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It seems that without fail, no journey I undertake in Asia can run smoothly. The mere hint of a thought of naïve smoothness in my mind and the touching of something wooden, will eventually result in some unexpected situation occurring. Take my boat trip from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw for example. It started well, and finished great, travelling through spectacular (though hazy) scenery, little communities and kids everywhere swimming, fishing, or manically waving at us as if their lives depended on it. But of course, this false sense of security is fraught with danger as we pass through ridiculously shallow and narrow sections of rapids that would be hard to even float a rubber duck through. Our boat driver gave off the impression he knew what he was doing though, which helps, as long as he did, in fact, know what he was doing, and the narrowest of routes would miraculously present themselves between rocks as we ploughed through - upstream. Only occasionally did we have to get out of the boat in knee-deep water and help push it up against the shallow, strong current, but this is normal for a boat trip...right?

Completing the circle

Simon Wadsworth
2006-09-04 15:02:51

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'This Morning' would've finished on UK TV. Two of these being: 1)Pha That Luang - Laos' national symbol, the front cover of the Lonely Planet and basically a big, yellow monument, and 2)Patuxai, or the Arc de Triomphe, commemorating the war dead, but amusingly built by concrete donated by the US for the construction of a new airport. This left a day and a half to get a feel for the 120,000 population city, as a relatively peaceful place. Many moan there's little to do here, which in many respects is true, but a little reading overlooking the Mekong, a tasty fruitshake here, a painfall massage there, and one can easily wile away a couple of days.

So it's "byebye" to Laos, as I travel to the Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge and south into Thailand, where everything is thankfully, cheaper than Laos (as long as you don't buy anything in Khao San Road, but you would have to be stupid to do that). I was here for far too short a time - a phrase you're used to hearing from me, although you could spend 5 years here and still it would never be enough. It's been great, a complete contrast to every other S.E. Asian country - no moto drivers, no big metropolises or smog (a writer is allowed to washover the forest fires in return for painting a pleasant picture), no touts and very peaceful - though the early morning cockerals are still out in force, but you can't have everything can you? Great, unhurried people, a just as great countryside, and one of the best beers around, I know I"ll be back one day.

With no time to spare in Nong Khai at the border, I get one final night bus (my 3rd in 2 weeks, urgh), dine on a Pot Noodle and peanut butter sandwiches, and arrive today,
refreshed in Bangkok, otherwise officially known as: Krungthep Mahanakhon Amonratanakosin Mahintara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Popnopparat (I'm not making this up) Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amonpiman Avatansathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukamprasit, but I doubt you'll see that on many maps...a yes, that took a while to type.

And that's the circle complete, which if you join the dots of all the places I've been too, looks more like the outline of a mountain goat's head. You might also have gathered from the photos that by the luck of the gods, my camera has started working again! I was slightly relieved to say the least. Although, it was typically after I had just bought a $10 disposable camera that I now don't really need, and is therefore where you come in. If you have any ingenious ideas as to what type of photos I can take on my newly aquired disposable over the next 4 months, please, write me a comment. Winner of the best idea gets, err...a pair of chopsticks, how does that sound? Happy thinking, if you can be bothered, and have a grand 2 weeks. All the best, Simon x

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