Belated Hello! Have LOVED all of your perspectives. Stay well! 801 Fairway misses you, but your talents (card and otherwise) are appreciated wherever you go.
HI Elsie. Lovely to hear from you. We remain in fairly regular contact with John and we look forward to him nabbing some monster carp come the summer (and easing of restrictions). Hope you and all the family are safe and well. Have to say we remember 801 very fondly. All best wishes A&A.
NIce to read your story When I sit here at home in semi-lockdown I sometimes think about how different life must be in many of those places I go to when I travel. Thank you for writing about it and telling me. Also, you stories brought back some fond memories from when we were in Laos a few years ago. /Ake
Thank you! I am SO enjoying reading your blogs while unable to plan any travel of my own, and you have inspired me to go back to Lao and explore further. Looking forward to the next instalment.?
Do..... Hi Rachel, many thanks for your kind comments. Yes, we really haven't wandered much this time - in almost nine months - but wandering or sitting, it and the Lao people are a delight. Who knows, maybe we'll still be here and could meet up. Although if we do happen to be gone we have plenty of delightful people we could forward you introductions to. I'd certainly recommend another visit. Best wishes, A&A.
Thanks I really enjoyed reading about your COVID-induced stay in Laos. You write really well! I have not yet been to Laos, but your blog has given me a tiny taste.
Laos Hi Karen. Thank you. Yes, Laos is charming. I would thoroughly recommend a visit when we can all move freely once again. Best wishes, Andy and Ali.
I can’t believe I’ve only just noticed your blog. I love reading blogs from travelers of a certain - ahem - demographic who still travel the rustic way. All the best for wherever you go next. Whatever you’re doing sure beats sitting here helplessly in the States while Cadet Bone Spurs leads us down the dark path towards becoming a Failed State.
Rabies... I had a similar incident as Ali. Back in 1967 in Thailand I was playing with a friend's German Shepard and fell on its open mouth. A tooth grazed my ankle. Less than 10 days later the dog died. The U.S. Army vet (American troops had just arrived in Thailand) cut the dogs head off and took it to the lab in Bangkok for rabies testing. Yep, it had it, so I got the full series of shots, alternating between arms for 19 days. I'm glad to hear that Ali survived!
Another month... ...and a bit of a scare. Glad all worked out for Ali. Her background in health a virtue. Most people would not think rabies or tetanus until it was too late. Glad to hear you both are chiving on, lice and all, lovely pictures of the day to day goings on in Laos. Let’s try not to get entangled in any more viruses while abroad! So where will the Yetis be next month? I will tune in to see.
What a beauty. There is something about little things that inspire...sometimes they let one get close for a sharp macro...other times they say don't trust you buddy. I did a blog a couple of summers ago of the insects in my Aussie backyard. Then summer just passed the drought was biting hard and my insect haunts were no one home. Love this pic. ls this a Laotian dragon fly or a wasp?
Not so tiny Hi Dave, pretty sure it is a dragonfly and a good four inches in length it was too. And yes, I remember your insect (often on the wing) photos...
Happy Birthday! What a unique adventure you guys have had! I’ve enjoyed your COVID diary and will be kinda sad to see it end... but onwards and upwards. I was slightly worried for Ali as to what body part Pot-bellied guy was going to present for shaving :)
Covid diary Hi you both, Thanks for the bday wishes and yes nothing would surprise me re P-B man. Not really been an adventure, more like staying with your rural cousins who eat an unusual diet. As for the covid diary... Well, we'll not be getting out of Laos for at least a month or two yet - so, only the location will change. Plenty of scope for adventure yet and hopefully less call to fall back on Covid and Trump for stuffing...
Cadet Bone Spurs Cadet Bone Spurs was convinced to move the date of his Tulsa rally to the following day. Perhaps someone told him there was no bunker he could "inspect" if the rally turned rowdy. The one bright spot in these rallies is that the Orange One's supporters may be too ill to vote come November.
Cadet Bone Spurs Like that, may be recycling it in the future. As for your last comment: the thought had also occurred to me but I thought it a bit harsh to actually state in the text.
I LOVE rabutans! All that tropical fruit and fabulous Loa food on tap? I'm now officially jealous of your life in Laos! Not to mention all the love from furry an non-furry beings... although coming across two elephants without their humans would have freaked me out somewhat :/ We were in Laos in January, and moving to Luang Prabang at some point in our life is on the cards :)
Testing Yes but, no but..... Testing is indeed low. However, the only getting tested are showing potential symptoms and of 4000-odd tests there were only 19 positives: less than 0.5% prevalence = 10x less than UK, France, Spain, Italy et al......
Buffalo are fussy but docile... getting on their back can be a problem if they turn their head to see what is going on. I almost lost an eye from a long arched horn. I also wouldn't be able to ride on one now!
Graeme
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Dave
Just found this blog post. For those who knew Dave, He passed away 2 days ago (4th March 2021) in Mandurah, Western Australia.