We Came 12

So off the slow boat, a group of 12 of us converged, looking for a place to stay and a little bit of fun. We were successful on both counts.

Activities in Luang Prabang are few and far between. Night one involved... bowling. Because everything else in Luang Prabang closes at 12 besides THE club (for there is only one and we went there on the second night), THE bowling alley (God forbid they construct more), and THE place where we watched the World Cup, and I reckon the establishment is open ILLEGALLY! DUH DUH DUH DUH!

Night three us group of twelve went by painful minibus to Vang Vieng. After a slow start, we engaged in the local phenomenon of tubing: where tubes are rented to go from bar to bar where one can jump off of 10-meter rope-swings (and land face first, seeing stars for a little bit, as was my case), drink copiously, throw each other in the mud, play volleyball, and dance. I daresay it was most amusing, but I believe we are taking a break today in favor of motorbiking and what not. However, I am confident the revelry shall commence anew tomorrow.

My body still hurts. Gah.

SLOWING 747

Well, it took basically two whole days to get here, but alas I am finally in Luang Prabang, Laos.

The minibus left Chiang Mai at nuine at night and arrived at Chiang Khong at three in the morning. Of course, there was a guesthouse that was just waiting to charge us for a few hours sleep. The problem was that there was no receptionist to check us in. After waiting for twenty minutes, Laura and Cora, two girls I had just met, and I took matters into our own hands, discovered which rooms were free, and assigned our group of eleven to the rooms accordingly. The receptionist eventually came, all disoriented, but we had already sorted ourselves out, bla bla bla, thanks for nothing, we'll pay tomorrow. It wasn't like we were going to escape without paying on the slow boat, where someone could have caught up by swimming if not simply by walking along shore.

The next morning, after some shitty-ass breakfast, we were stamped out of Thailand, took a really skinny long boat across the Mekong, and entered Laos. Canadians get shafted with the most expensive visa fee of all nations: $42! GAH! I then became a multi-millionaire in kip by converting 10,000 baht (a little more than $300). With 20,000 kip (a little more than $2), can you imagine the wad of cash I got?

So before getting on the slow boat for Luang Prabang, a bunch of us decided it would be a good idea to get some liquor for the ride. Consequently, at 9:30 in the morning, Karlon, Robert, Adele, James, Youav, and I were buying hard liquor, chips, mixers, and water. We didn't wait too long after having set sail before cracking the bottles open and becoming quickly inebriated. Furthermore, as being the last to board, we didn't get seats but rather an area in the back where we had tons of space. SA-WEET! We drank copiously while everyone else in cattle class bought their alcohol from the boat, being massive ripped off. Mu ha ha ha.

There was one snotty bitch and we didn't like her.

After a few hours, we finally made it to Pak Beng, a small "town" which basicallt thrives off the tourists who stay for the night before getting on the slow boat again the next morning. I don't know whether I was hungover at 8 pm or suffering from delayed-reaction sea-sickness, but I found myself vomiting before having dinner. Felt much better afterwards, though.

The next day, we boarded the Slowing 747 anew for the remaining eight-hour sail to Luang Prabang. We didn't drink that much but ended up talking with more people. At the end of the boat ride, we formed a bloc of twelve and ended up staying at the same guesthouse for the night. We went for some grub and bowling, where I ended up having the second-highest score out of everyone! Yippee! We then went to a bar to catch the World Cup, but I grew weary and decided to retire.

Which gets us to today. Luang Prabang is HOT! But it really is beautiful and pictoresque. I took a few pictures befor almost collapsing from heat stroke. The plan is to take a few more pictures between today and tomorrow: I think the bloc will be hading for Van Vieng tomorrow so I should make the most of the time that I have now. Pictures will be uploaded to Flickr as soon as I can find a fast enough connection.

Transit

So starting tonight and then again in a few weeks, I will be looking at shitloads of transit time. Tonight, I commence my trek to Luang Prabang, Laos. It begins with a somewhat length bus ride to Nong Khai, where I sleep for a few hours before crossing Thailand and Laos borders and then getting the "slow boat". It really is slow: we actually stop for the night somewhere and get going the next day before finally arriving at Luang Prabang. Total time ranges around forty-eight hours! I know: it sounds crazy, but it's cheaper than flying and apparently on the slow boat you meet all kinds of interesting people. Hopefully I'll feel a little more social by then. Oddly enough, I'm kind of looking forward to this adventure. Wish me luck, and pray that there's a really hot single (!) guy sitting beside me!

So a popular question has been how long will I stay in Laos. And to tell you the truth, I haven't the faintest. I was only supposed to stay in Thailand for a month, but as we can see, I'm leaving ten days after that. My visa will only be good for a month, though (but it can be extended). However, when I do decide to leave, it seems I will be facing a twenty-four hour bus ride to Hanoi. It really seems like I have no love for myself.

So as I have stated, I have been in Thailand for quite some time. And, to tell the truth, I'm a little sad that I am leaving. I've really been taking my time of late, which has allowed me to settle down in the places that I have been to and really absorb the local scene. Thailand has been the familiar for the last little bit, but now I'm venturing into the somewhat unknown; don't get me wrong though: apparently Laos is great, with everyone ranting and raving about it.

I'm sure I'll be back, though.

Pai

The day before yesterday I embarked on a two-day-one-night white-water rafting trip, although the water level was quite low and thus there was not much white-water. In fact, it was more brown. But we went caving and I was quite serpentine, and the rapids we did hit proved to be exciting and people were flung off the raft. I wanted to have been flung off, but alas my balance is quite good. I was not quite happy with the mosquitoe nets, though, for while they kept the vermin out, they left some of their brethren in, and I was eaten alive. I need to buy some Bag Balm.

Today I slept in like a baby and did little more than sit in various establishments and read and write. Eri, you will be proud to know that I did study a little bit of Japanese. A few hours ago, I got myself a little tipsy with the hopes of going out and having a good time, but I was too early and so came here to waste time. However, all this time in doing little has sedated me, and so I think I will be going back to my marvelous bungalow after fetching some munchies. Or maybe not. I don't know. I never do.

Pierre, Pai Chopper

Okay, it's an exaggeration by a long shot. but yesterday I drove a motorbike for the first time. In fact, this was my first time driving anything less an offroad vehicle and in traffic. It was a littel nerve-wracking at first - THE LEFT SIDE, PIERRE, THE LEFT SIDE! - but after a while I was easily doing 80 km/hr but remaining safe. I am quite proud of myself, and I daresay I may rent a bike again tomorrow. God knows it's only 3$ a day.

Yesterday Hanna and I learned how to cook some Thai at Pai Cookery School. Our teacher goes by the name of Gaew, and we were quite happy with her lesson and her food. Her husband owns a bar by the name of Diligaf, which translates into "does it look like I give a fuck?". It's a pretty cool bar, and a bucket of Coke/Sangson costed only 200 baht - I was especially pleased when she dumped the entire mickey of Sangson into the bucket. It did the trick quite nicely.

Techno Cats

After a three-hour drive through winding hills, I arrive at the city of Pai, Thailand. A relatively quiet city with a population of around only 3000 people, backpackers come from all over to just chill. The rooms are cheap, the cafes are chill, and there's trekking and white-water rafting for those who are inclined. I am so inclined.

On our way back from the waterfalls Hanna and I decide to stop by this bar that plaid trance music in the middle of hilly farmland. We were amused by the menagerie of cats and dogs who coexisted peacefully despite the cats' tripped-out-on-E behavior. They were unusually social... and hungry, as one persistently jumped on tables and walked all over me to get to my food.

Ah, the life of Pai.

Myanmar

Last night started with me drinking beer at Chinag Mai Art Museum, continued at an outdoor bar where there was a swing and of course I saw the photo op, and ended at this open-air bar where we had to go up steps for eternity and a day because it was after hours and they had to keep the liquor-selling on the down-lo.

Surprisingly not hungover, today I went on a visa run to Myanmar. Circumstances have forced me to stay in Thailand for a little longer than planned. So in order to get a new 30-day stamp, I was picked up from my guesthouse and was driven a few hours to Burma, where we walked around for half-an-hour before going right back into Thailand. But hey, I can say that I've been to Burma.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Pai. It's smaller than Chiang Mai, but apparently the trekking is better, and the scene is calmer. I'll be joining Hanna, who will be staying there until Tuesday.

I'm quite hungry. Time for more food that costs around $1.50 for the entire meal. Na ni na ni boo boo!

Pictures!

For the first time since a month ago, pictures have been uploaded onto Flickr of the trip from starting from Vietnam and ending with our arrival into Siem Reap, Cambodia. Make my efforts worthwhile and CHECK THEM OUT! More will be uploaded tomorrow: I have finally dound a Internet cafe with a very solid connection so uploads are now possible!

Chiang Mai

Sunday night I took the sleeper train from BKK to Chiang Mai. It's three times more expensive than the bus, but you make it there in comfort. I had a bed set up for me. I felt like a king.

I haven't done much in Chiang Mai yet. However, the day I arrived I had the world's spiciest papaya salad. The locals were laughing at my misery. A girl passes by and offers me some water. Her name is Kitty. We've been hanging out ever since.

Yesterday things became a little panicky and consequently became a write-off. Today was spent somewhat recuperating from the mess. But I look forward to actually doing something tomorrow. Not that there's anything against doing jack shit when one is on vacation.