BUDDHIST NEW YEAR - the very best time to be in SE Asia

SOK DI PI MAI!!! (Happy New Year!)

It’s coming up to Buddhist New Year and it’s an exciting & happy time to be in SE Asia. Most Buddhist festivals are set according to the the moon cycles. But for some reason, Buddhist New Year is set into the Gregorian calendar at April 13th – 15th. It sometimes falls around Easter. Though most Buddhists have never heard of Easter or seen a chocolate easter egg!
The major Buddhist countries & their New Year festivals in SE Asia are Thailand (Songkran), Laos (Sok do pi mai), Cambodia (Chaul Chnam Thmey)  & Myanmar (Thingyan).

For anyone considering the experience of a traditional festival in Asia, Buddhist New Year would undoubtedly & absolutely be the best fun! It is a 3 day festival consisting of water 'splashings' which is seen as a blessing or wishing that person a happy new year. A small pouring of water is done with repect over elders & to monks.  But with everyone else, it's lavished by the litre over you. And over & over again.. The water cleanses away the old year & promises to bring in a new & freshly clean coming year. It’s a concept that l really like & admire and after experiencing it in Laos, I wish we practiced it in the Western world on our new year. Maybe not in the northern hemisphere where it may be snowing. But definitely in the southern hemisphere where we are in the middle of summer on Dec 31st. It would be an awesome New Year's Eve!!

I have spent Pi Mai in Laos several times & thoroughly recommend being in Luang Prabang on this special occasion. Luang Prabang is the old royal capital of Laos & is home to many beautiful & ancient Buddhist temples & monasteries. So the traditional ceremonies can be observed & respected as well as joining in on all the merriment afterwards. In Thailand, it can be madness & sometimes l feel the true festival & its meaning is lost & over-looked amongst the boozy tourist parties. Still good fun but an awesome aspect is missed.



On the first day of the 3 day celebration, there is a fair in the main street of Luang Prabang. Laos people from all around the province, gather there to sell their product & buy something new. It is traditional to buy & wear something new for the new year. A carnival atmosphere resonates with music & excited children holding balloons painted with lucky Asian symbols and feasting on special new year's only treats. A procession of monks & characters from mythology are followed to the Wat Xieng Thong.
Prayers are offered with flowers & incense. Ancient ceremonies are revered & honoured. It is such a pleasure & a privilege to witness & feel a part of it. The Laos people so happy & proud to explain their traditions & unique culture.

The afternoon is then filled with much merriment, bottles of Beer Laos and buckets of water. The respectful splashings of the morning, quickly mutate into full on water-battles with pump-action water pistols, buckets & hoses. It is child-like & joyful and we gigled like children as we bombarded the enemy (who ever was drinking at an opposing bar or happened past). Counter attack is expected & inevitable as we tried to reload our weapon of choice. Water pressure can be minimal at the best of times so during Pi Mai it's exacerbated by demand. Everyone is wet through & yet the laughter continues every time you can 'bless' someone again with another dowsing. It is pure child-like laughter. And it continues for 3 days without ever tiring of the constant blessings of drenchings. It is cool relief from the heat of the day & the end of the dry season.

Day 2 is a non day in their tradition. It does not belong to the old year nor the new. A party is held on the island that has formed in the shallowness of the  Mekong River after the dry season. Families build stupas in the sand, like sand castles, to assure a prosperous coming year, decorating them with flowers & flags. Animals such as birds & fish are freed to gain merit.
 I freed 2 fish into the Mekong & threw in a gold coin to assure my return to my favourite country.
Homes are spring-cleaned & cleansed with water & flowers. And another procession to the temple to wash the statues of the Buddha in fragrant petalled water.

More consumption of Beer Laos,  the favourite celebratery drink in Laos or at any time really. Because every day is worth celebrating in Laos. More blessing of everyone you encounter before they bless you, and more laughter & merriment. The evenings quieten down and a fabulous feast is enjoyed with new friends while watching the sunset over the magnificent Mekong River. The river, one of the largest in the world, has travelled down from the Himalayas & will continue its exceptional journey to the delta in Vietnam & out into the South China Sea.

Day 3 continues with more ceremonies at the temple and if you're lucky, a 'baci ceremony' in the home of a Laos friend. The family gathers around a table, sitting on the floor. Food or money is offered as a gift. The elder of the family will chant & pray while tying a string bracelet to your wrist, wishing you safe return to your country & family. The string cannot be removed and must naturally fall away. It is very moving and a special honour, a further step into the indoctrination of the lovely Laos lifestyle. You will not leave the same.
More Beer Laos, more blessings, more laughter.

One day, my Aussie friend and I noticed that the monks were not allowed to join in the street festivities in the afternoon. We bought some small water pistols, filled them and  took them to one of the monastries where some young monks were sitting under a tree. Not having a common language between us, they indicated to put the water pistols down. Monks are not permitted to accept anything directly from a woman. We were not sure of their response or if we had crossed an unknown line. But they quickly grabbed them and turned them on us with hearty joy. It was at such an odds with the usual quiet & calm of their demeanour. We went to buy some more & was water-bombed by some very young monks sitting high on a monastery wall. It was so funny! "Right we'll get you!!" Speaking to an elder monk later, he explained that they are only children and of course it was fine for them to behave like children.

My reccommendation is to visit Luang Prabang for Buddhist New Year. Be prepared to get wet. Dont carry anything of value like passports.  Do not expect sanctuary by begging or sincerely explaining that you absolutely do not want a bucket of water tipped over you. Remember, it's a blessing.  Just dont tip over anyone's beer. You can buy small water-tight bags for a couple of dollars that can fit a camera & money into. Dont go if you dont have a sense of humour. Definitely go if you have a sense of fun and a desire to see a spectacle of the best kind. And maybe buy a few cheap pistols to offer to the young monks of the monasteries. You wont believe how good it will make you feel!! 
SOK DI PI MAI!! Happy New Year!


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KO SAMUI - lives up to itself.

Ko Samui, the very vowels & sound of Samui exudes exotic. Ko Samui conjures up images of palm trees, coconut cocktails & soft-sanded beaches. And Ko Samui lives up to itself. It is the ultimate holiday, Ko Samui caters for everyone. Gratifying those who demand 5 star studded luxury with hot & cold running servants, to those in search of bare-arsed hippy hammock style accomodation. Ko Samui also offers the opportunity to escape & retreat away from the intensity of the every-day, into the peace of a Buddhist meditation retreat. Or rest & recover in a health retreat, idulging in treatments to beautify the skin or cleanse the colon.

Flights directly on to the island of Samui are possible with Bangkok Air or most people travel by ferry from Surat Thani on the mainland of Thailand.  Ko Phangnan is another famous island further north in the Gulf of Thailand & Ko Tao is further north again. All beautiful in their own unique way & all easily accessible by ferry.

 Nathon Town is the main jumping off point on Ko Samui, from there it's by taxi or sangtheow to all beaches & hill-side retreats. Chaweng Beach is the main beach where all the action is. Crystal clear water & swaying palms offer quiet respite after a noisy night of music & buckets of your choice of beverage. A vast variety of water sports lure those lying on their 'pay by the day' beach-side banana lounges. Sizzling restaurants & Muay Thai boxing combined, create unique entertainment. The tiki torches light up at sunset & $3 happy-hour cocktails kick off the night again.
 

Day spas are extremely affordable. I treated my self to a half-day splurge around the corner in laid-back Lamai Beach. It cost 1000 baht (about $30) and I was treated to a half hour steam, then mud-packed, scrubbed & washed off then wrapped with soothing aloe vera, rinsed again & then a warm oil massge. Finished with a lovely cup of herbal tea & tropical fruits.
 Lamai Beach has lovely streets for walking & shopping and a quiet drink.

Ko Samui is about 25km wide so it's easy to tuk tuk to other beaches. Ko Samui is next to the Ang Thong Marine Park which was popularised in the book 'The Beach'. Though ironically it was filmed on the other side of the Thai Peninsula near Koh Phi Phi.

Fresh seafood & Asian delicacies such as Birds Nest Soup are served from the hundreds of restaurants, there is no such thing as a bad Thai restaurant. Cooking classes are also available, cost around $30 for the day & a banquet of more dishes than you can possibly eat.

The island also rises to a height of 600m so there are picturesque waterfalls inland amongst the dense jungle. Ko Samui is rarely affected by the monsoons and is considered dry compared to other Thai islands.
 Ko Samui can be crowded or quiet, it's whatever you are looking for. Never disappointing & always an unforgettable & holiday.

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PHNOM PENH - means Penh's Hill

Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, was surprisingly more pleasant than anticipated. Most of my pre-conceived notions of Phnom Penh were based on horror stories from the days of the Khmer Rouge.
First time l visited there was about 10 years ago & Phnom Penh was still in recovery.
Since then each time l return I see more optimism in the faces of the Khmer people. They now believe that education is of optimum importance to their children. An attitude that was difficult for them to accept when for years, the Pol Pot regime murdered anyone who was intellectual or educated.  But as Cambodia has embraced the new world and gradually become part of the global village, the people realize that for Cambodia to survive & excel economically, it is imperative that their children be educated & also learn English.
 In 2011 in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian Stock Market was opened for first time trading.

Also I have noticed  that there is an interest in politics & the right to vote that was not as evident 10 years ago. I feel that the people felt helpless against their government & showed little interest in what was not within their control, having little say over their destiny. Again due to the dictatorships that had  been enforced upon them for so long. Their major concern always, of course was just to survive & some how feed their families.
But now they display with pride their inked finger on voting day which is a proof that they have already voted.  The right to vote and have a say in their country's government & future is an empowering feeling for them. Or for any one of us. But more so when the Khmer people have endured one of the worst genocides in all of human history. About 2.5 million people were killed or died from the results of the Pol Pot regime. The population now is 14 million, most of them born since the regime. Judging by those figures, every family that survived, suffered unbearable losses. They are still scarred.
But on the surface from a tourists view, Cambodia appears to be getting on with life.

Phnom Penh was a ghost town during the regime as most people were killed or evacuated from the capital. Tuol Sleng High School was converted into S-21 prison camp where people were tortured & then taken to the notorious Killing Fields for mass executions. Both places now are museums & are a 'must see' to appreciate how the atrocities impacted its people and the Cambodia of today. As my guide said, 'We must never forget this. We must never let this happen again.'

One of the highlights of Phnom Penh for me was visiting the Royal Palace & the Silver Pagoda. I was totally unaware of the rich history of Cambodia & its royal family. The amount of gold & diamonds is an eye-opener. One solid gold Buddha statue is adorned with over 5000 diamonds! The Silver Pagoda has over 5000 silver tiles, all weighing a kilo each.! The history & traditions are well documented throughout the complex with stunningly ornate architecture & artifacts of Cambodia.









Phnom Penh is very much a river city, situated on the Mekong River & Tonle Sap Lake. In
the evenings, families & foreigners stroll along the wide park-way next to the river, catching a cool breeze & generally soaking up the unique atmosphere of Phnom Penh. Remnants of its French colonization are evident in its maisons & restaurants. French bakeries producing delectable brownies & baguettes along wide boulevards. Combined with congested markets offering frogs & deep-fried bugs. The Russian market is well known for the sale of gem stones such as rubies & sapphires but you would have to know what you are buying & its value. The Russian market was the foreign market during communist occupation when Vietnam fought against the Khmer Rouge. Central market is the other main market. Genuine name brand apparel with small flaws are sold cheaply there. Many famous name brand companies own factories in Phnom Penh.



 Phnom Penh is easily accesible by bus. It's a 6hr bus trip from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in the SE, a 6hr bus trip to Siem Reap in the NW, and a 6hr bus trip to the Cambodian beaches & islands in the south.  Most buses for that distance cost about $10 or $12. Money in Cambodia is Riel & there is approx 4000 riel to the US dollar. Cambodia uses both currencies.

All round Phnom Penh is a pleasant & extremely interesting city. Locals are hospitable & hard working. It's a very flat city in a very flat country & easy to get around. The highest point of land in Phnom Penh is  Wat Phnom which is 27m high. Built by a widow in the 1300's after finding ststues of buddha washed up from the river, it now bares her name. Her name was Penh & phnom means hill. Phnom Penh means Penh's Hill

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FOUR THOUSAND ISLANDS - ( OR SO ) - LOVELY LAOS

Four Thousand Islands

Laos is a land-locked country and is ironically the home of Four Thousand Islands, an area in the deep south of Laos near the border of Cambodia.

Four Thousand Islands are islands in the mighty Mekong River where the river fans out over the vast plains. During the dry season, four thousand islands are exposed by the shallowness of the river. Though l doubt if anyone has actually counted them and l have been unable to find out the significance of the number, four thousand. During the wet season, the Mekong can span out to a width of over 10km.

There are two  ways to get there, from the south over the Cambodian border, or from the north through Pakse. 

Pakse is a non-descript town about 10 hrs south of  the Laos capital,Vientiane, on a VIP over-night bus.  Booking buses in Asia is always a lottery. No amount of photos, promises or price are guarantee of what you will actually end up riding on. But in this instance, there is actually a comfortable clean bus with wide lay-back seats & blanket provided.

Pakse is only worth staying  for its proximity to the Bolaven Plateau & that is well worth staying for, with its spectacular waterfalls, coffee plantations, indigenous villages & markets.

 Pakse to Si Phan Don ( Four Thousand Islands) takes a couple of hours or so by van & boat. There are 3 main islands, Don Khong is apparently the largest, I have never been there.

 Don Det & Don Kon are the most popular with a bridge in between. It is an easy bicycle ride around & apparently the rare & critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin has been sighted from the bridge. There is also an easy bike-ride to the largest waterfall by volume in SE Asia. It's massive & during the wet season, it is frightening to watch.

The islands are lay-back & lovely. Good guesthouses & restaurants are plentiful and hammocks hang everywhere which adds to the lay-back easy feel of the place. Happy soup, happy shakes & happy pizzas are available.

 It is an exceptional place to breathe & absorb rural river-life and the local Laos people are exceedingly friendly in the nicest possible way.

 Before electricity, only a few years ago, there were no distractions and children ran wild & swam, and Laos families sat outside and talked & laughed, sharing meals & drinking Beer Laos.  That all still exists but to a lesser degree as more people are now have access to TV & electronic games. 

From Si Phan Don to Cambodia can be booked at agencies on the islands but there can always be little scams when being so isolated. I personally was duped when booking a bus ticket from Si Phan Don to Siem Reap, ended up in Phnom Penh. Also there is always a bit of a fiddle at the border with visas & money. Nothing much. And vice versa when travelling north from Cambodia.

Four Thousand Islands is the perfect place to catch up & enjoy the company of fellow travellers. Its not on the well trodden trek of SE Asia so it therefore whittles out those less comfortable with the bare-arsed backpacking style of Four Thousand Islands. It takes some research & a rethink to get there.  Travellers that stretch their way there are generally interesting people with interesting travel tales of places I have yet to go.

 Four Thousand Islands is uniquely beautiful attracting a unique kind of traveller.

 And the magnificent Mekong River is a dominating presence. The river flows through several counties in SE Asia but it spends most of its time in lovely Laos. And there is nothing better than hanging out in a hammock by the Mekong River in Si Phan Don, sipping on a Beer Laos, the best beer in SE Asia.

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VIENTIANE - VENTURE IN LAOS

Vientiane is the largest city in Laos and also its capital city.  It is also the smallest capital city in SE Asia.

Vientiane was originally named Viang Chan, meaning 'city of the moon.' The full moon over the Mekong River is depicted on the Laos national flag. After French colonization, the name was changed to Vientiane due to the French inability to sound the 'ch' sound.
The former capital was Luang Prabang in the north but was moved to Vientiane in 1583 in fear of Burmese invasion.

Vientiane sits on the Mekong river on the Thai/Laos border. It is well worth a visit though there are no particular stand-out 'must see' sights. There is an easy French colonial atmosphere with its great cafes serving delicous flakey croissantes, baguettes and industrial strength Laos coffee. Tres excellant!

The old night market & riverside restaurants that use to spread along the Mekong River were replaced after the flood of 2008. A well needed 2 1/2 metre flood wall was constructed and alot of the unique Vientiane night time atmosphere was washed away. But along the clean paved area next to the flood wall now is a brightly lit colourful market with vendors politely hawking their wares and it is still possible to buy the Vientiane favourite of baguette & pate. The lights of  Thailand can be seen  just across the river.

Victory Gate is well worth the climb up for the panoramic view as well as an insight into Vientiane & Laos history. It is dedicated as a war memorial and looks similar to the famous French L'Arc De Triomphe but on closer viewing it is very Laotin in design & symbology.








The most important national monument in Vientiane is Pha That Luang. It is a huge golden sacred stupa, a revered symbol of Buddhism & national identity in Laos. Believed to have been first built round the 3rd century and enshrining  holy relics of Buddha. Legend has it that monks travelling from India, carrying the ashes of Buddhas ribs, brought them to Vientienne. Every Laos person is expected to pay homage at Pha That Luang in their life time.
A week long festival is celebrated there in November.
Over the centuries the stupa has been ravaged & bombed, then reconstructed. The last reconstruction was after WW II.

There are many ancient & beautiful temples & monasteries around the small city. It is an easy city to walk, very flat with very little congestion. Excellent restaurants offering international cuisine and rooftop bars offering crispy cold Beer Laos and stunning sunset views over the mighty Mekong. Accommodation is not cheap compared to outside the capital. And mostly it is not that great. Hostels & cheap hotels are renowned for bedbugs. I have found the Riverside Hotel a reasonable, clean & well positioned hotel including breaky. It costs about $28 pn per double which is more than I generally pay in SE Asia, there is no single prices.

I have returned there many times, mostly to visit local friends. The family always picks me up & takes me to their home. A duck is killed & cooked in my honour & I buy crates of Beer Laos and ice, and we have a great party, Laos style. Laos people love to drink Beer Laos and party. Last time I was in Vientiane, I took a Swiss guy with me that l had met on the over-night train from Bangkok.
 I explained the usual proceedure and he joked that the ducks must get flighty when they see me coming. We bought all the Beer Laos for the day, the family quickly extends. We both sat on the floor with everyone & passed around the beer. Traditionally in Laos, only one person drinks & then the glass is passed & topped up and passed around. I follow this tradition for one round then I explain to my friends that I am a Westerner & we like to practice our tradition of enjoying our own glass. Alls good and lots of laughter breaks down the sometimes exhausting struggle with each others language. More laughter & more beer. It was my Swiss friend's first visit to Laos and l could see it was a great initiation into Laos. He trusted everything I suggested or advised from then on & we enjoyed a memorable journey through Laos. Laos is my favourite country and Vientiane is as good a place to start.

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INDELIBLE INDIA

                          INDELIBLE INDIA

Love it or hate it. It's certainly unforgettable. There is no sitting on the fence with India.
There is  no "Yeah it was ok."
 India demands a stance one way or the other. You either love it or hate it.
There are many people that hate it. They see only the filth (hard to miss) and the massive masses of humanity (in your face). As my Indian friend said, "lndia's problem is population, pollution & corruption."
 But l love it. I love the chaotic charm. l love the devotion to their gods & family. I am fascinated by their colourful history and l adore their food.

The best route into lndia is through Kochi in the south western state of Kerala. And the first place to locate a place to stay is at Fort Kochi, about an hour or two from the airport, depending.  Fort Kochi is kick-back, uncongested & clean by comparison. It is the perfect initiation into India. It has diverse religious architecture, ancient cultural theatre and the best food in all of India.

Kolkata on the other hand, and on the other side of the sub continent, is confronting & conflicting. It's the old British capital Calcutta, and capital of the state West Bengal which has a population of over 90 million people!

Kolkata had been a city I was avoiding due in part to the pitying pictures of Mother Theresa aiding the helplessly sick & poor, die with dignity. I didnt know if I could handle the harrowing harshness of life in Kolkata. Then I  decided to face my fear and brave it, mostly because Air Asia were offering a $50 promo fare from Kuala Lumpur. I booked into the fanciest hotel in town to cushion the blow of Kolkata, or my pre-conceived ideas of it. And l am so glad that l did. The Oberoi Grand certainly knows how to lavish on luxury and at a very reasonable rate of rupees.
I hit the streets confident that l could always retreat back to the oasis of the Oberoi. And l loved it.
 Hustle & bustle are not strong enough words for Kolkata. The constant volume & movement of masses of humanity is relentless.  It's like living at the MCG. But l found most people polite in that very Indian way, even the vendors & hawkers were humorous in their barrage. It was chaoticly charming. And like most major cities in the world there is a vast contrast between extreme poverty & affluence. The Victoria Memorial Museum, pictured right, is a grand example of Kolkata's affluence.

The Taj Mahal is always a must see and with exceptional reason. But l was actually more interested in the Agra Fort across the river. First built about a thousand years ago, it was built on & extended over the centuries by the Mughals until it became  a 94 acre walled city enclosing the white marble palace. Strikingly grand, it exhibits both Hidu & Moslem influences. Walking through the palace takes you back to another time. Looking over to the Taj Mahal, you can imagine the Shah mourning his lost love while being imprisoned in his own palace by his son. The son executed all his brothers once he took over his father's kingdom. Family squabbles take on a whole different dimension with that amount of power & money!
The Agra Fort was one of my surprising highlights on that trip to India.


India is multi-layered and should not be judged on first impressions. It took me four trips to love India. It can be hard work sometimes & Lonely Planet quotes, "India takes before it gives."
But when it gives, it gives generously & whole-heartedly.
I am returning later this year to visit old friends & see Rajasthan for the first time. Rajasthan means 'land of kings.'
So looking forward to it!! Indelible India!

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THROW ANOTHER SHRIMP ON THE BARBIE

Fresh local shrimp ready to bbq in Cambodian market.    

Enticing exotic food in Asian markets are so very tempting & so very scary for many Western tourists, especially on their first trip. You can see their minds being torn, arguing with themselves, desperate to join the 'I've eaten insects' club but hearing the well meaning words of loved ones, warning them of the hazards of consuming second rate food in a third world country. While staring at a fried bug in their palm, they're wondering if the taste will stick forever in their mouths or be puked up immediately? Will it be an enlightening experience, opening the gourmet gates to a new world of taste sensation? Or will the experience kill them? Or worse? The in between when one is alive but wishing they were dead. When heaving into an already disgusting toilet bowl in a cheap hostel with shared bathroom. Usually the bug is thrown down whole with a squirmish swallow, followed by lots of water. And they have crossed a new threshold. Bolder next time for having joined the club.

Personally l'll give anything a go. Except deep- fried spiders! Point blank, no discussions involved. No amount of money or assurances that ' It tastes just like chicken,' could coerce me into eating an arachnid. Never ever ever! Not even under the heavy influence of alcohol. In fact even the sight of one would be so sobering an experience, that it would be a terrible waste of a night's allowance of tequila.
Fortunately I have never been ill while travelling (touch wood). I have eaten everywhere from Bali to Delhi without the associated belly being slightly upset. I think the trick is to know your own constitution. Some people can become ill drinking a boiled cup of tea at the poshest hotel in the world. While I've eaten street food in Calcutta & gone back for seconds!


I become a bit disappointed at people who are afraid to try new food experiences purely out of prejudice. They recommend a restaurant because it serves Western style cuisine. Or only eat from McDonalds because they know what they are getting. Oh really!! And McDonald's is so much more expensive than the local food.

An enormous part of a country's culture is its food. And l sympathize with anyone who has a delicate constitution. For me one of the best reasons to go to Mexico would be for its burritos & enchiladas, washed down with its tequila. The entertainment of food markets is to see the weird & wonderful. Pigs' ears, jumping frogs, bird's nests, schools of fish swimming in small buckets, chicken foetus, fried scorpions & locusts, along with aromatic fruits that look like medieval weapons and vegetables that you know on sight will taste terrible but are guaranteed to be good for you. Possibly even aphrodisiacal.

The flavoursome sauces in Asia can transform common grubs into great grub. The Americas would never have been discovered if Columbus had not been in search of a shorter route to the spices of Asia. That along with silk & opiates.


I am so looking forward to getting back to Asia for a $2 talli & a green coconut. My tongue dances with the delicious diversity of food there. I swear I can start smelling it already.

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