ORANG-UTANS IN SUMATRA

I was in Penang, feeling very worldly & wonderful on my first solo trip in Asia.
Then l saw a sign pointing towards the ferry to Sumatra. It sounded so enticing & exotic. The 'fly by the seat of my pants'  itinerary was working well . I knew nothing about Sumatra except that the endangered orang-utans lived there & l wanted to see them before they no longer existed in the wild.
After a pleasant passage across the Malaccan Straits, l immediately headed for Bukit Lawang, a village perched just outside of Gunang Lesseur National Park, where the 'man of the forest', the orang-utans, lived  in their natural habitat.
l decided a one day trek was enough for me but was cunningly conned into a two day trek which the guides promised me was a 'walk in the park.' And l was guaranteed to see the orang-utans.
The 'walk in the park' ended at the base of the first mountain and l needed to drag myself up by tree-roots, crawl on all fours up steep inclines & slide down by the 'seat of my pants' on the other side. The jungles of Sumatra can be extremely mountainous & difficult to trek.   Our group was struggling with the stifling heat & humidity. If l'd had the energy, l would have kicked myself in my complacent butt for not doing some research.
Eventually after slogging breathlessly through dense & what felt like, unchartered terrain, we were well rewarded with the over-whelming joy of sightings of several orang-utans. Orang-utans are not family grouped animals and are generally lead solitary lives with a baby & sometimes a toddler.
Suddenly all the pain was forgotten & time stood still as we watched these close cousins of ours climbing through the trees of their natural home environment. So human like in their facial expressions, playing with their babies, grooming them tenderly and quietly & curiously watching us below. All was forgiven and we wanted to scream with delight, but instead our group just looked at each other with beaming smiles bordering on bursting.
After two days, l limped out of the jungle exhausted, my heart filled and my soul singing.
The next day l headed up river for a swim to alleviate the pain in my aching limbs. As l waded into the cool water, a young boy offered to bring me a beer. While l sat enjoying the weightlessness of the water, the boy returned with a cold Bintang & pointed across the river into the trees where l could see the hairy red arms of an orang-utan. Then there were two, mothers & babies. Before l had finished my beer, a group of funky monkeys had climbed down to the rocks opposite & were feasting on some pineapples left from a picnic. They're quite a large monkey with a sort of mohawk style hair growth. And then some spider monkeys, small very light, long limbed monkeys, were swinging through the branches hanging over the river.
Here we were at sunset, four species of primates, in the jungles of Sumatra, quietly enjoying the peace, no threat to each other, just quiet respect & acceptance.. I inwardly laughed to myself that l could have saved myself a sizeable sum of money and two days of tiresome trekking if l'd just come down to the river & waited for the orang-utans to come to me. I sat in silent solitude, the water washing away my pain, the sounds of the jungle echoing eternally around me. It may have been the alcohol, but  l was in a state of bliss.

VOLUNTOURING IN ASIA

After travelling to Cambodia many times over many years, l had become quite disillusioned with some of the charities that l had become involved with. I was beginning to question where the money was going from all the donations. And l was not getting clear answers. I was tired of seeing NGO (Non Government Organisation) personnel,  driving around in luxury 4WD cars while the local people walked. 

Cambodia has become a centre for 'voluntourism' and  there is a considerable amount of exploitation developing. Or maybe it was always there & l just didn't open my eyes enough to see it. I began researching more for legitimate & worthy organizations for myself and also for other genuine volunteers coming to Cambodia who wanted to be more involved than just having their photo taken at an orphanage. 

Anyway that's when l met Jimmy. While sitting at a bar one evening, pondering which way to turn next, l met a bright American girl, Bernie. She had just finished class and as l questioned her about her volunteering, my faith in humanity was resurrected. As she explained to me Jimmy's story & about his big dream, I knew I had to meet this remarkable young man Jimmy. And I had the good fortune of being  introduced the following afternoon.

Jimmy is a young Khmer man who is devoted to teaching the local children English.  He works as a tuk tuk driver while studying English at the university, thanks to the sponsorship of an Australian couple. His English is excellent and he opens up his family home every evening between 5 and 8, to dozens of studious children who appreciate what Jimmy is offering them for free. He tells them that English is the torch that will lead them out of poverty. And inspires them with his words as well as his own living example.

When he was much younger, he began by sitting outside his home, reading out loud from an English book, in the hope that some Western tourists would hear him and stop to talk  & correct his English. And of course that is exactly what happened. Now years later, Jimmy invites anyone who has the time & the ability to speak English, to visit  his little school and interact with the children. Jimmy generally takes the class or sometimes a visiting international teacher. Then I, and other volunteers help correct the children's written work and speak conversational English. This is an awesome opportunity to understand & appreciate the lives of these Khmer children and for them to hear & learn about life outside of Cambodia.

Volunteering in Asia is rewarding & life changing and in the best possible way It's impossible to return home with the same view of the world that you left with. All the trivial things that use to annoy you become even more trivial and less annoying. And a new appreciation develops for hot & cold running water and flushing toilets. And a realization of how many litres of fresh drinking water we just flush down the toilet!

The reward in volunteering is many times more than the effort of giving. The gratitude is humbling. And for something as simple as speaking English which is the only language l can speak anyway. How wonderful it must be to have a skill or a degree in medicine that can really help their health & welfare. l remember how good it feels to take soap, panadol & antiseptic to an isolated village in Cambodia.

Firstly it is very important to find the right place to spend your time. It should be somewhere or something that you feel passionate about. l have met people who have unfortunately left Asia feeling disappointed with their volunteering experience. Mostly because the organization they have been involved with were merely milking them for money. Sadly this happens. So before anyone commits their hard earned money that they have already spent a big chunk of time accumulating, and before committing another big chunk of time in volunteering, lots of research & responsibility is required.

Personally l have the time to go where l am passionate about & research it first hand. l have no special skill just the ability to speak English (with an Aussie accent) & the desire to immerse myself in a different culture. Community schools are excellent for this and l have several favourite places that I attend & return regularly. But if time is limited, the internet offers lots of information, recommendations & feedback. I have never paid for the privilege of volunteering & I am in two minds about organizations that charge. Sometimes it is legitimate & it's a form of fundraising. But I am also a bit wary because l have seen so many Lexus cars being driven by NGO personnel. And l have seen orphanages that allow 'sleep overs' for a price!

The best organizations require a police clearance if it involves children. And usually require a commitment of a reasonable amount of time. If you only have a few days here & there on an extended holiday, or even an hour or so, the community schools are the best. And a great opportunity to learn about their culture as well. Also some Buddhist monasteries encourage Westerners to help with conversational English and that's an awesome opportunity to learn about Buddhism & their lives as monks. Of course there are a few rules if you are a woman, like not touching them or their things. I kept forgetting & kept picking up their pens & books. But it was ok.

I have formed heart warming friendships in many countries & thankfully through the internet & facebook, l have managed to stay in contact with them & their families. So if anyone is interested, please contact me. I cannot recommend it highly enough, there is no feeling comparable. I volunteer mostly in Laos & Cambodia. But l have volunteered in lndia, Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar. Philippines & Kenya. And l also have alot of contacts if that can help.

MY PRIZED GIFT TO MYSELF

One of the best gifts l have given myself, was experiencing the joy of giving in a remote village in northern Cambodia. Probably a short flight by crow, but by tuk tuk & ox-cart through the flooded outback, it is a challenging couple of hours or so. It's a pleasant beginning through the countryside and then the long journey by ox-cart becomes hazardous as the water rises above the dray & we scramble to stack the supplies out of reach of the muddy water. There is much mirth in our little team of volunteers as we anticipate the joy we will witness in the village. I have been blessed with the best fortune to have a friend like Jimmy who is so willing to give his time and escort us out there where no tourist dares to go. Most villagers there have never been to Siem Reap, the nearest large town. They have neither the means nor the desire. So without electricity or phone, they have no idea when my friend Jimmy is coming to visit. But word spreads quickly even without technology and a large gathering is waiting to greet us with beaming smiles. Jimmy must be like Santa to them except they have never heard of old St Nick. But they know he comes bearing gifts and the excitement & expectancy, loads the air with laughter.

Jimmy is the young Khmer man who runs an after school class in town where l help when in Cambodia.. His English is excellent, thanks to sponsorship by an Australian couple. In the evenings he opens up his family's home and teaches English to children of varying ages & ability. He tells them that learning English will be the torch that leads them out of poverty. He invites Westerners to join him and help teach the children in conversational English. It's an excellent win/win experience for everyone as the tourists interact with the Cambodian children, learning about thrir lives and the children become more confident with their speaking.

And occasionally when some volunteers contribute longer periods of time and have the funds & inclination, Jimmy enjoys taking them to a village that is without any of the very basic luxuries like soap or medicine. So what a thrill it is for me to go! And through the generous donations of The Theosophical Society and some of its members, I am the one that sees their smiles, feels their gratitude and experiences the over-whelming joy of giving.

And the joy lasts longer than one would imagine. It lifts me up to a high that can be tapped into at a moment's thought. And their smiling faces are never far from my thoughts.

 There are 30-50 families in the village, it's difficult to tell. And they are very isolated & extremely poor, like 80% of rural Cambodia. This trip, with the aid of one Irish & two English girls, we provided soap, paracetamol, antiseptic, dahorea medication, noodles & pork, bagettes, books & pencils, 2 soccor balls & a couple of hula hoops.  On a subsistence rice-based diet, noodles are a rare luxury and pork, even more so, maybe once or twice a year. Everyone goes home with a useful gift and memories of a surprise party day full of treats, games, gifts, food, medicine & soap. We are farewelled & followed as far as the flood waters allow.

We arrive back in Siem Reap unable to speak from emotional & physical exhaustion. That satisfying weainess you feel from a day well spent. All of us in our own little worlds, reflecting on their stories of horrendous hardship during & after the Pol Pot regime. And their struggles with lack of clean water & medical assistance. But at no time did they complain, they merely stated the facts. They are quick to laugh & share a joke and there is no greed as we hand out whatever supplies we have. Just polite gratitude and a community happiness. I wish I could do more. But l am grateful to be given the opportunity to experience the gift of giving. It's one of the greatest gifts l ever have given myself.

KHAO SAN ROAD - FRIED BUGS, TRAVEL BUGS & BED BUGS

V

Khao San Road may not really be Thailand at its best. But it's a great start & a great end to many backpacking journeys. It offers budget backpacking, bizarre bazaars & all the bugs you want.

I remember one night many years ago, it was my last night in Asia, and l was sleeping in a 200 bht ($7) room which was more like a cupboard with a fan. But on my last night l was reminiscing of how far l had come,  both physically & figuratively. When l saw written on the wall, a farewell from a British girl, dated the year before, on her last night in Bangkok. Her words echoed what was bouncing around in my head & l felt strangely connected to the stranger on the wall. She was silently thanking SE Asia for all the love & laughs she had shared, all the challenging experiences she had encountered, all the life-long friendships she had forged and how Asia had changed her forever. She was leaving Bangkok a better & stronger person. And she was overwhelmed by mixed emotions. She was expressing her deep sadness to leave the comfort that she had created & become accustomed to in her 'life on the road,' She was fearful of returning to the real world, finding a job and settling into suburban mediocrity. She wondered if her family & friends would recognise the capable woman she'd become. She wondered if she would fit back into Britain at all. She promised to return to Asia one day & volunteer. 

I wonder if she did. She signed it with just her first name, 'Becky' and a date. I have no idea how old she was but she had been travelling alone like me and l felt every word she expressed. She was probably half my age & from a continent on the opposite of the world. But that night, without her knowing it, she spoke to me. And presumably to many others though there was no comments left nor any 'likes'. If technology & social media had been available then, l doubt that she would have written on the wall. But I'm glad that she did write that night and l will never forget it.

My first night on Khao San Road in 2005, l arrived in the wee hours and was scared witless to walk outside of my hotel and find something to eat. The street was shutting down and there was such a grotty, seedy feeling about the place. What was l doing here? 

Now, 9 years later, l love it. I love seeing the locals cleaning up after yet again, another messy but profitable night on Khao San Road. Westerners are staggering blindly back to their beds, some are helped by friends, some are being lead by ladies of the night or lady-boys. More tourists are arriving and some are departing. There always seems to be some kind of constant movement on Khao San Toad, it's definitely a street that never sleeps.

I have a favourite cocktail bar that sets up in the evenings in Rambuttri, sellin $2 mojitos & $1 beers. The bartender remembers me, "Not too much sugar" she says. lm not sure if that is a good thing or a poor reflection of me and how many mojitos l have consumed there.

I enjoy the nightly neon circus of Khao San Road in which everyone is a performer, hawkers & punters alike. People from all over the world, dressed in the same backpacking uniform of elephant pants & singlets, are sucking down buckets of vodka & red bull or eating fried scorpions on sticks while haggling for a faux Rolex and cheering on a busker poorly impersonating Lady Ga Ga.

And the more conventional someone is on arrival, the more extroverted they seem to become on Khao San Road. Fake tattoos, fake dreadlocks, fake identities are all available to temporarily conceal conservatism. 

Some holiday-makers sometimes never leave the confinement of the bars of Khao San Road. Consuming only 'safe' burgers & fries, never embracing the culture and then go home bragging about their trip to Thailand. Their memories blurred by buckets of booze. 

Then there are those that stay 5 star, prefer to eat in-house so 'you know what you're getting' and visit the Royal Palace for their only cultural encounter. These tourists adore the Thai people & their service and get severely screwed over at the markets without ever knowing it.

We are all the same same but different.

Khao San Road may not be Thailand at all, there is no evidence of its beautiful culture. But it definitely is an eye-opening place to be culture shocked and the perfect place to kiss Asia goodbye. 

        KHAO DAN ROAD BY DAY & NIGHT

BEST 3 day TREK IN THAILAND for $50

The best value trek in Thailand or maybe even in all of SE Asia is a 3 day trek out of Chaing Mai. It's an easy to moderate trek up into the hills outside of the city. Two nights are spent with the hill tribes in home-stays which is an insightful & interesting experience into the lives of the hill tribes. Usually the trek involves staying with 2 different hill tribes that have totally different languages, different traditions and different & distinct clothing. Some hill tribe people are very shy and stand off-ish while some are all over you, selling their traditional wares.

The price is about 1500 bht or $50. That is with pick-ups, 7 meals, 2 nights accomodation, guide, elephant ride & bamboo rafting. It really is exceptional! 

We were well catered for & well looked after. And l learnt so much about Thai people, hill tribe people, the jungle and also about myself.

The Thai guides are excellent at their jobs & are well trained with a wealth of informative stories. Their duty of care is exceptional. I had attracted a couple of leeches on to my leg while trekking after the rain when leeches are more likely to prey on red blooded tourists. Our guide kept checking us along the way. But l was the only one in our group of eight that was targeted. Must be my good blood. Lae, our Thai guide was so attentive, he was more concerned than l was. Sweet man.

The trek begins with a pick- up at the hotel or hostel and a long drive out into the Thai countryside.

 A three hour walk begins through the jungle, stopping off for lunch and a well deserved swim at the waterfalls. And then on up into the hills which is probably the most difficult part of the trip as it can be quite steep & slippery. But the guide is excellent at knowing how to pace the trek. It's not a competition & he never pushed anyone. In fact because l was lagging behind, he came & walked with me, talking about his family & home town and asking questions about mine. So though it can be challenging, it is a great hike & so much is learnt about the local plants & flowers. Lae showed me a plant that smelt like Tiger Balm.

The first night was spent with the Akha tribe. The beds are comfortable & clean with mosquito nets in a large community bamboo hut. Clean concrete showers are provided & heated with a small solar panel supplied by the tour-operator for the convenience of tourists. Our guide looked after us totally, answered our questions, translated questions to the tribe and cooked our breakfast.

The trek moves at its own individual speed, at no time were we ever rushed and it feels like life is moving at a perfect pace.

We continued our trek through the jungle after a leisurely start to the day and headed to an elephant camp to board our elephants. What a treat! I love riding elephants! I know it has become a moral  issue now but l cant help it, l love it! Their gentle power & slow moving strength is almost graceful. And riding on her back through the jungle gave me a feeling of belonging to nature and to some archaic simple world that was slow & timeless. We waded for several hours through the river, whilst monkeys & fat-arsed pythons manoeuvred through the trees above us. It was bliss. The rest of the world did not exist.

Sadly we came to an another camp where we dismounted & l watched the young Thai mahout slowly meander back up the river. I was so envious of him & the obvious easy relationship that he had with the elephant.

At this camp there were other hill tribes selling traditional handcrafts & souvenirs. Massages were on offer as well. And we had such laughter & lovely banter with these people after our relaxed elephant ride. Then we continued on to another home-stay with the Hmong people, perched high up above the river. 

Getting to know my other trek-mates is part of the fun & experience of the trek. People from all over the world participate in these treks & it's educational & interesting to learn about their cultures as well. In the evenings we would talk over dinner & drinks and our guide would teach us new tricks & games.

The last day we took off again and headed to another hill tribe that specialises in building bamboo rafts. It was fascinating to watch their ease & skill and in no time there was a raft ready to ride down the rapids. And though it probably wasn't quite white-water rafting, it was very exciting & shiploads of laughs. Our guide was well skilled in guiding us down through the rocks & waves and once down the river, we cheered his accomplishment & our safe return to the real world. 

It felt like an endless trip back to Chaing Mai, feeling tired, happy, exhilarated, satisfied & sweet sorrow.

It is one of the best treks l have ever done & value wise, it has to be the best. A lot of one day trips cost 1500 bht ($50) so this is exceptional. Almost every agency in Chaing Mai is selling the same product with different companies. I highly recommend it.

IM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!!

In the effort to save money, l have foolishly taken as many over-night transports as possible. I justify it by saying that it saves me a night's accomodation & saves day time hours for sight-seeing.  But some trips are just not worth the discomfort. The bus trip from Siem Reap in Northern Cambodia, to the capital Phnom Penh, is one of those trips. I have travelled it several times at night & each time l have promised myself that 'lm not doing that again.' But time erases away the pain and l again think that a little discomfort will be worth the saving. 

The road is in a terrible condition, correlgated & pot-holed by heavy traffic & monsoon rains. That combined with extremely crammed conditions on a bus that possesses absolutely no suspension, is a nightmare of a night. Even after taking 'over the counter' Valium, l was kept awake all night but the bone rattling bangs and the constant honking by the driver to let all traffic know that he was ploughing through. It's a 6 or 7 hr trip, leaving about 11pm & arriving anywhere from 5-7am. Maybe l should have taken more Valium but you never know. Maybe l should have travelled during the day.

I arrived in Phnom Penh feeling tired, aching, dirty, and cranky as!!  I was not in the mood for negotiating with tuk tuk drivers at the bus station. My thumping headache morphed me into one of those demanding Westerners that l often see & want to smack. 

And even after a shower and l have scraped off the filth from the road & the bus, my mood cannot be lifted without a 10hr nap. And the day is wasted. The saving of a few dollars is lost. And again l state, 'I'm not doing that again.'

I have travelled in other third world countries, in fact, the over-night buses in neighbouring Laos, can be extremely comfortable. Apparently Giant Ibis bus company offer luxury buses in Cambodia but are not as well promoted at backpacker hostels because of the price. But now through blurred vision hindsight, it would have been worth it.

Train travel is my preference but there are none in this country.

I kick myself in the arse sometimes & also laugh at my effort to stretch my travel dollar as far & wide as l can strain it. And then when lm departing a country, l unload my left-over currency to  someone who looks like they need it. Sometimes, it's just not worth exchanging it. But that's when l think that l could have treated myself to a foot massage. But l try to account for all those last minute expenses, like taxis, coffee at the airport due to delays, and the worst is departure tax. It's almost impossible to calculate, whilst standing at an atm, how much you will need before you leave. I always take out a bit extra, but more often than not, it's not enough. And I've been delayed in an non air-conditioned area without water & refusing to withdraw any more currency in that country. An already over-priced bottle of water in an airport works out very expensive with atm fees. This happened to me recently in Manila, terminal 4 has no shops to even buy water with a credit card. I was out of pesos, needed water & gasping to board my Air Asia flight. I knew l had Malaysian Ringett which is accepted onboard. As soon as l dragged myself up those stairs, l quickly fibbed to them that l needed water to take medication and l was served immediately. They don't like people passing out on their flights.

So now in Phnom Penh, l will recover & recuperate. Ready to face the chaos & congestion of Phnom Penh. Looking forward to shopping at Central Market and visiting my favourite bar, the Foreign Correspondents Club, overlooking the mighty Mekong. Gaining my strength back at the very friendly Mad Monkey hostel. Cost per night, dorm room, abt $8. 

MY O MY! I LOVE CHAING MAI

 

Chaing Mai is more Thai than anywhere else in Thailand. It is cultured and a centre for learning, making Chaing Mai a bit classier than her sometimes tacky sister, Bangkok. Chaing Mai is not 'in your face. It is impressive without effort. It easily encapsulates ancient & modern Thailand without any clear divide. The sedateness of the ornate temples & monasteries somehow form with the bustle & liveliness of the  present, creating an extremely pleasant city.

The Chaing Mai Night Bazaar  would have to be the best night market in SE Asia. Chaing Mai sits on an ancient trade route from India to Burma. For centuries it has been the place to buy exotic trinkets, handcrafts & just about anything now. Hill tribes sell their unique handmade products. Major brand names & faux brands are all there. Stunningly beautiful Thai dancers provide cultural entertainment for diners. It's the city's major night time attraction for families, backpackers & locals as well.

 And there is not enough stomach space for all the food that l wanted to sample & consume. Everywhere, hot woks are feverishly knocking up aromatic snacks & feasts. Chaing Mai possesses  restaurants of all cuisines , all of extremely high standard, with all the flair and presentation that the Thais do so well. Also great coffee cafés & charming niche style organic restaurants. Chaing Mai is not the place to consider starting a restrictive diet of any kind.

Though there are some fabulous retreats & day spas not far out of town. And quite a bit of healthy competition has created some very reasonable prices. The Thais know how to pamper. They make you feel like royalty & indulgence is your birth right. My budget takes me for a 250 bht ($8) facial at the local massage parlour. Even there l am treated like a very special guest and l soak up the all the attention & 7 different treatments. My face has been scrubbed, steamed, vacuumed, massaged and l float out feeling like a superstar.

And the best part of town for me is in & around the old city. The cheaper accomodation & the liveliest bars are all in this area. The major gates & part of the ancient wall that surrounded the old city, still exists. This main square is framed by the moat, making Chaing Mai distinctive & distinguished.

Trekking in the area is excellent, combined with the cultural experience of meeting & home-staying with the hill tribes. There are many tribes such as the Karen (longnecks),  Hmong, Akha, Lahu, and all are uniquely different. Some of the hill tribes are shy & quiet, where others can be all over you selling their traditional wares. They speak their own language & celebrate their own animistic festivals. They add a richness to the colour of Northern Thailand.

Chaing Mai abounds with activities, particularly focused on elephants. The elephant camps offer rides, mahout courses from 3-10 days and also there are some camps that are conservation & rescue camps that discourage the riding of elephants. I'm in two minds about the morality of it. I love riding them. They are so powerful & so gentle.

A 3 day trek costs about 1500 bht ($50). Accomodation in backpackers hostels costs about 250-300 bht ($10). I stayed at So Hostel & happy to reccommend it.

LUANG PRABANG #LOVELY #LAID-BACK #LAOS

Whenever Im home in the real world & my mind wanders to travel. I am immediately back in Luang Prabang, Laos, enjoying  the fleeting tropical sunset over the mighty Mekong River. Cold Beer Laos sweating on the timber table, I inhale with blissful satisfaction, an Indonesian cigarette. All is well with the world.

 

All my travels are epitomised or condensed in that scene or moment. When l think of travel, all roads lead to Luang Prabang.
It is 9 years since l first visited Luang Prabang, arriving down on a 2 day slow boat journey from the Thai border. I immediately fell for its charms & I have been returning every year since. No other place has impressed upon me such a lasting sentiment.

Luang Prabang is nestled between 2 rivers, the Mekong & the Nam Khan. The rivers imbue a leisurely river town ambiance. The long past French colonization is retained in its rustic elegance. The shady streets are perfect for strolling & bike riding past ornate Buddhist temples. The riverside cafés are perfect for long, deep & meaningless conversations over industrial strength Laos coffee.

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Within all its character lives its cultural essence, the spiritual capital of Laos. Dozens of monasteries house over a thousand monks & novices studying the holly scriptures. The sound of drums & chanting adds to the atmosphere. It inspires your heart beat at a different pace.

 The Laos culture is still undiluted by mass tourism. The promise of major highways up to China & the threat of mass loads of Chinese tourists has fortunately never eventuated. Thank Buddha. Luang Prabang remains a kick-back, very kool & placid place.

Laos is a breath of fresh air, literally. It's clean & green. With a population of only about 6 or 7 million people who have had very little impact on their environment. Mostly subsistence farmers, the people of Laos practise all the principles of environmentalists without ever having needed to be taught them. There are no flashy roadside billboards along the miles of rolling green hills & peaks. There's no fast food franchises reminding you how far it is to the next burger & fries. There's a feeling of natural space and ease that is rarely felt in SE Asia.

My journey continued from Luang Prabang leaving me wondering how long & how many miles it will be until l am again sitting by the Mekong at sunset. A motor bike is strapped to the roof of the bus, live produce is packed inside the bus & lm perched on a large bag of rice. My mind is full of the energy of Luang Prabang, nothing can ruffle me. There's a long road ahead & lm surrounded by smiling locals. And the road is never long when in good company.

OK I HAVE BEEN GONE & DONE IT!

OK I have gone & done it. I ate dog. Yep, dog, as in a family dog. My Laos friends live high up in northern Laos. Their family had a dog, a black dog, which is traditionally considered better eating or  better for your health. It kept running away and they knew that someone else would eventually kill it for dinner so they decided to do it themselves. They also knew that l was arriving after a 7 or 8 hour journey in a  bus filled with all manner of produce & people along some very tired & winding roads. And they appreciated that I had  gone way out of my way to visit them. So as a festive treat, they cooked up in Laos style, black dog, lizard, bamboo rattan & spiced wood.  How could l refuse?

 And also as they had remembered that a couple of years ago, I had asked many questions about the consumption of dog and that I would be interested in trying it. I had never been given the opportunity before. Dog meat is not as easily come by in Asia as most Westerners think.
Anyway, Im glad that I was not there to see the whole cooking process, Im told that dog meat does not give off the best aroma when cooking.
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The family was over-joyed to offer me something that I had never been offered before. They are very poor and are very grateful for the small gifts that l bring them. One time, Lae my good Laos friend, asked me to buy his father-in-law a miner's torch so he could go & catch frogs in the local pond. He has only one kidney and his health limits his contribution to the family income. It is my favourite & most practical gift that I think I have ever had the good fortune of giving. .And Ive been pleased to accept his meals of fried frogs in garlic & lemon grass many times, presented with a beaming generous smile.

So as hesitant & wary as I was to taste dog meat for the first time, thinking will I be crossing an unthinkable line in doing so. I sat on the floor in good company with generous hearts and enjoyed their welcoming feast served with lots of my favourite sticky rice, and lao lao, a fermented rice whiskey of lethal alcohol percentage. It didn't taste like chicken. It was more beefy & bony
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 Being mostly vegetarian, well probably 80%, I try not to eat mammals, sticking mostly to fish & chicken. But when lm home in Australia, if Mum cooks up a lamb roast, I never turn it down.
So this is sort of how l felt. Not a perfect analogy but morally, how can l discern between the life of a baby lamb and a black dog?

The people in most rural parts of Laos are subsistence farmers. Their religion is animistic Buddhism, a combination of the philosophy of the Buddha with an acknowledgement to the spirit world with all its good & bad ghosts. They have survived for hundreds & possibly thousands of years by eating whatever is available to them. Whether its lizards, insects, monkeys, squirrels ect. There is very little natural wild life in Laos, not even many wild birds. They have eaten them all. Whatever wildlife has survived is now hiding in remote & difficult terrains. And after suffering from the Vietnam War which they had no involvement in except to be the target bombings of the Americans as they were chasing Viet Cong. Laos is the most bombed country on earth. Between 1964 & 1973, the US dropped 2 million tons of bombs on a peaceful country. In Laos it is called the Secret War and hundreds of thousands of Laos civilians were bombed & displaced. There is no exact number of casualties known. But every year, 100 more people are killed or maimed by unexploded bombs, half of them children.

After 2 days with my good friends, I force myself back on yet another crowded bus, heading towards the Thai border. This time there was a motorbike on the roof as well. The journey is 8 or 9 hrs of tight winding roads without a stretch.  All that can be seen is endless green peaks and valleys hanging with heavy mists. There is a wild remoteness in northern Laos. It never becomes monotonous and it lulls you into a deep thoughtful mood like a meditation. It is difficult to imagine any other world and leaves you with a feeling of not wanting to go back to any other world. That's always how l feel about Laos when lm there, it is by far one of my favourite countries in the world.

 

 

 

TUBELESS IN VANG VIENG

TUBELESS IN VANG VIENG

Well not exactly, because tubing still exists in Vang Vieng, just not on the scale of drunken & drugged-out debauchery as it did before.

Gone is the infamous 'Smile Bar,'  a bar sitting on the island in the river, burnt to the ground by the authorities. As well as the 9 or so other bars perched along the Nam Song river that sold multi-mega litres of Beer Laos as well as 'happy' shakes & cocktails laced with dope.

I was there in Sept 2012 when it was closed down. It was my birthday & l was so disappointed that my party day was ruined. Not only were the authorities clamping down on raging & raving  parties on the river, they were restricting it in town as well.

Vang Vieng is a picturesque town, strikingly dominated by the view of the magnificent mountain kaasts. It is situated about 4 hrs north of the Laos capital, Vientiane. It has grown over the last decade or more by the influx of backpackers who have made Vang Vieng one of the 'must do' stopovers in SE Asia. Hundreds & sometimes up to two thousand people were pub-crawling or pub-tubing their way down the river.

 I have to admit it was alot of fun. Each bar was unique in its own way, either offering mud volley ball, swinging trapeze out over the river, flying foxes, slides or high dive boards. Loud music & laughter boomed from every bar. Every night the streets were littered with passed out bodies and staggering & spewing drunks. The Laos people saw Westerners on their worst behaviour, night after night.
But unfortunately deaths were becoming more common as more & more people were visiting Vang Vieng. Mostly from drownings, head & spine injuries and over-doses. Not to mention all the minor injuries of concussions & cut feet. There were two deaths every month. And the Australian Government stepped in & pushed the Laos Government to shut it down.

The town has survived as people are still visiting Vang Vieng & enjoying the simple pleasure of tubing slowly down the Nam Song past the stunning view of the beautiful kaasts. Costs about $7. And there is also so many other adventurous actviities to do in the area. The caving is exceptional & it's so cool floating down through a dark river cave. Rock climbing up the lime-stone kaasts offers world class challenges as well as basic climbing, costs $25 for half day. Trekking is great & visiting the local hill tribe villages of the Hmong & Kamu. Some people prefer to kayak down the Nam Song. During the dry season it is possible & well recommended to hot-air balloon over the kaasts, costs about $75, at dawn & sunset. I went hot-air ballooning there for the first time and though l was scared spitless, it was an awesome experience, like nothing else.

A few days ago when l was there, l noticed that the bars along the river are beginning to open up again which was inevitable. There are 4 at the moment but they are not always all open every day, sometimes only 2. The first being the Nam Song View Restaurant which is walking distance from the starting point. Hopefully it will be policed better this time. I fear it will keep growing until there is a death again.


Meanwhile 'Friends' is still the feature in Vang Vieng, that has been running for at least 10 years that l can remember. It all started with someone opening a bar at the main corner T-intersection and calling it the Friends Bar & showing episodes of 'Friends.' It became so popular with backpackers that all the other bars & restaurants needed to follow suit. And now it is almost an institution in Vang Vieng. And it is such a catch, l have wasted so much time there, sitting mindlessly after dinner watching episode after episode. And lm amazed that every time l go back, l always see an episode that l havent seen before. How is that possible? Maybe they are still secretly making them just for the Vang Vieng market.

Guesthouses are very competitive & generally range from 60,000 kip to 100,000 kip ($7.50 to $13) per night per room, depending if you want air-conditioning or a fan. There are a couple of cheaper dorm rooms & some more up-market hotels with a pool.

Laos is lovely. The people are openly friendly & curious of where you are from. Hospitable & funny, their population is much smaller than neighbouring Asian countries and so less competitive for your dollar. They are 'less in your face.'

Vang Vieng is now becoming more of an adventures' town for tourists that may want to try something out of the usual. Or something requiring some skill or strength. Or just hire a bike & tootle around the kaasts, stopping off to buy exotic fruit from the locals, enjoying a relaxed chat with them and then heading for the Blue Lagoon for a swim. Whatever you prefer to do in Vang Vieng, it has to be better than just getting wasted.

BANGKOK TO LAOS

BANGKOK TO LAOS

Usually I stay over the Khao San Road side of Bangkok, usually at Rambuttri. I love the chaos & carnival of Khao San Road. Every night is a circus with different performers from all over the world, arriving & departing at all hours. Banter bounces along the street with hawkers calling out to attract punters, tourists cringing at the deep-fried scorpions, backpackers laughing at someone's new fake dreadlocks, fake tattoo, fake identity, drinking competitions, vendors & punters alike, are a part of the nightly circus. And it's entertainingly different every night.
Some see it as squandering & squalid.  But l love it.


Anyway this time l decided to try over the other side of town. Lots of people stay in Silom or Siam area to avoid the nightly noise of the Khao San Road.  Yes it was closer to the big shopping malls & close to the sky train system. But for me, it was dull. I like everything laid out in front of me, Im not 'into' the search for Bangkok's best anything. For me it's about convenience,  the best & cheapest food vendors in Bangkok, the cheap cocktails, the diversity of restaurants & bars, all packed in close with extremely competitive prices. In Khao San you literally walk outside your hotel or guesthouse & there is 80c Pad Thai & the backepacker's favourite, banana pancakes. The markets are selling absolutely everything that you could possibly want & not need, at almost any time of the day or night. Khao San Road is convenience shopping. I will never stay over the quieter side of town where lm forced to search for a reasonable feed & there is no such thing as a $2 cocktail. It is void of any humour or atmosphere. And the traffic is absurd. At least Khao San Road is a traffic mall.


Well after being stuffed around at the Vietnam Embassy, all embassies are the same all the world over. Customer service is definitely not one of the prerequisites  of an embassy worker.
I decided to visit Bangkok prison hoping to leave some toiletries or visit an Australian prisoner who may not get many visits from family a long way away. A British mate did it after reading 'The Damage Done' & recommended that it was a good thing to do.
So l was a bit scared visiting the prison, dont know why. And when the taxi left me, I wanted to bolt. The smell from the canal between the men's & women's prison was making me retch. The prison looked just like I magined or maybe saw on television.

It was pretty bad from the outside.
Then I bravely walked in to where others were waiting. Every sign was written only in Thai. They really dont cater for foreigners, I thought that was probably a good thing. I couldnt find anyone that spoke English. Then someone took me to an office where a kind Thai guard told me in English to visit my own embassy first. She didnt think it was so strange that I wanted to help out a fellow Aussie.


 So the next day I visited the Australian Embassy. It was far more difficult to enter than other embassies. But it was very lovely with water features & abstract Ausrralian art. I did notice that the clock displaying Canberra time was incorrect by an hour and was obviously permanently set to daylight savings time. Anyway l was informed by an officer that due to the Australian privacy laws, it would be impossible to contact any Australian prisoner. And even though she agreed that conditions there were extremely horrid, she again explained that there was nothing she could do to help. I am still shaking my head about that. I am guessing that all privacy & dignity would be thrown out the cell door after one night spent in the infamous Bangkok Hilton. And I am betting that some soap & toilet paper would be much appreciated. I left a bit disappointed. Someone was missing out on a small gift because of our Australian laws which obviously dont protect people like the Bali 9 or Shapelle Corby.
And besides I had wasted time & taxi-fares. Next time I will try & visit a farang (foreign) prisoner from Britain.

So I went straight to Hua Lamphong station, Bangkok's main train station, and booked a sleeper up to Nong Khai, a Thai town on the border of luverly Laos. Left at 8pm, arrived 8am, cost 750baht, about $25.

 I enjoy train travel & choose it when ever possible over a bus. They are quite comfortable with a privacy curtain but the toilets on board can be pretty grotty. I like to walk around & visit the club car for dinner & a drink. And the rickity rocking of a train is a lulling  lullaby to sleep.

From Nong Khai station, it's a short tuk tuk trip, 20 bht (60c) to the border. Stamped on the Thai side of the border, then a 15baht (50c) bus across to the Laos immigration where you are required to pay $30 US for a 30 day visa. I handed over a $50 US note but they claimed they had no change so was forced to pay in Thai baht, 1300 baht, which is a 400 baht rip off! An extra $13! And yes they had change in baht! Not till later after filling in forms, waiting in queues & generally standing around in the heat, were we herded over to the gate into Laos where I saw a Money Changer. Probably get ript off rates from there as well.

Then a longer 50 baht tuk tuk trip into town, Vientiane.

I've been to Vientiane many times & have enjoyed the night markets & night life there. Also the Pha That Prabang Pagoda is well worth a visit. The most important monument in Laos, believed to house some of the ashes of Buddha brought down by travelling monks over 2 thousand years ago while spreading the teachings of the Buddha
.
So l pushed on to get to Vang Vieng, another 4 or 5 hrs north, cost $5. Laos will accept US dollars, Thai baht or their own Laos Kip. In fact on receipts, the price is printed in three currencies.
I eventually arrived by nightfall, in dire need of a hot shower & a cold beer. I was glad that l had pushed on through to Vang Vieng when I woke up the next morning, greeted by the magnificent view of the mountain kaasts. Breakfast on the balcony of fresh mandarine juice, omelette & baguette, cost $3.20.
I love loverly Laos.