Blogs from Laos, Asia - page 582

Sabaidee from Laos!! We are in "sleepy" Vientiane, about to leave today to Vietnam by Laos Airline ("Laos Air - On a Wing and a Prayer". We have had three wonderful weeks in Laos and are sad to leave, but looking forward to Vietnam. Laos is quite and unspoilt and the people are so friendly - all the children shout "Sabiadee" (hello) and wave as you go past with big smiles. Yet this is one of the twenty poorest countries of the world and we feel a bit "rich" - the average income is something like three hundred and fifty dollars a year, what we spent last week.... We stayed three nights in a lovely converted French colonial hospital on Don Khone, in the very very south on Laos on the Mighty Mekong, where the storms ... read more

Sad news from the temple... the old monk who used to sit on the steps of the drum tower with his old dog died.  The temple was crowded yesterday for his cremation.  The rain came down off and on and there was alot of chanting throughout the day from those who came to pay their respects. In less serious news, my el cheapo $50 Chinese bicycle has finally quit on me.  It's lasted for 11 months but it too, sadly, has passed away.  With only six days left here I have decided to leave it outside.  There's an old man who comes by with a wooden cart; he collects pieces of scrap metal and bottles - just about anything.  I'm sure he'll be happy to have the frame. Busy packing and avoiding cleaning so...  ... read more

Well, I'm starting to feel it now.  It's taken awhile but now that I only have two weeks left here the sense of 'leaving' has hit.  It probably has alot to do with starting to pack up my house, actually packing bags and giving stuff away that I don't want to carry on with me to Europe.  The bummer is that I'm feeling a bit sick, just a head cold that's grabbed me and won't let go, probably because I haven't had time to rest and my mind is on so many things at once at the moment.  But, I will manage a week of R&R as from next week as I plan to go down south to Champasak; it will be interesting to see if I love it as much as I did Vang Vieng, Luang ... read more

Well, the party turned out to be a funeral.  Apparently, funerals are semi-celebrations here.  It seemed the whole neighbourhood was nextdoor.  The street was clogged with vehicles of every kind - tuk-tuks, motorbikes, cars and utes and everything in-between.  Music from morning until night for two days; it seemed like a great way to celebrate a life.  I didn't see the monks come, as they usually do, but perhaps I was at work.  It hasn't stopped raining for two days.  The kids have decided to rename summer school 'winter school.'  I can't say I blame them; it's difficult having a schedule of outdoor events planned only to have it rain on their fun all the time.  I suspect some re-thinking needs to go into the planning stage considering it's rainy season at this time every year ... read more

Bangkok was great, a pleasant respite from the quiet life here in Vientiane.  Pleasant in some ways but ghastly in others - the public buses; sure, comfortable, but with the open windows letting in the exhaust fumes of thousands and thousands of vehicles in one journey...  Can't be a good thing when you get off a bus and your tongue feels furry and your lips numb and you feel a distinct nausea just because you had to get from point A to point B.  I was keen to get to a cinema - because, of course, Vientiane's cinemas died a quick death 10 or so years ago.  The markets here are saturated with illegal Chinese DVD's and VCD's, but watching a movie in a cinema - there's nothing like it.  It felt great to relax back ... read more