Hue Xie and Vientiane Laos Different Perspectives Newsletter August 4, 2008

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Dear Patrons,

Welcome to our news letter. The Staff at Different Perspectives try to bring a clearer picture of current events effecting China and Asia. Although we believe the international media driven primarily by the western world's interests, is bringing the public events as they happen, we at Different Perspectives are independent and non biased without an agenda for prestige or monetary profit. We simply feel the western world may be somewhat isolated from news that is local to our office here in Beijing, China.

We hope you enjoy the news from a different perspective. Please contact us with your questions or comments. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you
Different Perspectives Staff
Edward


Monday August 4th 10:30 pm
Sabadee Guest House
Hue Xie, Laos

Once settled into the Sabadee I went next door to relax after a rainy afternoon crossing the Mekong River from Chaing Khong, Thailand. Over coffee I sat to map out my route south toward Vientiane. I decided tentatively to make my way to Phongsali with one overnight and 2 bus tickets.

I’ll go to the bus station early in the morning for an 11:30 am departure. In the meantime I found a Lonely Planet Laos to read. Before too long I befriended a young woman by the name of Tammy from Wales who happened to live in Beijing.

After good conversation and dinner and it was time to head for the guest house. It would be an early start in the morning. Dinner was ok, nothing special I think I had noodles with
an assortment of vegetables and meat. Living in China it’s hard to compare any countries food to the superb food of the Chinese culture. In my opinion the Chinese cook and serve the best food of any country I have ever visited, hands down!

Hue xie is somewhat of a strange place for me. I was more comfortable in Chaing Khong.
The people here seem more reserved, and the environment less open, poorer I suspect. One night here will be ok.

Wednesday August 6, 2008 10:30 pm
Saysouly Guest House
Vientiane, Laos


I hitched a taxi from downtown Hue Xie 15 km to the bus station. A group of backpackers took the community ride truck out of Hue Xie ahead of me. Most of the morning it was dark and grey with a constant drizzle rain.

At the bus station in the waiting area I encountered at least a dozen western backpackers taking the same route as I toward Luang Prabang, Laos the next city on the tourist route. Oh well Chaing Khong was a good break from the “TR”.

Soon we were packed into a bus after the bus depot maintenance crew worked for 2 hours as we looked on with anticipation making sure the bus was safe for our travel through the wet rugged mountains of Northern Laos. Once on the road we were committed to a 14 hour overnight ride.

I don’t remember too much of the ride it seemed we were winding endlessly through the wet muddy mountain roads. From time to time we passed through very small villages. Frequently the buses navigator who sat up front next to the driver would get out and examine the road in front of us to see if it was passable.

The roads were very bumpy throughout much of the long ride as the bus moved at a snails pace avoiding huge gouges in the dirt road. We all practiced our patience with rough ride.

I practiced my patience with the tourist hanging out the window to get a quick smoke, not realizing that the smoke seeped into the bus regardless of their effort to exhaust the smoke out the window, and the friendly French woman sitting behind me who had no trouble ordering me to close up the window so it wouldn’t blow on her face. Ah yes my reserve of patience was coming in handy. Thank you Maung soe my friend.

We arrived at the bus terminal in Luang Prabang at 5am. After exiting the bus I watched with a chuckle as all the packers buzzed around confused and negotiating a ride into town in a group. I sat down and waited for the chaos reminiscent of Bangkok and Chaing Mai and after a 14 hour roller coaster bus ride I didn’t have any trouble sitting back and watching it pass. Thank you.

After a rest, a bottle of water and some discussion with the locals I found that a bus was scheduled to leave for Vientiane at 7am. I hustled to get a taxi to the station that the bus would leave from. Before long I was on a bus to Vientiane and off the “TR”! What a relief. 8 hours later after a pleasant non tourist bus ride we arrived in the Vientiane bus station, closer yet to Phnom Pehn my next major stop.

After departing the bus station by taxi I found myself wandering around Vientiane looking for placed to crash for a night or 2 after a 24 hour bus ride though nearly the entire country of Laos from north to south. I settled for a room with a shared bathroom
and a fan after realizing that the atmosphere and prices were again influenced by the tourist traffic.

Outside my hotel a fight broke out between a western couple arguing about who was responsible for their less than comfortable accommodations. Hmmm, I could see this in any western city, why would I travel half way around the world to see it? I couldn’t get away from it. I had been on the “TR” since I got to Bangkok from Myanmar some 8 days ago and just couldn’t shake it!

After settling in a bit at the Saysouly Guest House I headed out to and ATM and for a bite to eat. An Indian food restaurant was convenient to my guest house. I sat and looked out onto a main boulevard in the Capital City of Laos and reflected the bustling nature of a city I had not seen since my stop in Bangkok. I befriended a French man from Madagascar and talked about his experience in Cambodia and Phnom Pehn. We made plans for breakfast in the AM.

I made a commitment to stay in Vientiane for 2 nights, get some laundry done and make plans to enter Cambodia. My bus trips were ok through Laos, long…. but ok.

On the bus ride here I met a mountain family that I enjoyed being with. It was a family of mother and father and at least 3 children traveling together. They had nothing. The children constantly motion sick, throwing up into plastic bags throughout our 8 hour bus ride from Luang Prabang. One boy of 6 year old seemed almost in a coma.

The mother was also sick. I was heart wrenched. These children were the most innocent young human beings I had ever set my eyes upon. This I remember clearly as I write this memoir months later. How I yearn to go back to Laos and offer my help again to this beautiful family.


Thursday August 7, 2008
Saysouly Guest House
Vientiane, Laos

I slept well my first night in Vientiane and after meditation (which was long overdue) and coffee, I felt energized. Across the street at the coffee shop I befriended an American teacher from South Korea. He joined me along with two local street type women that I invited to sit with me.

I bought a coffee for one of the woman who toted a basket with soap and pedicure instruments. Apparently her job was street side pedicure and foot washing service. I think the other woman worked for the coffee shop. I couldn’t be sure since neither woman spoke any English.

Fired up on caffeine I started my day by going down the street to a travel agent to book my passage to Cambodia. After thirty minutes of discussion I opted for a flight out of Vientiane to Phnom Penh at 10:10 am the next day.

In the meantime I rented a motorbike nearby and cruised south of the city to visit an organization called COPE that helps amputees maimed from UXO (unexploded ordinances) bombs for short.

I totally enjoyed the freedom of getting about on my own with the motorbike. I had the freedom to get off of the “TR”. I spent about 2 hours at COPE and was grateful. An amazing display of the history of the American bombing in Laos during the Vietnam War. Being an American I was very impressed and touched. More bombs were dropped on Laos than anywhere else in history.

It had been 2 weeks since I had left Myanmar and I was finally seeing again things that I was interested in. I was starting to enjoy Southeast Asia again.

Next time on Different Perspectives join me as I travel by motorbike south along the Mekong River at night to meet the locals have dinner and meet with a Laos school teacher and village government leader.

Please join me, until then…….

“Those who accept that we all die someday settle their quarrels.” From the dharma scriptures given to me by my buddhist friend hnin hnin yu on my visit through Mandalay, Myanmar.

Edward
Different Perspectives

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