Mud, Temples, Bad Coffee & Terrified Children

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Smelly sandals
I shower every day, sometimes twice a day. And ive been washing myself for a good few years, I think I know how to do it. I change my clothes every day. But for some reason I stink, and the reason is this - my sandals. What is it about a pair of teva sandals that can smell so bad? I scrub them clean every few days, but still the smell is enough to put me off my lunch? WHY?

The mud is always thicker on the other side...
I jumped on a boat across the river to the town whose name I cannot remember. On arrival it seemed that the entire town was basically a sea of mud. It took about 15 minutes to walk up the short road from the river, as every step taken forward resulted in an almost equal slip backwards. Before long my feet were coated in mud, but at least the constant rain washed them off soon... before they got coated again. Luckily the rain had also kept the other tourists away, and I got the whole riverside path to myself as I walked through the washed out temples. At times it felt like I was actually walking through a lost temple site in the middle of the jungles - before the humourously worded Lao PDR signs informed me that "bad people drop litter" which seems a bizarre ethic to express in a country, nay region, where everyone just throws their rubbish out the window of busses regardless of the natural beauty in to which they are throwing it.

Interaction with the local population
Kids can be some amusing. Ive had some great chats with some (despite no common language), and watched in joy as others break into massive grins at the fact you are willing to return thier waves. But some are amusing because of the shear terror they display as you walk past. One particular child was standing in my path. As I walked towards him his face changed from mild curiosity to shear terror, with him bolting and running away when I got to about a metre away from me. Perhaps the site of a 'giant' was too much. Or perhaps it was just the awful smell from my tevas!

Desperately Seeking Coffee
Lao coffee really is great. And its cheap. So why do cafes insist on trying to give you the awful crime against taste that is Nescafe? Its just so wrong - so demand your coffee lao or not at all and stop this injustice.

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