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Hi guys - lack of updates: have been travelling through rural southern villages where electricity, water and telephones are a luxury, let alone internet. For now, feast on this:

"Sawadee". "Sawadee". We responded to the huge friendly smile characteristic of this region. It turns out that he is Laotian, and an epitomy of everything that is rumoured about Laotian people. Warm, friendly, highly-loveable and so laid back he'd almost fall over. Traversing and experiencing such beautiful people, one is a far cry from the familiarity of fear and unrest of the West, that it is difficult to believe the world is in certain parts, in turmoil. Ironically, the Democratic Republic of Laos is considered to be one of those countries. And for sure, it has its share of political instability, under-development and economic struggles, but, a certain flame of happiness dances in the eyes of the locals with whom I have interacted - a flame whose light is often missed in the West.

In Laos. In Love.

Asha Patel
2006-08-23 10:48:48

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the equivalent of 75p per night. They were cute, and adequate... Out here, I feel far from any sense of reality. There could be a war happening and I would not know...

...We dropped our bags and were hungry for lunch. I went to the outdoor bathroom to wash my hands. Turned on the tap and murky brown water spurted out. Hm, nice. Time for the antiseptic wipes! The guesthouse owner told us that the rain had washed the contamination downhill and we were advised not to use the water for brushing teeth, nor to eat any fresh fruit and vegetables. We began to walk off lunch but barely made it 15mins before the heat and fatigue, not to mention sheer idleness kicked in. Back to the huts for reading, dozing and lazing around. Every movement here is a demanding exercise of labour. Even the locals speak with such soft slow tones that within minutes I find my head dropping in slumber. That said, they are of a wonderful, kindly nature. Upon discovering that the nearest international telephone was 10kms away, Tim offered to drive us 7kms to a phone shop... Green papaya sald for dinner whilst simultaneously fighting off rthe innumerable array of crawling, flying and biting creatures of the night that chose to keep us company. Ugh. Hot, sweaty and sticky, the next decision was whether to sleep in my own filth, or, shower in the brown murky water. I opted for the latter, sharing the brick shower room with yet more fanciful creatures. Not all of them flying. There were frogs. Hoping at least one would transform into a charming young prince..alas, they did not. Maybe the magic kiss would've done the trick. That shower had to have been the shortest in Asha shower taking history. Those of you who have had the good fortune of living with me will understand that a five minute shower once a day is unheard of. Then, another night under a mosquito net, awaiting to see whether sleep invites me to her sweet escape or not...

-- Tad Lo to Don Khong --

...She ...