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Welcome to my travel log! You will find here a lot more than in the travel reports, stripped from political correctness. Enjoy! 
Jan 09, 2004 07:00 PM Thailand - Bangkok; the last day
Once, I was also taken to the Thai Centre for jewellery and Thai Duty Free store complete with silk carpets and very expensive souvenirs. One of the salesmen tried to talk me into buying an extremely expensive silk carpet. As I was killing time waiting for Grand Palace to re-open, I kept playing with him.
At the start, I showed interest, listened carefully and actively, asked questions, etc. Then, I changed direction and said that I was not a carpet person at all. It was quite amusing to see him trying very hard. Poor guy, he did not realise that he was dealing with a salesmen, and a trainer of soft skills. He was flexing and bending his sales talk like a boa snake, which only provided me with more amusement. I enjoyed my game for almost an hour. That was wicked!
My guidebook advertised the Lumphini Park, so I went to check it out. It is actually smallish and very artificial. Okay, yes, there is a pond but the boats for rent have only stupid shapes of swans, etc and are made of plastic. There are not even many trees to look at. There is very little to look at in this park, full stop.
The single thing might be though is the open-air weight lifting area, where local boys curl their muscles and practice stripping techniques, which they most certainly must be then employing in the go-go bars and nightclubs for other 'boys' along the Sukhumvit Road. When lifting, they make funny noises. These are loud enough so people (I mean 'boys') at the other side of the park could hear them. I guess it is good. It is like free entertainment for them already, only if they can get up for it before 2pm.
As I was walking from the park back to the station, I realised that Bangkok must be a very convenient place to kill a person and transport the dead body. All that needs to be done is to wrap it in orange sheets and say it is a Buddha image. There are many gun shops to facilitate the procedure, particularly in Chinatown.
I did enjoy Bangkok, although I only spent little time there and did not see everything and did not go everywhere. I did not even take the full advantage of the many joys at the Sukhumvit Road district. Something tells me that this is exactly what I can do when I am back in the city.
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Jan 07, 2004 07:00 PM Thailand - Ayutthaya
Looking for UNESCO sites listed in Thailand, I discovered that the historical capital of the Siamese country, Ayutthaya, was only an hour away from Bangkok. An hour by train, I mean. So, I decided to hop there and check it out in the form of a day trip. I was so happy with myself that I did that – the day was great and I had a chance to soak some more history on this trip, again!
I got up early in the morning and took a train from the so conveniently nearby main train station.
The sight of people walking on the train track on the busy central Bangkok line shocked me! They would casually walk even on the primitive steel bridge where there is no escape! I was not sure whether that was the necessity, stupidity or courage. I leave it unresolved, if I may please.
Ayutthaya is a pleasant escape from the hectic and enormous Bangkok. The town itself is not too nice nowadays. There is still plenty of traffic and bustle of a mid size Thai town. The buildings are quite ugly, square and look like they were made of plastic that is about to fall apart. This actually disappointed me, I have to say. I was expecting a lot more from a historical capital city of a powerful state like Siam.
The historical park, however, is truly impressive. It features a few magnificent temples, four of which had been built under obvious Khmer influence and one of them is particularly interesting, as it is not known who built it.
Many other temples had been erected in a revolutionary in those days, quintessential Ayutthaya style of the chedis (stupas) – small picture on the right. The Ayutthaya style has become one of the most recognisable architectural styles of Asia. It was subsequently extremely popular in Siam, and many examples can be contemplated throughout the entire region.
The chedis look like massive bell shells. One cannot resist a feeling that they should be empty inside. In fact, there are not and only a small room inside of them is provided for Buddha offering and possibly praying. If there is one at all.
The historical park is not small and there are a number of places to visit. The distance between the temples and sites is considerable and many other tourists would prefer to take a bike or a tuk-tuk when visiting them all. However, as I like walking very much and as weather was great, I decided to make most of my day strolling on foot.
The park in situated in the heart of the city, which is in fact located on an island – an intriguing natural phenomenon. Two rivers made this wonder: Mae Nam Chao Phraya and Mae Nam Pa Sak, although certain sources would note also a third one: Khlong Menang (Mae Nam Lopburi).
There are a number of magnificent temples outside the island, at the other bank of the rivers, and to save time it better to hire a boat to get to them. I took one.
The boat trip around the city was great and it got me very easily to the magnificent Wat Chai Wattanaram and impressive Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. The latter is famous for the large reclining Buddha image and uncountable smaller sitting Buddha images in a roofed courtyard around a very large white chedi.
Wat Chai Wattanaram (the picture above on previous page and also on page 2) is a favourite temple pictured to illustrate the Ayutthaya UNESCO's Word Cultural Heritage Site. I am not surprised at all. It was my favourite of the city compounds. It was large and awesome.
The historical park on the island, a few temples right outside and this is it. There is not much else to do there. Eight hours is just fine to see everything, walking with two-hour-long boat circle included.
Well, I did not stop at the newer or more modern wats, as they cannot compete with those in Luangprabang or Bangkok, but there would be still enough time to include them in a day itinerary.
Oh, I did include breakfast and lunch as well. The food was consistently good and authentic. Although, I have to say that the service in restaurants, particularly those recommended in the guidebooks, is not good. Somewhat spoiled by the endorsement, I think.
People in Ayutthaya are very friendly though. I mean the inhabitants. Friendlier than those in Bangkok! When I was on the boat, they were waving and smiling. When I was walking in the town, they were saying 'hello' and smiling, young girls were actually grinning. I am not sure what I should make of that…
They speak a lot less English, however. Although younglings in shops, particularly those with cold drinks, mastered the numbers brilliantly. Surely, that is right – this is the core of the business, is it not?
Buying train ticket back to Bangkok (somehow it was not possible to buy a return ticket at the point of origin) was funny. Several lines to the counters, and only selected booking offices would sell tickets for a particular trains. I was so confused. Not only me, though – all the rest of tourist felt the same.
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Jan 06, 2004 07:00 PM Indochina - Huayxai (LA) to Chiang Khong (TH) to Bangkok (TH)
Chiang Khong was the town where my short adventure with Thailand began, as I am not counting the airport transfer in Bangkok two-and-half weeks previously. It is located on the other side of the Mekong across from Lao Huayxai in the north-east of the country.
Obviously, this is where I crossed the border. The border was the Mekong and the transport across the border is provided by a ferry, which is nothing else but a dugout canoe. I shared that ‘boat’ with some of the people I met on the trip from Luangprabang to Huayxai, and who did believe the tuk-tuk drivers that the border was open late the night before. I did pity them.
I found the Thai border exceptionally difficult to cross. The immigration officer demanded two passport size photos and then all over sudden a copy of my passport with the pages containing Lao visa and the Lao exit stamp. I wonder how the hell (or hell’s Buddist equivalent) I was supposed to secure that in the middle of the Mekong river – in a dugout!!
Fortunately, before I left home, I took several pictures of my passport and printed them out in colour. Of course, there was no stamp of Lao Visa On Arrival on the photocopies and most definitely no Lao exit stamp from several minutes ago! I actually could not believe that they expected me to comply with the requirements.
Good for me that it was ok to just write on the printout the date when I arrived from Laos and the date when I was issued the Lao visa. I seriously think that the official had a laugh at me and just messed with me a bit. He was polite and patient, although I thought it was a bit too much to pretend that English was not good enough language to discuss the formalities with him.
Well, he stamped my passport with a smile having benefited from a slightly dodgy exchange rate he gave me on my US dollars.
Then, two hours later, I found out from a Thai daily in English that a Martial Law was declared in southern provinces in response to terrorist bombing, and this is why the procedure at the borders had been tailored to manage the situation. I was actually surprised that the borders remained opened at all. The Martial Law was introduced the night before I entered into Thailand.
There is not much to Chiang Khong, and I do not have much to say about it either. I only spent an hour there, most of which was dealing with the immigration matters by the river. I took a tuk-tuk from the border to the bus station with the aim to get to the Chiang Rai airport, so I managed to see a single street of the town. I had plenty of time if I wanted to explore more, but I thought I might as well spend some time in Chiang Rai, which sounded like a bit more interesting place to visit.
Still on the slow boat in Laos, I met an Indian guy, who now crossed the Thai border with me and was also heading to the Chiang Rai airport, however he was catching an earlier flight.
Getting a bit nervous that there was strong possibility of him missing the flight, he ordered a taxi to go all the way, and offered me a ride. Although he did not want any money from me for the lift (as he had to take it anyway), I participated in the cost, which in fact was very small anyway.
I returned a favour by inviting him to the Thai Airways lounge – this is where I found about the Martial Law.
Uh, I must say that I managed to get on the earlier Bangkok flight myself. I had to wrestle a bit and yo-yo between the check-in and ticket desks a few times, but eventually my Star Alliance Gold Card made an impression, and I shaved off a few hours of the airport snoozing time.
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Jan 05, 2004 07:00 PM Laos - Pakbeng to Huayxai; cruise on the Mekong
Roosters (cocks) woke me up in the morning, which I did not mind at all. What I found a bit disturbing was spitting (Leonardo and Kate style) and vomiting. If it was applicable to express it this way, I would say that the vomiting sounded extremely picturesque. It did screw my imagination!
I have to say that the Lao do spit a lot, with no apparent reason.
With no way to take a shower, or even get clean a little, I checked out promptly and descended to the ticket booth to get on the other boat. I have to say that having suffered the boredom of the slow boat up to Pakbeng, I was seriously considering taking the fast boat from there to Huayxai.
I could see them on the river waiting for the passengers and I could not stop thinking about them.
I actually almost decided to do that, but one of the guys in the queue told me a story about his friend having an accident and spending three nights in the jungle before anyone could help them. Call me a coward, but I decided not to take that risk, which I did not have to take since I was not in a hurry and had time.
The second day on the Mekong was in a much smaller and less comfy boat. There were no cushions and no life jackets. At least, there was a bit more action at the river, better landscape and more people. There were kids waving at the shore and even an elephant pushing logs. And no, I did not take that picture – I was too slow!
There were a few floating shops and even a petrol station.
Huayxai
Finally arrived in Huayxai right at sunset and decided to stay that night in Laos to spend my last kips. I also managed to escape from being cheated by tuk-tuk drivers, who claimed that the border with Thailand was open and that last boats were about to leave. What they wanted was money they would have made to the Lao immigration from the slow boat landing. In fact, the boarder was closed for about half an hour already.
What I did was an easy stroll to the town centre with the aim of finding a comfortable bed not far from the border crossing. I found one for 5 us dollars and I had to ask the lady twice because I could not believe how cheap that was. The hotel was not large, but it had nice finish with quality furniture and tiled floors. I was back in civilisation again. I had to take a shower, which was nice and hot.
It was so cool to chill down already at 6:30 in the evening on a terrace of a restaurant overlooking the Mekong and to see sun disappearing on the Thai side leaving burgundy colours in the flowing waters. I then new it was a good decision to stay this night in Laos. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
This is what I thought when looking at the sunset, but I quickly fell in a shadow of a doubt when I saw the menu.
Unfortunately, I chose the 'Seafood Babecu cooked by your safe'. I got the first five words but was not sure about the last one. What I did not realise was that the fifth and sixth words should be in fact a single word – ‘yourself’. I was nevertheless intrigued when I realised my stupid mistake, but soon after, I regretted my choice.
I worked out that the whole in the table was for the bucket with hot charcoal but how was I supposed to know how long I should grill octopus before it is ready to eat?! The same problem with squid! I would know the exact timings for chicken or beef but sophisticated seafood was out of my depth. Second of all, it was a small, very small meal, which did not fill me up. Maybe that was better though, since it was evening and monks do not eat in the evenings and if I did get my cooking timings wrong, there would be much to vomit with.
After I finished, I thought - 'great, now I would still do a main dish!'
The nicely printed menu had also other mistakes; like fruite sake. Sadly meaning 'shake' and not the alcoholic drink made of rice. Or ‘sote drinks’, which did not mean anything else but soft drinks – in general. Well, at least this is what I think because I failed to establish what ‘sote’ could actually mean.
Nevertheless, it felt good to be able to relax after such a tedious and tiring two day boat trip cramped between wooden benches designed for mini-people.
Feeling that I did not have to rush, was good. I could see Thailand 800 yards (about 700 metres) away across the river Mekong, and the airport I would have to reach by 3pm next day was just 2.5 hours away. Finishing the Mekong journey made me feel like getting something massively important done in life and then looking at the results with pride.
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Jan 04, 2004 07:00 PM Laos - Luang Prabang to Pakbeng, the cruise on the Mekong
I had two options for the passage from Luangprabang to Huayxai on the Mekong artery. One of them was fast boat and the other was slow boat.
Since I was not in a particular hurry, I decided to take the long slow boat, or slow boat, which takes long to make the trip. It was my birthday, and, as it became a tradition now, I got up very early that morning. I took a few pictures in Luangprabang (namely – the elms collection) and descended to the Mekong’s bank to board the boat.
I was almost surprised to see that the boat left almost on time, and that it was quite comfortable.
No longer are slow boats just cargo boats. They are now proper passenger vessels with room for luggage. Seats are wooden benches in the forward direction, and the boat I was on had nineteen rows, which made it quite a long boat.
Behind the benches, there was a luggage area, and yet around the luggage area there were more benches, this time located along the boat.
If you get on boat early, you get a better cushion to sit and even life jacket – just for you! Very civilised, I have to admit!
There were even curtains at the 'windows' (no window pane of course) to protect the passengers from wind and the sun. Mornings are chilly in the Mekong Valley, and the sun burns the skin quickly, which is difficult to realise when travelling on the water.
But there is also a luxury boat that makes the trip from Luangprabang to Huayxai for 150 US dollar per head. It has all the comfy features – armchairs on the deck, bar, lounge to have your coffee, proper beds, etc.
I am not quite sure why there are beds on this boat, as it stops on the way in Pakbeng, like all other boats. This is because it is not possible to navigate the Mekong at night.
The difference is that the passengers from the luxury boat stay in Pakbeng at a top end guesthouse, which is included in the ticket price.
Well, I could not go on this one, because I wanted to experience something more authentic, and I did not feel like spending 150 dollars on a trip that takes two days!
Furthermore, I was lucky to increase my adrenaline level whilst on my boat. There was this Italian stupid woman, who would not sit down causing imbalance to the boat and an extreme difficulty for the captain to navigate the whole thing and the poor man at whom the captain shouted all the time to shift the cargo from left to right and right to left to ensure the boat was in some balance.
I was sickened at this utter level of ignorance, inconsideration and arrogance. I have no words! This behaviour did not please the locals and everyone suffered from slower progress and increased danger to the trip. It was significantly more difficult to navigate the boat between the whirls, rapids and all sorts of debris the river was carrying.
Some passengers on the boat did not give a brown and simply smoked hash. As I was sitting behind them, the wind let me smoke it as well, not as much I would probably like to, but still… it kept reminding me that it was a relaxing way of travelling!
The boat made several stops to let people off on the way. One of the passengers had to catch up on a speedboat, as we were already one hour in the trip.
The slow pace was making the experience extremely boring! The landscape was ok, but there was nothing really extraordinary. The river was sometimes interesting, with its mini waterfalls and exposed rocky bottom, making the trip a bit dangerous. In a distance, I could see a few villages but almost no people on the way.
Pakbeng
The compulsory stop was at the village of Pakbeng. We landed very late – at 6:30 pm. I was actually happy we go there in the end as the sun set about an hour before. It would have been impossible to carry on had there been no moon. So, I was lucky as the moon was almost full and provided for some visibility, otherwise would have had to spend the night somewhere at the riverbank in the jungle.
It was hard to disembark in complete darkness on a very steep slope. Although there was almost full moon, the steep riverbank was in a shade and one could see only darkness. Not only was it tricky to climb the slippery river bank in the dark, the full luggage carried on the back and in both hands did not help to keep the right balance or provide for a better control.
My slow boat came second so it was difficult to find a room in the village for the night. The majority of guesthouses have only rooms with shared facilities for approximately USD3 per person per night and the rooms are quite simple. The only plus is that they have mosquito nets.
Obviously, I began looking from the bottom, but there was nothing available. I had to continue uphill, which did not amuse me at all. I just wanted a room for the night and have something nice to eat for my birthday. Like a Thai green curry, for example. Well, after about ten minutes, I found one. The room was very rustic but reasonably clean, so I took it.
Pakbeng is one street village with maybe 40 houses, half of which offer accommodation, food or seriously simple souvenirs. Nothing to say about really.
I sat down at Mookdavan Restaurant, which had a nice view at the Mekong from the conservatory. The valley in Packbeng looks like a fjord as the river flows in deep gorge. In strong and clear moonlight, I could see mountains all around. Not bad! And the restaurant was serving green Thai curry, which I happily ordered.
For my birthday, I got myself a bottle of Beer Lao, local beer, and although I promised myself not to drink on this trip, I thought I deserved it, since it was my birthday and I was in some hole in the middle of nowhere, I mean in the middle of Indochina. Well, I had my favourite food and decent beer that night, so I thought I did quite well. Well, the night was not over yet!
The only problem was that there was absolutely nothing to do there and since I had to be at the boat landing early next morning to secure my passage to Thailand, I did not mind calling it an early night.
As I returned to my quarters, I found out that there was no water in the bathroom. Oh my, I am calling it a bathroom but it was really a dirty room with a shithole in the middle and no door. There was also no shower, and if there was water, one could get clean by pouring some from a rubber hose!
That night, the electricity was over from 8:30 pm and I had to use the very dim light from my mobile phone to lit my way to and from the toilet, get undressed, find bed, secure the mosquito net, etc. It was an experience I have to say. Do not ask me where my torch (flashlight) was!
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Jan 03, 2004 07:00 PM Laos - Luang Prabang and Bang Xian Men
Day started with the cold and mist! I was disappointed because that could not be good for taking pictures or making escapades. To ease my pain, I decided to have a nice breakfast.
Then, I changed some GBP (British pounds) to LAK (Lao kip) and took USD 100 (US dollars) on my card. I later discovered that taking cash advance on a credit card was a rare service in Luangprabang as no bank has been providing this since 30 June 2003. At the same travel agency, I bought a slow boat ticket to Pakbeng leaving on my birthday.
I did not even realise that by 10 am, it cleared and the sky was cloudless and blue – it was again an excellent sunny day. And I was in heaven again.
I went to see my new friend Khamsouk of the Wat Manolom just like I promised the day before. It was a fifteen minute long hike, and I took a few pictures on my way there. When I arrived at the wat, we sat down in his small cabin and spoke mainly about him and his family. He told me about his struggle with malaria and additional English classes he was taking. His English books were very poor and contained many cardinal mistakes, which I had to correct, but these were the circumstances he had to learn some English.
He is quite a poor lad, who has to trade some of his sticky rice (which he collects in the morning) for water, as he cannot afford to buy any. He wants to be an economist and/or an accountant.
I loved talking to Khamsouk but I wanted to explore more of the town. That moment I decided to have a nice lunch and skip dinner like the monks and novices do. I came back to the centre to eat something. I thought that skipping dinner was one of the greatest thoughts of human kind and even my grandma told me that her grandma kept saying that breakfast you should eat all on your own, lunch you should share with your friend and dinner or supper you should give to your enemy.
In the centre, there is a hill with a small temple on top. I climbed it after lunch. The view was not too bad, but the temple disappoints a little, compared with those in the town. It features a golden stupa top, which glitters incredibly bright in the sun, even from a considerable distance.
I spent a few moments there on the top contemplating my mere achievement and looking at people who after having climbed the hill covered with sweat gasped swallowing large quantities of bottled water they so thoughtfully and wisely brought with them.
Then, soon after sunset, I went to see Novice Phonexai, whose wat was very close to the guesthouse I was staying. His English was slightly better than Khamsouk’s so our conversation could include more sophisticated subjects.
Spoke about his life and Buddhism in more detail. He told me that he almost starves in the wat because the number of wats in this little town stretches the inhabitants too much, and they simply cannot give more elms than they already do. He therefore would like to move to Vientiane.
We discussed also a bit more about reincarnation. To massively simplify things, reincarnation is for everyone, but to be reincarnated in a person again, one must be a good one in the current life. Otherwise, there are thousands of species in which there are alternatives, like pigs, rats and even worms.
I asked that because I was not a Buddhists, do I still have a chance to be reincarnated in a person in my future life. I was not praying to Buddha so I thought my chances were rather slim, but Phonexai was not sure that would necessarily be the case. We kind of established that faith is a remotely secondary factor in this matter. I was relieved I have to admit.
I found as well that it is relatively easy to marry and divorce in the Buddhist communities. And still people would stick one with another for their whole lives.
He then asked me about Christianity and deliverance. I told him.
I am not sure how long we were talking in his two meters by two meters wooden compound, but when I realised that it was after 10 pm, I decided to go to bed and let him sleep, as he would most definitely have to get up much earlier than me.
I was staying at Sok Dee Guest House, and I would not recommend it to anyone. It is highly overpriced (USD15-20) and the rooms are not very clean, and bed sheets are dirty. I also found fungus on the walls. And finally, they even try to cheat you when paying with kip. I had to make them count the money twice! Whatever happened I realised that it was wise of me not to pay in dollars, because their exchange rate was awful.
Many guesthouses are loads better, nicer and cheaper. There is one opposite the Market, after the mini post, which looks very comfortable and clean. It looks like a decent hotel in fact and it cost just 12 US dollars a night for a room with en suite bathroom. They also have a great restaurant serving excellent milk shakes – I would recommend papaya the most.
Oh, yes – I almost forgot to mention the Luangprabang’s night market that is laid on the main street on selected nights. It is about one kilometre long and there would normally be two alleys. There are no stands, everything is laid flat on the pavement and the road. The traffic is suspended and the people try to sell whatever they have brought with them.
I quite liked the paper lamps and the ivory carvings. Nevertheless, I bought nothing.
I crossed the Mekong the other day to go and see Ban Xiang Men village, which had rave reviews in my guidebooks.
A guy offered me the trip across the Mekong for 3 dollars, so I laughed it off, as I knew that there was a regular boat service for 10 cents for the locals or fifty cents for foreigners. I told him that. There was nothing else for him to do but to feel embarrassed.
I walked the entire length of the village passing by a few dozens of households, one wat, and countless chickens.
I climbed on a hill to see almost completely ruined wat at its top. I was wholly unimpressed because fee was collected to see it. OK, I admit that the view towards Luangprabang at the other side of the Mekong was interesting, but I was disgusted to having to pay for this privilege.
I seriously regretted the visit as at least five kids kept asking me for money.
First, three girls followed me from the hill for 25 minutes demanding money. One of them was carrying a machete, so I did not feel too comfortable in their company and yet had to get rid of them somehow. I have no idea how I managed to lose them, but surely, I felt a lot better afterwards.
Then, a boy with quite good English started casually to follow me and chat to me a bit, which I naively thought was making a pleasant conversation. Finally, it turned out that he also wanted money from me. I had to explain to him that no-one gets money for nothing and that I had to work very hard to be able to come to Laos.
I found the village uninteresting and I thought that a lot nicer wats were in Luangprabang. Had I not taken a few cute pictures of kids in a bus, I would have regretted it a lot more.
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Jan 02, 2004 07:00 PM Laos - Luang Prabang
There was one thing that hit me – the town was a very peaceful place. What a change from ridiculously busy Hanoi and Sai Gon. Not only is the traffic massively smaller and no horns are heard but also there are no pushy postcard, no insisting photocopy book sellers, no nuisance of motorbike touts and vendors. It was like being on a different planet – but seriously, without having to extraneously exaggerate, it was a different country. Was it not? So, why was I so shocked, I should have realised that this should be normal – I was no longer in a multimillion inhabitant metropolis, rather I was in a small town situated on the bank of the Mekong in the jungle.
Nevertheless, I was happy that the horrible traffic was behind me and that I would be able to spend a few days in peace.
The other thing that hit me was the number of temples (wats) and how richly they are decorated. For the first time in my life, I saw a building painted in burgundy colour with golden decorations. If I thought that the immigration officer at the border earlier in the morning made my day, or even getting on the earlier flight and not having to spend time in Vientiane, then I was so wrong and so unaware about great many things.
All the wats around are overwhelming and although they were all built in a distinguished architectural style, they are so different in the way they have been decorated, painted and even maintained. Fantastically they are all available to be explored and enjoyed by everyone. I was genuinely impressed. Again! I began to believe that this was becoming a perfect holiday.
As I now often do before I go on holiday, I decided to bring home a specific photograph. When I went to Madagascar, it was a lemur and chameleon. From Namibia - it was a drinking giraffe, etc.
From Indochina, I promised myself to bring an excellent photograph a Buddhist monk or two dressed in their orange robe. It almost became key objective of this vacation.
So, when I arrived in Luangprabang I thought: “Could I be in more appropriate place to achieve this?” In the town, there are plenty of hyperfriendly monks to converse with and make friends. They are all quite chatty and they ask many questions, and like to shake hands. I was not sure what the catch was, having got used to the not-so-friendly way of life in London. It was wrong for me to assume that there was a catch. The lads were just inquisitive and curious about other people, and other cultures.
One can spend hours and hours speaking with them. Without realising, that time flies. Only with Phonexai at Wat Sirimounkhoun Sayaram and Khamsouk at Wat Manolom I spent two hours each – that is literally half of the day!
I exhaustively enjoyed that experience. They are funny, warm-hearted, genuine and incisive young guys who want to make friends and practise their English. They actually ask if you visit them again later. That is incredible and moving, because one feels being treated like someone special. I definitely did, although I was just a tourist, one of many, passing by, not a bit less curious than them.
So, I did go back and visited them again, and again, and again. I found many interesting things about their life as monks in the temple and life in Laos in general. It was fascinating to learn that in a communistic country like Laos, it is expected that all men, for a short period, enter the wat and explore Buddhism, the religion of peace, harmony, compassion and reincarnation.
At Wat Manolom – slightly outside the town centre – monks and novices residing there were redecorating the temple’s façade. I paused and observed how they were doing. One of the monks came down from the wooden scaffold to talk to me. He did smile like other monks but was a bit more serious. Others were fooling around with red paint painting not only the temple but also themselves in funny places like nipples, for example. It was obvious that they were having laugh with the job.
I saw one of them smoking a cigarette inside the temple whilst painting the door from the inside. I could not believe that! That definitely changed my previous perception that the temples are all holy and sacred, etc. It felt good!
The guys were not shy and happily posed to the pictures. I took a few of them there and this way, I achieved the key objective of the trip.
Later in the evening, I saw kids kicking football right in the court of Wat Sirimounkhoun Sayaram – another example that neither the temples nor the monks and novices are really holy.
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Jan 01, 2004 07:00 PM Indochina - Hanoi (VN) to Luang Prabang (LA)
Still on the plane from Hanoi, I was wondering how it would be with the Lao officials at the border bearing in mind that Lao People Democratic Republic remains one of the few communistic countries, so the procedures could be very hmm… what’s the word… - unpredictable.
I was arriving in Vientiane, and I could not be more pleasantly surprised. The official business went very smooth without unnecessary questions. No questions at all in fact. And I had to apply and obtain a visa on arrival! I took several passport size photographs (which I took and printed myself before leaving home), but had I not done that, I could have taken the necessary photo in the airport’s immigration hall. There was a guy with an instant camera ready for business.
I was already happy with Laos then, but how little I still new what was going to happen next.
As the immigration formalities went so well, I had time to organise myself quickly in the terminal while picking up my next flight ticket. Although not particularly trilled, I was planning to see a few sights of Vientiane, before stepping on the plane to Luangprabang. However, while talking to a nice lady at the ticket desk, I realised that the flight, which was allegedly full, was in fact one of the two that were leaving to Luangprabang at the very same time. I managed to get that earlier flight, the QV101 at 10:45, although my ticket was for the late afternoon. The lady was very nice to allow me this, and even radioed her colleagues in the domestic terminal to hold the plane for me.
I had to run to the other terminal with my full equipment (luckily there wasn’t too much of it) and then still find a domestic immigration officer to process me, minding that the flight I wanted to get on was already processed. I got a bit hot then (running in the full sun from one terminal to another) because I could not spot anyone and the time was running out. Finally, someone spotted me as well, and without much ado stamped my ticket for one US dollar departure tax. No questions asked – just big broad smile.
As there were two Luangprabang flights at the same time, QV101 and QV635, with the latter leaving first, and there was some confusion amongst the travellers. Confusion was not the only feeling condensing in the terminal, however. Anxiety was another. Stories and the US government were warning all not to board other than ATR plane, flashed in many travellers’ minds seeing the first QV635 flight leave on ATR. Relief was the last when people saw that the QV101 flight got even a newer ATR aircraft.
Landed safely in the Luangprabang airfield and got on one of the larger tuk-tuks, which have couple of benches, one at each side and take four – six people. One of the passengers had been to this place many times before and said that this was his favourite town on this planet. From what I was seeing on the route from the airport I thought he was massively exaggerating or he had seen so little of this Earth. Well, I was just waiting to be impressed.
Soon after arriving in the town, I managed to accommodate myself, although not where I originally wanted, and, as the day was young, decided to start exploring straight away.
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Dec 31, 2003 07:00 PM Vietnam - Hanoi; New Year Day
On the first day of January, I slept in and I was in the town at about 11am. I remembered that on the first day, I unintentionally passed by the Old Gate of the Hanoi Citadel, and I decided to photograph it. As it is now a military zone, I had to ask permission. Uh, but of course I had to choose the longest way to get there from my hotel, though it was only like 500m away. I again assumed too much and took a dead end street. But nevermind, I finally got there and I took my picture.
Then, by the military museum, opposite the Lenin monument, I nearly lost it with the man trying to sell postcards and photocopies of books to me. I upfront said no, but he acted like he did not hear me. I had to say 'no, thank you' more than 5 times, but he still grabbed my arm and kept insisting. I forced my arm out and then he started saying, yet in primitive English, that it is New Year and I have to buy something. I was getting increasingly angry and he eventually said that if I don't buy, then it will be bad year for me. I thought I was going to hit him then. Obviously, he did not know that the fortune for the New Year depends on what one does on the New Year's Eve - if one actually believes this rubbish.
That was, I think, 15th vendor that morning and on the way I must have refused a ‘moto’ or ‘cyclo’ rides from 30 people already!
It was actually very funny. They say 'hello, hey, moto!' and point at their bike. It sounds like they point at it, as I've never seen a motorbike before in my life. So I say, 'hey, I have seen a motorbike before'. Actually, I have very many just recently.
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Dec 30, 2003 07:00 PM Vietnam - Halong Bay; day two
Cruising back in the morning amongst the little islets, an hour after sunrise was pretty cool. The light for photographs was fabulous but the bay was again foggy. However, the boat was cruising close to the islands, which made it good enough to take some decent pictures. It was an early but lazy morning.
It must have not been enough with the single landscape of the bay to make it an exceptional occurrence, so three or four large sea eagles started fishing in the individual bays to complement the jaw dropping experience. That was a tremendous sight! I was so lucky that there were deck chairs I could rest; otherwise, I would risk going overboard from overexcitement.
My excitement ended as soon as I was back on the main land and then back on the road to Hanoi. Well, at least one of the forms of excitement that one can have.
I thought I had seen by then the complete chaos the roads but I was so wrong about great many things. This was mainly because of the bikes. They were utterly unpredictable riding in the middle of the lane, jumping from one lane to another without indicating or even looking behind if it was at least marginally safe to change the lane.
Then, it occurred to me and I understood or came to understand why they covered their faces with masks. That was merely because of pollution! I was definitely convinced that the main reason was disguise because they did not want to be recognised as they were breaking the law. The worst were women.
They ride in the middle of the two lanes road, so no car can pass either left or right. You blow your horn like there was not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow but there is absolutely no response. It was obvious that they covered not only their mouth and nose but also ears and eyes!
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