Luang Prabang

o
'
Hi from the hottest, most beautiful place in the world. I am in Luang Prabang... a small town in Laos, known for its french influence and architecture, wats, the mekong river, and lovely lovely people.

We arrived after the world's worst road trip, and the realization that yet again I can't handle curvy roads any more.. why this happened I have no idea, but I am heavily drugged on all road trips on gravel on this trip, and although I would love to watch the landscape I spend most of the time sleeping from the gravol, or holding myself trying not to puke.... everyone is in the same boat though. The roads curve, twist, hairpin, stop quickly all becuase of landslides... aka.. not fun.. but the view really is stunning. This country is so lush and full of green vegetation, banana trees, rubber trees, nothing like I have seen before.. but yet no animals outside of water buffalo and the odd cow here and there...

So we arrived late last night, and our guesthouse is beautiful.. I have a kingsize bed and a soaker tub... who says this is roughing it... anyhoo, we wondered a bit last night, and the market took most of my money... two purses, a gift for dad and brother, a scarf, a bracelet, and I working hard not to go there again.. so cheap, and so much I want to buy :). We ended up booking a full day tour to visit the budha caves along the mekong and an elephant trail ride in the afternoon. So its been raining most of the time in Laos, and the rain is so warm you just walk in it..it doesn't matter, today though, no rain... full heat.. all day... and I mean all day. I feel like I am full of sweat all the time.. and with that yes... the SWASS... sweaty ass.. compared to the brits, I swear I freak them out with some of my phrases, but they got a chuckle out of the sweaty ass "swass" comment for today..

The Mekong is a great big river that cuts through most of Laos (get a map to get a better idea), but we drove along and I saw children playing, people bathing, some fishing, monks heading along the river (photo above), workers pulling gravel out of the river, water buffalo, villages, villas, you name it. We stopped at a small village and tried some rice whiskey.. very good, but not something I need at 10 o'clock in the morning...but good nonetheless.. from there we went to these budhist caves.. full of budhas... and I mean full of budhas..hundreds of years old, and beautiful.. I have been meaning to learn more about budhism and really need to pull that book out that I brought.. it would make visiting these sites all the more meaningful. As we walked up to the upper cave I felt like I was in Slumdog millionaire... children selling chips, pop, birds trapped in cages, pawing at you for money. There was one kid singing.. who sounded so much like that boy with no eyes in slumdog it broke my heart.. but yet you give no money and move on... as you only augment and encourage the behaviour... so sad.

We then ventured back to Luang Prabang... so hungry and full of heat exhaustion.. I mean I have never actually wanted it to rain more than I did today... we had lunch, and I downed a coca light (diet coke) and before I finished it was already to warm, we then hopped on the elephants. I can say I did this, but I will never do it again. I am not sure on how well these animals are treated (although the company ensured us that they were), but to steer an elephant they hit them on the heads with hammers.. and at one point when our elephant started to trot (I was scared at this point), he just hammered him in the center of the forehead... can't tell me that is okay.. but then again, what about the rodeo? I am sure its all the same. Anyhoo, Amy and I were dorks and carried an umbrella and waved leaves as fans.. whilst on an elephant why not??? hehehe..

Back to town once again for a much needed shower (I realized today I haven't showered in 2 days)... but got ready and ventured out on my own. I tried to get cash to no avail and not sure if it registered on my visa.. so I need to make that call today as this has happened two times now here where it just ejects my card but it sounds like it wants to give me money... so thank god for travellers cheques today.. although I couldn't use them at all in China. So all clean and looking good, I walked through the market and decided to climb Phoussi Mountain.. yes.. that is pronounced "pussy" mountain.. full of sweat and dying from the heat.. I now look famished as noted in the pic above in the white tank.. forgetting I have just climbed up to a temple.. I had the biggest western fubar and walked into the temple with shoes and with my shoulders showing. I swear.. where is my head.. I even had brought my shawl for the occassion.. thank god no one saw me but I stilll have guilt.

I met a man from Australia and we ended up just chatting and watching the sunset (pic above), he's a semolier from Auz, on his way to London for work.. how cool is that job! And now I sit, writing you and really really hungry. The pic of the food is from my kayak journey the other day, we ate on banana leaves and had eggplant paste, bamboo, and bbq fish... sounds questionable.. but really really good.

Tomorrow we are off, for another journey where I will be drugged with gravol.. and I literally just had a dizzy spelll as I haven't ate since noon and its now 8 oclock. So farewell and I hope you had a wonderful time in snow.. I heard it snowed there this weekend!

Cheers from Laos!