So after my near death experience on the Speed boat I decided to let loose and celebrate my new found respect for life. I met with some friends from the boat trip as well as some other random travelers at a little bar in Old Town Chang Mai. The bar closed around 1am so Rob (NZ) Matt (UK), James(UK) and myself headed to "SPICY," dance club. I was happy to see a big sign at the door of the club which said "NO LADY BOY." Though that hadn't really crossed my mind, it was reassuring to see that they were [View Full Entry]

---

---

LET's GO TREkKIN!!! I decided that I had seen enough of the cities in Laos and that it was time to actually see the minority people of this beautiufl country. I signed up for a trek through "White Elephant" tour company. Derrick one of the owners is Canadian and a really nice guy. He has this great schpeale that he delivers to anyone considering doing one of the treks. It feels as if he has given this same speech a thousand times, as he speeds through it stopping to point at the photos on the wall and explaining how each [View Full Entry]

---

---

Let me start off by saying a belated HAPPY VALENTINES DAY to all the amazing women in my life (both friends and family). I'm sort of embarrassed to admit that I spent in totally 14 days in the town of Luang Prabang. The truth of the matter is I really liked this town. In some way it reminded me a little of my home in California. Perhaps it reminded me more of a college town than anything else. Just like Davis the town is big enough that you can get around anywhere with a one speed bicycle. One of my [View Full Entry]

---

---

Why take the slow boat when you can take a speed boat? With one day on my visa to go and being the impatient person that I am, I weighed my options. I could either sit rather uncomrtably for 2 days and take a slow boat down the mekong to the Thai border, watching my life drift by OR I could put my life on the line strap on a helmet and sit rather uncomfortably for 6 hours while my life flashes by my eyes as I'm rocketed down the Mekong at unsafe speeds. The decision was rather easy. I convinced [View Full Entry]

---

---

Some of you may be asking yourselves "What is this?" Let me have the honor and distinction of introducing you all to "the Squater." This is the Asian version of the toilet. Yup that's it. I've seen these in other places along my travels. Maybe once or twice, and it was usually in a really dodgy place, but these are everywere here. It completely and utterly sucks. I'd say about 90% of the time it's a squater. When you go to the bathroom in Asia two questions cross your mind. 1. Is it a squater or a regular toilet? and [View Full Entry]

---

---

With a little help from a few American compatriots (Paul and Will from Minnesota) we decided that the Laos word for Hello, Sabadee, sounds like Suup Buuudy....Thus this is how I have started greeting people. Maybe it's only funny in my head, or it's one of those you have to be here to understand it. So all you get your butts to Laos... So after 8 great days in Luang Prabang I decided to head south to check out the backpacker town of Vang Vieng. My van broke down on the way there but luckily 3 Norwegians drove by and [View Full Entry]

---

---

Over the past few days I had an experience that I had really been wanting to have. I hung out with a novice monk. These are the guys that wear the orange cloaks and are seen all over South East Asia. When I see them the put me in a trance. Perhaps its their orange garb or their shaved head, but they simply amaze me. While waiting for the red cross to open I decided to check out the Buddhist temple across the street. I walked around for a while and came upon a monk making a lanyard. He greeted [View Full Entry]

---

---

Today I donated blood for the first time in my life. I'd always been either "too busy" or just not that inerested in doing this deed. I had seen signs around town that encouraged travelers to donate their blood at teh red cross, so I decided suck it up and take the plunge. It took me three days of trying and going by the red cross but finally today i was accepted with open arms. The lady took my blood pressure 137/72 (Dad is that good?) and then layed me down. Hesitantly I asked her if it was a clean [View Full Entry]

---

---

Finally out of Hanoi...I get on the plane excited for new and beautiful Lao. What's this? the stewardess is handing out arrival forms? what's this? it says visa number. I grab my Laos Lonely planet. Sure thing. You need a visa to get into Laos and you're supposed to apply for it in advance. My heart is pounding, my hands are sweaty. I contemplate trying to explain to the stewardess the situation but decide against it. I rationalize that the worst thing that can happen is A) they send me back to Vietnam B) make me take a flight somewhere [View Full Entry]

---

---

This means Happy New Year in Vietnamese, which by the way has to be one of the hadest languages to learn in the world. I tried to pick it up, but in the end my 6 words or so were never really good enough, that's if I ever pronounced them correctly, which wasn't often. Sin Jao-hello Tham Biet- good bye Didi Mau-get a long (go away) Mot, Hai, Ba- 1,2,3 Cam Uhn- Thank you I said goodbye to my parents, checked into my new hotel, watched about two movies and then wandered the streets by myself, ultimately getting really really lost [View Full Entry]

---

---