Laidback to the Point of Inertia

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{apologies for the lack of linguistic finesse, I'm reeling from the after-effects of "lao-lao" - Lao homebrew, tasty!}

Getting to Thailand was exquisite. Nepal had been lovely but even there the constant military presence made me uneasy, and I found it quite difficult to meet people (again, a million thanks to Ben for saving me on Christmas!)... I was incredibly eager to get back to tropical South East Asia. Even in Bangkok, the city which gave me so much grief as the first stop in my trip I was struck by the relative ease of, well, living... The less-than-sparkling city felt fresh and clean, transportation was modern and fast and understandable, and people starting behaving the way I expect them to - there were suddenly women visible in public jobs and the staring was a little more subtle! Needless to say, it was a relief, and especially nice to have Simone, a friend from home, to spend a weekend with. Despite spending four days in the city, we managed to avoid doing any real sightseeing (I have been to Bangkok four times and never been inside the Grand Palace, that must be a record), instead filling our time with long talks over great food, meandering walks, and loads of shopping. It was also New Years weekend, and we definately made our mark on Khao San Road... no more needs to be said (and all photos/videos need to be burned!) In short, it was a blast, but merely a stopping ground as we both prepared for future endeavours (I was headed to Laos, Simone was off to India).

Although keen to get to Laos, NYE had definately done a number on me, and I found myself settling into the little border town of Nong Khai for a few days, unable to tear myself away from the easy-going lifestyle, scenic placement by the river, and phenomenal guesthouse and restaurant I had lodged myself in (Mut Mee for those reading this for research purposes). A few days with little done but reading and writing and, well, eating, and I was ready to take on a whole new country... An exuberance of energy that was entirely unneeded for a place as laid back as Lao, as I was soon to discover.

Vientiane is said to be a small town, lacking "aesthetic appeal", and yet I was totally charmed by this most un-capitaly of capitals. Despite being the supposed power base of the country, it hardly seemed busier than Nong Khai! I could wander across main roads quite easily (a superhuman task in any other major city in SE Asia), and cover the main part of the town in a few hours. The same hassles existed there as in other parts of the region (namely the tuk-tuks), but even the drivers of those irritating little taxis were too laid back to pester to the point of annoyance. I wandered Vientiane's streets, explored a refreshingly local market, and regained my appreciation of wats, but the main draw of this little city are the riverside food vendors set up on the banks of the Mekong. Little plastic tables near strewn-together kitchens manned by a few locals served up some of the best food I've had.. and for mere pennies. I ate and relaxed my way through the capital of Lao, and have definately established myself into the typical pattern of a traveller in this country... "Chill" and its variants have become my most used words. ;)

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