about 30 or so to go. Don't forget to check. You wouldn't want to miss out on the super dooper prize that the lucky 2000th visitor wins. As always, the hit counter's at the bottom left of the screen.
In the process of doing so. Unfortunately I hand over my passport to a shifty Thai guy (all Thai's look shifty when they take your pasport) and I only get it back tomorrow. I hate having to do that, but that's what it takes. So now I'm in the border town of Chiang Khong. It's right on the banks of the Mehkong River and over the water you can see Laos. How exciting. The journey here was uneventful despite taking 7 hours. You'd think that something interesting would happen in 7 hours but it didn't. I was on a second class bus with air con. The air con made the interior baltic and the seats were certainly not made with the average Western bloke in mind. Still the views on the way up were pleasant enough and I kept on thiking I was going to come across the reseach station in Khun Kong that I stayed at a few years back. Needless to say, I didn't. But it was the right area.
How to get to Laos?
Well Chiang Khong doesn't have a scooter rental place so my fvourite mode of transport is out. Oh yeah, plus the fact that rivers and scooters don't mix particularly well. Every guesthouse and travel agent in Chiang Khong offers a two day longboat trip up the river to Luang Prabang in Laos. Having looked around for the best price it dawned on me that every guesthouse and travel agent in Chiang Khong infact sells the same two day longboat trip. It looks class and for ten quid you can't moan so I leave tomorrow morning at eight thirty (passport and visa in hand or so I hope!) With England playing Switzerland(?) at eleven o'clock tonight my time, eight thirty sounds like a bit of a push. Since I'll be in Laos for a bit the blog may get a bit stale so amuse yourselves and others by putting up many witty comments.
Revoposty
Started to get word back about my forrays into mass postage. Gald to hear the some are getting through at least. I still need a random name and address though, come randoms... there's loads of you out there, though probably not that many that read this blog. As for the quality of the witticisms, I'm afraid that they might not quite be up to standard. As the number of addresses increases, the quality decreases. Sorry about that. At least you still get the bloody card.
Points Win Prizes
Indeed they do. As do page views. At the last look there's only about 30 or so to go. Don't forget to check. You wouldn't want to miss out on the super dooper prize that the lucky 2000th visitor wins. As always, the hit counter's at the bottom left of the screen.
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Sunday, All Day
Indeed today is Sunday and has been all day. I'm now in Chiang Mai. I have a race against the clock to get to get a visa and get my ass to Laos before my Thai visa runs out. Okay, so I've dramatised it a bit. I do have seven days to get there. But I'm slow in my movements. You can't rush these things.
Peace in Phuket
Patong is not a peaceful place. In the Beach, when they go back to the mainland to get supplies and it's noisy and awful, that scene's filmed in Patong. So in search of a bit of peace I moved out to Surin and flash packed. Sod it, I needed rest before going up country. I over cooked it a bit with Surin as there's bugger all happening there and not much to do especially when it pisses it down every day. Nice room though.
Modes of Transport
My current favourite mode of transport is the scooter. I hired one in Surin to get about. Thrashed the shit out of the little 100cc chicken chaser and rode just about the length of Phuket, twice. The feds also got involved at one point.
This Country!
Coming down a hill into the next beach town and ahead of me was a lot of traffic. A bit weird for the beach roads in Phuket. Then I saw a bunch of cops and to my horror realised they were pulling over everyone. So I didn't blot through the road block like a hero crim on the run. I pulled over and started looking sheepish. This cop says, 'Where li ence?' Which I took to mean, could I have look at your license please. So I just shrugged and went, 'At hotel,' which I hope he translated as, I'm very sorry officer, I appear to have been rather foolish and left it at the hotel I'm currently residing in on your beautiful island. Of course, I have no such thing as a license, unless you class my license to swim without armbands when I was about five. I don't reckon that would have cut the mustard though.
The fed appeared to understand me and so I was happy. He then started writing me a ticket, and I was not happy. A license is required to ride the scooters in this country????? Honestly you should see the mess on the roads. I've just been driving through Chiang Mai for a couple of hours on a scooter, and it's a bloody god job I wasn't wearing white trouser. The upshot of the ticket was a 300 baht fine. Fine, that's only about 4 quid. Bloody annoying. So I paid my fine (which it appeared most of Phuket was having to pay judging by the queue to the payment table). Thoroughly annoyed, but happy not to have ended up in a Thai slammer, I got on my bike (haha, 'scuse the pun) and started looking to get back on the road. The cop about 7 meters infront of me started going mental and waving his arms and blowing his little whistle. So I just carried on shouting that I'd paid my fine and waving my receipt at him. Then I realised he was alerting me that I'd left my kickstand down. Red faces are a multi lingual way of proclaiming yourself as a twat.
About 5 minutes down the road I encountered the only roundabout in Thailand. So shocked to see such an advanced feature, I promptly went the wrong way round it. Maybe a license wouldn't be such a bad idea after all
Indeed today is Sunday and has been all day. I'm now in Chiang Mai. I have a race against the clock to get to get a visa and get my ass to Laos before my Thai visa runs out. Okay, so I've dramatised it a bit. I do have seven days to get there. But I'm slow in my movements. You can't rush these things.
Peace in Phuket
Patong is not a peaceful place. In the Beach, when they go back to the mainland to get supplies and it's noisy and awful, that scene's filmed in Patong. So in search of a bit of peace I moved out to Surin and flash packed. Sod it, I needed rest before going up country. I over cooked it a bit with Surin as there's bugger all happening there and not much to do especially when it pisses it down every day. Nice room though.
Modes of Transport
My current favourite mode of transport is the scooter. I hired one in Surin to get about. Thrashed the shit out of the little 100cc chicken chaser and rode just about the length of Phuket, twice. The feds also got involved at one point.
This Country!
Coming down a hill into the next beach town and ahead of me was a lot of traffic. A bit weird for the beach roads in Phuket. Then I saw a bunch of cops and to my horror realised they were pulling over everyone. So I didn't blot through the road block like a hero crim on the run. I pulled over and started looking sheepish. This cop says, 'Where li ence?' Which I took to mean, could I have look at your license please. So I just shrugged and went, 'At hotel,' which I hope he translated as, I'm very sorry officer, I appear to have been rather foolish and left it at the hotel I'm currently residing in on your beautiful island. Of course, I have no such thing as a license, unless you class my license to swim without armbands when I was about five. I don't reckon that would have cut the mustard though.
The fed appeared to understand me and so I was happy. He then started writing me a ticket, and I was not happy. A license is required to ride the scooters in this country????? Honestly you should see the mess on the roads. I've just been driving through Chiang Mai for a couple of hours on a scooter, and it's a bloody god job I wasn't wearing white trouser. The upshot of the ticket was a 300 baht fine. Fine, that's only about 4 quid. Bloody annoying. So I paid my fine (which it appeared most of Phuket was having to pay judging by the queue to the payment table). Thoroughly annoyed, but happy not to have ended up in a Thai slammer, I got on my bike (haha, 'scuse the pun) and started looking to get back on the road. The cop about 7 meters infront of me started going mental and waving his arms and blowing his little whistle. So I just carried on shouting that I'd paid my fine and waving my receipt at him. Then I realised he was alerting me that I'd left my kickstand down. Red faces are a multi lingual way of proclaiming yourself as a twat.
About 5 minutes down the road I encountered the only roundabout in Thailand. So shocked to see such an advanced feature, I promptly went the wrong way round it. Maybe a license wouldn't be such a bad idea after all
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Homecoming
Quite a few of the people that I've had the pleasure of travelling with over over the past months have been returning home recently, for all kinds of reasons. However, whatever the reason, it's usually not because they've had enough of travelling. My advice to avoid the imminent homecoming blues is to pretend that you're still travelling. Irish of UN fame (still in the field no less) sent me this genius piece of literature today. Inspired Christine. Thankyou.
How to Avoid the Homecoming Blues
When you return home from travelling it can be a shock. The culture shock, the shock of no longer backpacking, the shock of being clean. Therefore, to let yourself gently back into the normality of life at home I suggest the following steps be taken:
1) Replace your bed with two or more bunk beds, and every night invite random people to sleep in your bedroom with you.Ensure at least once a week a couple gets drunk and shags on one of the top bunks. Remove beds one by one as symptons improve.
2) Sleep in your sleeping bag, forgetting to wash it for months.Add some bugs in order to wake up with many unsightly bites over your arms and legs.
3) Enlist the help of a family member to set your radio alarm to go off randomly during the night, filling your room with loud talking. This works best if the station is foreign. Also have several mobiles ringing, without being answered. To add to the torture, ask a friend to bring plastic bags into your room at roughly 6 in the morning and proceed to rustle them for no apparent reason for a good half an hour.
4) Keep all your clothes in a rucksack. Remember to smell them before puting them on and reintroduce the use of the iron SLOWLY.
5) Buy your favourite food, and despite living at home, write your name and when you might next be leaving the house on all bags. This should include mainly pasta, 2 minute noodles, carrots and beer.
6) Ask a family member to every now and again steal an item of food, preferably the one you have most been looking forward to or the most expensive. Keep at least one item of food far too long or in a bag out in the sun, so you have to spend about 24 hours within sprinting distance of the toilet.
7) Even if it's a Sunday, vacate the house by 10a.m.,and then stand on the corner of the street looking lost. Ask the first passer-by of similar ethnic background if they have found anywhere good to go yet.
8) When sitting on public transport ( the London Tube would be ideal) introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you, say which stop you got on at, where you are going, how long you have been travelling and what university you went to. If they say they are going to Morden, say you met a guy on the central line who said it was terrible and that you've heard Parsons Green is better and cheaper.
9) Finally stick paper in your shower so that the water comes out in just a drizzle. Adjust the hot/cold taps at regular intervals so that you are never fully satisfied with the temperature. Because of this frustration, shower infrequently.
I think you'll find this helps.
Quite a few of the people that I've had the pleasure of travelling with over over the past months have been returning home recently, for all kinds of reasons. However, whatever the reason, it's usually not because they've had enough of travelling. My advice to avoid the imminent homecoming blues is to pretend that you're still travelling. Irish of UN fame (still in the field no less) sent me this genius piece of literature today. Inspired Christine. Thankyou.
How to Avoid the Homecoming Blues
When you return home from travelling it can be a shock. The culture shock, the shock of no longer backpacking, the shock of being clean. Therefore, to let yourself gently back into the normality of life at home I suggest the following steps be taken:
1) Replace your bed with two or more bunk beds, and every night invite random people to sleep in your bedroom with you.Ensure at least once a week a couple gets drunk and shags on one of the top bunks. Remove beds one by one as symptons improve.
2) Sleep in your sleeping bag, forgetting to wash it for months.Add some bugs in order to wake up with many unsightly bites over your arms and legs.
3) Enlist the help of a family member to set your radio alarm to go off randomly during the night, filling your room with loud talking. This works best if the station is foreign. Also have several mobiles ringing, without being answered. To add to the torture, ask a friend to bring plastic bags into your room at roughly 6 in the morning and proceed to rustle them for no apparent reason for a good half an hour.
4) Keep all your clothes in a rucksack. Remember to smell them before puting them on and reintroduce the use of the iron SLOWLY.
5) Buy your favourite food, and despite living at home, write your name and when you might next be leaving the house on all bags. This should include mainly pasta, 2 minute noodles, carrots and beer.
6) Ask a family member to every now and again steal an item of food, preferably the one you have most been looking forward to or the most expensive. Keep at least one item of food far too long or in a bag out in the sun, so you have to spend about 24 hours within sprinting distance of the toilet.
7) Even if it's a Sunday, vacate the house by 10a.m.,and then stand on the corner of the street looking lost. Ask the first passer-by of similar ethnic background if they have found anywhere good to go yet.
8) When sitting on public transport ( the London Tube would be ideal) introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you, say which stop you got on at, where you are going, how long you have been travelling and what university you went to. If they say they are going to Morden, say you met a guy on the central line who said it was terrible and that you've heard Parsons Green is better and cheaper.
9) Finally stick paper in your shower so that the water comes out in just a drizzle. Adjust the hot/cold taps at regular intervals so that you are never fully satisfied with the temperature. Because of this frustration, shower infrequently.
I think you'll find this helps.
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