Luscious Laos

Along this journey, other fellow travelers have been telling me, "Laos... go to Laos," but I was slow to take their advice because after traveling in Cambodia I became exhausted with my plan, so decided to limit my once expansive itinerary to Thailand. A day trip to Kanchanaburi turned into a 14 day sojourn--swimming and cycling along the River Kwai, visiting WWII railway sites, caves, elephants, tigers and monkeys (Oh My!). I got so thoroughly wet the first two days at Songkran-- the wet and wild Thai New Year--that I decided to join in the fun for the last two days. Either participate or sit in my sweltering hotel room...so I joined in--I never imagined I'd be in an MTV Beach Party scene (only the Thais were clothed slightly more modestly than their American counterparts) and that I'd actually enjoy that scene ... it was a BLAST (from the machine gun water pistols).

Fortunately, Thailand has an bewildering policy of not extending visas unless you do a border crossing, so I decided to spend a few days in Laos--which is likely to become a few weeks. Laos is a green gem--less crowded, modest tourist trade crap, more emphasis on outdoor activities, a "real chill place" (the highest compliment from European backpacker set). So the past few days I've cycled the old French colonial town of Luang Prabang (simple, elegant, & clean), gone swimming in the waterfalls nearby (so lush and tropical it's barely real--like a movie set or something), kayaking down the Ou River--One of my best experiences of this entire trip will be jumping out of the kayak in the middle of the river (slow moving) that cuts a primeval path through the beautiful green jungle (what it must look like during rainy season) and floating behind the kayak--powerful, amazing-- I am so fortunate.

I encourage all my family and friends to consider Laos in future travels. It's on a cusp of change--they are trying to build an eco-tourist trade but are struggling with illegal poaching and illegal logging. I don't know how Lao will evolve in the future--I hope a model closer to Costa Rica than Khao San Road in Bangkok!

Going to the beach ... Koh Maak

I started this journey at 6 a.m., diligently packing my bag the night before, so I could catch the Government bus to Trat, a small town on the Gulf of Thailand, not too far from Cambodia. I woke just in time to greet the Khao San road partiers coming in and trying to negotiate a room for themselves and their "ladies" (with no luck at this place, thankfully). What an entertaining mating dance, European frat boys beside themselves and pouting Thai butterflies swearing they're going to fly away, but never quite leaving.

So after a 45 minute check-out and a 45 minute cab ride in Bangkok a.m. rush hour I make it to Ekkamai* (Bangkok's bus depot for eastern destinations) by the 8 a.m. departure time (barely), only to discover the bus has been "rescheduled" to leave at 8:30, but am assured that I will have enough time to make the ferry to Koh Maak at 1:30 p.m...The extra time gives me a chance to wander among the vendors, where I find, of all things, boiled peanuts! Now I really feel like I'm going to the beach (In South Carolina, there are stands along the road to the beach that sell boiled peanuts; it's a tradition to stop along the way and get a paper bag full of them).

After a semi-air conditioned bus ride, I arrived in Trat at 2:45 with an outside chance of making the last ferry leaving Laem Ngop. So with the other falongs (Thai word for tourists), I hustled in the back of the taxi truck and was then again hustled by the driver, paying an extra 50 baht before he would consent to leave ... Zoom, we were off down the road without a seat belt, roof or helmet, trying to make the last ferry. I've got to admit it's fun riding in the back of a pickup truck--I never thought I would ride without a seat belt again.

Fortunately I made it to the pier in time to catch the speed boat. All the other falongs hopped the boat to Koh Chang, a larger, more commercial island, and I joined the locals and ex-pat crowd heading for Koh Maak, a smaller, less commercial location. While the local doctor, boat captain and others downed beers, I got a chance to talk with a couple of ex-pats who have moved to the island permanently and got insider info on where to stay. Then we were off like the guys on Miami Vice in their cigarette boat--flying over the surface to beautiful, tropical Koh Mak. I arrived just before sunset, put on my suit, and rushed into the warm, calm sea.

Bangkok EXTREME!

Bangkok is a city of extremes. I've been hot before, but in Bangkok, I'm hotter. I've had fresh squeezed orange juice before, but in Bangkok it's fresher...somehow. (Fresh squeezed mandarin juice...I didn't think you could improve on oj). Of course there's the shopping; most of the streets are lined with vendors selling anything and they have several huge sky-rise malls, with floors and floors of stuff to buy...very cheaply or not. As my pictures will attest, street food abounds in all variety...The Thai's are a very inventive people, and with food their creativity flourishes. After the day market is done, little portable sidewalk restaurants magically appear serving very fine meals. My last meal in Bangkok was spicy seafood salad (so fresh, so good) and roasted duck with cinnamon sauce over rice...about $3.00 total (and that was spendy).

With all the commerce in Bangkok, though, its difficult to get to know the Thai hosts...everything seems to be a transaction, everything has to be bargained for...on the street with a vendor it's fine, but fighting with a taxi to get him to turn on his meter gets fatiguing after the first or second time. I was lucky that I followed *Susan's advice and went to the Phra Sumane Port park in the evening. It was like Greenlake (but with a river and no lake); there was an outdoor aerobics class (including the Thai version of a perky guy indefatigably leading), a capoeira (Brazilian martial art & dance) singing Portuguese with Thai accents and all their hearts, and a traditional Thai concert. Just people doing their thing. It was a relief to sit, enjoy and be. On the way back to my hotel I had a Thai version of Chinese hotpot, boiling hot on a miniature terra cotta grill on a teetering table.

As you've probably ascertained food is one of my delights, but I am calming myself now and chanting I can enjoy it without eating it ... everything is so new.

So , if you're prone to overshopping, overeating, overheating and any other vices, Bangkok is the city for backsliding!

*Susan Shaw teaches English in Thailand. She was a welcome face and showed me around Khao San and its environs. (We met at Starbucks, no less).

Looping around...

Taken for a Ride...

...though I knew what I was doing. After a day of cultural outings to the National Gallery and the National Museum, I finally gave in to the blister on my in-step and agreed to let a tuk-tuk driver show me the Buddahs reincarnated in various locales though out the city... for 20 baht or so...

Having grown up an Army brat, I have seen some wild traffic before...in Panama and Turkey, but nothing NOTHING compares to Bangkok. Lanes and traffic directions are all optional here. My tuk tuk guy quickly got me acclimated by turning u-turning onto an oncoming traffic lane where a bus was barreling towards us in some sort of Thai version of "chicken". He answered my protestations "I make you happy. I make you very happy." What are you going to do?

I'm Here!

After months and months of planning...the vision became a reality as I arrived in Bangkok today around 12:30 p.m. Though the trip was long, it was uneventful and at times comfortable. China Air kept us well fed--perhaps too much so, and entertained with movies, etc., but the seat were pretty packed. No matter, I'm here now.

I was fortunate to meet two American women who grew up in Thailand. Both Peggy and Jintana were wonderful to me, helping with the first words of Thai greeting (I can't spell it correctly, but sounds like Sa-wat-te- Kaay. When I greet the Thai with these kind words, the Thai respond with a heartfelt smile).

Jintana is from Seattle and is the owner of Ocean Thai near Greenlake (across from what used to be Albertsons), so you Seattlites go check out her restaurant. Jintana & her family were lovely to me; she was going to help me get cab, and her brother Somchai decided to drive me all the way into Bangkok--through Bangkok traffic--to my hotel. It was an unexpected gift and after 17+ hours of flight with negligible sleep I was, and still am, very very grateful.

I'm at the Rambuttri Inn & will likely be there for at least the next couple of days unless I see another area I would like to explore. My room is very basic, but clean and air conditioned. And with the 90 degrees outside, I'm very comfortable inside.

I had a quick shower when I got in, then took the evening to amble around ChakkaPhong road, near a very beautiful temple and a lot of tourist shops. The air was warm, but breezy, and the sound of palm and coconut fronds gave the night a sleepy mellow feel. I've already had a wonderful meal of fresh coconut juice and garlic fried snapper. Yum!

Check out some pictures My photos link, if you wish. Until then, I am so very grateful for the fortune of good friends and family--old and new--who have supported me in with this journey.

Getting Closer

and I have never been so efficient. Yesterday and today alone, I went to storage, sorted items for my graphic design portfolio, had a physical, got my teeth cleaned, got immunizations, renewed my tabs (early…that’s a first), changed my oil, got additional passport photos, babysat somewhat…soon all the details will be greatly reduced…soon…