Vientiene

I am now in the capital city of Laos. Similar to the end of my time in China.. I am ready to move on to the next country. Don't get me wrong.. Laos is beautiful, but I guess when you move around so much you look forward to seeing something new.

After a late morning breakfast in VanVieng (and yes another 2 episodes of Friends), we took a bus to Vientiene. What cracks me up when I travel is after a few weeks, as soon as I step into a moving vehicle I am asleep. I missed the take-off from Chengdu to Kumming, missed the flight to Jinghong, and even after sleeping for 14 hours the other day, I slept for 4 hours on a bus. Today, after another great sleep, I managed to sleep for 3 hours. I guess it keeps me from having to have pee breaks.. but I miss most of the country side as well.. but seriously a moving vehicle is now like a sleeping pill for me... I am out.

I am not sure if I mentioned vehicles and driving in Laos, but there are not too many cars and numerous motorbikes. Everything goes on the motorbike.. I mean everything. Got a kid, got a bag of rice.. throw it on the bike. Today I saw on one scooter.. child #1 - squatting in front of the seat hands on handle bar, face below steering column, behind him driver (mom), then child #2, #3 behind mom. I have also seen mom, dad, 2 kids and a baby all on a bike. Like the one I drove and shown on a previous post. No one wears helmets.. not even the babies.. Scary. But I find as you move to the city more and more people do where helmets and there are more cars on the road as well.

In Vanvieng, the guys rented bikes again and took off for the day. One of the guys crashed his bike. I asked "are you okay? How did it happen"... this was his response... "well my ego is hurt.. as I know how to ride.. and well... I was videotaping myself driving my bike and well.. I hit some slippery part on the road and wiped out".... my response... "really.. how long have you been riding? As I thought you learned the same day I did".. he was like.. "yeah...I have only rode for 2 days, about 4 hours in total"... I think you can fill in the rest of what I was thinking... seriously.. it wasn't the road conditions that caused him to wipe out... it was the fact he was an idiot who decided he can drive and video tape himself ... he's lucky.. that's all I can say.

Similar to this... as I was walking back to the hotel.. I watched two caucasian girls on bikes like I rode. Let's describe their outfits shall we.. flipflops, short shorts, and tanks, no helmet. I watched them wibble and wobble on their bikes.. and I said out loud "idiots.. where is your helmet" (they were about 100 yards in front of me at this point and never heard), only for me to watch the one girl lose control go through the ditch and slam herself into a barbwire fence. Her friend was completely oblivious to the whole thing. Some people rushed to help her, so I didn't help.. but my point is this.. What the heck are you thinking? You have never driven a bike before and you don't have the decency to where a helmet or put thicker shoes on? I am glad she was okay as something far worse could have happened.. but I swear.. people travel and think they are invincible.

Sorry for the rant.. but seriously!

Back in Vientiene.. I lost myself from the group and just wandered the streets. It's a big city and has loads of Wats (budhist temples).. I walked into the oldest temple and these two monks came up to me. I thought I was in the wrong, but only to find out they wanted to chat.. it was fun. I think they just wanted to practice their english, but we spoke about budhism and christianity and travels. Most monks here are just teenage boys, generally the youngest of their family sent to study religion. After years they can decide if they want to remain as monks or move to the life they were once used to. In some ways, I think that they become monks as its one less mouth to feed. But that is just my two cents..

This evening, after breaking the window to my hotel (I just opened it, and it feel right off the hinges and now you can enter my bed through my window), we went to this restaurant that is a nonforprofit organization developed to educate and train kids were on the streets in the hotel / food industry and find work for them. Many of the kids that are begging are begging for their families.. this organization takes the kids off the streets, finds them employment and 70% of their earnings when in school go directly to the family themselves. It was fantastic. The food was incredible, the kids were amazing, and I ate a 5 course meal for $5. Apparently there are sister type organizations in Cambodia and Vietnam. I tipped the kids and paid a bit extra.. organizations like that I will support as just today we were discussing how at times you don't even feel human as you walk by people who are begging...its just too overwhelming at times, and you don't want to promote the behaviour.

Tomorrow I will do a bit more touring tomorrow and then taking night train to Bangkok! Kirsty and Steve (on my tour) are heading to Ko Toa so it looks like I have some travel buddies for a few more days.. I can honestly say though.. I am exhausted. I saw so much and had so much fun... hotel Wendy in Vancouver is sounding very very appealing to me today. However, I know I will regret not getting my PADI certification.. chilling on the beach for a few days might just be what I need!

Jenn: Things to remember to throw in your travel bag that have helped me alot (hand sanitizer, extra travel locks, a passport cover (as my passport is now wrinkled from rain), campsuds from MEC (you can wash clothes, fruit, and yourself with this magic soap), and small packs of kleenex (toilet paper is few and far between for me here). I am sure you have these things but hey.. I am thinking about yah!

I can't get my USB to read at this computer.. sorry for no pics!