tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76966086281556069182024-03-14T10:49:38.794-07:00Wandering, not LostAll that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
-- J.R.R Tolkien --
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Join me, Fran, journalist and traveler, as I set myself adrift in search of adventureFranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-22007257519618091642009-12-20T01:51:00.000-08:002009-12-20T01:54:34.812-08:00Vientiane - recovery and special peopleBlissfully exhausted from Vang Vieng we headed to the capital of Laos Vientiane for our recovery. We booked into a nice guesthouse and avoided finding out what the 'sights' were ... we needed a day off from travel, which I have learned is the most important thing. I am on holiday after all and just because the Lonely Planet says I shoudl see something doesn't mean that has to be what reminds me of a place!<br />
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So when I think of Vientiane I remember these things<br />
1) Guay - a wonderful young man working at our guesthouse<br />
2) The most beautiful sunset over the Mekong<br />
3) A Letter to the Editor in the local paper<br />
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<strong>Guay:</strong><br />
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One of the most echanting characters we met was a young man named Guay (not Kwai as I pronounced it which means Buffalo, while Guay means Banana, which is apparently highly preferable?)<br />
The 29-year old, with the face of a teenager, works at the Villa Manoly - a mid-range hotel we splurged on, knowing we were headed for another few days of huts and villages and hard travel.<br />
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It seemed people speak less English in Vientiane, a small capital which is little more than a stopover for tourists heading further south (or north) in Laos, crossing the border with Thailand or heading to Hanoi in Vietnam.<br />
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When we arrived at the Manoly, the young girl at reception just smiled, nodding yes or no to our questions at random, obviously with no clue about what we were asking. She scurried off and returned with Guay, who later told us he is often called on weekends and days off for this purpose.<br />
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He speaks slowly, measuredly, thinking and savouring each word before it is uttered in some of the best English I have heard in Laos.<br />
"Excuse me, where are you from," he asks us - the stock question. Dutifully we reply Belgium and South Africa respectively. He begins chattering away about the Belgian football team.<br />
"Man-ches-ter United" he sounds out in the careful yet eager manner of someone keen to practice his English.<br />
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He was such a chatterbox we had to carefully extract ourselves from the conversation to get that much-needed sleep!<br />
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The next day we asked him where we could rent bicycles, a good way to explore the small city. He eagerly told us about his two private bicycles. One brand new which cost $278 - months and months of saving, he told us. He is now saving to buy a helmet, which at $55 will take at least 3 months. But he is slowly trying to build his business and it's important his clients are safe.<br />
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He promises to draw a map to his father's house where we can pick up the bike. His father speaks 7 languages he says proudly, including French, Lao, Thai, Vietnamese, English, Chinese and Japanese.<br />
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We were wondering what was taking so long and he arrived some time later with a painstakingly drawn map showing his father's house only one street up.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The house, like many, is a small shop in the front with living space behind it. An older version of Guay emerges with a slight limp. The man squints as he looks at the map, nodding his approval at his son's handiwork. His English is good. As we cycle back to the hotel, Guay strikes up another conversation with us.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He learned his English from his dad, one or two hours a week at school is not enough, he says.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But it was someone from Holland who taught him his pronounciation.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Listen," he says. "some- THing, that is very important, before I say someTing. THird, birTH, THing," he lists carefully, focusing on the TH sound. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He tells us he practiced this every day.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"I practiced in the shower and when my mother walks past she says 'you crazy man'.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Something else that helped me learn..." he says as he pulls out his cellphone.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were standing in the reception foyer, expectantly, as the strains of the Beatles Yellow submarine emerge from the phone. We all started singing along.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"In the land, where I was born, lived a m-a-a-an who sailed to sea..."<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am sure we startled the French and German families sunning themselves around the pool.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He then played us "Hey Jude" which we seem to hear everywhere in bars etc.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Guay tells us he plays electric guitar in a band.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Music brought him out of a month-long coma about a year ago after a drunken driver hit his motorbike, killing his friend who was driving.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"I got a second life," he smiles.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Apparently threee weeks in, the doctor told his friends to do something he would like, and they played him his favourite Thai rock band.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"My feet went like this," he said, moving his hands up and down to indicate the movement.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A week later he was out of hospital.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is hard to meet and get to know people here, with the language barrier, and Guay totally charmed us with his eagerness and ambition in a country where often there are many obstacles to rising above your poor background.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2) Vientiane is famous for stunning sunsets over the Mekong... we raced to catch this in time<br />
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3) Sitting in a cafe for breakfast one morning, I picked up a newspaper (something I have studiously avoided doing as a journo on vacation) and was in stitches of laughter over the following letter. Gender Equality still has a ways to go in Laos methinks.<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-10104904238071715502009-12-19T01:51:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:13:27.388-08:00Laos PeopleOne of the reasons I love Laos so much has to be the people. I have never seen such happy, playful kids while the adults are laid back and their picturesque, colourful lives continue despite the growing presence of tourists. Bargaining is fun and even when someone is trying to sell you something it is more of a game, compared to countries where the desperation for the dollar shines through.<br />
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In villages, and by the riverside I came across people and scenes that touched my heart. What a beautiful, authentic country! And by authentic I mean... not packaged according to what people think tourists want to see!<br />
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</div><i>We saw children a lot younger than this with babies on their backs</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2ZFkC7KwEgaQZFWF-fagzUuzBHUN3jsGO4q4Q0EgSdnHYDh0NjEdLvMIx8thZ4hJ-i55QXT-HNVZoKpbLXJ4-XDxT-43ZLe19kXs0xq5HjUjJnYMUa4ukMaRgzVwy8FLPOfkpSRJlrY/s1600-h/LP3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2ZFkC7KwEgaQZFWF-fagzUuzBHUN3jsGO4q4Q0EgSdnHYDh0NjEdLvMIx8thZ4hJ-i55QXT-HNVZoKpbLXJ4-XDxT-43ZLe19kXs0xq5HjUjJnYMUa4ukMaRgzVwy8FLPOfkpSRJlrY/s320/LP3.JPG" /></a><i>Monks collect alms in Luang Prabang</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf8DU0K3jk5O1SVjD2hwzKar0COIkvVLejBMT2blfUwo7sneNz0zeyzzZhoE3YszeElRF4MDwxSlzB8C6SM1sr1sn9gPkxsXz8e-XdXiaFmnjNt0xfUELLHVUWUCax9P1tL-pmiApqTk/s1600-h/LP4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuf8DU0K3jk5O1SVjD2hwzKar0COIkvVLejBMT2blfUwo7sneNz0zeyzzZhoE3YszeElRF4MDwxSlzB8C6SM1sr1sn9gPkxsXz8e-XdXiaFmnjNt0xfUELLHVUWUCax9P1tL-pmiApqTk/s320/LP4.JPG" /></a><i>School is out in Luang Prabang</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz17I8pvBGj4DUvBdUjgVbWJWkzrpsRNxAyweholsolGhHmr2KswFoNHO8eL32P2oKkbaq3uLvxRDdFpZ0EJW2KNgRapFf5xywKWb69EOjdDtMvZbS2RqH13YObSNg8XCElJ2PGL2JsU/s1600-h/LP6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcz17I8pvBGj4DUvBdUjgVbWJWkzrpsRNxAyweholsolGhHmr2KswFoNHO8eL32P2oKkbaq3uLvxRDdFpZ0EJW2KNgRapFf5xywKWb69EOjdDtMvZbS2RqH13YObSNg8XCElJ2PGL2JsU/s320/LP6.JPG" /></a><i>Fisherman in the Mekong, Vang Vieng</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoiE_R-afzTOZqnlF4fJBNbhV29tQ82OlsxPKTk3JudKni4zUTl2doELaN_HWqu1m4Tr4Rw_N30IHnGU2PQmo2hI41EmjlWe1cg4ar5JADyENwGvYgOOnprPWiPFO3JKckI6hP3zhC4c/s1600-h/LP7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWoiE_R-afzTOZqnlF4fJBNbhV29tQ82OlsxPKTk3JudKni4zUTl2doELaN_HWqu1m4Tr4Rw_N30IHnGU2PQmo2hI41EmjlWe1cg4ar5JADyENwGvYgOOnprPWiPFO3JKckI6hP3zhC4c/s320/LP7.JPG" /></a><i>Puppies and children - the world over!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDtNdRpEb8nS2AFCpGU1meOubvYjxOA3ZtcSCtRxWF5y17_aJpDW6yR3Fg1LpG6XgeYqU0d4IvirFJy8ZDB_BKggf-KGS9xvLXpvMAvT7DE2B6sWunMZlMP_a9yFZPBA_uzORGMG1t4U/s1600-h/LP8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDtNdRpEb8nS2AFCpGU1meOubvYjxOA3ZtcSCtRxWF5y17_aJpDW6yR3Fg1LpG6XgeYqU0d4IvirFJy8ZDB_BKggf-KGS9xvLXpvMAvT7DE2B6sWunMZlMP_a9yFZPBA_uzORGMG1t4U/s320/LP8.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nZxR2LvbDoCX_fv4cc1S7WzHg0mPAk0bpAr1xhJ8zdciBkU5D6zCW6iKa1HVxE9IYSCLFYT32d6CSpR8D_x4iA_RIi5K-De_y3xP1MSn7J4IKGSHyOB791o_NpidUb2QqNMH4WdlgSI/s1600-h/LP9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1nZxR2LvbDoCX_fv4cc1S7WzHg0mPAk0bpAr1xhJ8zdciBkU5D6zCW6iKa1HVxE9IYSCLFYT32d6CSpR8D_x4iA_RIi5K-De_y3xP1MSn7J4IKGSHyOB791o_NpidUb2QqNMH4WdlgSI/s320/LP9.JPG" /></a><i>Vang Vieng</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMGzs7fcRiGG_PI4ZLauM1yCwdH7xWqdvnegBaD8HQEkCd7iOG42TXoqunxFQ08Bmy1dO822r6ERLzMCjlIkYH9uuJzTjzjh9N_xTfmLmAf4MwuJX8ZHkUARd1rBYWEa6xxZoz_pxwzo/s1600-h/LP10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMGzs7fcRiGG_PI4ZLauM1yCwdH7xWqdvnegBaD8HQEkCd7iOG42TXoqunxFQ08Bmy1dO822r6ERLzMCjlIkYH9uuJzTjzjh9N_xTfmLmAf4MwuJX8ZHkUARd1rBYWEa6xxZoz_pxwzo/s320/LP10.JPG" /></a><i>Bath time in Laos, a river affair</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf6AYkpy4rSHsu5EPCovc-2gy3D8N9-JIyuPQxbtOb6PukhqyoB1Hc-CDreLqZfTH0xjgUfcbArO4Ydu5OybiyaMtCuS4qWWAes2ywUeuxnHc1rkMGL04StorWzFNWMC6j2bBL8Y0SnE/s1600-h/LP11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJf6AYkpy4rSHsu5EPCovc-2gy3D8N9-JIyuPQxbtOb6PukhqyoB1Hc-CDreLqZfTH0xjgUfcbArO4Ydu5OybiyaMtCuS4qWWAes2ywUeuxnHc1rkMGL04StorWzFNWMC6j2bBL8Y0SnE/s320/LP11.JPG" /></a><i>Luang Prabang</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaahM0VqnLIYHScdRgiZ0O1GYTdHl3Na2J2f1oM8tsaW3JgyjkMWwjBlCLG7s6ZHxBWcyy2GTCNaGkWwgzjG74jLWCn-8Oa2z9F_daTWTML2oSeqprYBFembEzQaqCW9K2Rp6vKmhpCc/s1600-h/LP12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaahM0VqnLIYHScdRgiZ0O1GYTdHl3Na2J2f1oM8tsaW3JgyjkMWwjBlCLG7s6ZHxBWcyy2GTCNaGkWwgzjG74jLWCn-8Oa2z9F_daTWTML2oSeqprYBFembEzQaqCW9K2Rp6vKmhpCc/s320/LP12.JPG" /></a><i>It's my chicken!!!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeSsoC6dqpzZgI5l7oHVjXvWQ_AC415vS6tN9h8DjQqr3LerajvnW1xMPILqg-8LRCKjHjYoydiy0wAcM6kiKVIwTzrz1Xbg0J7sZ1YW6AyCUeIsNU0VNnsyEEbYYgN0J4KVLWwJE98s/s1600-h/LP13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeSsoC6dqpzZgI5l7oHVjXvWQ_AC415vS6tN9h8DjQqr3LerajvnW1xMPILqg-8LRCKjHjYoydiy0wAcM6kiKVIwTzrz1Xbg0J7sZ1YW6AyCUeIsNU0VNnsyEEbYYgN0J4KVLWwJE98s/s320/LP13.JPG" /></a><i>And away...</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x4Xf3MzqGmvjKkpAc3-NcR0i3O1gpSTAU8-Gxvgf_d-Tx3Pqh6-CMavzQinj0snijnHMYrVoiR8b4qNKfB__2ux9Egw0NiACnZqMDXMdAK8GsqOyxEYOLFr282vYR8ia27u8UK0YbZc/s1600-h/LP15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0x4Xf3MzqGmvjKkpAc3-NcR0i3O1gpSTAU8-Gxvgf_d-Tx3Pqh6-CMavzQinj0snijnHMYrVoiR8b4qNKfB__2ux9Egw0NiACnZqMDXMdAK8GsqOyxEYOLFr282vYR8ia27u8UK0YbZc/s320/LP15.JPG" /></a><i>Washing clothes in the Mekong</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2293nR5Nsr-DC7Ag6CZ3Oux1EAwePpCmI0gsOcTT-Qip-uzCxXJi_rXfI7z_WUIXulNOti_O76MzOJvjn5FrL-iq-OVWZb3VnTo6AU_wbZpKP1qvytkaTblXLsl_NauNd0x6BQ0x9Kk/s1600-h/LP17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2293nR5Nsr-DC7Ag6CZ3Oux1EAwePpCmI0gsOcTT-Qip-uzCxXJi_rXfI7z_WUIXulNOti_O76MzOJvjn5FrL-iq-OVWZb3VnTo6AU_wbZpKP1qvytkaTblXLsl_NauNd0x6BQ0x9Kk/s320/LP17.jpg" /></a><i>Sabadeeeee - high five!!!</i><br />
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</div><i>Seriously - you wanna buy my rat!!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Children outside Xiang Men temple, Luang Prabang</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1EUKk23Eqcwfzt5WtNWfR88hYj71aw6oBOxEfIIEdbObYusU482lHqw20VXsQLY5XErIk1NqdboFa5QVU5B8K3ykVYXShAk1nqnwe760TUPuqpOc_MenzZhyd4VKJb6ByV819LsCoEQ/s1600-h/LP20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1EUKk23Eqcwfzt5WtNWfR88hYj71aw6oBOxEfIIEdbObYusU482lHqw20VXsQLY5XErIk1NqdboFa5QVU5B8K3ykVYXShAk1nqnwe760TUPuqpOc_MenzZhyd4VKJb6ByV819LsCoEQ/s320/LP20.JPG" /></a><i>Luang Prabang</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLyJN1_ez0O3ktkIrPCvnkNkwSDKM7LO88JaU5Bf-01XQ0XMlHc94CUhAUTqSYPCAFIhqU6O3uIe2vZSZFmD2QdBk13qVLsukcrczkm9kZvMdN-vs_n5LNE7cQXTpCzMW_VpFF6xGPew/s1600-h/LP24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLyJN1_ez0O3ktkIrPCvnkNkwSDKM7LO88JaU5Bf-01XQ0XMlHc94CUhAUTqSYPCAFIhqU6O3uIe2vZSZFmD2QdBk13qVLsukcrczkm9kZvMdN-vs_n5LNE7cQXTpCzMW_VpFF6xGPew/s320/LP24.JPG" /></a><i>See-saw!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4t6QHnGZMIz6stzOlL-9_Hcw-uQKKVcjrfwMGHRirjdiKiwfQU2OUfrka9Q6hU6K5p45GlJcClrPm2TCze49dSb75xsVCQNwK271bOY52OqXmMzQ1iVXtyeyTj1WlSTN1Z71IDVO6Qk/s1600-h/lp27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4t6QHnGZMIz6stzOlL-9_Hcw-uQKKVcjrfwMGHRirjdiKiwfQU2OUfrka9Q6hU6K5p45GlJcClrPm2TCze49dSb75xsVCQNwK271bOY52OqXmMzQ1iVXtyeyTj1WlSTN1Z71IDVO6Qk/s320/lp27.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZaDKtHS7KT5eeXF6h9oA-u3-H5Ea1KGjT_-dMmAAOoNCz8zRsVDT-buLdw_svtQsfB6gKSbbggDfQ6DOrS5ZGlVLP498pIucDF6RuBGMC7zLaLtBwxXtm5eC_ZtCNyALvJYrGBFscUA/s1600-h/lp28.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZaDKtHS7KT5eeXF6h9oA-u3-H5Ea1KGjT_-dMmAAOoNCz8zRsVDT-buLdw_svtQsfB6gKSbbggDfQ6DOrS5ZGlVLP498pIucDF6RuBGMC7zLaLtBwxXtm5eC_ZtCNyALvJYrGBFscUA/s320/lp28.JPG" /></a><i>My bike is big enough for me</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GYSun7COpSVj2ib1EKx_ituNYQpGzWXNUjm2amoCcTmf82bKFxq9yBkxP6K4AGMnmTf5BhNI76Jo5RfPB5O_kmjaxU4dEpi_YkjJ__jXZjEK1iOUpMF0bINdSOxKLvZ0ezqEe1HntGg/s1600-h/lp29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GYSun7COpSVj2ib1EKx_ituNYQpGzWXNUjm2amoCcTmf82bKFxq9yBkxP6K4AGMnmTf5BhNI76Jo5RfPB5O_kmjaxU4dEpi_YkjJ__jXZjEK1iOUpMF0bINdSOxKLvZ0ezqEe1HntGg/s320/lp29.JPG" /></a><i>Enjoying the Winter years</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPouVntQHVIF72-8vgBA4DQwYBndFjZ60lPk0_2mEkgK3hVjwVv0_AYfJYA32JCQ7Qi4MfioRWLvzBlLnQO8Hlh5iqsDLp03UZX0tCnAoREaPnX0GkqiVZ0IJkTQLkndV0m29OPX-udU/s1600-h/LP30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPouVntQHVIF72-8vgBA4DQwYBndFjZ60lPk0_2mEkgK3hVjwVv0_AYfJYA32JCQ7Qi4MfioRWLvzBlLnQO8Hlh5iqsDLp03UZX0tCnAoREaPnX0GkqiVZ0IJkTQLkndV0m29OPX-udU/s320/LP30.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7GyEf0IZvui7ELmT61IpHmvojIDtxfBXBjVYPHHSgT2Fg0aMwaR1S3xx6Mwd12kaC6WP6PIPCwUf4nU46UBNT4Ue9xo6QxTnPqkEDdWIE5vKtikaZHxJ0XIhhme6zJygGfIQQGFpYYA/s1600-h/LP31.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7GyEf0IZvui7ELmT61IpHmvojIDtxfBXBjVYPHHSgT2Fg0aMwaR1S3xx6Mwd12kaC6WP6PIPCwUf4nU46UBNT4Ue9xo6QxTnPqkEDdWIE5vKtikaZHxJ0XIhhme6zJygGfIQQGFpYYA/s320/LP31.JPG" /></a><i>Bath time for little girls</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZif6PL22g5SLcb__sdNfrPYLeFZyYCW_twDoT1tzrnYZIvpbNiUpeps064DtNuTJUosOCVfbELAezCLDnZROxt0iN_HbU6Xi3uycUmztdvFpUNSDzM0_GltODW8DitJw7uflkDP6310/s1600-h/add1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZif6PL22g5SLcb__sdNfrPYLeFZyYCW_twDoT1tzrnYZIvpbNiUpeps064DtNuTJUosOCVfbELAezCLDnZROxt0iN_HbU6Xi3uycUmztdvFpUNSDzM0_GltODW8DitJw7uflkDP6310/s320/add1.JPG" /></a><i>oooh not the hair!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBlkZ2GBS6YJjrlJIMGpq3nS1NI24Ua0zf4_ZZsYnMzBy9dCAxlHh-uHeos0rbhSuvNP0KGygIQeFtjI5OcLvbVzwJfcqxmEHbqroPCjK-D1axYySMBw3ibKZ74yc3mS-mKkAK-lciUQ/s1600-h/lp34.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBlkZ2GBS6YJjrlJIMGpq3nS1NI24Ua0zf4_ZZsYnMzBy9dCAxlHh-uHeos0rbhSuvNP0KGygIQeFtjI5OcLvbVzwJfcqxmEHbqroPCjK-D1axYySMBw3ibKZ74yc3mS-mKkAK-lciUQ/s320/lp34.JPG" /></a><i>And Rinse!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Laughter - beyond language barriers! </i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPBXOkHZhDEV1XX5w0IegELCVtDDJV-DoOhyphenhyphenihfSL5Z2Yaclz_A7BY0wrzpwVYGoDON3asq1l5B054IJxQrGIENBgN1z2h4rXvbUkF7-xqFo_me3KwMK4xC3zfZ_65u7LMYhz26xlNg8/s1600-h/lp39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPBXOkHZhDEV1XX5w0IegELCVtDDJV-DoOhyphenhyphenihfSL5Z2Yaclz_A7BY0wrzpwVYGoDON3asq1l5B054IJxQrGIENBgN1z2h4rXvbUkF7-xqFo_me3KwMK4xC3zfZ_65u7LMYhz26xlNg8/s320/lp39.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Look at the puppy in the basket </i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt7zHZzK9qwEi1RdKq4aApzwpGFnQ7x8iBJaMOKoaBjOdwNTPDHWfymiprTyJUviXiZYoJ5IE-zsxe5ppEeJtcBq6P3xeiebmH3X8ji9ohe4kxPZPrct575EacLUZgc1rmNz39H98mjA/s1600-h/add2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt7zHZzK9qwEi1RdKq4aApzwpGFnQ7x8iBJaMOKoaBjOdwNTPDHWfymiprTyJUviXiZYoJ5IE-zsxe5ppEeJtcBq6P3xeiebmH3X8ji9ohe4kxPZPrct575EacLUZgc1rmNz39H98mjA/s320/add2.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhSJ9toH0cEYlup-KgjBRrvSUaq6QSQr3JkA367ZG7bionb4QQQ-y6HePu8E-vKeuNbnEWx1G-gA2vXgcSnY-LjYJkwLj3SJc6Reb6Ayqb-7UYXoTMxDdJF3xgxKdYfaK84KfpUC-UKQ/s1600-h/add3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhSJ9toH0cEYlup-KgjBRrvSUaq6QSQr3JkA367ZG7bionb4QQQ-y6HePu8E-vKeuNbnEWx1G-gA2vXgcSnY-LjYJkwLj3SJc6Reb6Ayqb-7UYXoTMxDdJF3xgxKdYfaK84KfpUC-UKQ/s320/add3.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-89678853300161918092009-12-19T00:07:00.000-08:002009-12-19T00:07:36.381-08:00Vang Vieng - heading to the countryside for Tubing recoveryWhile many people get stuck doing "Tubing" aka partying all day for much longer than intended, we decided to head out into the countryside on our bicycles, crossing the river in search of a little tranquility.<br />
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However we also found enlightenment:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yC3hJXusuDFkw1iCL9ISIyD1dn6q98zdc4bHC0Co3IL_g8S44YtbVNS6SsfDhs7TItbRve9t4BHjWimzUrMaPGOwh_CS9jR5wc_FyxWm_I-0gXCcf64CuugJMiAf-x8pBnyW61FsdP8/s1600-h/DSCF5685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yC3hJXusuDFkw1iCL9ISIyD1dn6q98zdc4bHC0Co3IL_g8S44YtbVNS6SsfDhs7TItbRve9t4BHjWimzUrMaPGOwh_CS9jR5wc_FyxWm_I-0gXCcf64CuugJMiAf-x8pBnyW61FsdP8/s320/DSCF5685.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Ahhhh, so that's what bridges do!!! </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was another steamy hot day, perfect for gorgeous countryside, the breeze in your face and a swim in the blue lagoon. We rented bicycles which turned out to be a comedy of errors. I preferred a mountain bike to the European style pretty bikes, but a few pedals in and I realised my seat was broken and kept sliding back into a very dangerous position. Heading back downhill to return it I also realised the brakes were non-existent. So I got a pretty gearless bike, which it turns out, had a dysfunctional chain..... which meant every ten minutes I had to stop and put it back on.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I quickly became and expert and every time it went clunk thud I cheerfully yelled "Evy!!!" She would stop, come hold the bike and I would fix it - while locals looked on curiously at this greasy Falang mechanic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXj-Pfn5fALLYnOeKx5FDn5b4jKn89hw7AltwpuAkZrAeGBwVU-CiKLsnsFDtUNVyTq336xuf9JWVghcHFz42sTk12E_7IpQCEISv4uOTi6dnG2f82_5kOW3k6tmFc3f4RGbNEK5nmbTw/s1600-h/DSCF5699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXj-Pfn5fALLYnOeKx5FDn5b4jKn89hw7AltwpuAkZrAeGBwVU-CiKLsnsFDtUNVyTq336xuf9JWVghcHFz42sTk12E_7IpQCEISv4uOTi6dnG2f82_5kOW3k6tmFc3f4RGbNEK5nmbTw/s320/DSCF5699.JPG" /></a><i>Greased lightning!</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxZfNyFy7rCL8_aipMmcM_NNp3O-aCJmRNPZiorB-FyXUatWFrZQcdlHdlY1ICerWPoFq8BYzBsg2Z63yuSrlifFumGoYaPYGIU7sAG8KJSomGKSji3oC6JbRosGFtQGIFXNtcDF5YRk/s1600-h/DSCF5689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxZfNyFy7rCL8_aipMmcM_NNp3O-aCJmRNPZiorB-FyXUatWFrZQcdlHdlY1ICerWPoFq8BYzBsg2Z63yuSrlifFumGoYaPYGIU7sAG8KJSomGKSji3oC6JbRosGFtQGIFXNtcDF5YRk/s320/DSCF5689.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuE5vnmiv4owfZRsLEuwWgQQiSCIqPN1octdcXzT2eLMC25Ht3supRJXUBS-J0FsOd3sgELz05DuCD3xdahHCYQdBsVFDq_vMzDUnGN-uUJpEzdCH4QNkBsDrfvsf3B0nkp1g4YTMpKk/s1600-h/DSCF5693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuE5vnmiv4owfZRsLEuwWgQQiSCIqPN1octdcXzT2eLMC25Ht3supRJXUBS-J0FsOd3sgELz05DuCD3xdahHCYQdBsVFDq_vMzDUnGN-uUJpEzdCH4QNkBsDrfvsf3B0nkp1g4YTMpKk/s320/DSCF5693.JPG" /></a><br />
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In line with the fact that it was Thanksgiving Day we were also charged by a rather aggressive turkey who I still maintain deserved to be thoroughly cooked!<br />
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I also nearly drove over a rather nasty looking green snake which slithered past my wheel! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2Ka6iHZgrwiHLQKmNJo77a_nOTALcNRyQgeI9vfe8glV3TBhQD4vFJBqpv1BmNEEJsYIMvkVIVtpLS1k2CoVWTD8BIiAwxwy2QzcnW_XJhblRgIRaxY_Cmd_bZGAVKSWeZXw9SoOjac/s1600-h/DSCF5709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2Ka6iHZgrwiHLQKmNJo77a_nOTALcNRyQgeI9vfe8glV3TBhQD4vFJBqpv1BmNEEJsYIMvkVIVtpLS1k2CoVWTD8BIiAwxwy2QzcnW_XJhblRgIRaxY_Cmd_bZGAVKSWeZXw9SoOjac/s320/DSCF5709.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> We reached the gorgeous Blue Lagoon and I immediately jumped in. I noticed a bit of a commotion by some people outside the water. When I eventually got out to take a look I heard they had seen this snake emerge from the water with a frog in its mouth, and proceed to eat it... slowly with lots of shrieks from said frog.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am still a bit sore about the fact that no one bothered to tell me I was possibly swimming with the family of this brightly coloured snake!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx7lnlXdFYJHBQ-HhL4GjPB8JxY72etUDRSKadSoDTO5gTnC3hXEozwK985SVX5HFmvqfN8-XrnfuxVeSvw8CsJJUrrpB2U_Bao2cyWxGPYKkYVaDnuOUeJarViryFJI7sVKCJDdWAYk/s1600-h/DSCF5712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcx7lnlXdFYJHBQ-HhL4GjPB8JxY72etUDRSKadSoDTO5gTnC3hXEozwK985SVX5HFmvqfN8-XrnfuxVeSvw8CsJJUrrpB2U_Bao2cyWxGPYKkYVaDnuOUeJarViryFJI7sVKCJDdWAYk/s320/DSCF5712.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMk1YvXwYf37ldMElclFT5yTNU3qwaKRARzhAAZePLFxlbtzw2ACGaGLCcjZpViJEiUSRoqeJ44ux4MJezsynKFWcnblEbp4-295xfumqYmZhV5sn0tGGqbLRwlwswDYWEIAGIjiYbsM/s1600-h/DSCF5711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMk1YvXwYf37ldMElclFT5yTNU3qwaKRARzhAAZePLFxlbtzw2ACGaGLCcjZpViJEiUSRoqeJ44ux4MJezsynKFWcnblEbp4-295xfumqYmZhV5sn0tGGqbLRwlwswDYWEIAGIjiYbsM/s320/DSCF5711.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nU0jy_6Hpr6LxACvuUTXjplToxhPALf2DexN0Ewax8CylHChUxXR5_pUUeEbzYS6jIvVPCZHDTpDoTe6DxsEMwkEbBYPGzIoENAcwCtZp6wKwnEHLDllW7-z3w5HrB5gz9PJyhpn8aM/s1600-h/DSCF5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nU0jy_6Hpr6LxACvuUTXjplToxhPALf2DexN0Ewax8CylHChUxXR5_pUUeEbzYS6jIvVPCZHDTpDoTe6DxsEMwkEbBYPGzIoENAcwCtZp6wKwnEHLDllW7-z3w5HrB5gz9PJyhpn8aM/s320/DSCF5717.JPG" /></a><i>Fran trying to pull some clever tricks</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fully prepared for relaxation we pulled out our snacks and books and lay in the sun.... and all those French people in the above photo promptly put on some very loud, thumping music - thus destroying the setting very nicely. So we headed off to a nearby restuarant selling delicious fruit shakes and ended up chatting until sunset.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This made for a rather interesting journey cycling back and fixing the chain in the dark!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPw9almqSINCcjgYnuXqghu3TGhD4uRM8AORxlDUs1NhuHT2vWGBSUYUaejxido_NP83frc27QKAoDSNrbquOOweeoVk9Qwo7X4iCRzhT1wXySnP4IURAyIZY7n9bHmP2Yww9qhIZGS5I/s1600-h/DSCF5725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPw9almqSINCcjgYnuXqghu3TGhD4uRM8AORxlDUs1NhuHT2vWGBSUYUaejxido_NP83frc27QKAoDSNrbquOOweeoVk9Qwo7X4iCRzhT1wXySnP4IURAyIZY7n9bHmP2Yww9qhIZGS5I/s320/DSCF5725.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Exhausted we ate dinner and were leaning towards bed when again we somehow ended up partying!!! Love Vang Vieng!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2wxX-A9UZz9BbUi50T7L2X1kkz2fGc4KwTxC64BiQSrV9Ypg2QGsah0IgPlYmjCeckCrTQ0JoSbRzbVZRLVCqQ1d8Gj5jO0Aubu4EoFTxoubjfns8lbP5KYyyfVtpZmRQanVE3NFLJI/s1600-h/DSCF5727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2wxX-A9UZz9BbUi50T7L2X1kkz2fGc4KwTxC64BiQSrV9Ypg2QGsah0IgPlYmjCeckCrTQ0JoSbRzbVZRLVCqQ1d8Gj5jO0Aubu4EoFTxoubjfns8lbP5KYyyfVtpZmRQanVE3NFLJI/s320/DSCF5727.JPG" /></a><i>Another day, another bucket!</i><br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-48949012497480262592009-12-13T09:20:00.000-08:002009-12-13T09:20:05.406-08:00"Tubing" in Vang Vieng - a three-ring tourist circus - but it ROCKS!!!Everyone you meet north of Vang Vieng is heading there, everyone you meet south of Vang Vieng has been there. The latter are often hobbling, bruised, exhausted and look as if they have had the time of their lives.<br />
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I was not sure I was looking forward to this place which tourist guides paint as a three-ring tourism circus that any authentic backpacker worth his salt would avoid like the plague.<br />
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We have already established I shun this notion of lifting your nose at things considered overly-touristy and insisting on being a certain kind of traveler (ie the kind who looks at you from behind a mass of dreadlocks and says, horrified, "you have a JOB???"<br />
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Anyway, so after discussing it with people traveling north who had been there, I decided to embrace this strange party place and whatever craziness and unpleasant touristy-ness it threw at me with wild abandon and go along for the ride, rather than choking in disgust at the mass of westerners spilling around drunk, ruining the beautiful scenery.<br />
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We arrived in Vang Vieng slightly shattered after the crazy drive mentioned in the previous post, booked into some nice river bungalows just outside the centre and I realise my wallet is missing. With credit cards and drivers licence. Most South Africans will appreciate the pain of contemplating having to go to the licensing centre and queue for another drivers license.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Ten minutes later my tuk-tuk driver speeds down the driveway and hands it to me..... I gave him a fat tip, nearly hugged him and decided we needed a drink.<br />
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We arrived around 6pm and all one saw is stumbling, drenched ppl walking with tubes down the road in various stages of inebriation. I still did not know what exactly was happening in this town!!!<br />
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We went to a bar and found the party already in full swing with half naked people, also covered in paint (raising the mystery further) all over the show.<br />
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So we bought a bucket ( self-explanatory... a cocktail.... in a bucket) - turns out drinking dreadful Lao whiskey with 7-up or sprite makes it taste ok - spotted some friends from the slow boat who we run into every now and then and tried to join the party.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-vKiTKvKdRY7t6P8LW8LNLTclTsr-AZ8MmA_3HTYwGkxe34cuwAu3Hkd7gJjia4sBBWvO3hDc3r1aJnPZ3g_GruvO6ahi-ouEaExrLOSGBU_M-OWUN2PJjzUhmu69rbWlzTgSP3eUqI/s1600-h/DSCF5652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-vKiTKvKdRY7t6P8LW8LNLTclTsr-AZ8MmA_3HTYwGkxe34cuwAu3Hkd7gJjia4sBBWvO3hDc3r1aJnPZ3g_GruvO6ahi-ouEaExrLOSGBU_M-OWUN2PJjzUhmu69rbWlzTgSP3eUqI/s200/DSCF5652.JPG" /></a><i>Getting into the swing of things</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was fun, one of our friends had practically broken his ankle, but danced on through the pain ( we saw him a day or two later hobbling valiantly through the streets) . Some guy stripped completely. It was crazy.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hmm what am I in for, I still didn't know how 'tubing' could be so dangerous.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So.... Tubing 101<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Firstly, what draws people to this playground appears to be a very relaxed attitude towards drugs common in the region. This is a menu I got hold of very publically displayed in Cambodia, as an example. Happy Pizza, Shroom Shakes, Ecstatic Pizza etc are all freely available.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUujYt5xAeNXJC-txAXFTYUTWNt8dxrpwPuyjiUJFpwQbi_k1WHHDUxprhw1JK6WVIWJtHtauNIfwSQwjCNCRNP9wU9RKQC9GRIUemvi9x9MNaLous0OKqLqS1T70xN7WzywQ4Shgf9IY/s1600-h/DSCF6144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUujYt5xAeNXJC-txAXFTYUTWNt8dxrpwPuyjiUJFpwQbi_k1WHHDUxprhw1JK6WVIWJtHtauNIfwSQwjCNCRNP9wU9RKQC9GRIUemvi9x9MNaLous0OKqLqS1T70xN7WzywQ4Shgf9IY/s320/DSCF6144.JPG" /></a><br />
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Then you take the winding Mekong river, with bars scattered on either side, playing loud music, and buckets in the baking sun. Each bar has some attraction, including death defying swings that would probably pass no safety test in any country, zip slides, mud volleyball, mud pits, kareoke etc.<br />
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The idea is that you get in your tube and go down the river stopping at each bar. Many get stuck at the first three (like us) while some go the whole whack.<br />
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I had such a blast, the music was great. We got two people to a swing and I did some silly stunts flying metres in the air into the river. This is where some ppl get injured. Some guy cracked his skull being too drunk to let go at the right time. I was not comfortable with getting wasted and doing that, so kept the G & T's coming slowly during the day.<br />
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I didn't bring my camera but here are some pics from a friend of mine who has a waterproof camera, to give an idea!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrouUfxMJnVs12CZbfLxynmW4h80Vcrh0UErJa-Bx2GDeUfjciZAFEJkLyZ-lCO1JO_5-MdD01v2wQggIaCSACXr3CGRehPLUiX6TVr5GX1mqGTTRrl-inKM7-FLTx-M6YZeY_nZBmTk/s1600-h/VV1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrouUfxMJnVs12CZbfLxynmW4h80Vcrh0UErJa-Bx2GDeUfjciZAFEJkLyZ-lCO1JO_5-MdD01v2wQggIaCSACXr3CGRehPLUiX6TVr5GX1mqGTTRrl-inKM7-FLTx-M6YZeY_nZBmTk/s200/VV1.jpg" /></a><i>The stunning limestone crags!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBEEyS5OM1CM4JJQYuY-U3qpx4KcUDtktrhnV5y8mkVgBGizn1SRhukokpDhM75H-r27oxO_5P-wtvcswqNSmFbsbtGh3cRHuTnq2HFgU37j4VSo0QIhP-9U1CjzSH5mrCLjRXgT-LgY/s1600-h/VV2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBEEyS5OM1CM4JJQYuY-U3qpx4KcUDtktrhnV5y8mkVgBGizn1SRhukokpDhM75H-r27oxO_5P-wtvcswqNSmFbsbtGh3cRHuTnq2HFgU37j4VSo0QIhP-9U1CjzSH5mrCLjRXgT-LgY/s320/VV2.jpg" /></a><i>My favourite swing</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8239YmJL0h1xkz65XUxAyWfM1-OZhxXygVJexMqwkTTqvu1poqUQA_H7I9hrL88rfAHH6idlRqyemlFupq9lyvk2ETASPSY5SdJv8uVI25hdF9N55CENtOhlM-B3bm0Xg_vjgqQPo7MI/s1600-h/VV3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8239YmJL0h1xkz65XUxAyWfM1-OZhxXygVJexMqwkTTqvu1poqUQA_H7I9hrL88rfAHH6idlRqyemlFupq9lyvk2ETASPSY5SdJv8uVI25hdF9N55CENtOhlM-B3bm0Xg_vjgqQPo7MI/s320/VV3.jpg" /></a><i>Climbing up to a jump</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMmH2pFBEcPKvN7D28zT8hFEXZORN22oH-j8N9q-hNiDu2MIzOurN3bNLk59K-hmvbMC7fqrtOWKl6dzQNwfraj_SjonfGxwDXbll_nlUDN_22oJmZp3BCCAAYdjaof5PJ6mr1kWFO3Q/s1600-h/VV4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMmH2pFBEcPKvN7D28zT8hFEXZORN22oH-j8N9q-hNiDu2MIzOurN3bNLk59K-hmvbMC7fqrtOWKl6dzQNwfraj_SjonfGxwDXbll_nlUDN_22oJmZp3BCCAAYdjaof5PJ6mr1kWFO3Q/s320/VV4.jpg" /></a><i>Bars, tubes, thrilling rides</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsafx63nqKU8QwO9uakm4gfN98bjebdhelXe9_UAmj9ybRQ5sr3FkrO9WdgZ-2vZ5N8gSVGVbpxIr7RwviiVDODhAbM-GSlBkZoivkpCvCya5F32Ldlcj5aKMwVhxWTK-9mRqVZEZnDw/s1600-h/vv5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsafx63nqKU8QwO9uakm4gfN98bjebdhelXe9_UAmj9ybRQ5sr3FkrO9WdgZ-2vZ5N8gSVGVbpxIr7RwviiVDODhAbM-GSlBkZoivkpCvCya5F32Ldlcj5aKMwVhxWTK-9mRqVZEZnDw/s320/vv5.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Mud Volleyball - I got so hurt and full of mud in this thing I can still taste it!! </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having got stuck at the top bars meeting loads of awesome people, some brightspark decided at 4pm to try finish the tubing which takes two hours, while the sun sets at around 530. So we set off downstream paddling like mad with my flip-flops to get back in time as you lose your deposit on the tube at 6pm.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was freezing and slow going and we all got rather miserable, jumping out 1km before the end to catch a tuk-tuk.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were exhausted as lack of sleep, long hours on the road and partying accumulated.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We sat down for dinner at one of the famous "Friends" bars that get slammed and it was actually so nice sitting there watching episode after episode of the sitcom. All the tables face in the direction of the table as battered tubers nurse the days injuries.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOzsvoPC6Tx9PmDTqzyGSrHItRchNQSOffpRGkLc2zwyjHEjn6SCiBWWWGbaZhfEOkguvI3-LtR4d4vdP2Fa1uGtw8plrsRsAi0hRAFL4C6Se3UKa5zmD1VAwwG0c_JSWidtiK6ckQcg/s1600-h/DSCF5665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOzsvoPC6Tx9PmDTqzyGSrHItRchNQSOffpRGkLc2zwyjHEjn6SCiBWWWGbaZhfEOkguvI3-LtR4d4vdP2Fa1uGtw8plrsRsAi0hRAFL4C6Se3UKa5zmD1VAwwG0c_JSWidtiK6ckQcg/s320/DSCF5665.JPG" /></a><i>It's like you're always stuck in second gear....</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was ready for bed at nine, but somehow we ended up going for a drink, eventually moving to Smile Bar, one of the many bars along the island. Buckets, great people, limbo competition, drinking competition, bonfire and the token bottle-spinning barman who came tubing a year ago and hasn't left.....<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8RYnUb5j7jywCPyGksW3wxJeTnamqgc0DcJIFMofIQRqkNj5EHegm_eJuEotjuls8uOKGnGLSG99ChPUVbbpwUTyaW4MosrtveLJXQKd0F_o2ZIHCZlIogHsJolqwQfWa6gdAQgnx4g/s1600-h/DSCF5671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8RYnUb5j7jywCPyGksW3wxJeTnamqgc0DcJIFMofIQRqkNj5EHegm_eJuEotjuls8uOKGnGLSG99ChPUVbbpwUTyaW4MosrtveLJXQKd0F_o2ZIHCZlIogHsJolqwQfWa6gdAQgnx4g/s320/DSCF5671.JPG" /></a><i>Stuck in Vang Vieng....</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid52wShsph6M5HhdNtee9M920Lg-kBEHhMOX_prXqfvZ5rlT-meuwcJSx5zvyc14bHf0hZqJY5adjkZOy73xFsL-0N9TI3lNTrnC91m1DK__sl6k9EnuC5_MqpO0YZCWJVx7E_dOpK4Oo/s1600-h/DSCF5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid52wShsph6M5HhdNtee9M920Lg-kBEHhMOX_prXqfvZ5rlT-meuwcJSx5zvyc14bHf0hZqJY5adjkZOy73xFsL-0N9TI3lNTrnC91m1DK__sl6k9EnuC5_MqpO0YZCWJVx7E_dOpK4Oo/s320/DSCF5672.JPG" /></a><i>Fran and Evy.... who kept her green sunblock on her eyebrows...</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vuzhYUkkgja8_NagEv5JyLckE_TUXQvFtB9HSPbi-C6-A9nMq-OwroN8YFQoU_4EgirXtM3iQr2fNFDL54olGqEcoVfWyuDpTgqd_oE_H9WdwN1jRVw-pEl5cq-BOddtNm71gwaGZqY/s1600-h/DSCF5673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vuzhYUkkgja8_NagEv5JyLckE_TUXQvFtB9HSPbi-C6-A9nMq-OwroN8YFQoU_4EgirXtM3iQr2fNFDL54olGqEcoVfWyuDpTgqd_oE_H9WdwN1jRVw-pEl5cq-BOddtNm71gwaGZqY/s320/DSCF5673.JPG" /></a><i>Me with Jason from Detroit and Maarten from Belgium who we hung out with</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeOL8u7cgmwt3XQzWmakU3cs9BnZRa0svNKBoAVPcLi0nCsBXoCpR2-fke-3w7lhNl_yx1bSWUkYuUhA6x2birzKjFW1e-hS2jxfiQeCfG2U5rcKyu0_p7iTsbPDSnVHuhUr6EUxobGQ/s1600-h/DSCF5683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeOL8u7cgmwt3XQzWmakU3cs9BnZRa0svNKBoAVPcLi0nCsBXoCpR2-fke-3w7lhNl_yx1bSWUkYuUhA6x2birzKjFW1e-hS2jxfiQeCfG2U5rcKyu0_p7iTsbPDSnVHuhUr6EUxobGQ/s320/DSCF5683.JPG" /></a><i>Limbo.... </i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39631lfvmfD9oJjb9JMlQIHFNHqsQ_NZEnOTr6rccqV1OiTZiYpCc3Ns_K5S901r-ma19bTtYEFiTS6wZmUc9uZrlTaH0_6ECnWtRs-Ude_e9D3eV1b9YdeFVMe7EDDaSeJXZFdOKocY/s1600-h/DSCF5674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39631lfvmfD9oJjb9JMlQIHFNHqsQ_NZEnOTr6rccqV1OiTZiYpCc3Ns_K5S901r-ma19bTtYEFiTS6wZmUc9uZrlTaH0_6ECnWtRs-Ude_e9D3eV1b9YdeFVMe7EDDaSeJXZFdOKocY/s320/DSCF5674.JPG" /></a><i>I don't know who half these ppl are!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was such an excellent night.... will follow with day two soon....<br />
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Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-23136264348538664882009-12-13T08:04:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:48:12.836-08:00The cock with nine lives - Luang Prabang to Vang ViengBeing on the road .... if I thought it had gotten a little hair raising in northern Thailand I was in no way prepared for what lay ahead in Laos.<br />
We headed off for Vang Vieng from Luang Prabang in a minivan, after a tense few moments at the 'bus station' where the driver waited hopefully as the falang stood around wondering how there seemed to be one seat less than required. In Laos of course you can always fit between seven and ten more people in than originally thought so this wasn't a problem for long. Although a grumpy German couple was seperated and I was stuck next to the grumpier version, who managed to complain incessantly. Bleh.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cyukw6FBA8bwHDdNfT8OUdb4vXns0YRw15bXqoBnpXwLJ_3Riom7A9u7ZBGyxUTBO0yjqg7jGFL1IrReG6-WAW0s59KkamHVk2Sxni4oWQk9cLIg3m4Xoogp4Vf5QLvtrsYfokjGrvk/s1600-h/laos+156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cyukw6FBA8bwHDdNfT8OUdb4vXns0YRw15bXqoBnpXwLJ_3Riom7A9u7ZBGyxUTBO0yjqg7jGFL1IrReG6-WAW0s59KkamHVk2Sxni4oWQk9cLIg3m4Xoogp4Vf5QLvtrsYfokjGrvk/s200/laos+156.JPG" /></a><i>Hmmm, where will we put everyone!</i><br />
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While the Lonely, and often off-track, Planet guide warned us about the windy roads in Thailand, I seemed to have missed the Travel Sickness, Animal and Children Dodging as you Fly around Precipices chapter in Laos.<br />
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This road is not for the faint hearted, I am not faint hearted, and even I squirmed a bit (okay, a LOT), but it is stunning with giant mountains looming up on either side.<br />
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Villages line the sides of the mountain and you get a great view of Laos life. Women wrapped in sarongs head off to bathe in the nearest river, toddlers wander into the road, often you see 3 year olds with a baby on their back.<br />
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There is an interesting driving technique which involves the hooter. This entails hooting everytime you skid around a corner to warn oncoming traffic of your presence. Hooting at the cows and dogs, at least one giant pink pig and many many chickens.<br />
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The animals seem much more intelligent than ours back home, and they give you what I perceive to be a dirty look before strolling out of your way.<br />
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So the six hours goes something like this: swerve, hoot, swerve, hoot, dodge dog, swerve, hoot, hoot, dodge pig, child, swerve - '"Ëvy do you want a cookie"/ dirty look from a green-looking Evy/"Yeah I don't want one either"says a green-looking Fran. - swerve, hoot, drive over Rooster.<br />
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Hold up.<br />
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"Oh my word," I am sure I said....." is it <i>ALIVE</i>???"<br />
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Sure enough we look back and the rooster totters off, no worse for the wear.<br />
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At some point the driver stops the minibus..... we all climb out to stretch our legs as he appears to be filling up the thingy with water, the radiator or something. Even I know you don't do this with the engine running.<br />
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Water explodes all over the bus, luckily our nimble, and now very stressed and mumbling driver, hops out the way. He carries on filling it up. We later notice all our bottles of water have disappeared hmmmm so he used ours.<br />
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We helpfully mop up our seats and the windscreen and off we go again.<br />
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As the sun sets we all stick our camera's out the window to try and get a shot. It is magnificent. Some enterprising fellow pretends he needs to stop for a pee so we can get a shot of the majestic crags with the ball of fire dipping heavy in the sky.<br />
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Our driver, who is now losing popularity fast, very unhelpfully stops at the only point in the entire winding road with no view. I climb on the roof for a shot.<br />
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When we stopped for a toilet break all the girls took one look at the squatting facilities and pondered the options.<br />
"I," I said triumphantly..... "have a flashlight!"<br />
I then looked into the dark bush and everyone follows my gaze as we achieved silent consensus that it would be the jungle!<br />
In a straight line we file into a spot we hoped would be out of sight, giggling and stumbling in the dark.<br />
"So, find a spot, and I will put the light off so no one can see us," I said.<br />
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And one, two, three down we went en masse!<br />
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"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," said an Irish girl in a lilting accent, "are there snakes here?"<br />
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"I dunno, we will know if they bite you on the bum," I offered helpfully.<br />
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Needless to say we jumped up very quickly amid much shrieking to where the rest of the bus stood looking rather bemused!Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-17180859061300702942009-12-06T16:15:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:42:40.188-08:00www.falang-in-a-bikini.comAnother day in paradise it turned out to be as we headed for the Koung Si waterfalls, pale turquoise waters running over several levels where we swam, swung off ropes into the cool water and marveled at the magical beauty of Laos!<br />
I have often come across monks taking photo's of tourists, and this is the second time we have seen them seated at a waterfall ogling the Falang!<br />
We surmise that they upload all the photo's on a special site for monks called www.falang-in-a-bikini.com......<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkudLbjvZUUmCD_A0brumi_t8It18o0TB12AwzRtCTZNz0tTog7rpTz1nwFDVCiuWEkgy24Z_wrahyphenhyphen4c8rnOnKpF0kVcYH-dV37V-e65RXZ2mn4RV5eb_oPsWpMwzex_JseBI6jOb-HA/s1600-h/DSCF5548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYkudLbjvZUUmCD_A0brumi_t8It18o0TB12AwzRtCTZNz0tTog7rpTz1nwFDVCiuWEkgy24Z_wrahyphenhyphen4c8rnOnKpF0kVcYH-dV37V-e65RXZ2mn4RV5eb_oPsWpMwzex_JseBI6jOb-HA/s320/DSCF5548.JPG" /></a><i>Ooooh Looky-looky, that would be a good one for our website<br />
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When we arrived at the falls I saw there was a bear conservation area - I was so excited! Give me a lion, elephant, giraffe anything and I am a bit ho-hum, but a BEAR!! We don't have bears in South Africa!!<i> </i>I was giggling like a little girl as I rushed up to look at them.<br />
"C'MON Fran,"was the response I got as I sat watching them and the others wanted to get to the waterfall!<i></i><br />
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I pointed out how funny it was that just the other day a friend of ours was dying to see a monkey in the wild. "Really, you have never seen a monkey?"<br />
My mother has a whole troop that regularly hang out on the front lawn.<br />
And now I get excited by a bear.<br />
Jolise from Holland reckons that while I don't get excited by monkeys, the Americans don't get excited by bears, she similarly does not get excited by cows. Cows being the wildest animal the dutch have.<br />
Good Point.<i></i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Bear-necessities, the simple bear-necessities of life!!</i><br />
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<span id="goog_1260095104830"></span><span id="goog_1260095104831"></span>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-75251413097821440212009-12-06T02:23:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:36:34.513-08:00Travellers Tale'sI have heard many strange things on this holiday - and will update this as more comes to mind!!<br />
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I mentioned in an earlier post how people traveling together often get closer than most friends back home, sharing stories of bowel problems, going in the bush, and other usually taboo subjects (well, for most polite young ladies anyhow) or things you just might not wanna know - here are a few that are amusing or just plain bizarre.<br />
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<i><b>Would you rub this on your Penis?</b></i><br />
One girl I met while traveling, while sharing that she and the guy she had hooked up with had broken the shower rail in the room we were all sharing during a particularly passionate moment also burst out: "We had sex with Tiger Balm". She reports this was not <i>that </i>bad and she would do it again. I can't imagine asking someone to rub Tiger Balm on the crown jewels would go down well. Apparently the man in question had needed coercing! <br />
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<i><b>On the boat to the Pak Ou caves in Luang Prabang: </b></i><br />
As my friend Evy and I often slip into French (both needing to practice and both equally crap at it) I commented at something "Quel dommage!!" which means "What a pity."<br />
"Is that cheese?" asks Maxine.<br />
Ahhh Quel Fromage - not today it isn't!! <br />
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<i><b>Chinese timing: </b></i><br />
On the same boat a French woman was in a heated argument with a man over how much she was paying for the trip and ticket to the caves. A Chinese woman traveling on her own interrupts mid-sentence, shoving her camera in the man's hand and asks him to take a photo. It was so confident and unconcerned with whatever was going on. She HAD to have that picture of herself at that moment.<br />
When we got to the path and someone ordered us to pay for yet another entrance ticket, we all stand arguing with the man (we had paid the boat company we thought). Our Chinese friend again buts in, camera in hand for a photo of herself. She also managed to sneak past without paying.<br />
"That woman is my hero," sighed one of the girls.<br />
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<b>On a river beach chilling with friends in Don Det, under the light of the full moon.</b><br />
Token stoned Israeli with waist length dreadlocks, dopey voice and little music rattle things says:<br />
"Smell my hair, it smells like the Mekong."Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-55737237218439337782009-12-06T02:05:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:35:52.822-08:00Depressed Elephants and late night bowling in Luang Prabang<span id="goog_1260090758658">Elephant trekking is one of the favourite activities out here! I tend to get a bit antsy about all these animal-related tourism antics. In Kanchanaburi I opted out of going to the Tiger temple. I have seen tigers in the wild and being kept on a chain all day for photo's with tourists - while there may be all these excuses, just doesn't sit THAT well with me.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">On the other hand I have also learned to be a bit more logical. Coming from Africa I am no stranger to mangy, emaciated dogs, scrawny cats and beasts of burden. Its Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and animals play different roles in different societies. It is heartbreaking often, but just because in the cosseted West we can afford to pamper our pets and be bleeding hearts about everything (me too) one has to accept this is not the norm all over the world.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">I had done an elephant safari once at home, with a place I had researched to see if it had acceptable methods, and here the elephants seemed so happy and friendly that I decided to give it a go. They are my favourite animals, these giant, intelligent beasts <i>( journalists should never use the word Pachyderm... dreadful I have been told).</i></span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">So we had not gotten around to it anywhere else, and decided that even though the weather was bad, we would go for a trek and swimming with the elephants. We even got a discount because no one else wanted to go on that day.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">The walk was wonderful through the jungle and bamboo forests. </span><br />
<span id="goog_1260090758658">The small wizened Mahouts, their skin brown and wrinkly, their gap-toothed smiles and leathery skin, are practically at one with the creature they control.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">They clamber over and under and onto the elephants, their muscles moving seemingly in unison as they urge them forward and give subtle nudging directions, sometimes yelling out instructions.</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658">It is indeed a special relationship and appeases me somewhat, that it exists. That even though they would be better off wild, they have been cowed by man, and for centuries have been the worker of people in Asia, but it is often a symbioses between man and beast - even though the initial training methods aren't great!</span><br />
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</div><span id="goog_1260090758658"> <i> Playing with the baby! </i></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPEmkm-NJuO9qHcjygHKCtVGTM92s3GXegulxiUnQ5w6HonbFJVUkt77tiOe-lO3u42OxhZXLr9AG_ANe4rpS-QwmtrETT-rSGFmrGe1Sm6FnCDv8CyRLmQ-9scrwcTLNRWQSPRWpiQ0/s1600-h/File1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPEmkm-NJuO9qHcjygHKCtVGTM92s3GXegulxiUnQ5w6HonbFJVUkt77tiOe-lO3u42OxhZXLr9AG_ANe4rpS-QwmtrETT-rSGFmrGe1Sm6FnCDv8CyRLmQ-9scrwcTLNRWQSPRWpiQ0/s320/File1062.JPG" /></a><i>The mahout lets me "drive'', my thighs were sore for days after this!!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch we head off to the river for our much awaited swim with the elephants. We hop on bareback with the mahout and in we go!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They yell out "bon-bon"which apparently means spray water, and try encourage the reticent animals to get a little playful.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jolise' elephant plays a long bopping and rolling and splashing and shaking its head around, while Evy's elephant playfully sprayed her in the face.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mine dipped its head under the water.......<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...........<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and brought it up again.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Woefully I stared on as my unenthusiastic elephant held its head under water at intervals, refusing to get into the spirit of things.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Mine is trying to commit suicide,"I yelled out.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No one cared, they were having fun!!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46pv5KdWtkv4oczDhtp9wkq9DbSZkEUlcDdeaV2cdbtfVW7nPNdv-FLWcLTq6RkSz9nDhkkoMuIPBwKY-SY4RFlkyrMMMQVmlVo_S6vjAjuW7yZq3l3EO-7VWz3tBJGfVRhq38hIRbQY/s1600-h/File1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46pv5KdWtkv4oczDhtp9wkq9DbSZkEUlcDdeaV2cdbtfVW7nPNdv-FLWcLTq6RkSz9nDhkkoMuIPBwKY-SY4RFlkyrMMMQVmlVo_S6vjAjuW7yZq3l3EO-7VWz3tBJGfVRhq38hIRbQY/s320/File1078.JPG" width="320" /></a><i>Jolise in the middle, Evy to the right, and poor Fran and her drowning elly in the back left. </i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQsT7OTPiAAPBy6jp_q75UAbu9iFwLDeOT9XPAfmVbb1zOsZOoKDl4s2lsroSfO6Z01pK44JBhsrr9MMeF6Fw_0c5GTbuigirUbT-0RqvIPmbphGKPjcTJwU2Q0wzsu3wYmwGfGS_wE/s1600-h/FILE1081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMqQsT7OTPiAAPBy6jp_q75UAbu9iFwLDeOT9XPAfmVbb1zOsZOoKDl4s2lsroSfO6Z01pK44JBhsrr9MMeF6Fw_0c5GTbuigirUbT-0RqvIPmbphGKPjcTJwU2Q0wzsu3wYmwGfGS_wE/s320/FILE1081.JPG" /></a><i>Don't doooooo it........ Fran looks on at the others having fun!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh well, as we all worked out later - we wouldn''t be overly joyful swimming in that weather either!!!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For dinner we did a do-it-yourself Lao Barbecue, where you are brought a bucket full of hot coals and a basket of veggies and a plate of raw meat, and you cook your own meal. It was fun, if not the most tasty!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We headed off for some drinks at a local bar. Important to remember in Luang Prabang, and many other places in Laos, is that people go to bed early! Most bars close at around 11pm - so what is a tourist or local who feels the night is but an embryo to do???? Well head off to the bowling alley of course, which is open until 2am!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We moved our party there, and with Maxine breaking her fingernails and making feeble throwing attempts, me - despite a brief streak of brilliance - flirting with the gutter shot after shot and the rest not tooo much better. It was an interesting evening.<br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658"><i> Fran aims for the gutter!!</i></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The not so victorious team, Maxine, Evy, Fran, Jolise </i><br />
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<span id="goog_1260090758658"><i> </i><br />
</span>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-56573031246281944422009-12-06T01:12:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:35:19.914-08:00Peanut Butter and Luang Prabang"I only sightsee to work up an appetite for more baguettes with peanut butter and sweet, thick syrupy black Laos coffee," I told Evy wistfully in Luang Prabang.<br />
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Of course this isn't entirely true, as the 700-year old World Heritage Site full of mystery and infused with Buddhism and spirituality is captivating on its own.<br />
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As the second city of Laos it is somewhat smaller than I imagined but full of character despite being full of <i>Falang</i> (foreigners). With guesthouses lining the river front and a bustling market full of tourists, it is clear that tourism is propping up this city, which sadly will probably slowly change the face of this nation full of warm, smiling people and laughing, playing children. You can feel the lunge for the buck hasn't quite sunk in here. Hassle is minimal and the slow agricultural lifestyle is still rich. The streets are full of children on bicycles, families on scooters, women peddling fresh fruit and vegetables - deliciously, disarmingly Laos!<br />
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Of course on the first night their I discovered the heaps of warm baguettes sold on the side of the road which you can fill with anything (I choose peanut butter), the wonderful fresh cakes (mango cake, banana cake, chocolate cake) and the yummy Lao coffee served with condensed milk.<br />
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A cold snap hit when we arrived so bumming around swaddled in all our clothing sipping on hot drinks was warranted.<br />
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</div><i>Yummy!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVgmTPml3dK1LZxB0ZkQ1AokOBZqs5ZV_u8pfEv04HTPVBnBF7uho2BE-Qvo9-45pBkfmQ8aHPGUkUVK1i0dUauJwSY_TlksJu7jljVGjuWHcAb71aRw3sracmassbibmRAg35DqF63E/s1600-h/File0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVgmTPml3dK1LZxB0ZkQ1AokOBZqs5ZV_u8pfEv04HTPVBnBF7uho2BE-Qvo9-45pBkfmQ8aHPGUkUVK1i0dUauJwSY_TlksJu7jljVGjuWHcAb71aRw3sracmassbibmRAg35DqF63E/s320/File0104.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On our first morning we stumbled across Joma bakery, a delightfully sinful place where we ate most of our meals. Probably quite unauthentic of me (pish-posh) but I had eaten a lot of local food and as I said cold = cake and goodies.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The best bacon and eggs, banana cake, mango crumble and most importantly up until that point, the toilet was awarded <i><b>Best Toilet in South East Asia.</b></i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just wanted to sit there, comfortably, on the cool toilet seat (yes... a SEAT!) breathing in the non-urine filled air, the fresh surrounds. No bin full of paper that can't be flushed, no unidentifiable liquid all over the floor, no squatting and a pretty little white white little cute basin in which to wash my hands. (saving some instant hand sanitiser = bonus!!) *sigh*. Don't get me wrong, me and my thighs of steel can squat like a squaw when necessary - but *sigh* it was nice.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9B4uvyoT4AOkRTPCEQJf3df-NOVLH56hJGV_j2GURzQL0Xg1gpBrk_Yru9WG8TMIpCywwn-djYJdXlnjTUQ_lRoZtAP-7a2HcwNaq57PUaUZwIlYQH2LwJLsYWAaMgMZBfqodljq9wYQ/s1600-h/File0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9B4uvyoT4AOkRTPCEQJf3df-NOVLH56hJGV_j2GURzQL0Xg1gpBrk_Yru9WG8TMIpCywwn-djYJdXlnjTUQ_lRoZtAP-7a2HcwNaq57PUaUZwIlYQH2LwJLsYWAaMgMZBfqodljq9wYQ/s200/File0102.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCfXpsed-fjDFkO8sCPKg9W4f5-y8KU_JX68kYNkkVzXiPRgQWyQuoCE5E3yjHN8jZO67Tv7H7yzwa1oUDWkNGjduta-1bSJ-mdM__Kd9ECfqIa59xJdIPTVb97nKEOdYUkkr7ixCSxk/s1600-h/File0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCfXpsed-fjDFkO8sCPKg9W4f5-y8KU_JX68kYNkkVzXiPRgQWyQuoCE5E3yjHN8jZO67Tv7H7yzwa1oUDWkNGjduta-1bSJ-mdM__Kd9ECfqIa59xJdIPTVb97nKEOdYUkkr7ixCSxk/s200/File0061.JPG" width="150" /></a><i>Joma bakery rocks!!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We took the sightseeing easy, climbing up to Mount Phousi (whose name when sounded out gave some endless hours of amusement as did the Phousi Hotel etc) for a sunset and strolling through the seriously dangerous market. Do your shopping here it doesn't get much better!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcDINDeAARQIKv4UvzPcn0UOCdTDo9ujKfl4cFzp4iuR1uwbecRnsWI5_2PX_OAPTvNjwjfYobscwMgbCw7ermPAtUNqNOQzJGQ8bbecN8l0DlgX-xPQBVtTTyD9zMG7sDqUbSatEz4k/s1600-h/File1186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcDINDeAARQIKv4UvzPcn0UOCdTDo9ujKfl4cFzp4iuR1uwbecRnsWI5_2PX_OAPTvNjwjfYobscwMgbCw7ermPAtUNqNOQzJGQ8bbecN8l0DlgX-xPQBVtTTyD9zMG7sDqUbSatEz4k/s200/File1186.JPG" /></a><i>Stairs up to the temple!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSPn7j2loWZioXqTyPdVliNcnxCYp0eNOwdMYNISPZ6Qz_vkSMlRKmfE_VFDU5bmiPhogFUgK_KhlGnNE_xyCnUvNd5_23trbgpfHkUO6PKYDKVd8JTE4QAbv6lD9ilVE7PMQVHD1_VU/s1600-h/File1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSPn7j2loWZioXqTyPdVliNcnxCYp0eNOwdMYNISPZ6Qz_vkSMlRKmfE_VFDU5bmiPhogFUgK_KhlGnNE_xyCnUvNd5_23trbgpfHkUO6PKYDKVd8JTE4QAbv6lD9ilVE7PMQVHD1_VU/s320/File1205.JPG" /></a><i>Sun setting over the Mekong</i><br />
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</div><i>Market</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning we woke up early to watch Luang's most famous spectacle, hundreds of monks in bright saffron robes pouring down the streets to receive alms. Sadly this has become an opportunity for tourists to shove their camera's in a monks face for that perfect shot, flocking in giant buses to witness it. It wasn't too busy the morning we did it but it did require waking up at 5am!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A very matronly woman sternly instructed us to buy a basket of food to give the monks and "sit down". I love how often a lack of ability to grasp the subtleties of English leads many to sound abrupt and as if they are giving orders even when saying the simplest of things! <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Awake and hungry, we again headed off to Joma for breakfast!! <br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-24819131595026743962009-12-06T00:27:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:34:57.799-08:00Slowboat down the Mekong RiverAfter a 'day-off' in Pai, we took a night bus to the border town of Chiang Kong where we would cross into Laos (a short trip across the river). Tired and a little grumpy after a sleepless nights tearing around corners, braking suddenly for no reason and dodging the local menagerie wandering across the roads, we then stood for two hours for our passports to be stamped.<br />
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This was great as we got to meet loads of people who would be getting on the slow-boat with us.<br />
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So the slow-boat down the Mekong River is how people traditionally made the rather arduous journey to Luang Prabang. Now of course the roads are much better these days, but it has become a bit of a tourist institution - and as I have learned, snubbing tourist institutions to be an ''authentic backpacker" can be cutting off your nose a bit to spite your face. I don't have dreadlocks or a 2-yr beard either, and I would kinda like two days bobbing into Laos, so it was decided!<br />
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Of course there were loads of tourists, too many for one boat, so we were divided into two. On the first day we got into a relatively luxurious one, sans hard wooden seats. Not quite the original cargo boat experience, but the scenery was as awe-inspiring as one would expect. The weather was pretty miserable, and we just sat and read for the six hour trip to Pak Beng, our stopover for the night, chatting to a large group of Dutch guys we had met. Evy's Flemish, their Dutch and my Afrikaans, all related yet not quite the same, was of great amusement as we tried to communicate. I think in fact they were just making fun of Afrikaans, one of the languages of South Africa.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HjWEHfoWC3cGNxhWYdOteiBPkxbHvutuqwxFfEfv7cYrHrF6TmzWVfPPUbJ7PewWTMHz9VzKOGgnYq5G8LMVcLn_fS5klXJEe_IL37YM6LoryLNpYmlqhs9QExsHbL9IvIOmRPP1YYE/s1600-h/File0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HjWEHfoWC3cGNxhWYdOteiBPkxbHvutuqwxFfEfv7cYrHrF6TmzWVfPPUbJ7PewWTMHz9VzKOGgnYq5G8LMVcLn_fS5klXJEe_IL37YM6LoryLNpYmlqhs9QExsHbL9IvIOmRPP1YYE/s200/File0919.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenDyDuodKt9sdHc2iHhGo1BVcK2iF0tefkTUu3yf8oyBklAflg48izNJzLsJl42CeW6JKTih8d4tLBMstChAnNIu18EBAsFRIIOBvkBFxxaW1dzpQJZvAsBeG0uxkiPBgpMYgHJC524M/s1600-h/File0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenDyDuodKt9sdHc2iHhGo1BVcK2iF0tefkTUu3yf8oyBklAflg48izNJzLsJl42CeW6JKTih8d4tLBMstChAnNIu18EBAsFRIIOBvkBFxxaW1dzpQJZvAsBeG0uxkiPBgpMYgHJC524M/s200/File0930.JPG" /><i style="color: black;">Slow Boat</i></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: black;"> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNwg7MsDy2jdjUTkeaFlKAAZ8d7cuhurBsVCol_aW-1CFv3qZmR0EfSfk6uFfNTcIxFsyE8xJcfWQK3dtO-Ex64qgqX2yeQE7IHqPjSenJa5NqkZvcE20MKCTCB6wdc3TAPtPlso37Ns/s1600-h/File0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNwg7MsDy2jdjUTkeaFlKAAZ8d7cuhurBsVCol_aW-1CFv3qZmR0EfSfk6uFfNTcIxFsyE8xJcfWQK3dtO-Ex64qgqX2yeQE7IHqPjSenJa5NqkZvcE20MKCTCB6wdc3TAPtPlso37Ns/s320/File0539.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHe-NCcOdtLmdVxY7htCHU1QSwbfM_4iYMFRrSYaeA6U1KesfkQImEGaLopNUUSVlm9DLQSmcwwPjH4JAN5nfFYMbRs3km9UuZwQReOfdloANcS2FCWFDlgf4GIvhO30-SXtc5PCoR-M/s1600-h/File0938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHe-NCcOdtLmdVxY7htCHU1QSwbfM_4iYMFRrSYaeA6U1KesfkQImEGaLopNUUSVlm9DLQSmcwwPjH4JAN5nfFYMbRs3km9UuZwQReOfdloANcS2FCWFDlgf4GIvhO30-SXtc5PCoR-M/s320/File0938.JPG" /></a><i>Mekong Images</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The night was spent in Pak Beng, a beautiful but very uneventful stop on the river. This is where we had our first taste of Laos people - friendly, helpful and full of fun. Also very, very laidback.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first order of business was to take a hot shower.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Evy climbs in, turns on the tap and its cold. She hustles off to get someone to fix it. I am lying glazed eyed on my bed too lazy to worry. Some guy comes up, fixes it in two ticks and on his way out asks us if we smoke weed. Er, no thanks the hot shower is enough.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Evy gets out, I get in. The water is cold. I stand there in my towel as she goes to glare someone into action again, trying to impart the urgency needed to come and get the shower going again. Man comes in and water is flowing hot. We urge him to leave it running. He smiles, agrees, and turns it off. (Here the answer to everything is yes. Unless you ask it two or more times then you might get a No thrown in for good measure)<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I get in. The water is cold. This whole operation starts again. As soon as the guy fixing it tells us to come along and feel it is indeed warm I run into the shower, grab it from his hand and order him out! Blissful success!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Day Two</b><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">An early start with a delicious omelette and baguette. The French left behind a very important legacy in that baguette. Especially since I wasn't too blown away by Laos cuisine, I ended up eating many many many! "Tea please," asks Evy.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Opium Tea?" asks the waiter with a naughty wink.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lord have mercy...... welcome to Laos!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Piling back into the boats today we get one with wooden benches. Initially we grab one of six comfy chairs in front, but in the first three hours the chilly weather has driven us all into prime position on the floor next to the backpacks.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfFW97VZBo3DVZFVZPHrC82sSmR5nGj0Zl6aoMoaybn8z83vcqPhXNBogS3QrFPBc_qUcDXdAXErvJyNcHT3hu96i2T7Y1j7jEnE8EfRgTtkK23X72y9Fn02Uf8MbMhWaRvf73qazalo/s1600-h/File0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfFW97VZBo3DVZFVZPHrC82sSmR5nGj0Zl6aoMoaybn8z83vcqPhXNBogS3QrFPBc_qUcDXdAXErvJyNcHT3hu96i2T7Y1j7jEnE8EfRgTtkK23X72y9Fn02Uf8MbMhWaRvf73qazalo/s320/File0976.JPG" /></a><i>Our Dutch friends</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zA8NvNfhJ7po7RRwMJp9OTpvG2DXa38eR0O97nHYR06PeePLbGeM1bbf5TSCo_S7cFGO5snrkuaryq2fk6gupvLUkbP1dKqV4SHwf5Yek5Kwh_vjZtaF5Mla6T3F6PNFz764IqoIaRs/s1600-h/File1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zA8NvNfhJ7po7RRwMJp9OTpvG2DXa38eR0O97nHYR06PeePLbGeM1bbf5TSCo_S7cFGO5snrkuaryq2fk6gupvLUkbP1dKqV4SHwf5Yek5Kwh_vjZtaF5Mla6T3F6PNFz764IqoIaRs/s320/File1018.JPG" /></a><i>The best spot on the boat! (I am the eskimo wrapped up in the jacket I thought I would never use)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Boredom quickly sets in and the Dutch get louder, as the beer gets flowing.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZFk_T-HZChDyFAoMCiILMNqECmjUl3ueKHBFduLTEygKG3OCZdkewhTu0o-vbAqcn2RWpnVovnbHl8CiszgN2nGgX7mzYpjzAe0mi-8G0yjccKQQfeBQY8p-p1gEcaV93VDwCbCJsKQ/s1600-h/File1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZFk_T-HZChDyFAoMCiILMNqECmjUl3ueKHBFduLTEygKG3OCZdkewhTu0o-vbAqcn2RWpnVovnbHl8CiszgN2nGgX7mzYpjzAe0mi-8G0yjccKQQfeBQY8p-p1gEcaV93VDwCbCJsKQ/s320/File1014.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUE1e4zulP2y5A4pZeWPO1DSTV1oJFNi7foKrpqYRMi98aDLBUUPfjDDX1z5gi077EXP__vMmjB6xTA-BPAH8XMAh7zbt-4GbMQz8hrVyowG7vwix5ayf7f4eaqn3fbVBwzhRKb0D_C4/s1600-h/File1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUE1e4zulP2y5A4pZeWPO1DSTV1oJFNi7foKrpqYRMi98aDLBUUPfjDDX1z5gi077EXP__vMmjB6xTA-BPAH8XMAh7zbt-4GbMQz8hrVyowG7vwix5ayf7f4eaqn3fbVBwzhRKb0D_C4/s320/File1016.JPG" /></a><i>Someone puts music on, Australia and his girlfriend Mexico join in.</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the weather gets fouler, the token older American (accompanied by Thai girlfriend) pulls out his... I don't know what to call it, fisherman all-weather gear????<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtKZOGPI5xedBbE8Gxuf2Fd8XVs7Yz6OX6kT57qf0dkFx4ZwuOn6utVm0ZCCLv7TCr-ZtNHGqZ2IlOR13cq0Optlc4eAO1EZFcn6LyLXitzez11F6_a0xUnezpsHvJ25jDr2qs5eF5kY/s1600-h/File0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtKZOGPI5xedBbE8Gxuf2Fd8XVs7Yz6OX6kT57qf0dkFx4ZwuOn6utVm0ZCCLv7TCr-ZtNHGqZ2IlOR13cq0Optlc4eAO1EZFcn6LyLXitzez11F6_a0xUnezpsHvJ25jDr2qs5eF5kY/s320/File0993.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Japanese couple, married a month ago and on a two-year honeymoon <i>[Note - "Ï guess you will really know if you can live with each other then", however you say it, is probably not that funny Fran] </i>decide to show off the gear they will be hiking in Nepal with or something, taking the slight chill a little seriously.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzl1GZq-f4Shpc-tMnwuPev2hL48dNozGrxeMfq_7TZZE7F1FOIDbpjXrBJ9z19yW-36T9ylYw2C_1qbaAMbVQEVYpPKGQQQFgCpFsXaD47-w8vB8QGlmruNxQaLMw9-pB8PQn5X83Bc/s1600-h/File1008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzl1GZq-f4Shpc-tMnwuPev2hL48dNozGrxeMfq_7TZZE7F1FOIDbpjXrBJ9z19yW-36T9ylYw2C_1qbaAMbVQEVYpPKGQQQFgCpFsXaD47-w8vB8QGlmruNxQaLMw9-pB8PQn5X83Bc/s320/File1008.JPG" /><i style="color: black;"> </i></a><br />
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<i style="color: black;">Japanese couple in green and red on the left.</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">As you can see the older French couples behind were looking rather staid and unexcited.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">An hour or so passes.</span><br />
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</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">It is obviously getting cold, the Japanese couple are getting quite concerned... about things like hypothermia??</span><br />
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</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKOIvbPXjLTbpZPEv6veQiG6MQFgn2B0J32sosleRa1nLYpMf2h6G1DiqoGIyMCjb9L4uqBfgzt-hVx6IB5gyuQ7rLo8jBTizzROXp7jPHYCUMkobwDqEtx370XFJpwiHE5uhIyAxRSU/s1600-h/File1021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKOIvbPXjLTbpZPEv6veQiG6MQFgn2B0J32sosleRa1nLYpMf2h6G1DiqoGIyMCjb9L4uqBfgzt-hVx6IB5gyuQ7rLo8jBTizzROXp7jPHYCUMkobwDqEtx370XFJpwiHE5uhIyAxRSU/s320/File1021.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we offer him a sip of some extremely foul Lao whiskey to warm him up. Whiskey is very popular here, but I think it tastes a bit like feet. This whole event livened the French up and the man behind the Japanese couple in tears with laughter!!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziNagCvhkiL8M2A8EkfGBhaSs2GFRJ9KP5zFfjuW61LtOLK9qs8A_mKszlPKzFMUuX1gOnJtRBpHUGvsHKV2Gn9tcAE0Y031Su-ncVfT8z1Pk9lptEMUeLzhDEUwozQnNSNCgnEmDaJE/s1600-h/File1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziNagCvhkiL8M2A8EkfGBhaSs2GFRJ9KP5zFfjuW61LtOLK9qs8A_mKszlPKzFMUuX1gOnJtRBpHUGvsHKV2Gn9tcAE0Y031Su-ncVfT8z1Pk9lptEMUeLzhDEUwozQnNSNCgnEmDaJE/s320/File1022.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"> Suddenly a loud bump clatters along the roof. A barrel has fallen off the boat!! Looking worried the driver slows down, yelling to the owner of a small canoe who goes out to retrieve it. Such action!</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHR95nuOtaIy_kiTQpJGCryhRTjJnuMaqtNNbYU80WORac44654X_fm0VU7w9m3KSCWDUwPQi8zozgSGH1tl_ozyCOOowj6qytt3QPdf7pOKjEgdrICyPaAmGzovE3JyEKIOMT9iFqTmo/s1600-h/File1001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHR95nuOtaIy_kiTQpJGCryhRTjJnuMaqtNNbYU80WORac44654X_fm0VU7w9m3KSCWDUwPQi8zozgSGH1tl_ozyCOOowj6qytt3QPdf7pOKjEgdrICyPaAmGzovE3JyEKIOMT9iFqTmo/s320/File1001.JPG" /></a><i>Everyone gets up to see whats goin on!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2EFw9-frXD0377VfAbJSH32Q2S1hLRfoyWZv7Z6gRkFrDJP1iYUm-uTNzq2RaGnVGMXv_a89JhyNiLstZaStrR1VaJW8X0kRTXLtiQ6ON5jFhCwlrm1ivUjOBtqKmJEFrInGrySPFSE/s1600-h/File1003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2EFw9-frXD0377VfAbJSH32Q2S1hLRfoyWZv7Z6gRkFrDJP1iYUm-uTNzq2RaGnVGMXv_a89JhyNiLstZaStrR1VaJW8X0kRTXLtiQ6ON5jFhCwlrm1ivUjOBtqKmJEFrInGrySPFSE/s320/File1003.JPG" /></a><i>And the barrel (empty as it would happen) returns safely!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And so that was pretty much all the excitement, here are a few more images from the banks of the Mighty Mekong!<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-46615882187958929552009-11-26T22:01:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:34:39.204-08:00Going Uphill.... as things go Downhill....We woke up to sunbeams pouring through the Bamboo hut, ready for a second day of trekking!<br />
However Toi, our guide, seemed to be taking things rather slowly, no doubt as the rice whiskey and Bamboo Bong hit home the next morning, and we only left around 11am (hiking in the midday sun = fun times).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimImJJnny3wwxPhAa6Qm1XUbRwM-0kFaYu-L78uCdsLf1hQ2VtzMuO71q_rP0rMOxpNFDhubOjxSadgI_zoxhzU8gkHxC9QrsKNxk8xXXjUrIbKOjMZuz3Tb8Y7QdMCaNqcB-5y258UlA/s1600/DSCF5009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimImJJnny3wwxPhAa6Qm1XUbRwM-0kFaYu-L78uCdsLf1hQ2VtzMuO71q_rP0rMOxpNFDhubOjxSadgI_zoxhzU8gkHxC9QrsKNxk8xXXjUrIbKOjMZuz3Tb8Y7QdMCaNqcB-5y258UlA/s200/DSCF5009.JPG" /></a><i>Sunbeams</i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnxQpFdSE9594Es5rqTeCFIrknkdoaVhSDV4fXBk-OlU3mUOL-MpceMXC7YCg6guVW-L2P6f_SCUAqFs4vQiGNCVBbQxVACuT182SsbJ6lFZcspGISjSK6x3UDu1bAueGjcdl0tmPmtw/s1600/fran.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnxQpFdSE9594Es5rqTeCFIrknkdoaVhSDV4fXBk-OlU3mUOL-MpceMXC7YCg6guVW-L2P6f_SCUAqFs4vQiGNCVBbQxVACuT182SsbJ6lFZcspGISjSK6x3UDu1bAueGjcdl0tmPmtw/s200/fran.JPG" /></a><i>Washing up</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So with hungover guide in tow we trudged up several mean uphills. He lagged behind huffing and puffing and needing several rest stops.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a very leisurely lunch in which he took a lengthy nap we set off again and just before entering the village we would spend our final night we took a swim in a river, washing our hair and having a bit of a bath!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95pEWKmT_ahOYEggOqqgyUmReMbPKoRqj3Dq9KqIzDVBBiGZSJB376W3zrbWpVkVuNlMbIWebjlD5f9VOcB1o0iL-pf_DW4W8uitmi8Y0Of1vG_y3hQCBg0moMMU1PAdw9YZprWmtx1Q/s1600/DSCF5026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95pEWKmT_ahOYEggOqqgyUmReMbPKoRqj3Dq9KqIzDVBBiGZSJB376W3zrbWpVkVuNlMbIWebjlD5f9VOcB1o0iL-pf_DW4W8uitmi8Y0Of1vG_y3hQCBg0moMMU1PAdw9YZprWmtx1Q/s320/DSCF5026.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodx1xmIMWChRxHUAZKS6l4r8tsnTqSCQozne_7MhT2OX7ToRD9CEoAXcRzvoiqB9_ojiYBpnVowchkYvDT4FC1OvodEP-NL6uUbaJjP64nHjlLR9xE84zlYjkhjbvAPV7Gh7xDtss36Q/s1600/DSCF5030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodx1xmIMWChRxHUAZKS6l4r8tsnTqSCQozne_7MhT2OX7ToRD9CEoAXcRzvoiqB9_ojiYBpnVowchkYvDT4FC1OvodEP-NL6uUbaJjP64nHjlLR9xE84zlYjkhjbvAPV7Gh7xDtss36Q/s320/DSCF5030.JPG" /></a><i>Toi watching on as we bathe (the picture makes him look dodgier than I believe it was)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had passed through the Lisu village we were to stay in when we began our trek and Toi had waxed lyrical about his friend who we would be staying with. However as we entered the village there seemed to be some confusion and we were ushered into a dingy shack/backroom and told this was our lodging for the evening. We are not fussy girls, but it was clear something had gone awry as he asked the owner if we could all crash there ( seemed very last minute). Unlike the other huts it was dirty with one small bed and a fire in the corner.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toi plonked himself down with the owners and the rice whiskey came out again as we bathed ourselves in insect repellent, gritted our teeth and sat down to play cards.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4mOFljYuRUBSaQD6lbvxJ8hbTLEHV7ExADZYzXrQyCbu_XtnsyXx3jUsn7aKfXIvBB3hlIAK_Tff_5ArQPi2yvpOKhUbMDIHw6FYVL2LpG00-CZa0RFXpyMZx1NhbiT4uXU1JAOTIx8/s1600/DSCF5039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4mOFljYuRUBSaQD6lbvxJ8hbTLEHV7ExADZYzXrQyCbu_XtnsyXx3jUsn7aKfXIvBB3hlIAK_Tff_5ArQPi2yvpOKhUbMDIHw6FYVL2LpG00-CZa0RFXpyMZx1NhbiT4uXU1JAOTIx8/s200/DSCF5039.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPHz_k-tGDeI8cmaXCgVOBYuqsuo_P8d7fWtMNLz0Du8V8BbjTQZTDdZ-gODkoox40erxBmiUm0GCiBrc764BP7KIWNdm5gAXaD0CCAS9-gGwhdaKUtCEuMXuK6BNnq1o-fo6Rg1NFgk/s1600/DSCF5043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPHz_k-tGDeI8cmaXCgVOBYuqsuo_P8d7fWtMNLz0Du8V8BbjTQZTDdZ-gODkoox40erxBmiUm0GCiBrc764BP7KIWNdm5gAXaD0CCAS9-gGwhdaKUtCEuMXuK6BNnq1o-fo6Rg1NFgk/s320/DSCF5043.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The men got drunker and drunker and we decided we were just going to get into bed in anycase - as they joked that they would be having a 24-hour party. We each took two sleeping pills, hauled out the earplugs gritted our teeth again at the grimy surroundings and tried to go to sleep as the raucous men swayed in front of the bed, eventually moving the party outside.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TvPWIwSJ9taESFQgMcMNeL1Y0yY2VM3dFLfbNo3EC2qoFxDN4oy81FbcxJzokq_UPfAQSM8ZQJofwZZT5q0bBT7jxRvF4tKua6UKBtiM3FavT-VKrbAWTDa6Asls0JJq89IbQHTie6s/s1600/IMGP4382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TvPWIwSJ9taESFQgMcMNeL1Y0yY2VM3dFLfbNo3EC2qoFxDN4oy81FbcxJzokq_UPfAQSM8ZQJofwZZT5q0bBT7jxRvF4tKua6UKBtiM3FavT-VKrbAWTDa6Asls0JJq89IbQHTie6s/s320/IMGP4382.JPG" /></a><i>Our bed.....</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnxIyNpRqMd_kq-SZGAEA9DzZ2LmCN2yuN4IoVvwKzq4kPUYqV-XAO8qmKigEE3HqQOgp-ZMdUeYvzj-GCzsK62yrdDz5kGj1BQLAyuA-hv55dxV7H9GAYuiOwnfJAtbtf2sC3KBnNAs/s1600/IMGP4384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnxIyNpRqMd_kq-SZGAEA9DzZ2LmCN2yuN4IoVvwKzq4kPUYqV-XAO8qmKigEE3HqQOgp-ZMdUeYvzj-GCzsK62yrdDz5kGj1BQLAyuA-hv55dxV7H9GAYuiOwnfJAtbtf2sC3KBnNAs/s320/IMGP4384.JPG" /></a><i>The men at the foot of the bed.....</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning they all looked very much worse for the wear, and Toi - who had started off so swimmingly seemed embarrassed at the turn of events and ignored us as we headed off with a separate guide to go whitewater rafting!!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a wonderful day on the river, with only one or two hair raising rapids. In fact the guides kept throwing us overboard to make the whole experience a little more exciting. Evy fell at one rapid and hit a rock which left a nasty gash in her helmet, while I replayed scenes from the Titanic with Jo.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyAZebruRVIGevhHoJDWDgo2SEsCVpYUQZLNtI39J4Eajh0Jb5BBe7UpJuWJNTBz0VDI66HARgPSSd59kkT6Wl88XA_8nRCbRnQxVrsEdb3nu66B22uFi4iIZmLFmbCXWoBj2M12-uCw/s1600/f1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyAZebruRVIGevhHoJDWDgo2SEsCVpYUQZLNtI39J4Eajh0Jb5BBe7UpJuWJNTBz0VDI66HARgPSSd59kkT6Wl88XA_8nRCbRnQxVrsEdb3nu66B22uFi4iIZmLFmbCXWoBj2M12-uCw/s320/f1.jpg" /></a> <i>"I'll never let go, Jack. I promise. "</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO02Nf2Kl6qm0dQGvOkQYC4gcHK8VkEgkJc2aXy53GmJuLgzAuoQS0l-Fty9gr5rFYzliei0a2tgwNjxOw1eHhzwG9Txkk15zLvh-j_VUAknJPA0d1qBM3hZsZbkPsmwEyug6a7L_MNtk/s1600/f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO02Nf2Kl6qm0dQGvOkQYC4gcHK8VkEgkJc2aXy53GmJuLgzAuoQS0l-Fty9gr5rFYzliei0a2tgwNjxOw1eHhzwG9Txkk15zLvh-j_VUAknJPA0d1qBM3hZsZbkPsmwEyug6a7L_MNtk/s320/f3.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsINJMTIbKRWY3utwSugFEQ_cAhFaob1bp4LNdJwF5Tqfl74SfwGruwp6FscbXgUvSlmiSY6A2XP_XdI1FuFi2pi7zCW-d_lvybGWKrbvZy-OnmBdwE6Atsl4mdCFqLTRMrO2ofIorqeY/s1600/f2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsINJMTIbKRWY3utwSugFEQ_cAhFaob1bp4LNdJwF5Tqfl74SfwGruwp6FscbXgUvSlmiSY6A2XP_XdI1FuFi2pi7zCW-d_lvybGWKrbvZy-OnmBdwE6Atsl4mdCFqLTRMrO2ofIorqeY/s320/f2.jpg" /></a><i>We stopped to swim at this gorgeous waterfall where our lunch was served as we sat in the spray</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC32f_uVJS2pmRbA0X3qzj_vN4jHJxw3Jt-xwgC16UJYkIkGNL-8CNErCcAARnLFn8BJEdGy_2sHLyU2iVBPOhpDXhdC-dEieh8VJtPfrHCl5sm7Kw4f7qmpKtXegZtYj9QNvKU98g-0I/s1600/IMGP4388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC32f_uVJS2pmRbA0X3qzj_vN4jHJxw3Jt-xwgC16UJYkIkGNL-8CNErCcAARnLFn8BJEdGy_2sHLyU2iVBPOhpDXhdC-dEieh8VJtPfrHCl5sm7Kw4f7qmpKtXegZtYj9QNvKU98g-0I/s320/IMGP4388.JPG" /></a><i>Bathing in mud at the Hot Springs</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also passed the famous Cliff Jump, which - as over eager as I am - I ran up to and jumped off. The guides promised faithfully it was 5m deep, but insisted I wear my life jacket. After Jo, Maxine and I had jumped, the second raft (full of men) all refused to jump. Turns out they had been told it was only 2.5m deep and were not keen on paralysis. I admit my feet did touch the floor, but all turned out ok!!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gBg31YuLakxaresKiWlLU3JsAtTfPWF5qaE-P0VpzEllJhhNvTXmkwhVqEUNDM0daPiSmOqI47S67W8N_-LWJDhtqSZLFPCx9upZ22Tk7mhlJm-I4zNXHTbanE8QKwh0CweJDFOXbyo/s1600/DSCF5054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gBg31YuLakxaresKiWlLU3JsAtTfPWF5qaE-P0VpzEllJhhNvTXmkwhVqEUNDM0daPiSmOqI47S67W8N_-LWJDhtqSZLFPCx9upZ22Tk7mhlJm-I4zNXHTbanE8QKwh0CweJDFOXbyo/s200/DSCF5054.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>Me, suspended mid-air</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nghC0Rcs2IKAvEB84oZ0ErlxhuUB6cyxmzaXSYb5ekrrpRH6dQJSanIxYJT2x_rOKLwcEgMQir3IRVZ166bewhN7Qp7X_LaZ42o1g-mg3H6VMqhfY-EylMe9ax1bqEcaTTZWl4DSs00/s1600/DSCF5059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nghC0Rcs2IKAvEB84oZ0ErlxhuUB6cyxmzaXSYb5ekrrpRH6dQJSanIxYJT2x_rOKLwcEgMQir3IRVZ166bewhN7Qp7X_LaZ42o1g-mg3H6VMqhfY-EylMe9ax1bqEcaTTZWl4DSs00/s200/DSCF5059.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>Post Jump!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a wonderful day and we quickly forgot the dubious evening that threatened to put a damper on an otherwise marvelous trek! At about 6pm we were picked up in a pick-up for a gut-clenching drive back to Pai, as it tore around the corners in a manner that made me uber glad I was looking in the other direction. Guys from the other raft sat smoking cigars and sipping Beer, as the guides (typically one hour or so into the rice whiskey) hung off the edge and passed out on the floor!!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVU3mPa0BjqpEuctJLuIl7q9jP3rj-BxykINTLYToRheDfnQg2OqsCF1yNnadmUzub5oF12nzz7PUMKJfX5zJsrrVy5y9E5qCFZPNqT8lnyTgFR2ZpJZctxCLbRoQxsYLUMloE0lsIkn8/s1600/DSCF5065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVU3mPa0BjqpEuctJLuIl7q9jP3rj-BxykINTLYToRheDfnQg2OqsCF1yNnadmUzub5oF12nzz7PUMKJfX5zJsrrVy5y9E5qCFZPNqT8lnyTgFR2ZpJZctxCLbRoQxsYLUMloE0lsIkn8/s200/DSCF5065.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_J2WKkBE4T1bbS5rD15e8W28RQLcxYd15VXXZ3cIH8r_paoagwNiMnxyBcbzMKaDZfg-iGTjuAjpMC2P87kpHZFldetouG08Ds1HbNUYNpMvNVI9HzpnozpgTLjx3zVww7CPwSU0ssJo/s1600/DSCF5069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_J2WKkBE4T1bbS5rD15e8W28RQLcxYd15VXXZ3cIH8r_paoagwNiMnxyBcbzMKaDZfg-iGTjuAjpMC2P87kpHZFldetouG08Ds1HbNUYNpMvNVI9HzpnozpgTLjx3zVww7CPwSU0ssJo/s200/DSCF5069.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>Oh God save us!!!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQknYodLxXp21QPX_2UbsrEw59yLuKXcem8b2qG6e-UQ9c-LHCa5SeLMNGFeFfYDJWU4_YHHo1N1eKu4t7u1He4RM772A2XROKQMJrckzSmAQWbMWAbOEjlOnhpnMltgXvlalucCi6ck/s1600/DSCF5070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQknYodLxXp21QPX_2UbsrEw59yLuKXcem8b2qG6e-UQ9c-LHCa5SeLMNGFeFfYDJWU4_YHHo1N1eKu4t7u1He4RM772A2XROKQMJrckzSmAQWbMWAbOEjlOnhpnMltgXvlalucCi6ck/s320/DSCF5070.JPG" /></a><i>Running out of space he collapses at our feet</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More news to follow. It is getting harder and harder to keep up the pace of the blog as I travel, and we already halfway through Laos! But I am determined to keep it up!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh, here is a picture of the Purple Penis - a device from our Dutch friend meant to make it easier for women who need to pee in less than perfect conditions! I was too nervous and squatted anyhow, but it was a fun novelty and the source of much humor! See - women can even pee standing up these days.....<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFk0Lb7SCisL3zFBSie3Qi39GcbRo7sCGKPu4mv8F1ewhbHQIkU8YyTX_b-zXD4CJn38c5YUBLHVpeGXe0Q_gkiYYQvM-L3JIR84ZAPL4x_hYPRS3hPRQWNkn7m6GyErWqBfDknHtBSk/s1600/DSCF5021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFk0Lb7SCisL3zFBSie3Qi39GcbRo7sCGKPu4mv8F1ewhbHQIkU8YyTX_b-zXD4CJn38c5YUBLHVpeGXe0Q_gkiYYQvM-L3JIR84ZAPL4x_hYPRS3hPRQWNkn7m6GyErWqBfDknHtBSk/s320/DSCF5021.JPG" /></a>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-49187806189212004672009-11-23T21:05:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:34:09.506-08:00Trekking in Pai - Jungle worms and Bamboo BongFresh off the bus from Pai, without having found accommodation yet, we bundled into the nearest tour office to book a trek for the next few days. The guy at Backtrax was really flexible and we could structure it as we wanted, two days trekking and a day whitewater rafting! <br />
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So we set off the next morning with our guide Toi, and I was awestruck by the lush greenery and picture-perfect scenery, complete with bamboo bridges over streams, paddy fields and farmers going about their day. The beginning of the trail was being turned into a concrete road ( actually by the time we returned a whole section had been complete, these people should be imported into South Africa for roadworks 101) ad a few motorcycles whizzed past us on the trail - signs of civilisation in an interesting contrast with traditional ways.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cOUQr8uXI8dczCQjpM-Qcpc8YJTNwVjfHx8L8-UkOhgukMOu45EMZG6Kl-7j6qicImXH8uqAoU_9Pokoas5QIT8VVvfbUqEQ5HeEipK6nZbFsUtsYNLp-0ZckNJ-FIZvU6mCF7H7t-I/s1600/DSCF4759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8cOUQr8uXI8dczCQjpM-Qcpc8YJTNwVjfHx8L8-UkOhgukMOu45EMZG6Kl-7j6qicImXH8uqAoU_9Pokoas5QIT8VVvfbUqEQ5HeEipK6nZbFsUtsYNLp-0ZckNJ-FIZvU6mCF7H7t-I/s320/DSCF4759.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSPHS4s9z7vu0AHbKTngsdvK6mgYqpfjIvZLMQWDG6Qjwy7VqjRcnU6gW36gJL-4X-OrVPvHyhLDUSSZiC7WAdWe2QG_O3-Qc-ULqIofeiGwRsFzYGWHSwjJ84MIbb6K84tDVvwuVYSk/s1600/DSCF4761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSPHS4s9z7vu0AHbKTngsdvK6mgYqpfjIvZLMQWDG6Qjwy7VqjRcnU6gW36gJL-4X-OrVPvHyhLDUSSZiC7WAdWe2QG_O3-Qc-ULqIofeiGwRsFzYGWHSwjJ84MIbb6K84tDVvwuVYSk/s320/DSCF4761.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Me, trekking</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XPM6acnP4QXCdbhs7tZ0Xj7qrZ59KyBZ-nWK-JZx_aIWmHWBLR72RH4kZSgGrJ2rDVxbPu7OjBvILzwYBy0w245USnXXoSuYq4J3rlfZa10h2d8kOsDt5FKhgz2oG6_OtnxCCv-FXJQ/s1600/DSCF4769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XPM6acnP4QXCdbhs7tZ0Xj7qrZ59KyBZ-nWK-JZx_aIWmHWBLR72RH4kZSgGrJ2rDVxbPu7OjBvILzwYBy0w245USnXXoSuYq4J3rlfZa10h2d8kOsDt5FKhgz2oG6_OtnxCCv-FXJQ/s320/DSCF4769.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Bamboo forest</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HhfRU-MXCH4mUyZuaVHs4jwcfEJt_hiUO8jdSKDjAQOd1XvLfqLJWMJGhYmGM69PXNP7Riz9uGoDOmYKkga7XgccUCKtMSnafq220hCt5dE8rtS6WFZv6GfE-cWk4j41_bj7nyLZpOk/s1600/DSCF4758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HhfRU-MXCH4mUyZuaVHs4jwcfEJt_hiUO8jdSKDjAQOd1XvLfqLJWMJGhYmGM69PXNP7Riz9uGoDOmYKkga7XgccUCKtMSnafq220hCt5dE8rtS6WFZv6GfE-cWk4j41_bj7nyLZpOk/s200/DSCF4758.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Roadworks</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEjGTfMdX2X1V34Je4PK3ZjeBCgIgSxP-O6bGbV2YGy8YDNOLuRHU1zmCXkZZuwwBC_DJ-tYqfB0-9zSahQInfdchZBJ7AcbpaBcooHWUl4u5EPCOlKCioHQZM2IX7Gf702Avcth14ps/s200/DSCF4741.JPG" yr="true" /><i>So this is where pork comes from, we learned rather abruptly in the Lisu village we first passed as they prepared for a wedding.Here the dead swine is turned in burning grass to singe off the hair. </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRNepQT1yej1LkOVyvWcsp4GPlSX_9oGEYYW3k1ZSu64kHDDlBL98dhYUSoD5CqRemgC85PLOb7BsAq28DJbg-kvykBJr3l_Je1Ml_YPa1v6SMAuMx65qrbe6K9owigGYKCAx62J9Cww/s1600/DSCF4744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRNepQT1yej1LkOVyvWcsp4GPlSX_9oGEYYW3k1ZSu64kHDDlBL98dhYUSoD5CqRemgC85PLOb7BsAq28DJbg-kvykBJr3l_Je1Ml_YPa1v6SMAuMx65qrbe6K9owigGYKCAx62J9Cww/s320/DSCF4744.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Lisu woman and child</i><br />
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</div><i>Baby monkey rescued by villagers</i><br />
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Toi promised us a party that night, saying he had organised two bottles of rice whiskey and a "Bamboo Bong". We glanced at each other somewhat dubiously but agreed enthusiastically that a party would be great!<br />
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We stopped for a snack on some rocks at a stream (I still wasn't feeling too great and didn't eat much, figuring I would milk the loss of appetite for all it was worth)<br />
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Lunch was in a Karen village an hour or so later, where a local man cooked us some simple noodles with pumpkin leaves (which forms a sort of spinach) and we had some cucumber melon which is a melon-like cucumber, apparently.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5O2iUEXxXYOal0tT16S0AHjDMWbrIMYweVxa6UNxDuD6q8ZY_mQrKvwn0HlKtRIwY7ieqng20y2xCELwS8Qd63zpOdOiEdfWyY5zzFRPDyZjavF5PkHib7TpmoDA2jINfxPqYvO5QjRI/s1600/DSCF4785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5O2iUEXxXYOal0tT16S0AHjDMWbrIMYweVxa6UNxDuD6q8ZY_mQrKvwn0HlKtRIwY7ieqng20y2xCELwS8Qd63zpOdOiEdfWyY5zzFRPDyZjavF5PkHib7TpmoDA2jINfxPqYvO5QjRI/s200/DSCF4785.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
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</div> <i>Toi helping get the fire going - Mackerel below.</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1oWDE1k-Q_4zylQ7IUPS85UwrQzA1a15jqKmXtZzzaKOdYUsL_3JWuHdsTMsFTyA51hIlDOsT-h8mUNW3y93WESvgSWfhlhhNdQfZrgDLd0gMcIXB1-Ji9YGNIIFFckta8ZueSK4H4o/s1600/DSCF4796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1oWDE1k-Q_4zylQ7IUPS85UwrQzA1a15jqKmXtZzzaKOdYUsL_3JWuHdsTMsFTyA51hIlDOsT-h8mUNW3y93WESvgSWfhlhhNdQfZrgDLd0gMcIXB1-Ji9YGNIIFFckta8ZueSK4H4o/s200/DSCF4796.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfL6ZG4ZNJ1rw1v2UUZqjgJ5Ui3I38iFqkml45tWVpyDIHAidU5BulQ0DNrvm3xG7PA7qne-OyimwrHLOy07QIXyZNCn7z4Kq_vVm8KP5hWuPwfwH-fxSaA1dSbIFJNeiQFsrkgQtCBho/s1600/DSCF4798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfL6ZG4ZNJ1rw1v2UUZqjgJ5Ui3I38iFqkml45tWVpyDIHAidU5BulQ0DNrvm3xG7PA7qne-OyimwrHLOy07QIXyZNCn7z4Kq_vVm8KP5hWuPwfwH-fxSaA1dSbIFJNeiQFsrkgQtCBho/s200/DSCF4798.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q74m8lzreIbC4JLnbndNdWmjRYw8N0h9l5rvBNhpzZByirfpaZUpE_H4UVUGhh_FckjX8fFygs7eMiDjrRIcNU2lrHDxmHx1JO8RZnWBaLrIgQJYol5lAbQx7ey1heykQXYXuSpUigg/s1600/DSCF4801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q74m8lzreIbC4JLnbndNdWmjRYw8N0h9l5rvBNhpzZByirfpaZUpE_H4UVUGhh_FckjX8fFygs7eMiDjrRIcNU2lrHDxmHx1JO8RZnWBaLrIgQJYol5lAbQx7ey1heykQXYXuSpUigg/s200/DSCF4801.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Afternoon nap</i><br />
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</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toi got started early and poured himself some rice whiskey, a clear liquid which looks very innocent in its water bottle. Much like water actually :) He had already been drinking Red Bull ala Thailand since the morning, and offered us some after lunch. This is my Red Bull advert: Giving you wings - even in the Jungle!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> Village boy trying to lasso a cow</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Later that afternoon we reached a waterfall where we had a lovely swim while Toi built us a fire - very fast, big and with good flame, Survivor rating 8/10!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoy_hcKVFEOU_xCe_sy57rUd6pSqqpczDf96zMUqWuFJw0DGx7tFN5I3qwFjwq-uZiP3u91GMCi6wW8oyS11jjWdUmh0yfgtTCn4SV5o6fiJqllMz77ppxFAhFLNYSc1Iy-8TiKfaRjs/s1600/DSCF4843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoy_hcKVFEOU_xCe_sy57rUd6pSqqpczDf96zMUqWuFJw0DGx7tFN5I3qwFjwq-uZiP3u91GMCi6wW8oyS11jjWdUmh0yfgtTCn4SV5o6fiJqllMz77ppxFAhFLNYSc1Iy-8TiKfaRjs/s200/DSCF4843.JPG" yr="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xJRCHSs1zxif6PtN7JOrKup-J7DwAAWTJcVE5Cjr7TVZp8uJ6ntycFf8pFb2CEjzPzQMeJ2J5EHL9x1gFhu_xjKwMCCS3oGsmCFODBA8wKKuI-MhdLov5LOWJ19S9IZFjmxRYfqGdzU/s1600/IMGP4297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xJRCHSs1zxif6PtN7JOrKup-J7DwAAWTJcVE5Cjr7TVZp8uJ6ntycFf8pFb2CEjzPzQMeJ2J5EHL9x1gFhu_xjKwMCCS3oGsmCFODBA8wKKuI-MhdLov5LOWJ19S9IZFjmxRYfqGdzU/s200/IMGP4297.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That waterfall might look small but when I swam under it I got pulled right down by the current and had a dreadful near-near-death experience!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our chilly swim we finally offered a sip of some rice-whiskey to warm us up, mixed with Red Bull it was sort of a Jungle Jagerbomb! It was however disgusting, acrid moonshine take your breath away, fire up your lungs and dissolve your liver kinda disgusting. Well, some people like it - I did not!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I want to do a separate post about some of the things people talk about when traveling, the sparse conditions and close proximity to each other means you may end up discussing the inner workings of your bowels with eager strangers keen to offer their advice. Invariably the topic of the 'jungle toilet' arose. I, being an African an very au fait with things like having to go in the bush (which possibly has nothing to do with being an African but I like to throw that in there) had plenty of advice for those who had never had to "do a bush poo" and were very excited about the prospect. It later emerged that despite regular updates (have you? no, have you?) throughout the trekking trip, there was little success.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here Maxine practices the "Jungle Squat"<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJbHFvOBQCOjpq8wBZUr550nRVm4MrM3f54F6vW9kXT0RbIRsbW1JSFF6yVHYU3IAlxACl-B5vp7HP7DrcTlFgw_C1TIDufDZQ-nvHBi-xRtyLde8oOFSA6zxNvre3b6nTK55F3gd1OQ/s1600/DSCF4829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJbHFvOBQCOjpq8wBZUr550nRVm4MrM3f54F6vW9kXT0RbIRsbW1JSFF6yVHYU3IAlxACl-B5vp7HP7DrcTlFgw_C1TIDufDZQ-nvHBi-xRtyLde8oOFSA6zxNvre3b6nTK55F3gd1OQ/s320/DSCF4829.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>So-so technique - needs practice: Survivor rating 6/10</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We arrived at our bamboo hut - our lodgings for the first night - as the sun set beautifully over the valley. Pigs, chickens and the full farmyard contingent were settling in for the night. The bamboo hut serves a dual purpose with one side used as a coop fr the chickens, while the pigs can find shade underneath. We were served freshly fried bamboo worms, which I had to try to truly obtain Jungle cred. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqZRfP_QDKC-RiVE2NsxZ5yKLnRtstJRQcbWtEi1H4k3rVCudqmoUd4ftEr6XYVVmvl_9tc98ri1AMPfUaq-5ojpHzSr7LYRj4aRLEFhuDPlpu8ngwOK8Gqa5DLespfla7iIh87dmNbA/s1600/IMGP4319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqZRfP_QDKC-RiVE2NsxZ5yKLnRtstJRQcbWtEi1H4k3rVCudqmoUd4ftEr6XYVVmvl_9tc98ri1AMPfUaq-5ojpHzSr7LYRj4aRLEFhuDPlpu8ngwOK8Gqa5DLespfla7iIh87dmNbA/s200/IMGP4319.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Bamboo Hut</i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidk0XRmW1opS_XuchIQHGijuYIiKsv9u3JDeAQd9HiqrGy2VFvMrOyDSLakNfPMFRqM7_YOsaDWRlD4pcnAu0o1TY_9oI1lonDo8K3b5xfNz18MB4sFJ91hkUwGhbNOyzN-NNQtSzBQKc/s1600/DSCF4879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidk0XRmW1opS_XuchIQHGijuYIiKsv9u3JDeAQd9HiqrGy2VFvMrOyDSLakNfPMFRqM7_YOsaDWRlD4pcnAu0o1TY_9oI1lonDo8K3b5xfNz18MB4sFJ91hkUwGhbNOyzN-NNQtSzBQKc/s200/DSCF4879.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NI-wQMvH5xymgdu0uX4gHUd0cRqEhCJUFd49mtA4F6iM2CBFqtrIljzgsNkGS3H0VA3WcKdneoYvLmi47MxqMhsSGNx-FNHJQP2hma3CxT47zMkPw0-8fkGsqNJWRMCAOqeM88GU_mg/s1600/DSCF4893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NI-wQMvH5xymgdu0uX4gHUd0cRqEhCJUFd49mtA4F6iM2CBFqtrIljzgsNkGS3H0VA3WcKdneoYvLmi47MxqMhsSGNx-FNHJQP2hma3CxT47zMkPw0-8fkGsqNJWRMCAOqeM88GU_mg/s200/DSCF4893.JPG" yr="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9lGrDiCWNZOSz8CllItEZpKP5KaGF2dXDmq7TNbVTh3Z4NxQVFqQ_nKQVkPLbBrn2ZNBNfppTA8oaOpZg7yl59qxdspnCjzMZvEFIYqwHsF0Py_f3-hI5yH5J__59vytApcdqZEeI9M/s1600/DSCF4897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9lGrDiCWNZOSz8CllItEZpKP5KaGF2dXDmq7TNbVTh3Z4NxQVFqQ_nKQVkPLbBrn2ZNBNfppTA8oaOpZg7yl59qxdspnCjzMZvEFIYqwHsF0Py_f3-hI5yH5J__59vytApcdqZEeI9M/s200/DSCF4897.JPG" yr="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wwdAPUSFaZ6qRK5wJiLbS0YSmx3IOpxaZSKGJocdgoW0dfJSGMOqqCmn2szq0fOhL2Qx2TCb8CJVwX0oNRCzgaG3SfV5gvMHP2Xs_iClfzkkTMN73bI-IMHbhfAo1xbuZ2QlbTDJ7ME/s1600/DSCF4898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wwdAPUSFaZ6qRK5wJiLbS0YSmx3IOpxaZSKGJocdgoW0dfJSGMOqqCmn2szq0fOhL2Qx2TCb8CJVwX0oNRCzgaG3SfV5gvMHP2Xs_iClfzkkTMN73bI-IMHbhfAo1xbuZ2QlbTDJ7ME/s200/DSCF4898.JPG" yr="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbUrp_SWRpkEzwHxaAw1WPb_VG-KrWwvHoJYAvOrBBiPmnwh1G-1D_TnN3Rj1VPAjlDEuRW2in1ol6eKJ1VKcZlQXXu4udEimbPe3q3nAMLONPo-hYR6HTNL8GmyTPa4aEDizKcK9yh4/s1600/DSCF4917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbUrp_SWRpkEzwHxaAw1WPb_VG-KrWwvHoJYAvOrBBiPmnwh1G-1D_TnN3Rj1VPAjlDEuRW2in1ol6eKJ1VKcZlQXXu4udEimbPe3q3nAMLONPo-hYR6HTNL8GmyTPa4aEDizKcK9yh4/s200/DSCF4917.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Hmmmm - crispy, flavourful and in a romantic setting - Suvivor rating 10/10!!!</b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So our hosts, the Lamu tribe, prepared us dinner, which involved another brush with Animals = Where Your Meat Comes From 101. They were sweet and friendly as we made our home in their hut, sparse but for a few blankets and stove area. Farm to eat and live, no place for luxury or 'things'. We truly have managed to complicate our lives in the developed world.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The men sipped continuously on rice whiskey, later stopping to light up the Bamboo Bong. I tried it, although its not really my thing, to little effect. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>Toi (already a litte drunk): "I no expert. I no expert. But there are seven types of cannabis. This type one, good for make relax. Next type - good for listen music. But I no expert," he said shrugging his shoulders.</i></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Yeah....right.....</b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>But it was a great evening as we were serenaded with the harmonica. Ppl drinking rice whiskey are however dreadful party poopers as they sip, get drunk, and it all falls apart. No pleasant chilled buzz ever has the chance to settle over the evening. Sitting in candlelight watching our hosts was really fun before we fell fast asleep on our bamboo mats.</b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-LoF3UvI3iTRlgyAbMY4h7hwj_Fsj6bhc_U9OKRDJ3JrbS9oL5c_GChIHDDuhBSGhPszIzm8RkdlikDvXjUSAxmKPFFvBI8hyphenhyphenFa2wzbejROlaopdUrNPH5U0I_p11DoKL6JVees3cLM/s1600/DSCF4918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-LoF3UvI3iTRlgyAbMY4h7hwj_Fsj6bhc_U9OKRDJ3JrbS9oL5c_GChIHDDuhBSGhPszIzm8RkdlikDvXjUSAxmKPFFvBI8hyphenhyphenFa2wzbejROlaopdUrNPH5U0I_p11DoKL6JVees3cLM/s320/DSCF4918.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>Preparing dinner</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBARAz6-UwfbSpi_vtCPxddwZPGGXODX6Ssx8IX-DLAhXO5xYueYbJo-1RIZs6y5oarIoYHZYldUHSPBu9yzUOUHrRf7J3xW0G4ev9iqk_zYtPJCSkrsIQspQL6eR87NcSS1BNU2N2Ikc/s1600/DSCF4920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBARAz6-UwfbSpi_vtCPxddwZPGGXODX6Ssx8IX-DLAhXO5xYueYbJo-1RIZs6y5oarIoYHZYldUHSPBu9yzUOUHrRf7J3xW0G4ev9iqk_zYtPJCSkrsIQspQL6eR87NcSS1BNU2N2Ikc/s200/DSCF4920.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>The chicken - just killed - gets defeathered</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1M-9JRKw6C5R2T519R-NjNmnWVsIyJNqorDCAcoM2BejFhVwlMY4kKAE3T5eBPIjMmS64exbktQPQjZdvbN9Pj4Dr7jgcpmbNZffpqoqv4EDFRkuJGWhcPN1UNR5wEER6zzB4ZY8KgA/s1600/DSCF4926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1M-9JRKw6C5R2T519R-NjNmnWVsIyJNqorDCAcoM2BejFhVwlMY4kKAE3T5eBPIjMmS64exbktQPQjZdvbN9Pj4Dr7jgcpmbNZffpqoqv4EDFRkuJGWhcPN1UNR5wEER6zzB4ZY8KgA/s200/DSCF4926.JPG" yr="true" /></a><i>The final product</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVzVxXp8K_dlKlei1cTEbY494g-c4jP7hM1JrGun0_R8nsXsMiaHHAWECHNVznPY7i4i_68WL8Dvg1AjNXX3hy4cH23hnvedcDgFQDEZ2KAq5ZqyY3_rJCjYSEesca_q9AWAZdsI3CeU/s1600/DSCF4939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVzVxXp8K_dlKlei1cTEbY494g-c4jP7hM1JrGun0_R8nsXsMiaHHAWECHNVznPY7i4i_68WL8Dvg1AjNXX3hy4cH23hnvedcDgFQDEZ2KAq5ZqyY3_rJCjYSEesca_q9AWAZdsI3CeU/s320/DSCF4939.JPG" yr="true" /></a>Bamboo Bong<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5__kVXZ8RuBI18BPOmJ4LrpMzqmL9pun_62GXFEksVNY4Al7ck6f8X0Tr51gxDYJIH6DrvALScw1hoyFSUKa1VuXCo5ue0Ju1weo9kJNFwjzKa3UJeSQFcFu-38FwooiH6-92a5ufe8/s1600/DSCF4978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5__kVXZ8RuBI18BPOmJ4LrpMzqmL9pun_62GXFEksVNY4Al7ck6f8X0Tr51gxDYJIH6DrvALScw1hoyFSUKa1VuXCo5ue0Ju1weo9kJNFwjzKa3UJeSQFcFu-38FwooiH6-92a5ufe8/s320/DSCF4978.JPG" yr="true" /></a>The self-proclaimed Jungle Whiskey Man<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCz3auQphZygeh1uv6D8DUrGtkvB5VpqCsR5hoS7lXpwSlXYHFtLphpZ0MtYmz7M-gt38oGQYFOhgXhA_dKHPbyPolRE6vSEmiHctvWYDpBoHoZpkU6J6FOZZFGjd3Y8W0VBFDxeOCB0/s1600/DSCF4981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCz3auQphZygeh1uv6D8DUrGtkvB5VpqCsR5hoS7lXpwSlXYHFtLphpZ0MtYmz7M-gt38oGQYFOhgXhA_dKHPbyPolRE6vSEmiHctvWYDpBoHoZpkU6J6FOZZFGjd3Y8W0VBFDxeOCB0/s320/DSCF4981.JPG" yr="true" /></a>The harmonica comes out.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stay tuned for Day Two: Going Uphill as everything goes Downhill, as I struggle with sloooooow internet in Laos to try and catch up....<br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-42836473223243472852009-11-18T20:13:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:33:40.838-08:00Chiang Mai to Pai - 762 curvesOur next stop was Pai, a small, laidback little hippy town north of Chiang Mai. We had decided to go there for some trekking to try and escape the mass of tourists and avoid glazed-eyed hilltribes used to being snapped away at by tourists pouring through their villages.<br />
<br />
I finally gave in and took a nausea tablet, thinking it would help me sleep on the 3-4 hour journey. It did knock me out, but no-one really tells you just how dreadful the road is getting there. Being knocked out and jolted awake every 5 seconds is not my idea of fun.<br />
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<i>"</i><i>Winding road!"</i> I scoffed, Pah, I am South African - we have winding roads galore!!!<br />
Oh no - not this bugger..... 762 curves there are ... and no, not well spaced out but to the right 2,3, 4 to the left 2,3,4 to the right, 2, 3, 4, to the left. And so on and so forth for the <i>entire</i> duration of the drive!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rCi54n7XF81F8s9rYO1uEYczOJmd6kKVjjo1yAzhjxYDVkACB6JCoqpRaoyE8A1YOroP3q1tapnvibCq7rWTysVQEe6i5birBJbWbWcYR5uqLJc-85I4vSyUIFQP7RE-E3DqyNq4tH8/s1600/DSCF4736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rCi54n7XF81F8s9rYO1uEYczOJmd6kKVjjo1yAzhjxYDVkACB6JCoqpRaoyE8A1YOroP3q1tapnvibCq7rWTysVQEe6i5birBJbWbWcYR5uqLJc-85I4vSyUIFQP7RE-E3DqyNq4tH8/s320/DSCF4736.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Someone needs to write a stern letter to these road engineers! </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But anyway, we eventually arrive in Pai. Pai sweet Pai, such a lovely place to get lost in for a bit. Pai... which in English means <i>"Mosquito"</i>, which is the shortened version of <i>"Giant mosquito bite you on face and bum until you look like misshapen idiot"</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok that isn't true!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, being north and close to Laos one does have to cover up well. It is also the place we (and others headed to Laos) begin to take our malaria medication. I find this rather amusing. I am generally very healthy, hate pills and never go to the doctor. In the space of two weeks I have been to the pharmacy for a bladder infection, nausea and dreadful acid reflux. Then I take a malaria tablet which has all the above as side effects, and promises photosensitivity. I can't figure out if this means I will get a great tan or skin cancer... watch this space!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we hired a scooter to go and find accommodation and booked a special trek starting the next day at Backtrax - two days hiking and one day white-water rafting for just us four girls!! We have all been so excited to get out into nature a bit!<br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-24611254742621586122009-11-18T19:36:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:33:08.681-08:00Motorbikes and Thai nightclubsAfter the cooking course I had a brainwave to hire a scooter to get around, avoid taxi's and do some exploring around the city without having to go on a tour!<br />
I met up with Courtney, a friend of a friend back home, who very kindly offered to show us around and came with us for a trip up to Wat Doi Suthep, set up on a hill about 45 minutes from Chiang Mai.<br />
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I had had one lesson on riding a motorbike in the Amazon once, and another time I was on such a bad date that when I saw the guy's scooter I said I wanted a ride, got a quick lesson and managed to escape for a half hour.<br />
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That's enough, and luckily here they ride on a civilised side of the road, the right. Yes RIGHT as in correct.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAVklbq3lkSOVF0l1yStzzIvtQBc60LlFG8mCGEvNZBofdcGWD03fTRYQf7aaOjx1n9UKjPQppyTpSYnu7jcrXl58dLLlA5YCR-rxt0oFByg1H2YJPg_mpKXSXfHqRSaQcyTlHvXkVec/s1600/11234_900394779569_8811143_50318818_3357274_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAVklbq3lkSOVF0l1yStzzIvtQBc60LlFG8mCGEvNZBofdcGWD03fTRYQf7aaOjx1n9UKjPQppyTpSYnu7jcrXl58dLLlA5YCR-rxt0oFByg1H2YJPg_mpKXSXfHqRSaQcyTlHvXkVec/s200/11234_900394779569_8811143_50318818_3357274_n.jpg" /></a>Filling up for the long ride up to Doi Suthep<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ovuaEi-xLdF8mG0znnQ1ISPjdgN8WeLFYSlJp9Y-wO5W1CjRRqnAu3vnjhEjOImEboOM4b6BB42teU90QOhZ3b3CRSusPSR-vvb7e895k5RB0NSXIwLwVdtmOiSU0k-XvBrMeEl92oE/s1600/11234_900394789549_8811143_50318820_8208686_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ovuaEi-xLdF8mG0znnQ1ISPjdgN8WeLFYSlJp9Y-wO5W1CjRRqnAu3vnjhEjOImEboOM4b6BB42teU90QOhZ3b3CRSusPSR-vvb7e895k5RB0NSXIwLwVdtmOiSU0k-XvBrMeEl92oE/s320/11234_900394789549_8811143_50318820_8208686_n.jpg" /></a><i>In the hectic traffic</i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n3lLLLd4bMygFwJBwhgu6u6hQ3lR7bZblTd_UC9FmYIPGiI19fA437WKw956d5-zcrjdktBpQCMg2PC5QzqhWmzy_W95geMlsYoRxZ-tJKuQzPM9nrWlp3tsXtzNJZaWfRekcvNU7nE/s1600/11234_900394794539_8811143_50318821_4909443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6n3lLLLd4bMygFwJBwhgu6u6hQ3lR7bZblTd_UC9FmYIPGiI19fA437WKw956d5-zcrjdktBpQCMg2PC5QzqhWmzy_W95geMlsYoRxZ-tJKuQzPM9nrWlp3tsXtzNJZaWfRekcvNU7nE/s320/11234_900394794539_8811143_50318821_4909443_n.jpg" /></a><br />
It was a welcome ride - the wind in my face helped fend of the violent nausea from the remnants of my shrimp poisoning and as my nausea tablets did not recommend driving or operating heavy machinery I decided to sacrifice feeling normal again to ferry Evy to the top of the mountain.<br />
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A winding drive to the top later and near-wipeout on at least one corner got us to the temple - oh and about a million steps!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IRoTpV1npoqoF7RCdZ2g1U7B0VA6cNIHIwD_RvoN-oFXxG9ZTw5RQdCvKsz6-7kvlq1blbsj6XxS1h8iCXrPngfWwC25GiX7x3oEoV4g82PJoOrrliO_TdCPtRqKcjasrS_c06uTcaY/s1600/DSCF4730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IRoTpV1npoqoF7RCdZ2g1U7B0VA6cNIHIwD_RvoN-oFXxG9ZTw5RQdCvKsz6-7kvlq1blbsj6XxS1h8iCXrPngfWwC25GiX7x3oEoV4g82PJoOrrliO_TdCPtRqKcjasrS_c06uTcaY/s320/DSCF4730.JPG" /></a> <i>Fran, Maxine, Jo and Courtney at the foot of the stairs</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvsElrmvJ8w-bIXoiioBGBGRxh5jx_ebF673KwTptEcPrFNqshjRuE1D5o1QeI_Y8_Ds_NNVVyfqPpjWNZZl5Ke4sI-GU1yLmWMaVnwKNV1qUay3M-_eiaYlJmNeM-QI-zuC6ZuLZLrc/s1600/DSCF4704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvsElrmvJ8w-bIXoiioBGBGRxh5jx_ebF673KwTptEcPrFNqshjRuE1D5o1QeI_Y8_Ds_NNVVyfqPpjWNZZl5Ke4sI-GU1yLmWMaVnwKNV1qUay3M-_eiaYlJmNeM-QI-zuC6ZuLZLrc/s200/DSCF4704.JPG" /></a> <i>View over Chiang Mai</i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgTKpaV0qwYx5sIrD-Sqhp0rcAsl04hMkpK_2F0pXG-1bkRbcNx-7Y_aMERIqnx_6Gsskek2NjLGeI0pZSYKJUvVfGAS94_Lp_7ooHvuzateXTdu5HO0XXgvicqhqCi-Md09RTrcicCs/s1600/DSCF4707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgTKpaV0qwYx5sIrD-Sqhp0rcAsl04hMkpK_2F0pXG-1bkRbcNx-7Y_aMERIqnx_6Gsskek2NjLGeI0pZSYKJUvVfGAS94_Lp_7ooHvuzateXTdu5HO0XXgvicqhqCi-Md09RTrcicCs/s200/DSCF4707.JPG" width="200" /></a><i>Monks wandering around</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRA-feBptgARyWVnQIxTIEAYANP_8IOPOSOSiI3UPOpFUfhBDbEh53KzgRDpwPQExcoSJwIgM_-7TNGrdOJ6uCxfpmcxtpJcCOJrrB4XkV5nUFVVGehPprXCLSvGQZVw96vKtMoJYmDmY/s1600/DSCF4712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRA-feBptgARyWVnQIxTIEAYANP_8IOPOSOSiI3UPOpFUfhBDbEh53KzgRDpwPQExcoSJwIgM_-7TNGrdOJ6uCxfpmcxtpJcCOJrrB4XkV5nUFVVGehPprXCLSvGQZVw96vKtMoJYmDmY/s200/DSCF4712.JPG" /></a><i>Thai girls dancing outside the temple</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were many Thai people giving blessings, getting their fortunes or getting blessed by monks. Evy and I went to get blessed by this monk, ie he sprinkled us with water, blessed a piece of string and another man tied it around our wrist as a monk is not allowed to touch a woman.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWx5WeWns_OVRV6hsSt2tTqR6cIq-VygBZfqitSHH05cW6QIdQHiQ-bbveuC3gFdNphUU6r3e0YDoPp7gwtlnBfbUHSxWOf5lczvYQ84F6p00W-61toWPksWnevuYDUiQpGl8Vu3texgo/s1600/DSCF4714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWx5WeWns_OVRV6hsSt2tTqR6cIq-VygBZfqitSHH05cW6QIdQHiQ-bbveuC3gFdNphUU6r3e0YDoPp7gwtlnBfbUHSxWOf5lczvYQ84F6p00W-61toWPksWnevuYDUiQpGl8Vu3texgo/s200/DSCF4714.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLaywmkRka22sWCQbaK3BH_Jxu22KNSam0LKma6QKvSunhyphenhyphenxLcVsYqkiMm5s4aJrqZLdaRTNKOFiipZh2uawhRVNn0gRnVyH9DmQsxrrfuqyB0W4xrnMX6_2-Eneuzz6IneQhOUS8XjQ/s1600/DSCF4716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLaywmkRka22sWCQbaK3BH_Jxu22KNSam0LKma6QKvSunhyphenhyphenxLcVsYqkiMm5s4aJrqZLdaRTNKOFiipZh2uawhRVNn0gRnVyH9DmQsxrrfuqyB0W4xrnMX6_2-Eneuzz6IneQhOUS8XjQ/s200/DSCF4716.JPG" /></a><br />
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In search of yet more luck - because who can have too much right, I decided to get my fortune. Which entails shaking a container full of sticks (after making a donation) pulling one out and finding the corresponding number and its fortune written on a piece of paper.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H0nU8PwC_KaDkrAFsGDR2_oA5ePzFaYpiRmZl44U0x_6nsLk3gfyjemao1A4XCss1UfRKpcFD4-HZwNLjgW1JVA4ychx37X6rVJU9_Je5eXAmoc9_jI_1hTLOc-BemLrnDHUO2gay8U/s1600/DSCF4723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H0nU8PwC_KaDkrAFsGDR2_oA5ePzFaYpiRmZl44U0x_6nsLk3gfyjemao1A4XCss1UfRKpcFD4-HZwNLjgW1JVA4ychx37X6rVJU9_Je5eXAmoc9_jI_1hTLOc-BemLrnDHUO2gay8U/s320/DSCF4723.JPG" /></a><i>Shaking and pulling</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlBNT6X49EHQ0EbdP_5KnQWtQrTxPiC_2imepKdJhrRCz4rXgbBdOtc6BDDDqlvXMOPTz5_WPefZGMDEXyouzDqRJ8zU7v_S1k4oEEmYVQdBOT0mPQBDYea_ZcXSDbugJeH7uXZVUFpM/s1600/DSCF4728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlBNT6X49EHQ0EbdP_5KnQWtQrTxPiC_2imepKdJhrRCz4rXgbBdOtc6BDDDqlvXMOPTz5_WPefZGMDEXyouzDqRJ8zU7v_S1k4oEEmYVQdBOT0mPQBDYea_ZcXSDbugJeH7uXZVUFpM/s320/DSCF4728.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>hmmmmmmmmm </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In search of a bit of authentic-ness, late one evening we stumbled across a giant lit-up nightclub swarming with funky Thai youngsters. There was no cover charge ( I think Max thrust her boobs a little for that) and as we walked in we were assailed with the soulful sounds of a band on stage and pleasantly surprised to see we were the only <i>farang</i> in the bar - success!!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As most of the Thai people you meet are trying to sell you something, this was a welcome change and we spent a lot of time just people-watching, studying the outrageous fashions and hairstyles. We were also warmly received, with the band acknowledging us, asking us where we were from and the lead singer even kissed my hand. (I probably made an enemy of a million young girls who may or may not have been worshipping that guy for years). After the band the DJ took over and we danced for hours to a mixture of Thai and Western music. It was FUN FUN FUN!!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp1LSHALX9CJES6t_vA7yVxkpPiBx4auzMn2dw8UGAc056BVuWXhYrUn-Vp27AWRZ9QC-kNyiDF1cZ1gclqLRZ_WL3o08kbjM6Cga36brywGGf5NxkEUc8s4EVmZ-9kORv0vezMx6bII/s1600/DSCF4665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp1LSHALX9CJES6t_vA7yVxkpPiBx4auzMn2dw8UGAc056BVuWXhYrUn-Vp27AWRZ9QC-kNyiDF1cZ1gclqLRZ_WL3o08kbjM6Cga36brywGGf5NxkEUc8s4EVmZ-9kORv0vezMx6bII/s200/DSCF4665.JPG" /></a>Le band!<br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiJCyix-I3n3P1v8E4bdHL8vNrmdt69P_XW58mybCBrPeXdSOhDoayg9aV4FSh1cd0ZxxQvR6dfBiPFndBIgNKy2ZM8xp8tmBUjr3w8Ykz3CP8ucFJLGLWAwpIm344SlWDTCFJ9YxTmU/s1600/DSCF4668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiJCyix-I3n3P1v8E4bdHL8vNrmdt69P_XW58mybCBrPeXdSOhDoayg9aV4FSh1cd0ZxxQvR6dfBiPFndBIgNKy2ZM8xp8tmBUjr3w8Ykz3CP8ucFJLGLWAwpIm344SlWDTCFJ9YxTmU/s200/DSCF4668.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZjvDZDWM30oj7IMwhJTthmwTKm0kJZxEZ8raJ_J2LjhUnj3KEKp0yE_m8WhAkCBoyH8Tz9JLUXJ9A0LaZOzjvzofWDRj0mC9_9ekdkwsE8I5AN8CqQaH0Xv3beMx_xVOrAdluKfYhCo/s1600/DSCF4667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZjvDZDWM30oj7IMwhJTthmwTKm0kJZxEZ8raJ_J2LjhUnj3KEKp0yE_m8WhAkCBoyH8Tz9JLUXJ9A0LaZOzjvzofWDRj0mC9_9ekdkwsE8I5AN8CqQaH0Xv3beMx_xVOrAdluKfYhCo/s200/DSCF4667.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXILk746EHC8mpcIiEIzjvRdAPxZWsmek-0IOglLGmzB_u7OY9-cIyLGoSxZBghvsYbDIE-ZbWYa_vrfPGH5d4wJk0vfUs5jjTqz6LU-6Ed9A0hktAVW7yfEWtkPllz-nAmFDlUjv8eA/s1600/DSCF4677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXILk746EHC8mpcIiEIzjvRdAPxZWsmek-0IOglLGmzB_u7OY9-cIyLGoSxZBghvsYbDIE-ZbWYa_vrfPGH5d4wJk0vfUs5jjTqz6LU-6Ed9A0hktAVW7yfEWtkPllz-nAmFDlUjv8eA/s200/DSCF4677.JPG" /></a><i>Max and Fran</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn2nfk6gxW1A2G_fu0_BPpixBKcwB58faJrtmncKZj-48XbUS-ZnIK_oh_dUytz1fCtc3RgdhU4Dgy33Ebj4F3aDTBilMzfRRqi7974z5sQNjfkhaS3hi0IdpP523RB8304mRi0XRdKY/s1600/DSCF4683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFn2nfk6gxW1A2G_fu0_BPpixBKcwB58faJrtmncKZj-48XbUS-ZnIK_oh_dUytz1fCtc3RgdhU4Dgy33Ebj4F3aDTBilMzfRRqi7974z5sQNjfkhaS3hi0IdpP523RB8304mRi0XRdKY/s200/DSCF4683.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGCd9-PyR0cnZX-fGVP-yOGAOY4zFcJf7pbOU0tLNlBhI3IEYmwy99A_96xsfKCw1erViqBw08UDT4H_0YVIY27YmNZMoYZg18IlmID1RAbDe9m5AKDBJys19JD8YcZl0NZewd65Ame4/s1600/DSCF4681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGCd9-PyR0cnZX-fGVP-yOGAOY4zFcJf7pbOU0tLNlBhI3IEYmwy99A_96xsfKCw1erViqBw08UDT4H_0YVIY27YmNZMoYZg18IlmID1RAbDe9m5AKDBJys19JD8YcZl0NZewd65Ame4/s200/DSCF4681.JPG" /></a><br />
</div> <i>P-p-p Poker Face </i><i></i><br />
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Some competition thingy<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30mQNCy_7bbdYy-7JjjjUTXgrKx95Y7Orsh_v5FBM4STUSJcrsZIdaEaCR7e4ZqYUPWKkFMCsS2l4i4tRPfNeiwCbz2-D8VgZ933Cn2Omgs4OC4pMLTO-k660AcqQyTmmg_zVL_M-5UM/s1600/DSCF4695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30mQNCy_7bbdYy-7JjjjUTXgrKx95Y7Orsh_v5FBM4STUSJcrsZIdaEaCR7e4ZqYUPWKkFMCsS2l4i4tRPfNeiwCbz2-D8VgZ933Cn2Omgs4OC4pMLTO-k660AcqQyTmmg_zVL_M-5UM/s200/DSCF4695.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>This guy kept trying to talk to me, and we had this conversation about ten times:<br />
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"What's your name?" - <i>Fran</i><br />
"Sorry I don't speak English." - <i>" I don't speak Thai"</i><br />
*shrugs shoulders, smile and carry on dancing*Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-77508425875204603302009-11-18T02:11:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:32:41.794-08:00Learning to cook ThaiEvy, Chad and Jo and I decided to sing up for a cooking course in Chiang Mai, we all loved cooking, and eating and thought it would be a great idea to learn how to prepare the wonderful food for our friends and family back home!<br />
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</div>So our instructor, a feisty lady called Boom (<i>"not boom boom!"</i>) picked us up to go shopping in the market for the fresh food we would need during the day.<br />
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</div>She gave us lowdown on all the different types of chilli, rice, ginger etc etc.... hmmm yummy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKdC94rT5_adJHrOuimY-ESwviYQyFu9qMAG-PTn7gCK6DyZ2rxG50eWBT__fJR7EUrK-ABMJKRCqPHE4QT8_Qh0sRJB3P9tn1-ElZpMOXG_yZb9t1CCmgaUMsKobnto9NbKUMgRv5R0/s1600/DSCF4610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKdC94rT5_adJHrOuimY-ESwviYQyFu9qMAG-PTn7gCK6DyZ2rxG50eWBT__fJR7EUrK-ABMJKRCqPHE4QT8_Qh0sRJB3P9tn1-ElZpMOXG_yZb9t1CCmgaUMsKobnto9NbKUMgRv5R0/s200/DSCF4610.JPG" /></a><i>Rice - not as simple as u wld think!</i><br />
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We all picked the dishes we would cook and headed back to the cooking school.<br />
<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>We started with Tom Yum</i> Goong a spicy prawn soup:</span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>" You no eat shrimp in north of Thailand, the sea is so far"</i> said one disgusted Thai woman.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">*smack*</span> is what ran through my ill and dazed head.<br />
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</div><span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">Me - oblivious to the shrimp busy poisoning my stomach!</span></span><span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"> <br />
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</div><span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">Boom showing her skills!!</span></span><br />
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<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">She had us in stitches of laughter with her statements.</span></span><br />
<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>"Boom so clever, so beautiful, why she still single... because Boom tough girl!"</i></span></span><br />
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<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">She also picked on Chad, the lone American, saying Americans usually travelled in groups and usually spoke non-stop.</span></span><br />
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<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>"Fran why are Americans like this?" she asked. "English language have 26 letters, how many in America?"</i></span></span><br />
<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>"I dunno," I shrugged, suggesting helpfully "Four?"</i></span></span><br />
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<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;">She also did a wonderful Jamie Oliver impression:</span></span><br />
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<span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i>"When you go on cooking show... you make only this face," she said, closing her eyes and slowly tasting a ball of sticky rice while moaning gently with her head tilted to one side. Suddenly she opens her eyes and says in delight: "Un - beeeee - leeev - abble."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLCWAbiq11L_OGamgxQe9dvkoyjftLdYhtSzuu8vRWaLmvIaqgEE8RG-2bT6fdUgq40Kit8K-ONA9oFer3eq52LAd0XYza3IAy31Y1SclDKEkMMrlT0sAN52iyJv8j_9hpvV0n6WGUzE/s1600/DSCF4644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLCWAbiq11L_OGamgxQe9dvkoyjftLdYhtSzuu8vRWaLmvIaqgEE8RG-2bT6fdUgq40Kit8K-ONA9oFer3eq52LAd0XYza3IAy31Y1SclDKEkMMrlT0sAN52iyJv8j_9hpvV0n6WGUzE/s200/DSCF4644.JPG" /></a>Rolling Spring Rolls.<br />
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</div><span id="main" style="visibility: visible;"><span id="search" style="visibility: visible;"><i> Chad, Fran, Evy and Jo</i></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk-649LGv5xcHPWreZ3n5_o5ht7WNZHOGtCvhvyGvzxtU4p4ECZcM-6kbe0uj5X94gXwAOoMuECkceVsnZgrjGzvLab819RVLPXIbG0LDuEC04JsZvV3GKPgCAVWp-izmiypbzrJVyW4/s1600/DSCF4660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk-649LGv5xcHPWreZ3n5_o5ht7WNZHOGtCvhvyGvzxtU4p4ECZcM-6kbe0uj5X94gXwAOoMuECkceVsnZgrjGzvLab819RVLPXIbG0LDuEC04JsZvV3GKPgCAVWp-izmiypbzrJVyW4/s200/DSCF4660.JPG" /></a><i>My chicken cashew nut stirfry</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i> </i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0uy-HJ61wLdex3MRfB9EGppcKm7uruf8Xqc9ayRXyiboaJJKa1t9MAPxmn_Fs-kGKSdQy5cqRtcREW6B57lOP4OxJGu6xzOSzVfVxF4w7f-YKCJU871fSD-acxYdKAPQmdJGbcPV48k/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0uy-HJ61wLdex3MRfB9EGppcKm7uruf8Xqc9ayRXyiboaJJKa1t9MAPxmn_Fs-kGKSdQy5cqRtcREW6B57lOP4OxJGu6xzOSzVfVxF4w7f-YKCJU871fSD-acxYdKAPQmdJGbcPV48k/s320/013.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The class enjoying our meal.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After falling ill I have developed a distaste for the smell and flavours of Thai food - which I hope disappears soon as I am only 2 weeks into my trip......<br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-4411117960928554622009-11-18T01:42:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:32:18.691-08:00Chiang MaiSo, everyone raves about Chiang Mai, but I wasn't that crazy about it, I didn't spend too much time there and made the mistake of staying in the main tourist area. In Bangkok I did not, and the one day I went to check out Khao San road I was in a bad mood after ten minutes with all the hassling. Seriously, it is too much. Many countries popular with backpackers have these districts filled with tourism agencies, hostels, touts and in Thailand, bars with 20 attractive Thai girls in front to lure in the <i>Farang</i>. They should replicate this kind of street, put it on an island somewhere and make it a holiday destination in itself!<br />
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Ok that is a bit extreme, but the plastic packaged tourist version of the city was seriously working on my nerves.<br />
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The city does have about 300 temples, and we stumbled across one at dusk which was cool. It was the main temple Wat Chedi Luang which is about 600 years old.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Evy and I decided to go for an hour long foot massage.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I lay there in bliss, the woman expertly massaging my feet in possibly the most amazing massage ever, I thought of how we would gush about it for days, vowing to return every day to the same place!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I sleepily stood up (it was midnight when we were finished) Evy declares:<i> "Oh my god that was the worst massage ever!"</i> Shocked I listened to her one hour of torture, as the man pictured above did everything wrong while she had to watch my divine masseuse delivering her skilful massage.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These things do sometimes go wrong...... <br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-88450500180461663072009-11-18T01:21:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:32:02.162-08:0015 hour train from Bangkok to Chiang MaiSo... in the rush to leave Kanchanaburi I handed all my money to Jo and Maxine to buy the train tickets and agreed to meet at Hong Kong Noodle outside the train station at 8pm to eat and get ready for the train to leave at 1020pm.<br />
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Of course I did not know if anything had gone wrong and if they would even BE there, but as I walked into the restuarant, there sat Jo with our tickets. We happily swapped stories of our travels over the past few days and ordered oodles of Chinese food as we were practically starving by this point.<br />
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Chad and Maxine, who had struck up a romance (ie the last time I saw her she stumbled out of his room at 9am) arrived together about 20 minutes later.<br />
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We discussed how all our various nationalities had heroes such as Jean Claude Van Damme from Belgium and I said South Africa had none. <i>"What about Tarzan?"</i> remarked Chad.... hmmmmm......<br />
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So we decided we needed snacks! We were not gonna party as we all wanted to chill on the train and read, but stocked up on chocolates, chips etc etc<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let me introduce you to the backpacker squat... the position most comfortable when waiting with a heavy backpack on ur shoulders.... (snacks in the packets)<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxrNU2PnrC0BQx-F2qsozrqD_9ev0Qw-AZm3Fy-mSlx6U49xf6K9rmtFSb6GjvGN-PNNqKThY__WMnkEoTztbFwtxKtCrOc-g70iccTyThAF_H4Jr6JsCQZM5SPR_6JXdSt2qb5lKl-8/s1600/DSCF4521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxrNU2PnrC0BQx-F2qsozrqD_9ev0Qw-AZm3Fy-mSlx6U49xf6K9rmtFSb6GjvGN-PNNqKThY__WMnkEoTztbFwtxKtCrOc-g70iccTyThAF_H4Jr6JsCQZM5SPR_6JXdSt2qb5lKl-8/s320/DSCF4521.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMMg9pyRpf5O7YOWdtmyVN5CjNM7FrllENyzOuqK8uBWJ_OHj_TSXMcPpJVWd4Fr9o9IjNlZWyU_zWDp-YBMo3tAwHjvuDqDKtN5MM_LWO03dA72AN648X3CmI-civnoAHOI8-y94coI/s1600/DSCF4523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWMMg9pyRpf5O7YOWdtmyVN5CjNM7FrllENyzOuqK8uBWJ_OHj_TSXMcPpJVWd4Fr9o9IjNlZWyU_zWDp-YBMo3tAwHjvuDqDKtN5MM_LWO03dA72AN648X3CmI-civnoAHOI8-y94coI/s320/DSCF4523.JPG" /></a><i>The train</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We booked into second class, nothing fancy, but clean and comfortable!<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3uURXY4PzWZ_5CA8nw2uNQIM_-hWLpJcxSiSdvRuT10tAYgsEjf_XJlGky9UoN2ETSNzEtIDlATFZEeoyQ1BO_LJ1obBCJ7rCeWI4Bpw77XnvNCVRzZ0GJQ-PugRyhEVtNPn7hZR5ro/s1600/DSCF4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3uURXY4PzWZ_5CA8nw2uNQIM_-hWLpJcxSiSdvRuT10tAYgsEjf_XJlGky9UoN2ETSNzEtIDlATFZEeoyQ1BO_LJ1obBCJ7rCeWI4Bpw77XnvNCVRzZ0GJQ-PugRyhEVtNPn7hZR5ro/s320/DSCF4527.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljCCH4m28yaNFLrKiSBRV8G3WgUpkceyOAAGariDrZk7SawWJ4ZlvItHMTdGPUrqIcn98nmNrU1SgVgaqeVVwSqTqcKRW34eVQwUDa_tGshsOVt9_FW8JUI_kIfGxNvIkmU438f_wk2U/s1600/DSCF4539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljCCH4m28yaNFLrKiSBRV8G3WgUpkceyOAAGariDrZk7SawWJ4ZlvItHMTdGPUrqIcn98nmNrU1SgVgaqeVVwSqTqcKRW34eVQwUDa_tGshsOVt9_FW8JUI_kIfGxNvIkmU438f_wk2U/s200/DSCF4539.JPG" /></a><i>Reading - bliss</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a tiring journey, I couldn't sleep despite taking a sleeping pill. Seems when lying down feeling the movement of the train I imagine it derailing - and actually had a nightmare to this extent. It was also really hot! Everyone else was fine however. We had to wander around a bit to find accomodation, eventually settled at TK's guesthouse. Nice, clean, but at least one of us were kept up by an all night disco which had the whole room vibrating!!<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-88394906683304665112009-11-18T00:49:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:29:53.667-08:00Exploring the Canals in old BangkokEvy and I woke up bright and early and decided to treat ourselves to a breakfast at the Oriental Hotel on the riverside which was amazing!!!! Rather expensive though at 400 Baht an omelet!!!<br />
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Using the river ferry is a fast and easy way to get up and down and avoid the traffic, the skytrain connects to the central pier at Saphin Taksin and the ferry takes you all the way up where you can connect to the main tourist areas. Maps of the river and the city are all over the place from the airport to guesthouses. It does always seem to be an adventure somehow whenever you try and get somewhere as the language barrier gets in the way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSddyVsACRy6fodNEIkCW3dP4IMLkd2PGv8D_9CyZ_noyz9XUH8sV1814yMUWADx6XHEq1kDMyLN99P9xpjTXtHF_guQtNkW1LTHGqA311jfE1sxdtaYHenDHgwvHpa9fTh4d8aVTONc/s1600/DSCF4475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSddyVsACRy6fodNEIkCW3dP4IMLkd2PGv8D_9CyZ_noyz9XUH8sV1814yMUWADx6XHEq1kDMyLN99P9xpjTXtHF_guQtNkW1LTHGqA311jfE1sxdtaYHenDHgwvHpa9fTh4d8aVTONc/s320/DSCF4475.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><i>Breakfasters at the Oriental</i>.<br />
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</div><i>In a tuk-tuk</i><br />
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We took a tour of the canals in a long-tail boat, easily found from the main stations, and got to see people living in a more traditional setting, making their living off the river where their houses balance precariously on the edge. Often gorgeous homes lie alongside those falling into the river. People ply their trade from floating markets, feed the fish or chill out on the stoop. This is a different Bangkok!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoxvXtJwSrFLQ4_1jW3eYFN88Ch-eirBIssLAvx-_-0jJfCzPF_Bxi_UnoQAUPxjiGEgUbRzX2EpxV-xpr6etzjOrsgm5xCbYZ0GCXLf9N0_ISa68Ob1cIa9V_N1vdoTWLV7reFaoasU/s1600/DSCF4484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoxvXtJwSrFLQ4_1jW3eYFN88Ch-eirBIssLAvx-_-0jJfCzPF_Bxi_UnoQAUPxjiGEgUbRzX2EpxV-xpr6etzjOrsgm5xCbYZ0GCXLf9N0_ISa68Ob1cIa9V_N1vdoTWLV7reFaoasU/s200/DSCF4484.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMMx5f8Jwomj8q-8-FpuZO2Qp8acxPQEfvNg4geI1yUGhFtFmRUmF8BoveLkltyn3oKwBTo62JasYk3Oguxl6YQEDcWB5h7Cy7KT2hjvtFOR1uDyghQZ9hOPopRHzeenqf9ksddC4Qmk/s1600/DSCF4485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMMx5f8Jwomj8q-8-FpuZO2Qp8acxPQEfvNg4geI1yUGhFtFmRUmF8BoveLkltyn3oKwBTo62JasYk3Oguxl6YQEDcWB5h7Cy7KT2hjvtFOR1uDyghQZ9hOPopRHzeenqf9ksddC4Qmk/s200/DSCF4485.JPG" /></a><i>Handing the driver the beer we bought him</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJOIr6nZJJw372xBY0IfkWp1Wxped6bEo1WVzsp_e0G_INGSahExYbpruYRn3hLug3ZB11n6iIHWeOIzt65UKax-2ks3PzXLaefJw0mjpqNpKAMgKU-15-QLPzVIiU4ydilv20IJp4Zw/s1600/DSCF4497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJOIr6nZJJw372xBY0IfkWp1Wxped6bEo1WVzsp_e0G_INGSahExYbpruYRn3hLug3ZB11n6iIHWeOIzt65UKax-2ks3PzXLaefJw0mjpqNpKAMgKU-15-QLPzVIiU4ydilv20IJp4Zw/s320/DSCF4497.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div>Potted plants and plants of any description really are huge in Bangkok and adorn every living space and tumble over balconies, cover walls and even proliferate alongside the river!!! It is gorgeous and I wished I could find such lovely plants at home!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtCPZeL9Ij2fudoH_GdUBj4xMb_dYl7h3O68d7chcDTpOTGvS_3JDi_kNQWL-RhzBcAhaSNjCyOhkhtk1-p-aqmjidRGUBZbsZY2_OZTMxe6vpPq7wBWzkIRG984fJTxm1MGUytuIl4w/s1600/DSCF4510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtCPZeL9Ij2fudoH_GdUBj4xMb_dYl7h3O68d7chcDTpOTGvS_3JDi_kNQWL-RhzBcAhaSNjCyOhkhtk1-p-aqmjidRGUBZbsZY2_OZTMxe6vpPq7wBWzkIRG984fJTxm1MGUytuIl4w/s200/DSCF4510.JPG" /></a><i>Monks feeding the fish</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKi0o65wbar784yUFY8cfiaA_KImSu6YU4l6JQ76jIqabqtFEvuF2J58CE6smMsIWcZ3pU-aaO9fF596EeCNwMvNE_yF8O2Fwfp7cgSPMahINFMyK-A4U1eEWFQFFbEOCT-DwHbkTA0Dw/s1600/DSCF4517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKi0o65wbar784yUFY8cfiaA_KImSu6YU4l6JQ76jIqabqtFEvuF2J58CE6smMsIWcZ3pU-aaO9fF596EeCNwMvNE_yF8O2Fwfp7cgSPMahINFMyK-A4U1eEWFQFFbEOCT-DwHbkTA0Dw/s320/DSCF4517.JPG" /></a>Wat Arun from the river<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjz7a74L18ON20RpPPp4tEhRZbInoucuN2BZwsnqgk5H0iRNxaDqTBSipT2Z7p4WePnD1ay-rly4y4o8Fn0sBpyOhI6U8UwzXuOcYYBbhucii5NTjS8SrpI1QGMN8fgAvtq-T0oW83EhE/s1600/DSCF4467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjz7a74L18ON20RpPPp4tEhRZbInoucuN2BZwsnqgk5H0iRNxaDqTBSipT2Z7p4WePnD1ay-rly4y4o8Fn0sBpyOhI6U8UwzXuOcYYBbhucii5NTjS8SrpI1QGMN8fgAvtq-T0oW83EhE/s320/DSCF4467.JPG" /></a><i>Sunset.</i>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-15880922343216400242009-11-18T00:24:00.000-08:002009-11-18T00:24:12.874-08:00Bangkok oddity: Panda TVIf you are ever bored in Bangkok, which should not happen - switch over to Panda Live, a channel dedicated to following the antics of a young Panda, sometimes just sleeping, and osmetimes the action really heats up and she plays with her toys - too adorable!<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-61420833648685994952009-11-18T00:10:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:23:40.794-08:00Bangkok's best sights Grand Palace and Wat Phra KaewI had left out the big uns in Bangkok for Evy's arrival, so she could at least see some of the main sights in her one day before we set off for Chiang Mai!<br />
The most popular first stop for tourists is the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew temple which houses the Emerald Buddha.<br />
Having wandered around Wat Po - also very impressive with the giant reclining Buddha - a few days earlier I quickly got bored not knowing what exactly I was looking at so suggested we hire a guide this time. We found a charismatic lady for around 400 Baht (200 each).<br />
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All the guidebooks warn you to cover your arms and legs - and I in my time-losing daze (see earlier post) had completely forgotten. So had to pull my skirt down to my knees and borrow the following T-shirts at the temple.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tour was wonderful, and we learned about the different kings, styles of architecture and she told us some impressive stories contained in a gorgeous mural running along the entire breadth of some of the walls - an epic Thai fable.<br />
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Half-human half-snakes/chickens you name it, 20-armed demon Kings and monkey Kings..... <i>"It is like Harry Potter"</i> said our guide, giggling!<br />
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It made the experience much more interesting!<br />
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</div><i>The barefoot monkey king with his mouth open (like a woman according to our guide) and a demon king.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG_OJRWYfw2v3NgfVVrwrHMuxT7QhmZ2SY20FI0Aqcwb9Hoaqug4xGDRcALMRno77ZRiBIcBHX7s0IfmKD1o5Z8P9C_CHmAiLjqLLkUrav5QyJQm4WqQOmFkFTEkrz2kz3PekR1KXD7s/s1600/DSCF4424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG_OJRWYfw2v3NgfVVrwrHMuxT7QhmZ2SY20FI0Aqcwb9Hoaqug4xGDRcALMRno77ZRiBIcBHX7s0IfmKD1o5Z8P9C_CHmAiLjqLLkUrav5QyJQm4WqQOmFkFTEkrz2kz3PekR1KXD7s/s320/DSCF4424.JPG" /></a><i>Sprinkling water on myself with a lotus flower for good luck outside the temple</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXUUvQcfwfJV6q3Rrb4Yo-hAFjnCbFRjZvbfhFQ2taWseMSvIXCpO0LBJEuU4cBnZHH4DNEhmqxUhAXEQG6sLsj3hUiQuXgErNMzDKgJQP-t4m_gpCbKUh3NR1XDYq9M_BuKJhT6CUYk/s1600/DSCF4426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXUUvQcfwfJV6q3Rrb4Yo-hAFjnCbFRjZvbfhFQ2taWseMSvIXCpO0LBJEuU4cBnZHH4DNEhmqxUhAXEQG6sLsj3hUiQuXgErNMzDKgJQP-t4m_gpCbKUh3NR1XDYq9M_BuKJhT6CUYk/s320/DSCF4426.JPG" /></a><i>The Emerald Buddha - the most revered Buddhist icon in the country!! </i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Giant Bonsai outside the Grand Palace - a former royal residence now mainly used for funerals and and coronations. </i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QbDDO-aSDSQTusvVZNI-VGH7EC-pBN55DLAl90xiclMnbJhy_bBchPyuIXFOnWvpbyW28b4Vela2gB6PUGnT-ra8x2Nde86SbBJBdrJg0CTeGiMdhNekakCtA0lsfoID9HqB1H3bh6I/s1600/DSCF4448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QbDDO-aSDSQTusvVZNI-VGH7EC-pBN55DLAl90xiclMnbJhy_bBchPyuIXFOnWvpbyW28b4Vela2gB6PUGnT-ra8x2Nde86SbBJBdrJg0CTeGiMdhNekakCtA0lsfoID9HqB1H3bh6I/s320/DSCF4448.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The whole complex is magnificent, interwoven with glittering cut glass, perfectly manicured gardens and a rich history! Definitely a must-see!<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-60968083019740802192009-11-17T23:25:00.000-08:002009-11-17T23:25:55.016-08:00Losing TimeSo when I was planning this holiday I mentioned it to my dear Belgian friend Evy who I met in SA. Turns out she was also in dire need of some time away and we co-ordinated our trip with her arriving in Bangkok about a week after me. For some reason I planned to come back from Kanchanaburi and meet her in the afternoon on the 9 November.<br />
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While in Kanchanaburi she emailed me and said she was arriving at 725am on the 10th, I was super confused, but had already bought a bus ticket back to Bangkok for 12pm on the 9th so thought all would be ok.<br />
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At breakfast, I was telling Jolise about this little confusion and she stares at me blankly for a moment before announcing: "Today is the 10th." I giggled nervously.... "er no, it can't be". "Yes," she said firmly, "it is".<br />
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Panic set in... it was 830am, Evy would have arrived and I was nowhere to be found, my phone's battery had died the night before and there was no way to get hold of her. Friendship Hell here I come!!!<br />
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Luckily I managed to call Richard in Bangkok whose phone number was on the email giving her directions to her place in the hope she would call him.<br />
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I arrived four hours after her, distraught and sweaty, to find Evy sleeping in the lobby and promptly burst into tears. All completely ridiculous of course as she can totally look after herself - but I felt like a real ass!!!<br />
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-79321304650513105312009-11-17T23:08:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:16:47.338-08:00Sleepy Kanchanaburi, a touch of paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Kanchanaburi is a popular side-trip from Bangkok and it was nice to be mosying along on my own for a bit. I stayed at the Sugar Cane Guesthouse Nr 1 in a raft room for 150 Baht. I arrived at about 9pm and just chilled reading my book and booking a tour for the next day. The town itself is nice and has the typical internet cafes, restaurants and tourism agencies, but most sights are quite a drive away in opposite directions so it is really worth it to do a tour in this case.<br />
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<i>Maybe the food was clean, but the taste was not so good....</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning I clambered into our minibus and met Maxine (New York), Jolise (Holland), Chad (Seattle) a French dude with his Thai 'girlfriend' and Atar from Israel <i>(who informed us that not all Israeli's were good with a gun despite doing time in the army)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During the requisite who are you, where have you been, where are you going, what have you done, how long are you traveling for kinda questions <i>(usually me: six weeks every one else: bloody months and months)</i> we were discussing Cambodia and how at one point tourists could pay 20 dollars and shoot up cows and things with AK47s at the killing fields - this is how the gun question came up.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>As an African you probably shoot things all the time right??? Er.... no??</i><br />
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</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway - so off we went to Erawan Waterfalls, a truly amazing seven-tiered waterfall where one can swim from level two to level five. You can probably swim higher up but we were too lazy too climb all the way up.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMgB5d-CIfMd8_s7YI1REQm9oiliUOd3vHkg23RQGT4zDDF9i5zXch7xPYIhst-BiGr2TmFp6gpjTYsBmOjw3eVOR9V0IrFDS7GmsibpbzrLSY5IpoACyhM_6zB8rGTk2ZQ6J4LP2Qhc/s1600/DSCF4271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIMgB5d-CIfMd8_s7YI1REQm9oiliUOd3vHkg23RQGT4zDDF9i5zXch7xPYIhst-BiGr2TmFp6gpjTYsBmOjw3eVOR9V0IrFDS7GmsibpbzrLSY5IpoACyhM_6zB8rGTk2ZQ6J4LP2Qhc/s320/DSCF4271.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0tgWDKAhQuk2-KVXwiWSpcaI8K_0xi9QWorJEffMqhYguPCBvoEYoFsCP35dH6evORzPA3C28RR6d6IiFlmm-tE6Cdtfj3fP2XroZtuZwB4RkPtTyYJGDN7EiSGfYMrYRQRJW2zEXkg/s1600/DSCF4273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0tgWDKAhQuk2-KVXwiWSpcaI8K_0xi9QWorJEffMqhYguPCBvoEYoFsCP35dH6evORzPA3C28RR6d6IiFlmm-tE6Cdtfj3fP2XroZtuZwB4RkPtTyYJGDN7EiSGfYMrYRQRJW2zEXkg/s200/DSCF4273.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Me at level one (I think) and alongside is a picture of the fish that we were warned might bite us, haha - yeah whatever we mocked.... unknowingly!</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH6FuD8Tv8TfmqM1hNG6_jWN_v7kQbGPUOOf1b4r6t6GR1uaYOTnjGdH-NkZcgh0NcF9zT7gqVF2_JsXXB2ycvU18hiSLxxZ258vjUDS4OJ5gJFkxn-3cBbuqx14ZN9QT9Tubfgwrm2o/s1600/DSCF4274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH6FuD8Tv8TfmqM1hNG6_jWN_v7kQbGPUOOf1b4r6t6GR1uaYOTnjGdH-NkZcgh0NcF9zT7gqVF2_JsXXB2ycvU18hiSLxxZ258vjUDS4OJ5gJFkxn-3cBbuqx14ZN9QT9Tubfgwrm2o/s320/DSCF4274.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcHKXgOoZfP_QsDx2KmqRnwmqH4X_L2P9ftRnX7aQobkHIUvAkMwijHs_2VR2NtVmYSnKhdIXZNH6RWcKOyWFcf7bVjh5FkQyEsUBBLfWWKKxKZX-5WY4LiHWuMipsI0VHdV_to-RL-M/s1600/DSCF4277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcHKXgOoZfP_QsDx2KmqRnwmqH4X_L2P9ftRnX7aQobkHIUvAkMwijHs_2VR2NtVmYSnKhdIXZNH6RWcKOyWFcf7bVjh5FkQyEsUBBLfWWKKxKZX-5WY4LiHWuMipsI0VHdV_to-RL-M/s320/DSCF4277.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAVMYCtxKOfgMN6SNF1Dv8ZuUYjGyRF-lPWwV1lZcsMg65N1X3gtBn3ny8ylvvscRAxdrNVor_qohW2yODNHLyR_Cp6Yn-Jn-mFuos6jhcDTCfNJxXkIVYbgHC8iiPboQzTp12cKRuHU/s1600/DSCF4278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAVMYCtxKOfgMN6SNF1Dv8ZuUYjGyRF-lPWwV1lZcsMg65N1X3gtBn3ny8ylvvscRAxdrNVor_qohW2yODNHLyR_Cp6Yn-Jn-mFuos6jhcDTCfNJxXkIVYbgHC8iiPboQzTp12cKRuHU/s200/DSCF4278.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwuMdOAFr4ba51_5XX76uZ-L6RXPpX58ag6lmYjNqUuue9qCz086z7REFQjukOGc-3tFKBnpcpw43W3tZt3y9uSt9PPLGr8gUdNU0nLtFjPASJkBkS_i_A46l86RChdEMFxNLFhiuQYU/s1600/DSCF4286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwuMdOAFr4ba51_5XX76uZ-L6RXPpX58ag6lmYjNqUuue9qCz086z7REFQjukOGc-3tFKBnpcpw43W3tZt3y9uSt9PPLGr8gUdNU0nLtFjPASJkBkS_i_A46l86RChdEMFxNLFhiuQYU/s200/DSCF4286.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLP5zeFmqSVuYX2m_PmONDySv6W2pMI1MPA4xqrCWB8H-Ogpg95U-vGmk5iUtjAOyJQOmE_tZ-2GVSwRsrbzu59VLu7vd9NbRID6PAb90HNiX_1sYWfZuZ8gRdVczVWqv1xM7pOSMHEA/s1600/DSCF4291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLP5zeFmqSVuYX2m_PmONDySv6W2pMI1MPA4xqrCWB8H-Ogpg95U-vGmk5iUtjAOyJQOmE_tZ-2GVSwRsrbzu59VLu7vd9NbRID6PAb90HNiX_1sYWfZuZ8gRdVczVWqv1xM7pOSMHEA/s200/DSCF4291.JPG" /></a><i>I am just putting so many pics cos its so damn gorgeous!!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, we went swimming and the fish do bite.... they are the same fish used as 'massage fish' so it is actually more of a nibble than a bite, but it freaked me the hell out and I was leaping and shrieking all over the show until I finally grit my teeth and let them at my feet. Apparently they eat away the dead skin or something.... loads of fun swimming and hanging out with my new friends.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqEWPgHAlxL3R5YgrP8gxDxCFWPyYmunzYoPIQERIauMGqoJ6jXeHpxHjlVctnR_pbtrVDYMnO2671VK6E6J8Gunp3P1tv_Jh_1K6DjjAXB5aj2glbkS01-F4z0GHPMHa6e1jYYhIO8w/s1600/15861_895910431239_8811143_50184094_6660835_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqEWPgHAlxL3R5YgrP8gxDxCFWPyYmunzYoPIQERIauMGqoJ6jXeHpxHjlVctnR_pbtrVDYMnO2671VK6E6J8Gunp3P1tv_Jh_1K6DjjAXB5aj2glbkS01-F4z0GHPMHa6e1jYYhIO8w/s320/15861_895910431239_8811143_50184094_6660835_n.jpg" /></a>From the top Maxine, Atar, Me and Jo!<br />
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</b></span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> DEATH RAILWAY</b></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our next stop was a little more sobering as we made our way to the Hellfire Pass museum.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During World War II the Japanese needed to keep up their force in Burma, and desperately needed a new way to transport supplies as the ocean routes proved vulnerable to attack. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In 1942 they started building a railway from Thailand to Burma.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEv6augsyQMFm__0T5PcN7VRJeIF0RYpdoY4onZlgQ0RNltde1KfzHdAtqxwoDuprqHJsKbe5l6hEcIyxOMa5RIAErjSVEJbvK0Dm2KeSg1Nwe3TDfca_zEU77spZWmSnF353LvEkIC0/s1600/DSCF4307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEv6augsyQMFm__0T5PcN7VRJeIF0RYpdoY4onZlgQ0RNltde1KfzHdAtqxwoDuprqHJsKbe5l6hEcIyxOMa5RIAErjSVEJbvK0Dm2KeSg1Nwe3TDfca_zEU77spZWmSnF353LvEkIC0/s200/DSCF4307.JPG" /></a>We visited the Hellfire Pass museum dedicate to the stretch of railway that was the most fatal to those building it. On the railway as a whole, more than 60,000 prisoners of war and 200,000 Asian labourers toiled to build 415 km in 15 months. About 13,000 POWs and 90,000 Asians died from disease, accidents, starvation, and other brutality.<br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0zn1ZLqIEV6AL_wjSWrpanIM-Un3oCJVuaHzzELlAoQOPjk_TR_HXdpqWNEHVTeDpZ37AzmYJ9E0wsigyoTGbutL25ljJ28zPhY7ULWtQ7nyKvR9A-pFMkglm4sMU0tUSchu_XVvukg/s1600/DSCF4301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ0zn1ZLqIEV6AL_wjSWrpanIM-Un3oCJVuaHzzELlAoQOPjk_TR_HXdpqWNEHVTeDpZ37AzmYJ9E0wsigyoTGbutL25ljJ28zPhY7ULWtQ7nyKvR9A-pFMkglm4sMU0tUSchu_XVvukg/s320/DSCF4301.JPG" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>On Hellfire Pass......</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcqhZdZ7eQPQxy819RXzDKJIIfDpvPB2xww3iNI5FNwye-xoDp8ix1iOya4tXyNH6an6rPH8hWiZHDX-dhg96-aNVZ5MUtj_czoUHO4Ml2j15x9t6tmfA0pI5yFq5wwvLxSYt9DrF6t0/s1600/DSCF4311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcqhZdZ7eQPQxy819RXzDKJIIfDpvPB2xww3iNI5FNwye-xoDp8ix1iOya4tXyNH6an6rPH8hWiZHDX-dhg96-aNVZ5MUtj_czoUHO4Ml2j15x9t6tmfA0pI5yFq5wwvLxSYt9DrF6t0/s200/DSCF4311.JPG" /></a><i>The Pass toda</i>y<br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRoLfHTtDsBx-bZg3Zxzqu3LTS65je2CUD_kpPBOaUo52XCrZ5EuZFyq6T5gCW5Z967HLeP-J16B8lCKVCnHlXkaBVyQZ61Hnv2zvd_xs0AvH4aIVyz1o4x9emcqJdlbMO5ldZtQqY6Y/s1600/DSCF4317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMRoLfHTtDsBx-bZg3Zxzqu3LTS65je2CUD_kpPBOaUo52XCrZ5EuZFyq6T5gCW5Z967HLeP-J16B8lCKVCnHlXkaBVyQZ61Hnv2zvd_xs0AvH4aIVyz1o4x9emcqJdlbMO5ldZtQqY6Y/s320/DSCF4317.JPG" /></a><i>The group</i><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ouam3cFEmKVqMpTXenrhPj-hupOGdw-R3x85V1dAQ4ANq1KUtziDlC6VXdtLnqFCeCsSLDi3M6YvYg3NHAeTMgKJv-OLj_iylbWiDKZxLEGVewFcf4F54zjt7HffD9ehN10z2CpITQk/s1600/DSCF4326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ouam3cFEmKVqMpTXenrhPj-hupOGdw-R3x85V1dAQ4ANq1KUtziDlC6VXdtLnqFCeCsSLDi3M6YvYg3NHAeTMgKJv-OLj_iylbWiDKZxLEGVewFcf4F54zjt7HffD9ehN10z2CpITQk/s200/DSCF4326.JPG" /></a><i>The train still running today - we took a short ride!</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0ESfNw9PSWO4qjC920ffwxRf_eZJxjAYP9FnFnBk5wfC5gmDUEDy697vju4aMEzS_ViTLSh_o-exZyrWZVyfkvXSS83YYjyjit2V28UIvjqjeTtpvbUfCR3KNZzzYOwwVL9tLLtgeXM/s1600/DSCF4329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK0ESfNw9PSWO4qjC920ffwxRf_eZJxjAYP9FnFnBk5wfC5gmDUEDy697vju4aMEzS_ViTLSh_o-exZyrWZVyfkvXSS83YYjyjit2V28UIvjqjeTtpvbUfCR3KNZzzYOwwVL9tLLtgeXM/s200/DSCF4329.JPG" /></a><i></i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Bs8K2whpOUyW8-JYD1w4XipwQldEZgUrxe_m-wViWzpr1yM01-9VxA9hnLoMP-iZCKPN6AhWqI3phGpL3F-KW-MLg3fkxC7Lol1ysNEhzjdH9EnWyf7KJmyl9jumtk_SzjzLKk6hZ6Y/s1600/DSCF4367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Bs8K2whpOUyW8-JYD1w4XipwQldEZgUrxe_m-wViWzpr1yM01-9VxA9hnLoMP-iZCKPN6AhWqI3phGpL3F-KW-MLg3fkxC7Lol1ysNEhzjdH9EnWyf7KJmyl9jumtk_SzjzLKk6hZ6Y/s200/DSCF4367.JPG" /><span style="color: black;">The bridge over the River Kwai</span></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Maxine and I</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Walking along the railway<span id="goog_1258522478613"></span><span id="goog_1258522478614"></span></i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL1jIAuF0WAUGAZ0139l-poe58_q7w-SJQgdCoGP27lJEwpxqpNzOyuG6fUMqAqf7RNggOpY7hAqLo4iMEfWEB9-MRDhLuQqHMoJASeVVDJiFuKOvZlAiUmYy2lVO9suLGCiOXeSMZdE/s1600/DSCF4342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL1jIAuF0WAUGAZ0139l-poe58_q7w-SJQgdCoGP27lJEwpxqpNzOyuG6fUMqAqf7RNggOpY7hAqLo4iMEfWEB9-MRDhLuQqHMoJASeVVDJiFuKOvZlAiUmYy2lVO9suLGCiOXeSMZdE/s200/DSCF4342.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl_JNvtuJPiv3q_WNQczaGpEPHchMvTzTh5BQ0OM3SUdtyML0Cop2jfoSoVqhLyrDL_VSX7_sUd5k7qoxZltrNKyC-W8NOOzUP2Yf4Ru3_O80yaWcD9DfNdS0Z8ByLKhN6LNptMGJxyU/s1600/DSCF4371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFl_JNvtuJPiv3q_WNQczaGpEPHchMvTzTh5BQ0OM3SUdtyML0Cop2jfoSoVqhLyrDL_VSX7_sUd5k7qoxZltrNKyC-W8NOOzUP2Yf4Ru3_O80yaWcD9DfNdS0Z8ByLKhN6LNptMGJxyU/s200/DSCF4371.JPG" /></a><i>Hanging off the bridge (actually I was trying to get off as my friend took the picture as a train was coming...)</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So.... how to avoid the following conversation:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Maxine:</b> <i>"What's so special about this bridge anyhow?"</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Fran:</b> <i>"Er there was a movie about it and something during the world war?"</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Obnoxious German tourist aghast at our ignorance:</b> <i>"Eet vas bombed five times during ze war!"</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Fran in dumb blonde mode:</b> <i>"What amazes me is that they would rebuild the bridge five times only for it to be bombed again". <br />
</i><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Obnoxious German tourist astounded at my stupidity:</b> <i>"Maybe because zey missed five times."</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I suggest watching the movie (largely fictional) or noting the following -two bridges were built (one temporary and one permanent ), and eventually destroyed by allied bombs. The version as seen today ( nothing like the one in the movie which was filmed elsewhere) is the steel bridge which was later repaired. I still don't know what the German guy was on about!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we finished off our day with some 10 Baht Whiskey:<span id="goog_1258522478623"></span><span id="goog_1258522478624"></span><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sAVKl7Wm6yhx95wpWoz4xKvuwZLNR84HSGdLacXvDBcQwPpPg_RdgWIZQWLI7G6w3Hsqc7vxMZsA9gTpD06b_cZR1Ff-AL3BpgTmXG3rGo_ngnkGn3no2d8zOBraVHOrbcs_1QZ6lHQ/s1600/DSCF4382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sAVKl7Wm6yhx95wpWoz4xKvuwZLNR84HSGdLacXvDBcQwPpPg_RdgWIZQWLI7G6w3Hsqc7vxMZsA9gTpD06b_cZR1Ff-AL3BpgTmXG3rGo_ngnkGn3no2d8zOBraVHOrbcs_1QZ6lHQ/s320/DSCF4382.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div>We also decided since we were all planning to head up to Chiang Mai on Wednesday to co-ordinate and buy our tickets together!! Woohoo!!!Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-20172035003063701462009-11-17T21:33:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:15:58.863-08:00Unexpected Kindness on the way to KanchanaburiAs a <i>farang </i>(foreigner) in Thailand you are hardly inconspicuous, and as is probably right due to different earning levels, different rules and prices often apply. Haggling is always a good idea, especially when climbing into a tuk-tuk or on the back of a motorbike. In a taxi always insist the meter is switched on.<br />
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</div><i>As promised in earlier posting - acid taxi's</i><br />
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After a few days in Bangkok, and while waiting for Evy, my friend from Belgium to arrive, I decided to head off on my own to Kanchanaburi, a small town alongside the River Kwai about 2 hours away. After a busy day it was already getting dark and I didn't want to arrive too late, so to save time I decided to jump on a motorbike taxi to escape the traffic, backpack and all.<br />
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</div><i>A motorbike and tuk-tuk zip through a Bangkok street</i><br />
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I needed to get to the Southern Bus Terminal, and on my map this was just on the other side of the river in Bangkok.<br />
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An elderly-ish man offered me 80 baht to get there on his motorbike which I didn't even bother arguing with as I had expected much more. After weaving in and out of traffic my arms were beginning to ache and we finally pulled up outside..... the Eastern Bus Terminal!! I had pointed out on the map and asked him whether he understood <i>(Tip: people here often just agree or make as if they understand just to get your business). </i>When I again showed him the map he pulled out his reading glasses ... hmmmm didn't do that the first time ... and his face fell. It is really far he said, 300 Baht. I just agreed, I was tired and sick of sitting on the motorbike and just wanted to get to the bus!<br />
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So off we went, and it seemed like we drove miles, the thick humid late afternoon sky rumbled and fat raindrops began to fall. It was a welcome coolness on my skin and I leaned my head back to feel the rain on my face. As it often happens with raindrops they began to bucket down. I wasn't too concerned initially, but my driver kept looking back at me worriedly, and then the rain became a veritable flood and all the motorbike taxi's pulled under nearby bridges for refuge.<br />
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Well, we just wait it out I guess, I thought to myself. We had already come really far and I try not get uptight about these things. But my driver got off the bike and tried to tell me something which I couldn't understand. He then pulled over a taxi for me so I could go the rest of the way in a dry fashion.<br />
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How sweet, I thought, and asked him how much I should pay him for taking me this far at least.<br />
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He shook his head and put up his hands in refusal. He refused to take my money. He obviously felt quite bad about the mix-up and the rain - not that I felt he should have - and got back on his bike and sped off.<br />
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In a country where tourists are money targets and you forever feel as if you are being squeezed for every cent, this man reminded me why I love traveling - for the moments that just light you up inside, when we are all just people offering each other kindness.<br />
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The taxi ride itself took another 30 minutes, and another glance on my map revealed an arrow at the edge saying "<b><i>TO</i></b> Southern Bus Terminal" and that spot was not the terminal itself.......<br />
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<div style="background-color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The journey not the arrival matters.” – <a href="http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/a_f/eliot/eliot.htm">T. S. Eliot</a></span><br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-71147388570291882992009-11-11T01:57:00.000-08:002009-12-19T03:15:22.645-08:00Big in Bangkok.... but ditch the flip-flopsOne of the main attractions in Bangkok is the Chatuchak weekend market, which my guidebook tells me attracts about 200,000 people a day over the weekend - it is massive and it has everything from clothes to gardening tools and plants and pets (an entire section devoted to fish tanks) and a host of miscallaneous goods.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNvc1tONoOeUs2OwBws0kFunpBLD9OsC7Qk9DILCG1PxInbRsPKyYlc1uoQ4Exnc8Vwzzv6KPZpL-Lhv-CoEGu0-q7Dps7WZrBxdE_PpZJW4QsVufsL5BsuwfHV12sVH98vzr0hVSHB4/s1600-h/DSCF4248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNvc1tONoOeUs2OwBws0kFunpBLD9OsC7Qk9DILCG1PxInbRsPKyYlc1uoQ4Exnc8Vwzzv6KPZpL-Lhv-CoEGu0-q7Dps7WZrBxdE_PpZJW4QsVufsL5BsuwfHV12sVH98vzr0hVSHB4/s200/DSCF4248.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><i><b>Random shot of the market</b></i><br />
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No it does not look like there are that many ppl in this pic - why? Because I went <i>early </i>- trust me it is worth the annoyance of restraining yourself and not partying <i>too </i>hard the night before to get there as it opens around 830 and miss the crowds. Markets in Bangkok as a rule should generally be avoided with hangovers, sources tell me, as the heat and crowds can be a cruel, cruel punishment for the previous night's excesses.<br />
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So had a nice stroll around, some good shopping (poor Richard brought a book with and everytime he saw me lured into a stall he sat down, long-suffering, to wait it out. (He claims it was every store but I refute that). What a trooper!<br />
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It all went pretty well, until I decided to buy some shorts! I am not a petite girl even by South African standards, but generally a Medium does me well.<br />
I handed the gentleman manning the stall a medium I wanted to try on and he said "don't worry, we have many size" - chucking it away and delving through a pile to hand me an XXL (extra....extra..Large).<br />
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I shimmied it up my thighs and the button fell about an inch short of closing. <i>"Suicide rocks weekend market"</i> is a headline which came to mind.<br />
So I eventually found a suitable pair, pictured below....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_coyIzfs8_nlJihNyvCrNIfqhkSGyDaREvrd7zm2fvmXvTehgAmih5QLSEdiCm9OC4WvSAFGRmUTMs9KU9Prf8UW6IPikE_7gNcfIZsA_caZUIa1N3LkiAQ9Pl9iTcBOnmXpq_Hs0REs/s1600-h/DSCF4469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_coyIzfs8_nlJihNyvCrNIfqhkSGyDaREvrd7zm2fvmXvTehgAmih5QLSEdiCm9OC4WvSAFGRmUTMs9KU9Prf8UW6IPikE_7gNcfIZsA_caZUIa1N3LkiAQ9Pl9iTcBOnmXpq_Hs0REs/s200/DSCF4469.JPG" /></a><i>*choke*</i><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So turns out I am pretty Big in Asia, or obese.... luckily I can see the funny side of this and bought two pairs!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Buying two pairs of things you like such as flip flops ( "one pair 70 baht, two pair 100 baht [ just over 3 dollars, about R25) just makes such SENSE!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I bought a lovely white dress and wore it with my new blue flip-flops for a night out last night. After a depressed week without a converter I figured sticking the plug in the wall and testing it is quite effective, and my hair straightener could actually work (yes it is prob very uncool to drag along hair devices but it's for the public good) So hair straightened, clad in new dress and necklace we went out for a dinner at Cabbages and Condoms - a funky little restuarant which makes all sorts of things -- like dresses and lampshades -- out of condoms (and u get one instead of a mint at the end of the meal) and proceeds go to AIDS charities. Some guide books said the food wasn't anything to write home about - I thought it was fantastic!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So afterwards we decided to go and have a drink at the top of the State Tower, reputedly the best view in Bangkok. As we enter the lobby the woman guarding the lift evilly gazes down at my feet and says: "must wear high heels, we <i>very</i> strict. Only high heels or <i>fashionable</i> shoes" The look she gave my feet would have withered them if feet were witherable.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we pretended to disappear, re-emerged a few moments later and hid behind a group of Thai's heading up. It is a stunning view, but at 400 baht a cocktail, and a rather dull and strained atmosphere (with a few men in sneakers looking like rogues and drug addicts allowed in while my poor flip-flops were dissed) I wouldn't rave about it. No one really seemed to be enjoying themselves.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a backpacker high heels aren't a huge priority, but since I was now morally bound by my shortcomings.... I went to buy a pair. For the "stuff to leave at Richard's place until the flight back home" pile.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtOMrX1fN8T52uaI1yzUwNaD5aa-ez8hx2Oc9j7pQ6rYR7i99WSLvfF6JPaGBd4A2S8-yvvBZg_z0cVjvN2zjtJlrXkQ9gi6496G2xVIxssm4ZK50FIkkg9U0NksoGB-2LFMq42oI3z0/s1600-h/DSCF4468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqtOMrX1fN8T52uaI1yzUwNaD5aa-ez8hx2Oc9j7pQ6rYR7i99WSLvfF6JPaGBd4A2S8-yvvBZg_z0cVjvN2zjtJlrXkQ9gi6496G2xVIxssm4ZK50FIkkg9U0NksoGB-2LFMq42oI3z0/s320/DSCF4468.JPG" /></a><i><b>The offending shoes. For the beach... not the State Tower.</b></i><br />
</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7696608628155606918.post-9444003948721399192009-11-09T05:48:00.000-08:002009-11-09T05:48:43.948-08:00Happiness is.....<ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvYKxQRbkX2z3xsdD-eFVXizCgjcTx__6vBt8hyphenhyphencFLSPRyS4KNg4WmdvZ6Fb0fnKzh83JFMGbmTUSmSdNVlfd9yknnysH3w7xnZVuz6QGOb5u8sh25rqjZNcdFVT12wvkbXKBBXG2qf4/s1600-h/Share_Your_Joy%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvYKxQRbkX2z3xsdD-eFVXizCgjcTx__6vBt8hyphenhyphencFLSPRyS4KNg4WmdvZ6Fb0fnKzh83JFMGbmTUSmSdNVlfd9yknnysH3w7xnZVuz6QGOb5u8sh25rqjZNcdFVT12wvkbXKBBXG2qf4/s320/Share_Your_Joy%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a>
</div><li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leaving on your own, for a solo bus trip to an unknown destination with a small rucksack filled with books.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Lying next to a river on a humid night reading my book for as long as I want to.... just because</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Swimming in Waterfalls, wandering slowly through thick forests.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;">Making plans with random strangers you meet and connect with... because we are all travellers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Slow rides on trains that go chaka chooka chaka chooka cha chaka chooka chaka chooka cha...</span></li>
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</div>Franhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14831800573874208350noreply@blogger.com0