On the adventure in Laos
So I took a day off from work and scooted off to Laos with a few mates from high school. The idea first came about after debating for hours on where to go for the Annual Backpacking Trip. First of all, it must be affordable. No S$300-per-night-at-a-really-fancy-hotel sort of travelling. We then agreed it should ideally be in South-east Asia since it is an area that is so easily accessible but where we hardly venture to precisely because of its easy proximity. I think there is an innate quirk in all humans to spend tons of money and time in order to travel as far as possible without even thinking about taking a weekend romp in a nearby country - just count the number of well-off Asians who have travelled to Europe and America, and yet have never thoroughly explored Thailand (and no, I don't mean Bangkok), Myanmar, Indonesia or Cambodia! It astounds me, this quirky quirk. It doesn't seem to be just contained in Asia; I have met numerous London blokes who have never set foot in Scotland nor Wales and yet had been to Sipadan in Borneo for some world-class diving (and that's another story).
Laos it is then, and after a flurry of desperate measures to get my passport renewed in Hong Kong, I was set to go. Besides being a little grouchy initially due to the lack of sleep, I found myself grinning with delight at the start of the adventure when we got to Udon Thani, Thailand, and when crossing the border to Laos. Laos! It's the land of the million elephants, the jewel of the Mekong.
The pace of life in Laos was what astounded me most. It shouldn't come as surprise, really, since it's written all over the guidebooks and free tourist maps. But having flown straight from the sardines-packed Hong Kong to the sleepy town of Udon Thani (via Singapore), it was quite the contrast. I took a while before settling into the almost-sluggish tempo of the locals but before I knew it, I hardly bat an eyelid when the waiter took fifteen minutes to bring me a US$0.20 crispy iced Beer Lao.
Beauty is evident everywhere in Vientiane but abundantly so in the peaceful temples and virgin rainforest. I was so trigger-happy that I was more than half-way through my camera's memory card in my first 24 hours in Laos.
And we went down the river in a dug-out, mouths agape at the surreality of the muddy river and greener than alarm-clock-digital-face-green trees.
(that's Gingy being gung-ho: he thinks crocodiles don't eat gingerbread cookies)
I thought I was looking at a living fossil.
The French influence is everywhere - in the architecture, the food (baguettes are aplenty and Laos-style pate sandwiches are popular take-outs) and especially the coffee. Gotta love that!
I'll most definitely have to return to Laos again. So much more to be explored - and so much more good coffee waiting to be tasted. Yum.
Laos it is then, and after a flurry of desperate measures to get my passport renewed in Hong Kong, I was set to go. Besides being a little grouchy initially due to the lack of sleep, I found myself grinning with delight at the start of the adventure when we got to Udon Thani, Thailand, and when crossing the border to Laos. Laos! It's the land of the million elephants, the jewel of the Mekong.
The pace of life in Laos was what astounded me most. It shouldn't come as surprise, really, since it's written all over the guidebooks and free tourist maps. But having flown straight from the sardines-packed Hong Kong to the sleepy town of Udon Thani (via Singapore), it was quite the contrast. I took a while before settling into the almost-sluggish tempo of the locals but before I knew it, I hardly bat an eyelid when the waiter took fifteen minutes to bring me a US$0.20 crispy iced Beer Lao.
Beauty is evident everywhere in Vientiane but abundantly so in the peaceful temples and virgin rainforest. I was so trigger-happy that I was more than half-way through my camera's memory card in my first 24 hours in Laos.
And we went down the river in a dug-out, mouths agape at the surreality of the muddy river and greener than alarm-clock-digital-face-green trees.
(that's Gingy being gung-ho: he thinks crocodiles don't eat gingerbread cookies)
I thought I was looking at a living fossil.
The French influence is everywhere - in the architecture, the food (baguettes are aplenty and Laos-style pate sandwiches are popular take-outs) and especially the coffee. Gotta love that!
I'll most definitely have to return to Laos again. So much more to be explored - and so much more good coffee waiting to be tasted. Yum.