Vietnam, Continued!

 This is not a good place to be a duck!  Tried it twice, once too fatty and ill prepared, the second time just wonderful....

Halong Bay Arrival: Bus dropped us off in the 'middle of no where' - and our waitng scooters!

 

First suggestion - Sorry, we can't believe this will have a good outcome...

Jim with 'The Gang'  after taking 'our way' vs the 'sure to crash and burn' Vietnamese way!

Safe and Sound!

SAIGON!

I can't tell it's the same city I visited 17 years ago!  I have no idea where I stayed, however I do know it wasn't this 4 Star 'Lau Lau 2' Hotel! 

Confession:  We struggle with breakfast daily, the hotels serve a wonderful Vietnamese breakfast buffet but we cannot get ourselves to eat the spicy meats, greasy sping rolls, stir fried garlic veggies, and beef/chicken Pho.  We make weak attempts but overall are not culinary success stories.  We keep going for fresh baked baguettes, the ever present omelette, fresh pineapple, papaya, and bananas, and heavily sweetened yogurt.  And to make matters even worse (gasp!) we are bringing our own instant nescafe coffee to the table!  The coffee is literally horrid. Even Jim won't drink it which is saying something.  And me?  I am the one turning up my nose in Bangkok to nescafe coffee and now I grovel for Jim's stash!

Pho: love it,cheap and very yummy.

Beer:  Tiger (Singapore) beer as neither Hue or Saigon carry Hanoi beer!!! Hue offered Huda but not Tiger... it's very interesting it's passive resistence to the North. For example:  HCM is frequently called Saigon here.  In many sneaky ways, it will damn it be SAIGON again!!! 

SAIGON/HCM WAR MUSEUM

Pretty much one full day exploring the exhibits. An excellent photo gallery with a collection from war journalists - many US including Larry Burrows (Life Magazine), Vietnamese and some French, Japanese and European photographers.  Interestingly 2  American Women photographers were featured, one was killed on the front line and the other disappeared during the war.  

Although there is an element of learning from war and building towards a world of peace, it was difficult to feel real great about humankind after viewing:

 * Horrifying 'real' exhibits of Tiger Cages and other forms of imprisonment

 * Extremely barbaric torture methods, photo displays of survivors and their stories

 * Agent Orange Aftermath section, with photos and stories of villagers, their disabilities, their children AND their children's children severe birth defects, as well as American soldiers who suffered to a much lesser degree after returning home.

3 - 7 prisoners were contained in one Tiger Cage made with a barb wire frame, which was placed on the ground or standing upright in a river.

Personally, I think there's much to learn from history's past mistakes but I didn't need to see this!  Way too graphic and intense.  The Agent Orange section was the last emotional straw for me and I hustled myself into a semi-nasty bathroom cubicle for a good cry.  It affected me in a profound way, as I write this I feel tears coming and my chest tightening.   I woke several times during the night with vivid dreams.  And of course, part of it is the all too real knowledge our world continues to experience war, war crimes, torture, violence, and extreme suffering by people towards other people. 

I like Jim's thoughts:  Hopefully someday museums will be the only way anyone will know about war and the effect of war.

MEKONG RIVER BOAT - SAIGON VERSION!

$10/hour to explore the river!  Always fun and really shows a city from a whole new perspective.

One of our river views... where can you start  with home maintanence and repairs?

Happy Day!

House boats and Saigon skyline 

OK we can't even walk across the street without holding each other's hands and this guy has a huge pile of bananas with no way of seeing around them in very heavy traffic!!!

One of the local Hair Salons. The  Hair Stylist's 'Work Uniform' is consistently tight, revealing clothing as are the Massage and Manicure employees.  Jim decided to get his hair cut within an hour after this photo.... hummm?

And across the street from our hotel, this group of 10 lovely stylist's hang out - every day dressed exactly alike in accordance with a dress code e.g. arrival on Thursday:  tight red mini dresses, deeply cut bodice and red 5" platform heels....just for the heck of it I went across the street to chat them up.  I was met with unusual hostility, for Vietnam.  I inquired about streaks for my hair and was told 'no, can't do it'. I asked 'oh, is this a hair salon?' yes, but can't do your hair.... o dear!

Doing hard labour selling coconuts! Have to earn money for flight home...

Tour of Independence Palace, April 1975 North Vietnamese 'liberated' (aka invaded) South Vietnam. These photos are the bunker and last ditch battle control centre. Unfortunately there was no escape route from here.  The South Vietnamese President surrendered end of April and left Vietnam to live overseas. Excellent tour and beautiful grounds.

Tomorrow:  May 28!

Leaving Saigon/HCM for the Mekong Delta!  Touring 2 days then crossing into Cambodia by river at Chau Doc (Vietnam) to Phnom Pehn (Cambodia) 'the most pleasant way to cross'. 

Note:  I've just finished, and Jim is reading They Killed My Father First by Loung Ung, who was only 5 years old living in Phnom Pehn when the Khmer Rouge (Communist faction) took over the country in the 1970's. The war ended with 25% of the Cambodian population murdered, including her mother, father and 2 out of 7 siblings.   It is an amazing story and gives us some persecptive of what Cambodia went through in recent traumatic history.  We met a Russian in Laos who has been living and working in Cambodia for 5 years and he believes the country has been set back 20 years in economic and social development.

Taking Vietnam Slow and Easy...

The journey continues!  How many ways to say 'hot'??? Humm?   Humid. Wow it's really Hot and Humid. Can't believe how Hot it is. How Humid it is.. It is SO....How can we sweat so MUCH?  Whatz the temperature? Is that F or C?  How Cold is the Beer?  Is there Ice? Fruit Smoothie; Ice Made with Mineral Water?

HANOI

Several nights (lost count)  in a very sweet 'Boutique Hotel'  exploring the city morning and evening. Hiding in air-con room afternoons.  One afternoon I fade faster than Jim and he continues on his sightseeing quest... he is barely out of my sight and he hears "do you want to buy me?" from a young 'lady'.  He doesn't even look at her (he says) and said "No Thanks" (he says!) and she replies woefully "But Why Not?"  Offers of 'boom - boom' or marijuana are constant for him.  Me? Occasionally asked if I want pot, and other than the (very) odd proposal for a 'nice motorcycle ride' , or a long lingering hand shake and equally long gaze (??!!!) that's it!

Was super to see Uncle Ho (aka Ho Chi Minh deceased 1975) once again for me, but Jim's first visit.  He's keeping very well and I was shocked to see how much better he looks than 1997, gained some weight in his face and coloring is good, if a little waxy.  Gosh what do you expect after 30 dead years?  He takes a break from the mausoleun for 3 months every year restoration work, in Russia.  Visiting him is a very solomn occasion, hats off, serious face on.  The 4 guards surrounding his body are all in white, and standing still as statues.  Jim had to control the urge to moan, 'Oh No It's True he is Really Gone', and fall sobbing, to his knees.  In this event, my role was to console him, pat his back and tell others (including guards)  'he's been like this since 1975, now he finally has to face it....'  Needless to say we controlled ourselves. 

Night Market area - very Ho Hum.   SE Asian Markets really are looking all the same-same.  Winners: Mo Chit (Bangkok) and home of Jimmy Choo knock off hand bags and everything else imaginable (and unimaginable) in literally acres of stalls.  Ellen and Belle: would compete with that overwhelming market in Goa, believe it or not.  I've actually been back to Mo Chit 3X!!!!!  I know where the best grilled Chicken Wrap is on the street AND that you must buy Mangosteen's from the lady with big cart at the NE Gate by 12 noon or she's sold out and gone. Oh, yes and we know where the Market Police Office is, and have met several undercover agents (when Jim's day backpack was lifted).  The other very enjoyable market is the Textile Market in Laos.

Early morning e.g. 5:45 - 8 am Democratic Communist Party announcements and music broadcast on loud speakers in the Old Quarter is not our favorite way to wake up in the morning.

HALONG BAY

NOTE: Please assume all Busses in SE Asia say Air Con but really are not, that the seats are plastic and uncomfortable and are painfully slow.  This trip is standard issue only THIS time we are dropped off at the side of a busy highway (as opposed to the middle of a large community with no clue where we are) in the middle of nowhere, with no clue where we are.  

 5 - 7 motor bikes and their have-to-earn- a-Dong owners (all are crouched under the only tree... by the side of the road) eagerly surround us, offering to load a wheely and one of us on one motor bike.  Jim looks doubtful, and I am astounded, and both of us look confused.  Meanwhile two drivers confidently grabs one 20 Kg whe appear in a state of confusion.  Yeah, right!  It WAS funny watching them trying to figure out Where Will this Go and How Do I Get it There!!! First, they try to balance it on the back seat, but cannot for the life of them find even 2" to squeeze a passenger. Then one driver somehow struggles with my bag and balances it on the front of the bike, between him and the handlebars. Only problem is he can't SEE over it nor can he hang on to both handles and the beast at the same time!!!  Nevertheless he beams confidently at me!  We finally agree to hire FOUR motorbikes, one each for us and each Wheely has their own! And off we go in convoy style. Only issue:   we have Vietnamese Motorbike Drivers.  And we are cowardly North Americans.  We find ourselves tettering down a busy,one-wayroad, going the wrong way and crowding the cement barriers in a very close and personal manner.  Broke into a fearful sweat with this ride!

Then the hotel. Oh what a story. This got real old real fast!  PS signs everywhere 'No Smoking'.  But every room has an ashtray and when Room #1  reeked of cig smoke, we inquire 'smoking room?' and point to No Smoking sign.  She warmly smiles at us and says reassuringly 'no problem' and shows us the ashtray!  Room #2  carpet filthy and reeking of mold Room #3 Air Con doesn't work and finally The Winner!!!  Behind Door #4 a barely acceptable room!!! We were so happy to leave this hotel it was one time we left someplace...on time!!!

Halong Bay-us kayaking through a tunnel

World Heritage Site:  3000 limestone 'karsts' scattered in turquoise water, mystical and magical and beautiful.  And even in the 'off season' appallingly touristy and busy in Halong Bay.  We took a full day trip and separated from the larger 30-person group for the afternoon. This was the best part ever - we cruised thru the karsts, eventually ending up on a dreamy white sand beach in crystal clear (and clean!) green water. Wow. Wow.



Captured jelly fish (on Jim's oar)... swim anyone?!

Snippet: as we cruise up to a Floating Fishing Village (as touted by tourist brochures) to kayak, we are asked if we what to explore the 'caves', and if so we need to pay a 'Park Fee' of 5,000 Dong each. When we declined, we were then advised we could only take the kayaks around the boats! We agreed and off we went...to the caves. Which we thoroughly explored, and laughed with the 2 other uncompliant kayakers who followed suit.  We happily return to our boat, along side the 'guide' that told us we needed to pay extra  (she was bringing back the 6 or 7 innocent victims who DID pay), and that was it.

Moral: do not believe everything you are told! Everyone here needs to, and so has learned, to develop as many diverse ways as possible to make a buck.   People serving food can also take you out tomorrow for a motorcyle tour, or their best friend/brother/aunt is very good AND available to (fill in the blanks) ... take you on a boat tour, find a handicraft shop, sell you a t-shirt, feed you real VN food.... on and on.

This beautiful warm smile is for the teeny tiny Canadian flag pin on her sweater!!!

From Hue, we hire a Dragon Boat that starts the motor with an old hand crank.  We originally asked for a tour the opposite way from all the sightseeing tour everyone goes on, but the tour people said 'no, because (various reasons, the river narrows, sandbars, nothing to see...) So we agree to a 5 hour trip, get on the boat  in early morn and proceed to tell the driver we want to go the OTHER direction.  He looks a litte confused but agrees and we had the best time ever.  Through non-touristy areas including fishing villages, rice fields, by original narrow and tumbling buildings, waving at small surprised children screaming 'hi, helwo,!'..  

 

Don't you love how she keeps dry?! Ingenious.

Note Tribal tatoo (forehead) This lady was her son's skipper, and had at least 50 linen shirts neatly piled in plastic bags, book marks, small paintings and drawings, small carvings, an ice cooler with beer (offered at 7:30 am!! does she think we are Auzzies or something?) and on and on.  She was lovely until she realized we were not buying anything. Then not so friendly.

Jim:  DMZ Vinh Moc Tunnels - a coastal village went underground for 4 years during American bombing, included a 'maternity room' (6 babies born in 2 yrs), meeting room and bedrooms in 2 kms of tunnels.

The Flag is EVERYWHERE as is VN Communist Party propaganda posters.

Over and out for now, onward to Saigon/Ho Chi Ming City now. We have a flight which is so amazing. 1 hour 10 minutes vs hard core travelling by bus or train or combination for minimum 24 hours. sigh bliss. To be continued soon.

NEWSFLASH! We are booked out of Bangkok on June 12 via Korea arriving about 30 hours later in Seattle... on June 12 go figure.  We'll see you SOON! Love Jim and Sherry

TYING UP THAILAND

  Sukhoyhai, Thailand

Thailand Bus photo:  The Driver 'thou shalt not pee'!

Soi Cowboy, Bangkok

DAY 'ON-OFF' TOUR  BOAT

For < $5 you  get on/off wherever, explore whatever sights then catch it for the next PAS (pretty amazing spot).  And of course given Bangkok's transportation system, the MRT connects to the dock.  Righteous tourist sites and even enjoyably explored... 

* Siriraj Medical Museum -   abit disconcerting with it's displays of pickled body parts, and in the case of fetuses the whole body, then there are the stripped down veins.. ugh you get the picture (Opinion:  it's a 'miss')

* The Grand Palace - built 1782

* Wat Pho -  46' Reclining Buddha - opinion 'must see'

* Wat Phra Kaeo the Temple of the Golden Buddhas', an icon of carved jade and with seasonal robes changed 3 times a year to match the 'season' by his Majesty the King.  Opinion:  Fantastic. Dealing with the millions of 99% 4' 2" Asian people all in tour groups of 60 and all with umbrellas not so fun!

* Street Market on way to Grand Palace.. hum.  Some unhappy sights here (photos below) makes Canadian and American people scowl....
The real positives:  herbal remedies and salves, good food, and interesting old metals and coins for sale.

 Includes Tiger teeth. 

*Chinatown - Opinion 'Fantastic' dinner 'cheap, fresh and delish'



Thailand's New Year - April 13 - 16 FUN and celebrated as a water festival.  Means water water everywhere sprayed, poured, and thrown over other people - walking, cycling, boating, and riding in tuk-tuks or cars, taxi's, trucks.... You've
got the general idea.  Getting doused with water and painted white is good luck.  Total fun, different from India and Nepal.  Didn't see the level of aggression here. 

   Lots of good luck!

LUANG PRABANG, LAOS

Ho-hum yet another boring bus ride story. Not to worry no gory details here just objective facts and figures. Vientiane to Luang Prabang:  384 kms, estimated time: 10 hours; actual time 12 hours.  Scenery: out of this world, misty mountains, green jungle, little village after .. little indigenous village, multiple river crossings. Bus:  tired and had tummy ache.  Several unscheduled stops where the thin, wirey bus 'assistant' would dive into the innards, wrench in hand and ciggarette gripped firmly in mouth.  He would emerge a little more greasy, sweat stained, 5 - 20 minutes later and off we'd limp again. The steep hills were the issue.   Strolling cows and walking small children could pass us with no problem. We were great on the downhill.

Am in love with this wonderful, sedate, and friendly city way in the mountains North of Vientiane.

Early morning fresh egg delivery outside our 'Boutique Hotel'



Jim searching for lunch on the Mekong!



Renting a cruiser bike - we choose silver which is gender neutral - Jim not eager for hot pink cruiser! 

And we wander all over town, happily sight seeing and seeking river side cafes for cold juice/beer when the heat is too.... hot.  Will never ever forget going through the night textile market - a woman friendly event at least a km long with hundreds of small stalls - and cycling 'home' at 11 pm weaving through tuk-tuks, other bikes, scooters, and people wandering. Past 3 beautiful Buddhist Wats trimmed in Gold and colored rich red.  Frangipangi blossoms pumping out their exotic perfume. Skirt flapping in the warm breeze (think very European!),  hand bag slung over my shoulder and fresh chocolate and mango crepe safely riding in the wire basket!   Sherry's Bliss.  da da daaaa I Could Have Peddled All Night.. DAaaaa! 

Bamboo 'dry season' bridge crossing.  I set up the camera on delay. Run to get in the photo. Sit on the railing. Railing drops and cracks. Jim runs to rescue me!!!! 



view of said bridge!



Mekong River Boat Cruise

Wonderful!  2 hours up river, one hour return... past small villages, watching children slide down sand banks and swimming in the river, fishermen throwing nets.  This brown river supports so much life along it's course.. and we wonder how the next generations will make a living.  Resource management is not even on the radar for these countries, and reports of significantly decreased harvests over the last 20 years resound throughout Laos, Northern Thailand and expect Vietnam is the same. 

We stop Ban Xang Hai, a community that produced Rice Whisky  (yes, it's good!) with a speciality of Cobra or Scorpian pickled in the bottle...see below!



Pakou Caves

Cruise destination, and the Lonely Planet really buggered this one up.  We dressed with our best footwear to manage the 'slippery, steep, dark stairs' that go up to the 'dramatic limestone cliffs', and 'bring a torch'.  Big let down, the stairs are managable in thongs, there is no cave to speak of... and limestone may be present but is no more outstanding than the scenery surrounding the area.  There you go. 

Ethnic Fashion Show With Happy Hour!

Royal Palace Tour - not photos allowed, too bad was interesting....and

Buddhist Wat View of Luang Prabang

Street Shot, on Wat Entrance Stairs...



May 10, 2012   HELLO HANOI!


 Luang Prabang, Laos

Ditched the 23 hour, and 1200 kms, sweaty bus from Luang Prabang to Hanoi, and a challenging border crossing (eg. scams and 'extra' costs). For a 55 minute Vietnam Airways comfy flight ... hum.  Cost:  $45 more per person than the bus and oh! to arrive clean and cool as a cuke vs sweat drenched, spotted and dirty; rested vs exhausted, and with cognitive functioning intact vs stunned, confused, and emotionally fragile!!!!

Out for dinner first night in town:  street food anyone?  hum.. we passed on this yummy entree, dog intestine. We can officially be called failures - the only exotic food thus far:  Crispy (fried) Frog

Hanoi!!! Entrancing.  After sedate Luang Prabang to utter street chaos!  We are in the Perfect Hanoi Location, the Old Quarter.  10 pm last night scooters with up to 4 people perched on the seat, zipping around carts piled with !??! everything imaginable, street vendors selling all variety of food.  We are just a tad hypnotized, mesmerized and thrilled.  It's hard to go back to the hotel room to bed with all this action going on 24 - 7. What ARE they all doing out there?  Why are they doing it?   Where are they going?  Questions:  Do they work tomorrow? Obligations at 7 am? A schedule that MIGHT be in conflict of being up so late on a school night?  Why is it so much more fun, interesting and noisier than Vancouver?

SAWADEE AND LOVE FROM LAOS

Once again, in no particular chronological order!

SCLEROTHERAPY Experience:

Bangkok 3 weeks ago $60 and an hour later treatment completed. Where o where IS Sherry the RC? I didn't ask nor had any idea that part of the treatment plan is wearing a very (very) tight elastic 'stocking' from toes to thigh for 24 hours/day and duration of minimun 8 days! And of course the post-treatment day we had the visa run to Cambodia.... more on that later. 'nough to say it was not the most comfy experience which (if you have any empathy whatsoever) you'll understand as you read the Cambodian Border Hellish Experience... soon to come in this blog.

But more importantly, the ugly distracting (to me) vein on my right leg below my knee (just to my left) is now a mere faint shadow of it's former self. I am SO pleased, and for a small fraction of NA costs. Never mind the elastic tourniquet choking off all major arteries on right side of body. Forgot the 100 degree heat and 99% humidity discomfort for 8 days. Oh and the little Asian female whippets glancing (repeatedly) at my two massive NA legs, one darkly tanned and the other with 'flesh - pale pink -toned' thick wrapping as far as the eye can see....


CAMBODIA HELLISH VISA RUN

Up at 6 am to hunt down the Mini Bus. You've heard about how easy Thailand is, you know the 'no problem in Thailand EVERYONE speaks ENGLISH' Well I will say they are travelling in a different country than we are. OUR Thailand native speakers are (occasionally) fluent with 'hi, hewo, than you, velcome', and with smiling and bowing. As soon as we desparately need something, even these people are no where to be seen.

We wander around Victory Monument, where the internet info tells us to go. Here I need to clarify something. Perhaps you visulize a sedate area, maybe a block long, a two lane treed street and gentle traffic flow, with a nice big sign in English stating CAMBODIA MINI BUS HERE!?

The reality: a huge area with countless lanes of traffic - 89% of them white Toyota minivans - around a central park with Victory Monument gratefully secure in the middle. No running or walking across the street here. Nope. Everytime we need to cross one of the dozen intersections of 4 - 6 lanes each, up a couple of flights of stairs for the pedestrian overpass, down the other side. By the third one, I am whining 'I don't think this is what Dr. ____ meant when she said I can stroll in air conditioned malls'..... my leg is aching (whine)'.

Then try to ask SOMEONE about the bus. We are either met with blank confused stares or sent in circles by well meaning non-basic English speaking Thai's. Finally we ask one of Thailands 2,000,000 tranvistie's, sitting at a small sidewalk table and looking more femine and lovely than I ever have (but with a very deep voice, MY voice is better). 1.5 hours later we are on our mini-bus. Sweaty and pathetically grateful and relieved.

4 hours later at high noon we arrive at the border. Now we are in for a treat, but hey we've done Nicaragua! We are much better prepared psychologically than the other Cambodian Border newbies. First is the severe difference between the two countries. It really is another world and you can literally see the level of Cambodian poverty by glancing from Thailand at the border.

First we are told by an 'experienced' American backpacker 'this is the WORSE border crossing, watch out for scams, touts, etc. OK he's never been to Central America! At the first stop Customs tries to shake us down for an extra $5. A firm 'no' and point at the sign above the counter stating the real cost takes care of the issue.

Out the door and Jim skips, I limp, to the extensive line up going back into Thailand. We stand, we continue to stand. After 45 minutes I snarl at a French couple that think they are going to sneak in front of us. Not. Then, it's a huge success when the line moves 10 feet, enough to put us in some shade. The French remain defeated and find a niche behind us. An expat in front of us says with great expertise 'this is about 2 hours'. Being here is Nirvana, the temperature drops to at least 95 F. Then we see dark clouds forming. The wind picks up. Thunder roars. Thailand staff hustles everyone under the overhang (which we notice has multiple holes in it). It starts to POUR like it only can in the tropics. Suddenly they get our group into the building and we think 'gosh this is great, we're going to be out of here soon'.

HA! I move through quickly, but Jim just happens to get Ms. Efficient Thailand who notices his passport is missing a stamp or two checking him out of Cambodia. We are sent BACK TO CAMBODIA! With an umbrella. I am now beyond whining. I am just thinking 'suck it up buttercup' and ignore the leg. The rain is a relief, the puddles are suspicious. 'What WAS that floating there?' Don't look closely. Hum too bad Jim wore sandles.

Another line up. Then a Second Line up. We meet with (some) sympathy with other travellers who say 'oh this happens to everyone on their first time through!' Back to Thailand. We are on the mini bus by 5:30 pm. Now we have an unmotivated bus. This driver is more interested in his IPhone and picking up any waif lounging along the highway than anything else. He also likes to stop for no particular reason... disappearing into various buildings for....???? We are a defeated group. At this point we are so passive there are few comments. Arrival in Bangkok by 9 pm..... Some interesting posters at the Border

1) at Thailand Immigration office

2) Cambodia Immigration sign, another focussed on child prostitution

3) and we're complaining about standing in the hot sun!

Various Signs in recent travels brings a bit of a smile or questioning look:

(India) Government Forms and Document (a huge) Building in Calcutta

(Thailand) Anti-Money Laudering Building in Bangkok (also large!)

(Thailand) Anti-Corruption Building in Bangkok

Laos Signs in National Museum

Frequent references to 'Puppets of the United States Government' and The People's Liberation Party !

LAO NATIONAL MUSEUM

Located in a French era (built in 1925) building in Vientiane, it retains the revolutionary zeal of PLA. Very interesting displays and well worth visiting, even without modern ventilation or air con. Good section on the Plain of Jars - 2 of them are on display. Our itenerary includes a trip to this area in Northwestern Laos where hundreds of these large stone jars are scattered on the plains, they are estimated as 2000 years old. They were possibly used for burials. This area is one of the most heavily bombed in Laos during the Vietnam War, and remains a very dangerous zone for unexploded Ordenances (UXO's)). One display showed an infant's burial jar, with tiny bronze wrist and ankle bracelettes and was heavily weighted with beautiful glass beads. The inference is the child was either from a very wealthy family or was much loved, demonstrated by the riches accompaning her.

BUS TRIP TO LAOS

I need to spend a little bit of time describing a our all day trip from to the border of Pak Chong, Thailand to Laos:

Another hellish bus trip through Thailand... jeez why o why do we not get the big air con busses with the softie, lumbar supported seats? I swear to God or Buddha I lost at least 10 L of water in sweating. No exaggaration either. Now THIS bus had vacant seats when we got on, which is always a positive sign. But they were 2/3 the size required by the average North American butt... and kind of how do I say it... slippery.. as in plastic-like. And it LOOKED like air conditioning. We never did find out for sure as we adjusted the little blow thingie's to no avail. It may have been the issue of stuffing the bus with as many bodies as possible. This means the entire aisle is jammed from back to front. You've seen cans of sardines? Well that is basically it only light a match under the can and let them stew for 9 - 12 hours. Thats us,and 50 other people. 

Then there is the story of TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE, this is the question... On the road for 3.5 hours and the bus stops for a maximum of 2.3 seconds to allow some fortunate soul to leap off the vehicle, snatching their bag on the way out, and landing feet up at the side of the road.  We stop again, this time in the parking lot of a bus depot... but not in a stall or in any way appearing to stay more than 2.3 seconds. The bus remains running.  No one even twitches to make a move off the bus.... the driver however jumps out, lights a smoke... and Jim takes this opportunity to cautiously leave the bus.  He approaches the driver.. gestures to him 'toilet'.  Driver looks abit put out but points him to the appropriate direction... YIPEE I am off the bus in a flash. Like who needs this as much of not more I ask you?  This is a different story. He firmly shakes his head 'no' I cannot go!!!  OK you maybe you can tell an obedient Thai lady no, but it is not working for a NA woman.  I insist.  He almost jumps up and down in his fury.... I cross my arms.  TOILET I say.... he finally breaks and off I go.  AH it was worth the battle. I hold my ground and head high for all woman kind. 

As you can see Jim is somewhat content....!

I was so bitchy by the time we got to the hotel (on the 100 F degree heated bus from 7 am to 6:30 pm got up at 6 am of course. ) that I nearly pyhsically attacked the two waiters last night that tried to tell me they did not have even ONE COCKTAIL on the freakin menu! nor did they know one freakin word of English. I read the menu and it showed one whole big page of colorful, yummy and frosty margaritas, G and T, Mojitoes.... and to be told I couldn't have even ONE threw me into some kind of a tantrum/melt down!

Ooops guess you could tell I (we ) were a little frazzled!!! We spent the rest of the night trying to suck up to them after feeling stupid for being so... stupid! So we ordered our dinner which was one of the best in Thailand.

THEN we decided on ice cream, and of course now we are more aware of the operational hazards in the Restaurant... the menu showed 2 full pages of ice cream including strawberry, blueberry, 3 chocolates, green tea... on and on. So, we smile and order and ask 'is this ok? do you have this' and the head bobbing and body bowing, and smiles were approving and neverending. NOTE: Thai's really really do not like to displease anyone, and are totally agreeable rather than say, 'no', hence it leads to all sorts of interpersonal relationship issues with foreigners.... so we sit down and sure enough, here they come. Now they are approaching us in groups of at least two people. No ice cream that we ordered. So out comes the menu again. Out of 16 varieties of ice cream they actually have 3. All is well, we order one of the three and everyone is smiling and agreeable!

Note: We ARE in Laos, and this will be Continued.....soon

Love to all :)

By the way we just got back from dinner with dessert of MANGO PIE and Vanilla Ice Cream - in the low 80's and very pleasant....

Last night we went for dinner and then took our 'Happy Hour' drinks To Go in large paper cups to wander through the Vientiene Night Market. Ah life is sweet!

Leaving for Northern points, to Luang Prabang of course early morning bus - 11 hours (humm we'll see!). This is the ancient capital of Laos, a world heritage site..... stay tuned!