latest update

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So... After shopping in Luang Prabang, a beautiful city with french colonial style buildings, we left early on a two day boat trip down the Mekong to the thailand border. The first day was slow and uncomfortable, but I imagine that it was better that the speed boats. We occasionally saw them bombong by like missles skipping over the water. The passenger faces were screwed with looks of terror behind their googles and helmets.
The first night we stopped in Pak BAng, a one street village with a few shops and guesthouses. We ate a terrible dinner and spoke with the owner, who causually informed us before we ate that he had a baby but it had passed away four days before. Needless to say this put a damper on an already chewy meal. We wandered around the town, which took about two minutes on foot and decided to turn in early.
The next we were on the boat again for another 10 hours. We arrived in Huay Xai just in time to see the border close, so we were obliged to spend the night there. We woke the following day, early, and headed to the border. After crossing without paying any bribes, we took a not so crowd mini bus for the five hour journey to Chaing Mai.
Chaing Mai, I think, is best discribed as an Asian Ottawa. The traffic is not too crazy, the bars close early, the prositute to foreigner ratio is shockingly low...
We are staying just out side the old city which is surrounded by a moat and the ruins of the city wall. We are leaving today, after seven days and wish to return in the future. The day of our arrival was nothing worth talking about... food, beer and books. The next day we set out to explore the city and look for tatoo shops, as we both planned on getting ink before our return to Canada. After visiting several shops, I felt that I had decided on one (I got a 3/4 sleeve so I wanted to be real picky) so we headed to the night Bazaar. Their we found the shop we had been searching in vain for the whole day: Sam's Tattoo. He wasn't there when we were but he was called on his cell phone and appeared moments later. HE was the most knowledgable artist, had the best style, and gave the best price. He also turned out to be the right guy. THe tattoo turned out well after three grueling days (13 hours) so I took him out drinking to celebrate. He then invited to take us to the country in two days as the next day (hangover day) was the kings birthday.
On the King's birthday we were hung over, but had to meet with Sam for Jessie's tattoo. When this was completed we shopped a bit more then went to see a movie. The tickets were cheap (about $4) and the seats were plush and comfortable.
The next day we rented a motorcycle (read scooter) so we could head out to the country with Sam and his friend who looks like a cross between buddha and a hippo. We showed up at Sam's shop on our lime green peice of shit and pulled up next to Sam's decked out harley. I felt like weiner following him around on the sprite mobile but he didn't rib me about it too much. We had lunch at his brother's resturant, then took a boat across the lake to well hidden lagoon and waterfall. We hung out there and fed the fish until it started to get dark. We took the boat back and Sam got his brother to drive us in his truck with the scooter in the back as I didn't have googles and biking at night with out them could result in the lose of an eye due to the stupidity of the average insect.
We had planned to go to a village today, but we pretty tired and have been going non-stop for two months. Today will be spend at the movies, then on the night train to Bangkok.

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Comments

[SHARRON]

SPRITE MOBILE was the best you could do???
It would be interesting to add up all the hours that you have actually spent either on a BUS, TRAIN, BOAT, CAR, FLAT-BED TRUCK, SCOOTER, TUK-TUK, FERRY or any other method of what S.E. Asians might describe as "transportation" including PLANE and SPRITE MOBILE. I bet it would add up to more than 5 years of commuting from Orleans or Barrhaven, into Ottawa's city core! ENJOY your last 4 days in Bangkok (for this year) and see you at Ottawa International Tuesday night!!

[Elly(from DDD)]

How amazing !
I read your writings from time to time. It doesn't like a real world. but I think there is so much different culture on the earth. I'm fond of travel like you. so I envy you and Jessie. Take care..... (some of your students are missing you such as Amy in G4, Andy in C2..)