Blogs from Luang Prabang, West, Laos, Asia

Although he who walks behind an elephant may feel secure, he is likely to get splattered with elephant dung… ~ Lao Proverb HE SAID... Today we were continuing to explore the calm and alluring township of Luang Prabang. We woke early, but headed to breakfast fairly late at 7:30am. I enjoyed muesli with yoghurt and milk, but I made the mistake of ordering the special eggs with toppings – a type of baked eggs with sweet bread and sweet Chinese sausage. I simply didn't like it (which is VERY rare for me), so I had to re-order a vegetarian omelette, which was so much better. The woman in the kitchen wasn’t very impressed with me at all, but then again, I don’t think she was all that impressed with people in general. Cold orange cordial and ... read more

A person’s stripes are inside; those of a tiger are outside… ~ Lao Proverb HE SAID... Today we were arriving in the calm and alluring township of Luang Prabang. After another full day on the Mekong in a long wooden slow boat (we’d pushed off the riverbank at Pak Beng about eight hours earlier), we arrived at a berthing area for slow boats just outside Luang Prabang in the early evening. We clambered onto the riverbank, struggled up a particularly steep set of stairs to the roadside and jumped into a waiting minibus – we were heading to Legend Hotel, our comfortable accommodation in Luang Prabang for the next three nights. In the lead up to this trip, I found time to read A Dragon Apparent – Travels in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam by Norman Lewis. ... read more

Saturday October 5 – I had a leisurely morning with Jeroen as my clothes were already packed. I did make a few changes, but overall it was fine. The biggest problem I had was not being able to find my residence permit for Switzerland, which I would need to get back home again. I know I had it in August, but I quickly realized the one I’d been carrying in my wallet was the one that had expired in August. I looked EVERYWHERE last night and was about to start again in the morning, when Jeroen said to give him my wallets to have a look. Of course, he found it in my travel wallet where I had already looked several times. After that, stress levels decreased. I didn’t have to leave until about 11:30am, so ... read more

LES PLAISIRS MINUSCULES Vincent Delerm a commis avec bonheur sa « première gorgée de bière et autres plaisirs minuscules » expression des petits plaisirs de la vie sous forme de courts chapitres, formule qu’il a surutilisé par la suite jusqu’à l’overdose. Reste que ce premier bouquin, surprenant, était bien jouissif et étonnant de justesse. Ces moments de plaisirs souvent infimes et intimes enjolivent le quotidien, brillent les pupilles, ravissent les papilles, réjouissent les ouïes et frissonnent les épidermes. La vie sans eux serait certainement triste. Trop futiles, les plaisirs minuscules, fort éloignés du CAC 40, des complexes relations internationales ou de la crise bancaire, provoquent sans doute les dîners mondains prompts au dédain et à la condescendance. Voyager, c’est aussi s’offrir ces plaisirs simples tout petits, minuscules à retourner les sens et resurgir les émoti... read more

We have slightly overslept this morning as we need to pack, check out, have breakfast and walk to the opposite end of town to attend another Big Brother Mouse volunteering session. We arrive at BBM about 15 minutes late and the session is in full swing but there are young people waiting to join in so it’s not a problem. We grab a couple of chairs and within no time I have a group of four whilst Ian has a much larger group clustered around him. Trying to describe my job has thus far been difficult but today I came prepared! I have two of my travel books which were destined as a gift for friends in New Zealand, but now we feel compelled to leave them behind in the BBM library! Ian’s group is of ... read more