Day 80: Bangkok, Thailand Well every journey has an ending, I'm not actually sure if this is day 80 but it's the last time I will be in front of a PC for a few weeks so I though I would take the opportunity to wrap it up now before I leave. Am off to spend a few weeks with the monks in the forest monestary of Wat Suanmokkh, about a day train ride from Bangkok. I have put this off for a while now (was actually meant to go in October) but all the bright lights and constant stimulation from travelling around the region has made it very hard to comtemplate staying in one spot for too long. However, it's an opportunity that can't be missed as the Thailand is the centre of Buddhism and the ancient discipline of transcendental meditation, if I don't go experience this before I go back it would be something I would regret forever. Besides, I built up alot of anger and frustration over the last couple of years that needs to be managed in a healthy way, rather than using the traditional Western approach of alcohol and violence which doesn't really do anyone much good in the long run. But enough about me. What do you think of me? Haha Enough self indulgence, the bus leaves at 6pm tonight and I will return on the 10th, back to Bangkok and KL before flying to Oz for the summer, a bit more relaxed and motivated for the next phase of life in which all my diabolical plans will be brought to fruition (insert diabolical laugh HERE). Peace.
Day 78: Vientiane, Laos It's important to remember that the region is still littered with UXO, or unexploded ordinance. Much of these can be traced back to the civil wars of the 1960s and 70s although an alarming proportion appear to be a result of the 2000 New Years Eve celebrations. Despite ongoing attempts to clean up the problem, UXO continues to be a very real threat and, as recently as last year, four people were being maimed each day. Interestingly, it was the same four people, determined- if somewhat foolhardy- members of a local bush walking club. -Phaic Tan Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner & Rob Sitch 2004 Hardie Grant Books
Excellent book that, it's a piss take of the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides etc travel guides, had me in stitches on the long drive from Vang Vieng to Vientiane, on which the bus only broke down once. An American girl besides me asked me what I was laughing about and I passed it to her to read.
It took her 2 hours to work out it wasn't a real travel guide book.
Am in Vientiane at the moment, once again with France's previous colonisation of Laos (and surrounding regions but most prominent here) it is like a Asian Paris, complete with French architecture, Food, even lots of French people. On that note it turns out that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia which has never been conquered by a foreign power.
Good for them. Check out the pictures above, I defy anyone to spot the difference between here and the Montematre region in Paris. Sacre Bleu!
Day 77: Vang Vieng, Laos So it's been a busy couple of days in Vang Vieng, the realisation that my trip is coming to a close is going down like a lead balloon. Have spent the daylight hours of the last week on the river participating in an activity unique to this region, Tubing. So to start your day you go and grab a tube (truck tire tube) and take a tuk tuk up river for about 10kms. You pay 50,000 Kip (US$4) for the tube plus the same for the deposit on the tube (which the operator has gone to great lengths to stop the participant from claiming back). The tuk tuk deposits you on the side of the river at the first of two makeshift bars.... Each bar has it's own attraction, for example, the first has a massive swing which you get on about 15 metres up above the roof on a perch which looks to be made of matchsticks. From here you swing down and drop into the water below, the crowd below cheering for any particularly acrobatic entries (or painful bellyflops). The next bar has a flying fox, the next a giant trapeze, the next a slide, the next a mud volleyball court, and so on and so on. All up there are about 8 bars along the first 1km stretch of river, you bar hop along the river until you find the one with the attraction you like, jump on your tube and the river will carry you along to it, the bar staff throw out a line to you when you are close and pull you in. It becomes very pissy very quickly.... It's important to make sure you aren't the last one at any bar or you will be left without a tube and have to tuk tuk it back to town. The tube rental operators pay the local kids 10,000 kip to steal tubes from the bars so they don't have to pay the full deposit back to the tuber, generally when there are only a few left there is a mad ruch onto the next bar.... All in all it takes 1 hour to tube from the entry point to the exit at the start of Vang Vieng but add in the time spent at the bars you are looking at a good 4-6 hours non the river. Very Messy.... When the sun sets the pilgrimage back to town along the river begins, quite a unique scene to see with 50-100 people in rubber tubes convoying their way downstream.... At the end of the trip the local kids arrive to guide you back to shore, they are making a killing here with some tubers giving them up to $US10 at a time for their help, which becomes invaluable as the darkness sets in earnest... After that, the night begins!
Day 74: Vang Vieng, Laos There's something very surreal about Vang Vieng, must be something they put in the water. Well maybe not the water, but they are putting it in everything else you eat or drink here.
Allow me to explain....
After a very uncomfortable minivan ride (the van seats 10, the driver managed to squeeze in 11) I arrived in the evening to the fabled town of Vang Vieng. A large number of people that I have met in my travels had spoken in awe of this place, so I was hoping that it lived up to the hype.
Was really tired after the long drive so went for a walk around the town with a few English blokes who were on the same bus as me looking for a guest house, I have long since ceased relying on guide books for recommendations because once a place makes a guidebook they generally celebrate by tripling their prices... It was pitch black by this stage but I found a good one by the river for US$10 a night, quite expensive as far as guest houses go but the location was great and the view was incredible, as I will get to later on.
As far as the town goes, it's like a little Khao Sahn Road from Thailand or Koh Pahgnan with a large variety of food and bar options and alot of the restaurants show back to back episodes (instead of movies which they had on KP) of Friends or Family Guy while you enjoy your meal. Instead of tables though they have bed like seating where you can stretch out your legs, it takes reclining to a new level.
The town is situated alongside the mountains but it isn't in a moutain range, just a ridge, the rest of the region is flat as a pancake. The town is built on either side of the Nong Sam river which runs right through the middle of Vang Vieng, most guest houses are situated on the river bank and the bars are all on the island in the middle which is accessed via two small wooden footbridges which cross over.Most of the activities in the town revolve around the river, although there is some good climbing in the mountains the highlights are the kayaking, rafting....... and tubing.This will need a whole post of it's own to do it justice, but suffice to say that this is what attracts people to Vang Vieng and is an experience that cannot be missed if you are traveling in this region.After putting my bag away I wandered around a bit (bearing in mind it's 10pm by this stage) and found the bridge which leads to the Sunset Bar (and Smile Bar), wasn't really looking for anywhere in particular but ended up there anyway. The Sunset Bar had an interesting menu, along with the obligatory beer, spirits and cocktails they also serve Happy Pizzas (ganja milkshakes), Magic Shakes (Magic Mushroom Shakes) and Big O Tea (Opium Tea). While all this is illegal, and getting caught by the police smoking a joint will cost yo US$500 fine, as long as teh bars have paid their protection money to the police they generally let the bars run with impunity as long as they are discreet about it (and of course they continue to pay their protection money to the police).
So with all the psychadelic drugs on offer in Vang Vieng you could imagine the effect that it has had on the culture of the town. There is a very Neo-Hippy laid back feel to the place, everyone is really relaxed and the occasion waft of ganja is present wherever you go, all the bartenders are on the lookout for plain-clothes cops so busts are quite rare about the pace. Talking to a few of the bar staff they say it used to be alot more blatant but pressure excerted by the DEA in the region has caused governments to crack down alot more, along with the ASEAN Games which are coming up shortly in Vang Vieng. Had a few beers at Sunset Bar with the locals, this probably rates as one of the friendliest places I have been to along with El Nido and Koh Phagnan, what started out as 5 or 6 people around the bar at 10pm turned into a full scale rave by 1pm...About 2am there was an almighty storm, the after effects of Ketsana were still having their impact in the region and providing an incredible light show for anyonelucky enough see it. It was like something from Lord of the Rings, the river and the little bungalows on each side and all noise of everyone celebrating, then BANG! the mountains are illuminated with a flash of lightning and crash of thunder...
The raw nature in effect was something incredible to behold, I can't remember ever having seen such an amazing natural light show anywhere in Asia, truly a one in a million peak experience that I can't imagine seeing again in a hurry.
Got to sleep as the sun came up then checked out of the guest house into a cheaper one the next day, ready for a big day of tubing down the Nam Song.
Day 71: Luang Prabang, Laos Landlocked Laos is one of the Asia's most enchanting destinations. Stunning natural beauty -- think mist-shrouded mountain peaks flanked by jungle-clad valleys teeming with wildlife -- combine with a fascinating Buddhist culture to make Laos a superb destination for backpackers and independent travellers, while luxury tourists are now also well-catered for. Communist Laos flung open its doors to tourism in the early 1990s. The last decade has witnessed an explosion in development as businesses -- some Lao, some foreign -- mushroom to cater to the swelling crowds. Laos is changing fast, but pockets remain well off-the-beaten-track, ready to be explored by adventure travellers willing to forego the usual tourist luxuries. Those who want to experience a real taste of rural Southeast Asian life will be delighted. www.Travelfish.com
So after a hectic 71 days of travel which has covered the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia I have ticked off most off the to do items on my list and have about 10 days up my sleeve to unwind and take the time to enjoy myself before heading back to Australia. Where better to do this than the Peoples Republic of Laos? After saying goodbye to Siem Reap I hopped on a plane to Lubang Prabang, situated on the Mekong river and former capital city of Laos. I had only planned to spend one night here but ended up staying for two, the town has a wonderfully relaxed feel to it quite removed from some of the more hectic regions around the place. My minivan didn't arrive for my trip to Vang Vieng so after rebooking a bus for the afternoon I took the time to explore the town a little bit more and am quite glad I did. At the top of the hill which straddles the city there sits a giant buddha stupa which overlooks the town, visible day and night. I climbed to the top of here and found the most amazing view of the town all the way to the mountains. After this I had just enough time for breakfast so I visited the now opening Utopia Bar.The interesting thing about this establishment which overlooks the river is that on the edge of the balcony there is a 10 metre drop, no railing or anything which may stop a inebriated patron from plunging down below. I asked the waiter if anyone had ever fallen from here and he told me that no one had, which would be amazing if it were true. Had my breakfast while enjoying the picturesque view of the river before boarding the cramped minivan for the 6 hour drive to Vang Vien, Luang Prabang was a lovely little diversion and I am now well rested for the final leg of my Asian trip.
Day 68: Siem Reap, Cambodia This is now the fifth time I have written this post but due to the ultra slow internet speed in Cambodia everytime I go to save it I have lost my internet connection. I suppose if that's my biggest problem this week then I am doing okay.... So I am staying at the Globalteers guest house at the moment, a beautiful French colonial building, 4 storeys high with a magnificent view of the town and a spectacular photo opportunity at sunrise (so I am told). It's interesting how European colonisation has left it's footprint on the countries in which they settled and subsequently left, the British in Malaysia, the Spanish in the Philippines and the French in Vietnam and surrounding countries. Thailand is the only one which hasn't been conquored by a foreign power, the impact on the culture, the food, language and architecture lingers to the present day.As I got in late on Friday I missed my first day at the project, I was allocated to Anjali House which is where all the streetkids go to learn English. I am teaching English to the kids which hasn't been too hard, after 18 months in Malaysia my accent is at a 7/10 now and I have a really good rapport with the students who are also right into their sports and music like me, although I tried to teach them a bit of Aussie Rules but it didn't really translate. I was an assistant coach with the Malaysian Warriors under 18s side when I was living in Malaysia so I thought it would be worth a shot, I gave up and taught them how to play some Powderfinger songs on the guitar instead so no harm done. Its pretty tragic what these kids have gone through, makes me really sad but there is a light at the end of the tunnel for them. I can't see any of these kids becoming a doctors or lawyer but if they can get their English right then they should be able to support themselves through the hospitality or tourism industry which is increasing massively day by day. Hopefully maybe their kids will be able to take it to the next level though as it looks like this generation has successfully broken the cycle of poverty that has gone on since the civil war in the 1970's. They have fixed the road into Siem Reap from Bangkok and the Airport has been redone so that will mean lots more tourism meaning more bucks coming into town, and more of the right sort of tourist rather than the wrong sort that has been all too prevalent in their lives up until this point. Too tragic to think about, there but for the grace of God go I.... Theres an interesting phenomenon with the volunteers situation in that there are 10 females for every male at the project, you would think a single guy would enjoy these ratios. Unfortunately the reality is that most of them are tree hugging save the pink whales feminists so haven't really spent much time socialising with the crew as I would have thought. Each to his own. All in all it's been a really good experience, although it really kills a cynic like me to say it but the NGO's are making a big difference in Cambodia and the country is all the better for it. A bit unorganised at times but their hearts are in the right place and the town really appreciates anyone who makes an effort to help out. The only thin I didn't know is That Siem reap/Cambodia has some of the best trails in the world for dirt bike riding, if I had known that I would have extended my stay for an extra week, unfortunately I uncovered that piece of information right after I booked my fare to Laos. Oh well, another thing for the ever increasing To-Do list, off to Luang Prabang tomorrow for the the backpacker paradise of Vien Vang for a week of relaxing, finally going to stay in one place for a reasonable amount of time to chill out before my Asian travels come to an end. Bye!
Day 61: Siem Reap, Cambodia So I'm sitting at an internet cafe in Siem Reap waiting for ITunes to download onto this computer so I thought I would take the time to update on what's new. It's been a day 0f annoying unfortunate events, I found an awesome shop in the town where they download any album/movie/tv show onto your IPod for just 75c a pop so I went in to arrange a few hundred for my collection. Unfortunately I only have a 9GB IPod so I had to arrange to clear some space on my player to fit them in. To make a long story short, you have to do this through ITunes and can't do it on the IPod so I have to download it to a computer then delete them through this program instead. Which is going to take some time.... Went to the magnificent Angkor Wat yesterday, one of the seven wonders of the world after checking into Globalteers House on Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. After a quick orientation around town I have been allocated a role teaching English to the Cambodian Kids all next week, which should be okay as long as I remember to speak slowly. You know what's funny though is that people always pick up the accent of the person they leaned to speak English through, I can just imagine all these little Cambodian kids with an Ocker accent making their way about town... Will post again on the whole volunteer thing but after an early night I got up on Saturday morning for the main event around Siem Reap, Angkor Wat. Had a really cool guide, Fila, who took me to three of the temples in the local area just outside of town. I was almost through with tours after a rubbish one in Bangkok, the chick who was teh guide just translated the plaques alongside the statues before taking us to jewellery shops and the like. The temples are about 20mins outside of Siem reap and accessible by Tuk Tuk. The main one, Angkor Wat (Wat just means buddhist temple) was built in the 12th century by Surayasomethingorother the 7th as a monument to his rule and also a place where he would be buried. Alot of the architecture is based on Indian designs and this was alos a strategy that Suraya used to unite his people, mostly Buddhist but also a large Hindu population as well. Insise the temple I actually saw more Hindu design than Buddhist, perhaps with all these sort of things there is a bit of this and a bit of that so a nods as good as a wink to a blind donkey and all that. Went into the main strip with a few of the other volunteers in the evening, I think a backpacker ghetto is a backpacker ghetto wherever you go but Cambodia is alot cheaper than alot of places so you can have a great night out for between 10 and 20 dollars US. Just taking it easy around the guest house today and getting these downloads sorted after a big sleep in today, they are doing a roast so need to get back while there is still some left.
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