Advertisement
Published: July 24th 2010
Hello all!
Not surprisingly, I left out a million things on the last blovel, but one thing I really to tell about are the barracudas. On our night dive, when you shined your “torch” on a smaller fish, maybe the size of your hand or palm, and followed it with the light, a barracuda would creep up, hover behind it and then whoosh!, it was gone. Of course I have heard of barracudas (Legends of the Hidden Temple anyone??), but I didn’t really know what they looked like. They are these long skinny, silvery fish and they shoot like bullets when going for their dinner. It’s remarkable.
Anyway, I left off last time as I was leaving Koh Tao. We were all splitting up that day, so we went for lunch as we waited on our designated “people movers” to pick us up. I was the first to go with goodbyes to Moises, Conny, and Koh Tao itself. I boarded the ferry and set off for the mainland. The inside of the ferry is “aircon“, but sometimes it’s too cold, so I opted for a “nice and cozy” spot atop the deck and slept as good as one can
on wooden slats, with my “rucksack” for a pillow. After passing numerous beautiful, old fishing boats and watching the islands fade while the mainland grew closer and closer, I made it to Chumphon. Once off the ferry, you stand and watch in fear as they “chuck” all the backpacks and other goods down this makeshift slide, over the water, and to the dock. They have a successful system and I have yet to see a bag hit the water, but oh my, it is scary! You can feel the tension every time a bag hits the thing and it wobbles around.
Now off the boat, I was to “connect” with an overnight bus to Bangkok. By “connect” I mean wait in the same place the ferry dumped us, for 3 and a half hours. I met these 3 Kiwi girls on the “taxi” before the ferry, so chatted with them for a while, but then made my own little spot at a table with some green curry. Everyone was in a group except for me, and two other guys. Us three seemed to make our own little group though. We didn’t say one word to each other, but sat
at 3 tables in an little triangle. We were the “solo travelers section“. Haha. I got over the whole want/need to talk to every person, find out where they’re going, what they’re doing, they’re life plans, where they’ve been, blah, blah, blaaaah a loong time ago. As did, I assume, these two guys. We just sat there, perfectly content not to talk to one another, besides the occasional “Hey, watch my bag?” comment/nod before paying to use the non flusher toilet. The time passed rather slowly but I did get to see a great sunset. Well, I didn’t see the sun actually set, but the colors it shown on the clouds were picturesque.
Finally, the VIP bus arrived. It’s quite a good bus, but not sure it’s really up to it’s VIP title. Either way, I threw my bag in, and up the stairs to a window seat near the TV, that never turned on. I was sitting with one of the Kiwi girls, until she and her friends decided they’d move downstairs. I was OK in my little seat so I stayed put and down sits one of the other solo guys. I had to laugh because we
had been sitting in this same gravel lot basically, for the past 3 and a half hours without a word and now we’re sort of forced to talk. He was a cutie French Canadian, called Marc, just like my old main. 😊 We listened to each others basic “stories”, then quickly lights out for me, thank you Tylenol PM. Somewhere along the way, the bus stopped, lights on, the tiny Thai driver shouting at a volume way too loud, up the stairs “haaaf waay, we stop nooow”. I unstuck my contacts from my eyelids and followed the rest down the stairs. We were at a random, side of the road, makeshift restaurant, filled with Thais and other Westerners somewhere in the middle of their overnight journeys as well.
Not only did I have to use the “toilet”, but I had to pay for it. Of course, I don’t mind paying because the amount isn’t even worth anything, but still. Who wants to pay to pee in a hole? By hole, I mean hole in the ground, not hole in the white shiny toilet with the white shiny seat and clean shiny handle for flushing. This has been the only
time I’ve had to go in a hole, but squatter toilets might as well be holes. The only difference is that you stand on the sides of the “toilet” and squat, before peeing in the “white, shiny” hole. You have squatter toilets, then you have actual toilets, but no flusher. This is where the water buckets/barrels/containers/whatever you want to call them come into action. You “scoop” the water out of the big bucket with the little bucket, then pour the water into the toilet to “flush”. You keep scoopin’ that water until the toilet water is “clean”. Are you following this? I always hate touching the little bucket! As they don’t usually have “flushers”, they don’t usually have toilet paper. However, they do have the “bum gun”. I would let you use your imagination, but yes, a little sprayer thing to clean yourself. Needless to say, I always carry around my own roll of toilet paper, as I assume do most other travelers.
I didn’t mean to go into that whole spill about the toilets, but it’s good info. I am definitely thankful and more appreciative for the smaller, yet important, things in life! So next time you go
to the “loo”, be glad you aren’t peeing, or pooing for that matter, into a hole!
Alright so.. after that.. oh yeah, my pickup on Koh Tao was at 2PM, then ferry, then waiting, then bus, now 5AM arrival in Bangkok. I woke up from my crooked, uncomfortable position to Marc tapping me saying we were almost there. I was so uncomfortable. My body was stuck in the most awkward and painful position. I sat up, checked my belongings, then realized its 5AM in some part of Bangkok and I haven’t the slightest idea of what to do with myself. Conveniently, Marc lives outside Bangkok, but stays in the city almost every weekend. He offered to help little ole me find a place to stay. I file behind everyone else, down the stairs and into.. the sea. “missy, missy” “tuk, tuk” “where you stay” “cheap, cheap fo you” “tuk, tuk” “tuk tuk” Finally! The tuk tuks I have been wanting to see! The little covered carts with 3 wheels and a bench in the back, all bright, colorfully painted with loud, uneasy motors. I know it’s silly, but I was so excited to ride in one!
I wished
the Kiwi girls safe travels as Marc and I drove off in some unknown direction in the cutest little tuk tuk (took took). I’ve never been so awake at 5 AM. We left the tuk tuk and were headed to the guesthouse. People were everywhere. Food carts galore. Music playing. Restaurants packed. Colorful lights dangling above the street. I was just strolling around with my huge backpack trying my best to suck it all in. Marc had been there, done that, but I was new. I was part delirious from actually getting there, but I hadn’t seen anything like it. My eyes were looking all around. I couldn’t take it in as fast as it was coming at me. The commotion, the chaos, the buzz of life. He quickly brought me back to reality and I checked into the guesthouse, 150 Baht a night.. $4.50 a night! I climbed the stairs, down the sketch hallway to my room, looked at my watch and could not believe it was 6AM. I laid down on my single, rock hard bed, positioned the fan, and I was out.
2PM rolls around and I wake up. I thought there was a leak in
my ceiling, but no, it was just sweat. What an awful and gross feeling. It was now a whole lot brighter in my room and I could see the filth. I think the best way to describe the guesthouse is grimy. The kind of grime where it once might have been clean, then dirty, a little dirtier, and now the dirt has turned to pure grime. You could scrub and scrub it, but you wouldn’t get anywhere. You could probably paint it and not get anywhere. Marc, of course, stayed in a fancy aircon room so it wasn’t as bad, but hey, do I really care if the walls are grimy? Yeah sure, the bed is grimy too, but I have a sheet to cover it. I had a tiny room, with a tiny window, single rock hard bed, and medium fan. It’s not all I wanted, but it’s all I needed.
I said I wanted heat didn’t I? Well, I sure got it. I’m a Southern girl who knows how hot and humid it can get, but this was almost unbearable, even for me and I like the heat. I headed straight to the shared bathroom for a
shower. It was so hot I seriously think I was still sweating in the shower. Cold water showers only, mind you. After a bit, I felt clean enough and headed back to my room. I just showered, somewhat cooled off, and now I’m already back at square one. My fan was doing its job, but it was just too hot. I know this is going to sound dumb to some of you, but just go with it and think about it. As I was sitting there in my sweltering little room, I started thinking about that dusty fan. Yeah sure, it’s blowing air on me and it feels good, but have you ever really thought about a fan? Fans simply move the hot air away from your skin/body, they’re not actually blowing cooler air on you. Same air, just moving it away from your body faster. Hmmm. I know you’re probably concerned about my slow thought process right now, but really, think about that. This is what traveling has done to me and my brain. lol
Moving along.. I quickly got changed and was ready to explore a little of Bangkok, then my phone rang. Michael and Lacy were
who's hungry?
selection at a random market in Bangkok! They decided it was too cold in NZ too, so they headed up for the heat. We were staying about a 5 minute walk from each other. I went and met them for a cold, halleluiah, beer. They had an “all day” tuk tuk for 20 Baht from a random one of “them”. This all sounds wonderful, but really.. 20 baht a day.. none of us were sure about that. Well whatever, we all piled in and soon enough were at this suit store. The tuk tuk drivers have to get these “gas coupons” from certain companies in order to keep their tuk tuks, or so we were told. They run you around to suit stores and travel agencies. It’s good and bad. You get a free ride for going into these places, but then you have to stay in there for 10 minutes and talk to “them” about something you have no intention of purchasing or booking. I hated it after the first two stores.
After the shops, we went to Chinatown. Chinatown looks nothing different from the rest of Bangkok, besides it changes from Thai to Chinese characters. It was extremely hectic, with people everywhere,
speaking in all kinds of tones and, I assume, languages. We hadn’t a clue of what was going on. We went this way and that before we had had enough and went back to our tuk tuk man. Well, go figure, he wasn’t there. It didn’t really bother us though because we hadn’t paid for anything. Now we just needed to get back to our street. We made it back and parted ways to wash off our sweat from the day. Later, we met back up at a random makeshift bar somewhere between our guesthouses that was blarin’ some sick techno (insert sarcasm), but conveniently had a 2 for 1 special. Marcs sister was flying in the next morning so we set ourselves a time schedule before heading out.
We went to dinner at a restaurant called The Macaroni Club, or something, definitely macaroni, not sure about the club part. Anyway, before we can even order we are bombarded by little Thai ladies carrying those wooden frog things that have a stick for you to stroke down the frogs back and it makes the “ribbit” sound. The ladies are decked in beaded, bejeweled, heinous hats and carry an array
of useless items in a tray hanging around their belly and strapped behind their neck. They come right up to your table, no mind you’re in the midst of a scrumptious bite. Shaking your head does not work, talking to them does not work, looking down does not work, flat out ignoring them does not work. They eventually give up and move along looking for the next sap to purchase any ounce of their “fine, quality, handcrafted” products on offer.
After dinner, we went to, yet another, makeshift establishment. People always talk about their secret little “hole in the wall” places, but this joint was literally a hole in the wall that some drunks threw a podium into, put liquors bottles on, and now you have “Happy Bar“. It is in one of the many alley ways connecting the two bigger streets. So, they have a great number of people who “stumble” upon it. We were there because Marc knew about it, I can’t say I would have found it otherwise. There were two stools “inside” and about 6 or so outside, meaning in the alley. They played good music so we were all happy and content. Oh, need
to use the “toilet”, no problem, there is a hole in the corner just for you! Again, I mean, an actual hole in the corner, formed because the walls didn‘t align.
Next stop, Khoasan Road. This is a tiny road, strip really, and is the mecca of all tourists in BKK. It’s overcrowded with items for sell, food, and scammers eyeing those pretty, open Western wallets. It kind of defeats the purpose of being in Bangkok, because we’re really just in a different city, with different food. This isn’t “Bangkok”. Most Thais that are there, are only there for your money. Who can blame them? All of that being said, it’s still a comfort zone. Did I really not like being there? Or did I secretly enjoy the safe and secure feeling of “home” with so many others like me around. It’s a win lose. Either way, we made ourselves comfy in the sitting area, on plastic childrens chairs, surrounding a stand that served food/drinks. One thing you know you’re going to win with on Kohsan is people watching, I love it, it’s almost as good as in airports. People are so intriguing.
Now, it’s time for the
police. They do it every night at different times and it’s bizarre. They make everyone move off the street, vendors and all, as they stroll past on their motorbikes or in their blacked out cars with their heads held high in the air. As they pass your area, you must stand up. You stand for a few minutes until you see the Thai people sitting back down and you figure that the “all clear” was given and you are allowed to take your seat and continue with those around you. Sometimes they do it quickly and others they just stroll past, all the while reminding you that they, are in charge.
Later rather than sooner, I called it a night, after meeting Marcs sister. Time schedule = fail. Another late start to the day, waking up in my own sweat pit. I met up with Michael and Lacy before they set off for the islands, I was jealous. Bangkok wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t good. I met up with Marc and his sister later on and we went to MBK. A HUGE shopping center selling any and every thing you can imagine. I couldn’t even focus on one things
because there was so much action happening. Outside the “mall”, people set up shop on the sidewalk. They sit on the sidewalk and surround themselves with their goods, be it tshirts, motorbike parts, small trinkets, etc. Anything they can get their hands on and sell to someone else. There is also a restaurant called MK. So, now whenever I tell my name to a Thai person, I add on “like the restaurant”. Awful.
That night I opted to stay in and try to figure out the rest of my travels. I had had enough Bangkok. As I’m unlocking my door this guy pokes his head around the outside of his door to ask me what time check out is. Immediately I know he is American and I hear his other American friend in the background asking if the construction is noisy in the mornings. I find that within the first minute or two of talking to someone, you know if you’ll get along or not and these two (Dan and Danny- which is annoyed me for no reason) weren’t paintin’ me a pretty picture. We talked and smiled and nodded as I crept further into my room.
The
next day I was supposed to meet Marc and his sis for a trip to some beach about 2 hours away. We all overslept, so I explored a little on my own. As I was returning to the tourist mecca, Kohsan, I ran into Dan and Danny. I spotted them and their enormous cameras dangling from their necks 10 feet too late. I agreed to “tour around” with them. They were from CA, like every other American that I’ve met, but live in China, which in their minds makes them uber cool. They were really nice, good guys. I won’t go into detail, because you can’t really understand unless you met or saw them, but to put it simply, they were losers. Dan and I were complete opposites, but I tried to smile and nod and not to kick him in his manly bits. Danny was funny, but too influenced by Dan, poor guy, he had potential. I know, I’m rude, but you have to get an idea of the people I’m dealing with! They not only bought matching green laser pointers, but could not wait to use them, for Heavens sake!! Who over the age of 14 (being generous)
does that??? We went from here to there, suit stores, travel agencies, the lot. I thought I was always a step behind, but these two boosted my confidence by miles.
They had two spare days before leaving Bangkok, so they decided they’d come with me up North. I hated this plan, but how can you say “get the hell away from me” nicely? I couldn’t. I smiled, nodded, and almost bit a hole in tongue. We went to the train station to book our tickets, and my dear guardian angels were hovering above me. Full. So, it was either a 12 hour bus or an overnight sleeper train the following day. I told them I “couldn’t handle” a 12 hour bus ride, and opted for the last spot on the sleeper train. What a scamp! 😊 It’s not that I couldn’t handle the bus, it’s that I couldn’t the bus with them. We went to an enormous weekend market, mosied around, and headed home before too long. I had had enough of Dan and Danny. These two jokers must not have heard of “comfortable silence”. I think I had a permanent side grin on my face, and every once
in a while I’d think of something funny, then laugh, which worked wonders because they thought I was paying attention.
The next day, I said my goodbyes to dork and dorkier, with a slight idea that I’d see them again up North. They gave me their hostel address and if all was lost, I’d meet them there. I caught the train the following day, it would be MAX 14 hours. Bangkok to Chaing Mai. I board, search for my “bed” and soon realize I’m in the wrong part. I make my way to the sleepers and am sitting cozy, ready to go. I am thinking of what might lie ahead as I am gently tapped on the shoulder by a Thai guy about my age with the most bloodshot eyes I’ve ever seen. I can’t even attempt imitate what he was saying because it was all Thai, a few random bursts of laughter, and more Thai to follow. I thought the universal code for “I don’t know/understand” was the raising of your hands, palms facing up and shoulder shrug. Jibber jabber, jibber jabber, laugh, laugh, laugh. I felt bad for the first 3 minutes but then I just gave
up and stared out the window. Which I thought was the universal code for “don‘t you get it, I‘m ignoring you”. Clearly, this guy wasn’t from my universe. I’m not even joking when I say he talked to himself for the next two hours, every so often tapping me and laughing at his Thai words. By now, he had been through about 4 more Changs (beer).
We stopped at the next station and on board a Dutch couple, who’s seats I’m sitting in. Which means I must move to my seat, in front of Chang (that’s what I called him, because that’s what he consisted of). Now, we sit, facing each other, knees almost touching, my body pointing in the opposite direction we are heading. Every once in a while a vendor walked down the aisle selling the Chang to Chang. I declined his offer repeatedly. Each time a vendor with unidentifiable food came past he would speak to them and they would laugh at him. It made me a little nervous every time for him. He was hammered. He would buy things, I would try them and A. eat them all or B. get sick in my mouth.
There was no in between. He still couldn’t understand that I couldn’t understand. Jibber jabber, jibber jabber, laugh, laugh, laugh. I would sometimes take pictures of the beauty out the window and let’s say every 7 minutes, he would insist I take a photo of this tree or that field. Again the first 3 times, it was OK, the other 52 were not.
Eventually the beds came down and I was able to “separate” from him, but just because he couldn’t see me, didn’t mean I wasn’t there. Jibber jabber, jibber jabber, laugh, laugh, laugh. I was lying on my not too shabby bed, trying to drown out his ever increasing volume, praying for the fan to come around a little fast every time. One slow, rotating fan for 2 bunks, again with the sweat fest. I was able to doze off, but was abruptly awakened with Chang buying me a box of who knows what kind of packaged food. All of a sudden he knew two words in English. “for you” The Chang got to Chang as he was being dumped out at the next stop, two stops after his intended stop. I just imagined him in a
ditch somewhere jibber jabber, jibber jabber, laugh, laugh, laughing. He is one of those people in traveling that you’re glad you’ve met, after you’ve said goodbye. 😊
A good 18 and a half hours later our 14 hour max train, stopped in Chaing Mai. Here I am yet again, no plan, no idea of a plan, in need of a plan. All thanks to Chang this Japanese girl came up to me to ask if I understood anything “that guy” was saying. I laughed because I guess she had been watching me and all my awkwardness with him. She was traveling on her own as well, so boom, there’s my plan. So, regrettably and unfortunately, there are two Californians out there who think Mississippi girls are bitches. I threw the idea of Dan and Danny straight out the window, which yes, was awful of me, but you have no idea. Mana, my new friend, and I shared a truck taxi to Libra Guesthouse. It is SOO much cheaper traveling in pairs here. We shared a room for “cheap, cheap” and later rented bicycles. I was so paranoid I was going to see Dan and Danny and be nothing but
excuseless.
Mana and I rode in nothing but circles, seeing temple after temple, wat after wat. A wat is a monastery temple in Cambodia, Thailand, or Laos (thanks wikipedia). I know they are all unique, but in my mind once you’ve seen one wat, you’ve seen every wat. Chaing Mai is oddly surrounded by an actual moat and big brick gates. I should probably know the story or reason behind it, but seeing as I don't even have a travel guide, of course I don't know the story. It was interesting. We had dinner and coconut milk straight from the coconut. Yes, it looks cute and pretty, but the taste was not for me. We went to bed pretty soon after that as we were to be up bright and early for a 2 day trekking trip. Woke up had some breakfast, met a few others, and headed further North. First, we stopped at Mork-Fa waterfall. It was really pretty, but a little painful to stand underneath. I picked the most awful picture taker to capture me under the pressure of the raging water, but oh well. After a little time there we went to these hot springs. In
NZ, these were awesome. In Thailand, they are ridiculous. I could barely keep my big toe in for 20 seconds. Plus, I’m already sweating from simply standing there, why would I want to get in a boiling hot spring?? Next we set off on a 4 hour hike. I was so excited and ready to get up to a viewpoint. Up, up, and stop for a break. Let’s just say we weren’t the quickest group. If you don’t like the woods/forest, hiking, bugs, sweating, and the like.. it’s probably not in your best interest to go on a 2 day hike in Northern Thailand. Where has all the common sense gone?
A little ways up and our guide turned, said “stay” and went into the forest with his machete. He came back with perfectly sized bamboo walking sticks. It reminded me of my grandmother walking down her loong drive way in the country to the mailbox with her walking stick. Sweet memories. 😊 We made it to a small village of 32 people for our first real break. It’s a beautiful thing when people are happy with nothing. Nothing, yet everything. We continued on, past the skinny cows which
surprise
I'm sweating made me terribly sad, and into the forest again. Our guide started yelling in Thai, which made me nervous, before I could see the meduim sized cow set for freedom. The first, and only time in my life I have ever like the noise (not sound) of a cowbell. (I’m referring to a horrendous rival school for those lost few out there) Our guide joked saying it was a “teenage” cow. I thought it was hilarious, but you know my humor. 😊 So as we’re trekking along, you can hear the ding of the cowbell going and going in the distance. You couldn’t help but cheer him on!
Out of nowhere one of the girls in the back lets out a deafening shriek, and in her defense, with good reason. She had a leech lurking on her sock, trying to wiggle its way into her shoe! A leech! I was so excited, I’ve never seen a leech. He wasn’t as dangerous looking as I imagined, but he was still pretty sick. Mana was the “leech patrol” as she’s had previous experience with them in Japan. Who knew? We made it to our overnight spot with the Hmong Tribe people.
We had a very basic set up. Big room, several mats on the floor, mosquito nets above, squatter toilet outside and around the corner. Although this is the “rainy season”, they haven’t had much rain. Therefore, the “showers” weren’t working. I thought I left my river washing in NZ, but I brought it back with full force. The river was a caramel cover, flowing at a steady pace, filled with six water buffalo, and God only knows what else. We were all so sweaty from the hike that the water sounded quite nice. In we went, struggling to stay in one spot to avoid the buffalo party just downstream. Even though it was dirty, I felt cleaner afterwards. That’s gotta say something for the heat/amount of sweat.
We had a family dinner, hung around the campfire, horribly sang the broken words to a few songs our guide knew on the guitar, listened to him wonderfully sing Thai songs, and called it a night. The next day began with a quick breakfast then elephant riding. It is REALLY difficult to find a trek in Northern Thailand without elephant riding. I do not like elephant riding, not that I ever have,
but the sight of it. I did not want to participate in it, so I didn’t. I was the difficult one. The people I booked with assured me the elephants were taken good care of, and blah, blah, blah. I did not believe a word of it, thankfully. The elephants weren’t chained up, but they had chains on their ankles, which I could be wrong, but I took that to mean that they weren’t chained up in front of us, just chained up elsewhere. Big seat/crate things are tied too tightly on top of them, rubbing underneath their front legs and beneath their tail, raw. They looked pitiful. Two other girls and I chose not to ride them, which saved a least one elephant from performing that day. So remember, a little goes a long way. You may not individually change something, but at least you scratch the surface. I didn’t do it to save the world, I did it for my own sanity.
By not doing the elephant, I got to have my own bamboo raft. This was my favorite part. Floating down the river on a bamboo raft, just me and the guide. It was awesome. Nothing
but nature around us, including a snake wrapped in a tree, water buffalo all along, tall, tall, luscious, green, overgrown hills surrounding, with palm trees sprouting up out of nowhere into the baby blue sky. It was beautiful. I was in the back helping “steer”, but really I just stood there, looking around until he said “Riii, riii, or leeef, leeef”. We went over small rapids, with water gushing up through the bamboo. I loved it. I want to make a bamboo raft and float down the Pearl or James now. It would be awesome. Forget the tubes, let’s do bamboo. LOL.
Back to Chaing Mai, nice cold, clean shower. We set off the next day for the Thai/Laos border. My 30 day visa was up in 2 days. How time flies when you’re having fun! (cheese) In order to get to the border… I took a nice aircon bus, that even gave me snacks, from Chaing Mai to Chaing Rai and a local, non aircon bus from there to Chaing Khong. From Chaing Khong we took a tuk tuk to the Mekong River. The Mekong separates Thailand and Laos. We went to the water and were pointed in
the direction of a long, skinny, very unstable, struggling to float, boat. I feared how long we would be on here, no one spoke English except the departure person way back at the top of the hill. Oooh right, we’re just going across. You see, I was confused. I thought we were going for hours, but it was only 30 seconds. And I think other people don’t have common sense? Hmm. 😊
All of 30 seconds later, I was standing in Laos. The “arrivals” area was a hang out full of local scammers. I got my visa approved and quickly booked a bus to push me further into Laos. I could either do a 2 day boat, or overnight bus. I opted for the overnight. There was another Japanese guy ahead of me, named Go. How I meet Yo and Go from Japan, I don’t know. It’s like the Israelis were with E in NZ. Go was booked on the bus as well. We had a few hours to spare so we wandered up the street for some food. Not two steps in and we see a sign for the exact same bus, just lots cheaper. We go back
to the man who sold us our tickets. He refused to reimburse us, because he had already “been to the bank”, then bitch in me came out and I got our money back. I hate being scammed! It’s not because of the money, it’s the fact that they won and successfully outplayed me. Ugh! Well, I showed that guy. Haha. We kept on keeping on past the cheaper place and went straight to the bus station, where tickets were a great deal cheaper.
The Laos currency is Kip and it’s a little over 8,000 for $1. It was impossible to work out at first. Mana always called Thai Baht “burts” and I thought surely Kip would be easier enough, but no. It’s like when people call Target “targets”. It makes me crazy. It’s not “walmarts”, it’s freaking Walmart people! Anyway.. We sat at the bus station, had some food, and my first BeerLao.
It was one of those moments in life where you are so content in what surrounds you, and what you’re doing, that you just take it in, hold it for a while and breathe every ounce of it with ease and comfort. I loved it.
this guy!!! Chang!
ahhhhhhhh! He's posing for this picture!
jibber jabber, jibber jabber!! On that note, I’m going to say peace chicken heads! I made it to Laos successfully, let the travels continue… 😊
Cheers!
xx
MK
Advertisement
Tot: 0.117s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 9; qc: 63; dbt: 0.0647s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.3mb
Janice Dorris
non-member comment
Your Story and Pictures
I thoroughly enjoyed going along on your trip with you. You made it so real, I felt I was right there with you. And your piccctures are great! What an out of the box experience.