North vs South

Hello all

I’m so sorry its taken me so long to get back in touch but life in Vietnam has been pretty hectic. I don’t think I have ever been to a country that has stirred up so many conflicting emotions in me. I started my blog over 3 weeks ago when I arrived in Hanoi in the South...and reading some of what I wrote then almost seems alien to me now. Obviously Im leaving it all in here, because its true to how I felt at the time.....but right this minute...I’m looking forwards to leaving the country tomorrow.

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Can I just start by saying.....I absolutely LOVE Vietnam! Lonely planet describes it as one of the most intoxicating destinations on earth and I would have to completely agree!
Out of all the places I have been to, Vietnam is without a doubt my absolute favorite!!

I arrived in Hanoi after a 24 hour bus ride from Vientiane. To sum up the journey; let me to quote some of the inscriptions "scratched" by passed travelers onto the back of the bus.

"Welcome to the bus ride from Hell."
" Vientiane to Hanoi longest 47hours of my life"
"Prepare to be left in the bus for 6 hours without air conditioning"

I had heard before I booked the journey that the bus ride was horrendous...but being the 'seasoned traveler' That we ALL know that I am...I made the mistake of thinking..."Really!! How bad can it be?"

(Never think those words!)

Each person is assigned a bed that basically looks like a narrow dentist chair. Your feet then have to go into a plastic box that is about 1/2 a meter long. The box then narrows down to a height of about 15cm. ....so unless you are a size 3 shoe (Midget you would have been fine) you are unable to put your feet upright while sleeping on your back. Of course if sleeping like a ballerina, in first position, is comfortable for you then you would have loved this bus.


Unfortunately not putting your feet in the box is just not an option as there is simply no where else to put them. Each bed is also not completely horizontal which means that you can't lie flat either!
Lets just say its not a comfortable ride...and yes we did stop for 6 hours without air conditioning. I however was very lucky to have one more emergency sleeping pill on hand which worked like a bomb...so I slept through it all!

All that been said though...the bus was clean and once again nothing brings people together like mutual shared discomfort! I still don’t know which is worse...the comfortable, filthy, noisy buses in India or the clean, bone crushingly uncomfortable buses in Vietnam??

I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about coming to Vietnam. After the numerous, less than favorable descriptions I have heard about the Vietnamese people, I was a bit dubious as to what I should actually expect. Compared to the Laos people...they always seem to come off second best. Now I have to agree that the Laos people are lovely, gentle and sweet....but on a whole I found them to be a little a bit bland. (especially after India) Yes they are incredibly honest and would never try and trick you out of your money...but they also very seldom interested in any form of conversation with 'Fa lang' (foreigners). I realize that this is due to the fact that so few of them don't actually speak any English and that Laos as a country is a lot poorer than Vietnam but never the less , I still found it all a little insipid. The Vietnamese on the other hand have been described as rude, overly persistent and cheats who are generally just after your money.

No sooner was I off my bus in Vietnam and ordering my first meal did the waitress attempt to over charged me 3 times the price for my meal. With one : "What the hell, are you bloody crazy look from me????" she then literally fell over herself in an absolute fit of giggles. Shouting to all co-workers who also seemed to find it just hilarious and then graciously accepted the correct amount of money from me.
If I were to sum up the Vietnamese people I would say that they are just plain cheeky. And I absolutely love it. My first day in Hanoi....I literally spent the whole day laughing. From the taxi driver who tried to overcharge me and that then wanted me to get a room with him, to the rotten teethed old man who tried to pull me in for a kiss when I shook his hand....what normally would have been a mildly uncomfortable situations always seems to be diffused by their ability to laugh at themselves and you. For a nation that has spent thousands of years fighting off the Japanese’s, French and Americans their vitality and love for life is just amazing!
I would have to say indisputably that the Vietnamese just 'get' my sense of humor! I can be sarcastic, cheeky and over dramatize things to my hearts content and always be guaranteed to get a laugh. (Granted 1/2 of the time they probably don’t know what this white women is going on about...but never the less they pack out laughing anyway. In Vietnam I am the funniest person in the world! What’s not to love!;-)

Hanoi itself if absolutely beautiful. Thanks to the French, every single shop has the street name on it which makes it an absolute joy to walk around. I was very lucky to have arrived in time for the 1 week celebration of Hanoi's 1000 birthday! The entire city was absolutely heaving and buzzing with smiling, happy people. Similar to India I had many people coming up to me wanting to have their photograph taken with me, except here.... they don’t simply stand next to you. They throw their arms around you and cuddle right in.
After I spent a day in Hanoi I took a 3 day boat trip to Halong Bay, which was absolutely beautiful.




For me one of the best things about traveling are the friends you make along the way. It's a given fact that you are continuously making and meeting new friends....but inevitably you will meet some one that you just absolutely 'click' with, that uber, crème de la crème, "BIG Double mac with large fries" travel mate. Within a couple of hours you are best friends and you feel like you have known each other for years. Its these travel mates that make all the frustrations of traveling alone just sooooo worth it! Its these travel mates that you will always remember even if you only spend one day with them.
Over the last week God has been smiling and I was sent 3 such amazing friends.
Laura, Jessica and Micah! (All American....I might add)


Laura and I only really had a couple of hours together because they had put her and her boyfriend on the wrong boat. Needless to say when they tried to remove them later on that evening we did everything within our human possibilities to keep them with us....we begged , we pleaded, we preformed and we offered money (well she did that) ..but inevitably they had to leave and I think we were both mildly heartbroken. Then however I started chatting to Jessica and we pretty much spent the next two days in Halong Bay swimming, canoeing, (Well....sitting in the canoe and talking) sun tanning and more talking..... you would have thought we would have run out of things to talk about but we never did! It never ceases to amaze me how many gorgeous , intelligent single women there are out there! Jessica is definitely one of them!


On the trip back to Hanoi City, where I was preparing myself to have to say good buy to my gorgeous NBF Jessica, I then met Micah.

A 19 year old American that is more mature than most 30 year old men I have ever met. From the moment we met...you guessed it...we didn't stop talking. Its hard to believe a 19 year could have done so many things with his life already. Last year he went to Uganda to help with the child victims suffering under "the Lords Army " run by Joseph Coney. The stories that he told me were pretty gruesome and for the sake of the weak hearted I don't think I am going to repeat them. But have included a blog I found that pretty much summed up what I heard from him.
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=3580397&blogId=239671799

(Just in case anyone is interested!)

Needless to say I found talking to him fascinating!



We had arrived back in Hanoi just in time for the final night of the Celebrations. We had a fantastic evening and I am convinced that Micah was sent to remind me that the kind of man I am looking for "Does exist"!
All I need to do now is to find the 16 year older model.... who isn't already hopelessly in love with his girlfriend!! ;-)

The following day I set off on the night bus for Hue! (Pronounced: Who - ay) I had booked my ticket 3 days before, so imagine my frustration when I arrive at the travel agent only to be told:
"OOOOOOOH sowweeee but sleeping bus full booked. You go sitting bus!" I was livid to say the least, but what can you do? SO sitting bus it was. I watched in dismay as all the other travelers crammed into the very uncomfortable sleeping bus and I got put into the equally uncomfortable sitting bus with all the locals.
2 hours into the journey, our lovely sitting bus broke down and we where left sitting on the side of the road for 3 hours while they tried to fix it!
I have to admit I absolutely marveled at the calmness of everyone.....I could only imagine the anger and moaning had this been a bus in a Western country....but everyone filed out of the bus settled down and waited.
At 1am another bus was sent and we were finally on our way!

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In the last 14 days or so I have pretty much spent my time traveling down from Hue , to Hoi An, Nha Trang and now Ho Chi Min City. Which is where I currently find myself sitting. At the movement It feels like every inch of my body is absolutely seething with frustration! To be fair I have had an amazing 3 weeks.....there has not been a single minute where I have been alone and I have met some absolutely lovely people. I have been to the most amazing water Park ever, did a Vietnamese cooking class and even did some parasailing! (Kinda like parachuting except you are harnessed to a speed boat!) I have no doubt I will look back and remember all the great times I have had....but at this point in time there seems to be a massive shift in how I feel about Vietnam. And this is where I find myself now....confused and not to sure what to make of the country that I declared my undying love for a couple of weeks ago. I think it all started on my trip from Hoi An to Nha Trang. Once again I was on one of the wonderful sleeper buses. I remember lying there listening to this German girl who has lived in Vietnam for 2 years go on and on about how much she hated the Vietnamese people.
I lay there listening to her...wondering why I seemed to have such a completely different perception of them. I distinctly remember thinking how I seemed to be in this little "I love Vietnam " bubble....that was just so the contrary to what most people seemed to think. I decided then and there that it was simply her negative attitude and chose not to listen to her any more.

Later that night while I was sleeping I kept feeling something touching me....I thought it was just the guy who was asleep on the floor next to me bumping into me by accident. At one point I definitely felt fingers on my back trying to pull my blanket off ....I turned around and it was the Vietnamese guy on the top bunk leaning over me. Needless to say there was no way I was going to sleep after that so I spent the next 2 hours just lying there. Him watching me. Me watching him. At one point he leant over and started trying to touch the girl on the top bunk above me, at which point I screamed at him and hit him with my pillow. (GIRL POWER!)
It wasn’t anything to hectic...but I have to admit it was the most uncomfortable I have ever felt traveling...even in India non of the men would ever have dared touch you! I always felt reasonably safe and respected!
Thank goodness the bus arrived in Nha Trang about 20 minutes after that at about 5 am in the morning. I arrived at my hostel exhausted, only to be told by the grumpy guy working there that he only starts work at 6 am so I would just have to wait for an hour. Never in my travelling life has that ever, ever happened......hotels and hostels are usually only to pleased to go out of their way to make you comfortable and welcome you! In frustration and defiance I walked away....declaring I would go somewhere else ......only to return an hour later, hot sweaty and miserable with my tail between my legs because I couldn't find any other hostels in the area!

Nha Trang is the beach / party town of Vietnam and the attention you get here is simply relentless. From the moment you step out of the hostel and onto the street you are followed by taxi men on bikes and women selling sunglasses, books, jewelry...you name it they will probably have it!
Where you go?
Where you from?
What’s your name?
You want sunglasses?
You want massage?

A quite day at the beach? Think again. A peaceful dinner for 2....not on your life....these people actually come into the restaurant to try and sell you their stuff. It absolutely amazes me that they are never, ever sent away.

Now the women sellers I have to admit I actually quite warmed to after a while....they are always smiling and pretty eager to have a chat, even if its spurred on by the hope that you will eventually buy something. (which I did;-)But the men down this end of Vietnam.....mmmm...not to sure about them. They are just so different from the jovial, non threatening men in the North (massive generalizing going on here I know....but bare with me) I supposed the fact that we were walking around in beach wear didn't help much but you just feel letched at all the time. Its the sordid winks, the cat whistles, the way they looked you up and down when they talk to you and the constant harassment for lifts. In Hanoi...they simply sat on their bikes and called to you...in Nha Trang they follow you. I just didn't like it. My last night there I was out with a couple of friends from the hostel. We came out of a club at about 2 am and within seconds we were surrounded by 3 guys on a motor bikes and 4 Vietnamese girls. The girls were simply laughing and trying to hug us....a couple of seconds later after yelling at them to leave us alone...I discovered that my camera was gone and so was my friend Pete's wallet!

Trust me to be mugged by the "hugging" gang!!!

Yesterday I arrived in Ho Chi Min city (Saigon) and ended up spending that day with a very lovely Welsh girl called Nia. In the morning we went to the War Remnants Museum which was absolutely heart breaking. So many shocking photo's of the Vietnamese people killed during the war. There was also a whole section devoted to the victims of Agent Orange (a chemical that the Americans used to kill the dense forest that the Viet Kong where hiding in. ) The birth defects of so many thousands of children as a result of this chemical are just unbelievable. (Vietnames and American)

In the afternoon we set off to buy me a new camera...mmmmmmmmmmm...that in itself was an experience and a half. It seems that in the streets you are continuously bombarded by sellers trying to get you to buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.....but no sooner than you walk into many of the shops, are you totally ignored. We would walk in...wait...and then watch as other Vietnamese customers got served before us. They simply did not seem interested in helping us and would often just walk away to the back of the shop. It got to the point were we couldn't help but laugh at how completely insignificant we were to them!

I have to admit Nia was an absolutely angel and spent a good 3 hours walking around patiently with me. While we were with drawing money from an ATM there were about 5 street children at the machine next to us trying to get money out with a card. They gave us the card and wanted us to get money for them. We looked at the card and the name on it was of a Dutch/or may German Doctor so it definitely wasn't theirs. We decided to walk over to a police man and hand the card to him...he spoke to the children and agreed that it wasn’t their card but didn't seem to want to take it. (Clearly he knew better than to anger little Vietnamese kids....we unfortunately were not so knowledgeable.) We made the executive decision to simply take the card and destroy it!!! Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeg mistake. We then spent the next 30 minutes been stalked by 4-7 bloody angry little Vietnamese terrorists. (they seemed to gather more friends as they walked) The scariest being a little 6 year old that kept running up to me hitting me. I did my best teacher yell and he seemed to back off for a bit...but they just would not go away. We went into a camera shop only to have them all waiting outside for us yelling and screaming. We eventually walked out but the oldest one cornered Nia and wouldn't let her pass. I literally had to pull the child out of Nia's way. Eventually we decided the only way to get rid of them was to get on a bike taxi. In hind sight I realize that all they are thinking is that we were going to use the card to get the money that they so desperately wanted. They had no concept that the card itself was useless without a pin.

And thus brings me to this morning. There is only one word to describe the traffic in Saigon. Insane. Like most Vietnamese cities the motorbikes rule the road and trying to cross safely is always a bit of a 'life and death situation' That been said most of the bikes do slow down and allow you to weave through them....
This morning as we were crossing the road this guy was coming at us at about 3 times the speed of all the other bikes. I jumped forward in front of him but he went straight into Nia. She had a massive 3 cm cut under her eye and on her leg which were just pouring with blood. It all happened so fast. A couple of people went to help the guy on the bike, who promptly climbed back on and rode away. I helped Nia up only to have the taxi's and cars hooting at us to move off the road. A couple of people came to help from the side of the road but in all honesty I was absolutely appalled at the lack of concern by the other drivers. We then went into a restaurant and they were quite helpful. Nia doesn't have any travel insurance so she was really reluctant to go to hospital....she however wasn't looking at the gaping, bloody, gushing eye that I was, and I managed to persuade her to go. We spent the next 4 hours getting her sorted out. She had to have stitches on her face and leg and has hairline fracture on her wrist. I have to admit it wasn't the best of experiences, especially since the guy who did her leg started stitching before the anesthetic had kicked in, so she could feel everything. She came out almost in tears. I just really hope that they sewed her face up properly....it would be so awful for her to have a massive scar there!! We later discovered that her bag was broken and on talking to a couple of local people it seems that the guy was most probably after her bag.

And this is were I find myself now......I cant help think about how different this whole situation would have been had we been in India. The indifference that we seemed to be treated with today was just quite heart breaking. At one point we walked up 6 flights of stairs at the hospital trying to find someone, anyone to help us.
I cant figure out what I feel for Vietnam anymore. I feel frustrated that I have felt so, so angry and jaded these last couple of days....because this is definitely not who I am.

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Last day in Vietnam today and 40 minutes till Nia and I leave for Cambodia....so I have to finish this blog. I have been thinking a lot today about Vietnam and how hard it is to figure out!
There definitely seems to be a massive difference between the North and the South. I find it quite ironic that the North were the communists in the Vietnam war and the south were the Republicans supported by the Americans. It makes you wonder why we try so hard to bring Western culture to other countries. I clearly loved it in the North.......but at the same time I definitely don’t want to over generalize and completely discredit the South. I have to admit its very easy to allow negative events to taint your perceptions and I do honestly feel like that has been a big part of my frustrations these last couple of days. I left India feeling calm, centred and good about myself as a person.....but I leave Vietnam feeling ever so slightly ashamed that I have allowed myself to be sucked into all the negatism that so many of the foreigners seem to dwell on here! Its so easy to follow the pack! Maybe its been a good reminder of how easy it is to be positive when all is well.....and how much harder we need to work at it the rest of the time!

And that brings me to the end. Nia and I had a fantastic day today crossing the road like two little old women, and following Midgets advice by hiding behind locals.

So all is well and happy and I have a TAN!!

I miss you all and apologize for the severe lack of emailng this month......but rest assured...it was only because I was out having too much fun!;-)

Lots of love
x

I have friends you know!

This morning I picked up an english\loa childrens book called Bangkok Bob!
Its about this little monkey that lives in the jungle who over hears two children talking about how, if you float down the river you will end up in Bangkok. The one little girl said Bangkok was the most exciting place ever, and that she loved visiting there. The other little girl said it was the noisiest, scariest place she had ever been to, and she hated it! And so little Bob decided to build a raft and go find out for himself, because he just had to know!
Well to cut the story short the whole book is about his different experiences and how he veers from loving Bangkok to hating it!! I thought it was quite an appropriate read for me because it pretty much summed up what it feels like to be travelling alone, in your mid-30's.

About a week ago I headed off to Vang Vieng, famously known to back backers as the place to go tubing. Lonely planet describes it as a 'sullied Eden or a hedonistic paradise' that you either love or hate. Renown as the Party Town of Laos....I was positive I WAS GOING TO LOVE IT!

LOVE IT....

The 5 hour bus trip there was the most entertaining bus trip ever...namely due to a 50 something India\American man called Ashok. MMMMMmmmmmm how to describe Ashok......from the moment we got in that minivan, the man did not shut up. The conversation started with him throwing 101 general knowledge questions at us and then progressed to other more sordid details about his life!
Like:
1. A couple of years ago he had an accident and was in a comma. The doctor had to do an operation whereby they replaced a large section of his brain with a piece of a dogs brain. Hence the reason he now howls like a dog most nights...(at which point he proceeded to show us his dog howling skills).
2. He is a pimp and a hustler...on his way to do some 'hustling' in Vang vieang....(not true....later on found out that he was a limo and bus driver!)
3. He continuously told us about his exploits with the 'honeys'...to the point that I had to remind him that he was in a car with ladies and that maybe he could leave out some of the distasteful details.
4. His mum doesn't know he is traveling...and if she finds out where he is she is going to shoot him with a shotgun!
5. He never wants to get married to one honey, and he implore us many, many, many times with his Louis Armstrong voice: "Who in their right mind would EVER want to get married!!! Buy a house have kids...Who on earth would EVER want to do that???????? Hey??? (To which I repeatedly replied: Me!!! Me!!! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!)

There is nothing like being stuck in a confined space with a raving lunatic for 5 hours to make you bond with your fellow travel companions. (A Brother and sister from Minnesota, Carl and Rachel, and a chinses couple! ) We had the best time, talking and laughing, and no journey has ever gone so fast. We however learnt very quickly that Ashok was literally incapable of listening to other people talk. Honestly, he was like a 5 year old! (infact thats being a bit unfair to most 5 year olds) So with the help of the trusty bell on my backpack (see Midget....I knew my bell would come in handy! And you MOCKED the bell!!!!!) we started a timing system whereby Ashok had to be quiet for 5 minutes, to allow someone else time to speak. ( I think the most he managed was 3 minutes) I have to admit my heart warmed to poor Ashok and you very soon realize that he probably did have that motor bike accident and has definitely suffered some form of brain damage! I think we all managed to see past his weirdness and bravado , and have fun with him...but I'm pretty sure not all his travel companions would be as patient or sympathetic as we were.

Of course that been said, when we arrived at Vang Vieng, I am very ashamed to admit that most of us in the bus, scattered with the speed of light, myself and the Americans included! And yes, I felt awful about that, but at the same time, with someone as intense and demanding as that...you just do not want to be staying in the same quest house. (especially if he is going to be howling like a dog ever night!)

So, well bonded with Carl and Rachel, (my new found 'posse';-) we headed off for a hostel called The Spicy Loa. (Basically just a big barn with massive bunks in it!) I sensed that Carl and Rachel would have preferred to go somewhere a bit more up market...but I convinced them it would be a great way to meet people...especially as we were going to go tubing the next day and would need a 'strooooooooooooooooong posse!
Vang Vieng is beautiful, with stunning mountains and gorgeous river veiws! Many of the restaurants play back to back episodes of 'Friends'...its the perfect place to just chill. (assuming you like 'Friends' that is!) After dinner and a couple of drinks we headed back to the Spicy Loa determied to get a good nights sleep, ready for our next days tubing!

Ha Ha Ha!

HATE IT:
Now it so happened that my bunk was situated right next to the 'outside communal area' where all the teen\twenties congregated after coming aback from their night out! From 12 - 2am I lay listening to deep, (NOT) drunken conversation, with an overhead light shining directly in my eyes! Eventually I got up and decided to go and watch a video in the mosquito and smoke filled TV room. At 4am I crawled back into bed, just in time to hear the tail end of another drunken story that ended at 5.30am! Had about an hour and a half's sleep and then the morning shift was up and talking! I spent most of the night lying there cursing at myself, for being old enough to know better! Sleep is way more important than 'posse' hunting!!!

The next morning while discussing with Carl and Rachel what to do, one of the fellow Spicy Loasians commented: "You mean you went to bed without self medicating??? Bad move dude!!"
Um yes clearly. We left right after breakfast.

Realization: I'm not twenty any more, and I like AND need my sleep!!!


LOVE IT:

After I had settled in to my new gorgeous, clean guest house with panoramic views,



I headed off to meet Rachel and Carl. Was minding my own business when all of a sudden I hear Louis Armstrong, um sorry, Ashok bellowing my name. He was having breakfast and insisted that I have some thing to drink with him. I was still feeling quite guilty about deserting him the day before so I thought it was the least I could do. He insisted on buying me a drink and then even wanted to share his sandwich with me....bless, so sweet. I made a comment about him having a good heart to which he promptly replied: "I do not...Im a bad boy!" The conversation then went back to the "Honeys" and all the hustling he was going to do that night! Needless to say it was really hard to actually have a normal conversation with him, and with out the backup of my 'posse';-) I felt a bit uncomfortable. Neurotic Angel was having a field day of course, berating me for not trying 'HARDER' but after about 10 minutes I just had to leave.

Now as fascinating as Laos is as a country, for so MANY, MANY people that come here the tubing is the main attraction. In fact when I was in Thailand last year that was the ONLY reason to come to Laos!

Well to be honest its not so much the tubing that is the huge pull, but the 10 bars situated on the river bank that you visit on route down the river! (For those 'veterans' who aren't too sure what 'tubing' is...you basically get given a tire tube, sign a piece of paper that says you wont hold them liable if you loose an arm, a leg, or die....and then you float down the river!) So basically its a pub crawl on water!( Apparently a foreigner dies ever year, needless to say because the are simply to inebriated!)

Every bar has its own theme, with water slides, swings, zip slides, mud baths, music blaring and load of free Loa Whisky shots! (free booze with teen\twenty somethings....probably not the wisest move) All the Whisky come in bottles filled with, bees, snakes, scorpions... When I heard that, I swore blind I would never drink any of them......but you do! When in Loa.
(not too many of course, wonderful, understanding parents!;-)



Well I had a GREAT day deluding myself that I was 20 something again;-) I absolutely loved all the water swings. The first time I tried one however I kinda had a small problem with actually 'letting go'. I held on sooo long that I ended up getting tangled up in the cord...the entire time screaming: "Carl, I cant let go! I cant let go!" (its dam high you know!;-) Carl has very kindly put the video on you tube (yes I am mildy mortified....so if anyone wants to have a good laugh at my expense http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ns32GgHRHE)

In the evening a group of us went out for dinner and at about 8.30, when all the other 'Teen \twenty somethings' went out Loa clubbing....the 'delusion' finally shattered as I literally dragged my aching bones home.

Realization: I'm not 20 any more!

HATE IT:

The next morning I woke up in the exact same position I had fallen asleep in, and in exactly the same amount of pain, I could barely move my neck or arms!(and the mild hang over didn't help either!)
I stumbled over to Carl and Rachel's place to say goodbye but they had already left! So 'posse-less' and alone I walked around lovely Vang Vieng wondering what I should do with myself for the whole day. I had planned on doing some caving but that was definitely out of the question! The problem with traveling alone is that you get used to being by yourself. Then all of a sudden you meet amazing people, have an incredible couple of days...and then just as quickly; they are gone. Now, what use to be the simple enjoyement of 'ME time" turns into sheer and utter loneliness! The void just seems so much bigger!
None of this was made any better by the fact that Ashok moved in 2 guest houses away from me and kept calling me over, every time I walked past....demanding I sit down. I didn't want to be rude, and I definitely didn't want to hurt his feelings but I just did not have the energy to deal with him or his never ending cigarette smoke!
And so with not much else to do, and still in pain I spent most of the day watching the final series of friends...feeling incredibly miserable for myself! I decided that as much as I had wanted to do the caving...I just could stand another day of trying to avoid Ashok again...and it would probably be best if I just moved on ASAP!

The following morning on my way out to Phonsovan Ashok was sitting in his usual place, outside the quest house! When I told him I was going to see the Plain of Jars (ancient giant stone jars that are believed to have been used for burials) he bellowed: "Why? Whats whats wrong with you man!!! Don't you like any fun stuff like sex???"
My answer was short and sweet...."Goodbye Ashock, it was lovely meeting you!"

Love it!


The Plain of Jars is dated to the Iron Age (500 BCE to 500 CE)and during the bombing of Laos, (in the VIETNAM WAR;-) the Plain of Jars was unfortunately one of the most bombed areas. There are more than 90 different sights within the province of Xieng Khouang. Each site ranges from 1 up to 400 stone jars.



Excavations by archaeologists lead to the discovery of human remains, burial goods and ceramics around the stone jars supporting the general consensus that it was once a burial ground.
Lao local legend however claim that there was once a race of giants who inhabited the area. Their ancient king called Khun Cheung, fought a long, victorious battle against his enemy and then supposedly created the jars to brew and store huge amounts of lao lao rice wine to celebrate his victory.

Mmmmmm....I'm going to go with the burial sight theory!
As of yet only 7 of the sights have been cleared of UXO for tourist visits. The jars were absolutely incredible to see....


We also went to look at cave that was used as medical hospital during the war.....it is literally littered with old medicine vials.....a very sad reminder of what sort of conditions so many Loa people had to live with.


Phonsavan itself is a rather plain, and dusty town....but the evidence of all the left over UXO throughout was fascinating!





Laung Prabaung........HATE IT!!! LOVE IT!!!

I arrived in Laung Prabaung 4 days ago and I have a vague recollection of being pretty, bloody miserable. I was still struggling to meet people and still plain lonely .....as beautiful and gorgeous as this city is its often the most chilled out spots...that you struggle the most in. I did a tour the first day I arrived, with the hope of meeting some people.....and for the entire 4 hour boat ride to Pak Ou Caves....no one said a word! I sat there trying to convince myself to say 'something'.... 'anything'....but sometimes you simply get tired of always initiating conversation...of feeling like you are this desperate lone traveler looking to latch on to anyone who will have them. The tour also included a trip to the Kuangi Si waterfall which was absolutely incredible.






Of course I was surrounded by groups of travelers laughing, swimming and having the best time as I sat there trying to look happy and NOT to look like 'Billy no mates" Frustration then well up in me and I felt like yelling: "I have friends you know....lots of them....they aren't here right now...but they DO EXIST!!!"
Frustration was folowed by 'near teariness' due to the fact that I had NOOOOOOO ONE to take a photo of me ....(Incredibly lame I know, but in the hight of my "whow is me mood"....asking a stranger take a photo of me, was paramount to wearing a T-Shirt that said...."LOOK I have no friends."
Eventually, defiance set in and I snuck off and took a bloody photo of myself! Yes I did! (Dad I think you will be proud)




My mierable mood was then put on hold for the evening...because I had met a couple of Aussie boys the night before and we had agreed to meet up for dinner. ( I washed my hair and everything!!!) After waiting for 30 minutes at our suggested meeting point....I had to concede that maybe I had been stood up!
It was at this point that "Billie no mates" dragged herself home and started this blog! I also managed to have a wonderful chat to Kels on skype.....(my skype angel who alway manages to be there when I need her! She assured me I was loved and yes as I suspected I do have friends!)
I woke up the following morning cried my eyes out for and hour......and then snapped right out of it!

The last 4 days have been amazing! As always, no sooner than you give up on something it magically come you! The day after my "self pity meltdown" I went to another water fall, Tad Sae, which was equally as beautiful as the one before.





Here I bumped into 2 english boys who I had seen at the Kuangi Si water fall the day before. We spent the afternoon together and then agreed to meet for drinks that evening. Laung Prabaung has an extensive night market, from about 5pm -10 pm. Its pretty amazing how these people set set up, and take down, their stalls..every single day! I can't imagine how they make a living though...because there is just so much of everything. Im pretty sure if they sell one or two things a night that would be a lot. On my way out that evening I decided to eat at one of the local food stalls and I ended up meeting a really lovely 42 year old American man, Scott. He joined me and the English boys for a drink and it was a great night filled with 'actual grown up conversation'.

Yesterday I went to place called The Big Brother Mouse. It basically runs book programmes whereby they try and get Loa children reading. For two hours every day "fa lang" (The Loa nickname for all foreigners- because apparently we are tall, have big noses and are white!) are invited to come and read story books to children. Imagine my surprise when I arrive there to discover not children.....but a room full of 16 - 23 year old boys...all wanting to learn English! I ended up speaking to 3 boys, and just my luck one of them was a 23 year old medical student who had his medical textbook with him. He wanted me to help with some of the translations. I did my best but lets just say trying to explain the meaning of words like; symptoms, urine, diagnosis, palmanory, venereal disease and hemorrhoids was definitely not easy, but entertaining as hell! ( to say the least!) I absolutely loved every minute of it! Working with adults is just so different from kids.....it got me thinking that maybe I might do a TEFLA Course (Teaching english as a foreign language) when I get home...and then come back and teach in Loas.

(Only joking mum and dad....Im staying in SA!)

Last night I had dinner with Scott again.....more great conversation and absolutely 'Incredible' food! It was probably the most expensivbe meal I have had in Loas...but soooo worth it!
(No Melissa...I know what you are thinking....nothing romantic!;-)






Laung Prabang is just absoltely stunning, I planned on staying here for 2 days and ended up staying for 5! I absolutely love the gorgeously built guest house\hotels\villa's (Most made with wood) and the stunningly, beautiful streets, I love the picturesque sunsets, and the children playing every where....I love the scenic Mekong river and the monks dressed in bright orange that seem to be every where! But most of all I have loved getting back to 'me' time and remembering that I don't need people around me 24\7 just to be happy.

Realization: Im so glad Im not 20 any more!

Thanks for reading, I love you all!
x

PS Mum if you double click on the pictures you can enlarge them!