Learning A Lesson

so, last night (Sunday night), when I went up to the cafe to post to the travel blog and check my e-mail, I had my first (and hopefully only) introduction to theft in Laos.

I have to go up to a cafe to use their WiFi (which is pronounced Wee Fee-the manager/part owner of the place where I’m staying is French, and he calls it Wee Fee. His name is Francis, and he is quite sweet-please, don’t get any idea-he is quite gay). So, after I was finihsed posting, I went up to the counter to pay. I gave the guy a $20 US bill. The cafe is an easy and convenient place to change money-they do not charge a commission, use the daily bank rate, and will give me the change in kip (Laos currency). There are 812 kip to the dollar, so I try to just change a bit of money at a time, else you walk around with this enormous wad of cash. Anyway, I handed him the US $20, and he handed me my change in kip, as I had asked. Pulled out my calculator to do a quick check on the change-only $18, but lke them to know I’m on top of things. Anyway, when I was putting away the bills in my wallet, I forgot the calculator on the counter. Realized my error shortly after returning home, and went right back to the cafe. They all looked at me and said they had not found it.

I’m lucky-it could just as well have been my wallet, my camera or my cell phone.

Think this is Buddha’s way of telling me to start figuring out the exchange, without a calculator. However, it was handy when asking prices in stores, cause the owner could just enter the price onto the calculator.

I have not been carrying my camera around with me. Have decided to set a few days aside as photo days, and until one of them arrives, I’m trying to remember the things I would like to try and take photos of.

WeeFee is supposed to be in place at Mekong Estates sometime this week, so that is a good thing. Not sure how I will feel going back to the cafe-will be interesting if any of the staff pulls out my calculator to compute my bill!!

Only a small inconvenience, and a very good lesson for me to be more vigilant.

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