Sep 24 2008
I'm back home in Bangkok after a nice relaxing trip to Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Just in time to celebrate my 30th birthday (ahem) in style — and queue the music …
'One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free You'll find a god in every golden cloister …'
Sep 20 2008
(Kuang Si Waterfall — about 26 K south of Luang Prabang, Laos)
Yesterday morning I woke up nursing a massive (MASSSSS-IVE) hangover acquired after drinking entirely too much Beerlao and lao-lao the day/night before. Ahh, good times.
So I figured the best way to deal with said hangover would be to take a 28 kilometer bemo ride to the famous Kouang Si waterfalls. I had heard they were awesome … and honestly, I was not disappointed. The waterfalls — actually a series of waterfalls topped off by a 120 meter(ish) high grand waterfall — was absolutely magnificent. And honestly, any pictures you see do not do it justice.
Plus, the water was a brisk 20-22 degrees (C) or so, which helped to cool the red-hot pokers that were surreptitiously placed behind my eyeballs whilst I slept the night before.
And while the waterfalls themselves were indeed spectacular (unlike the jarring, jostling, sphincter-clenching bus ride up to here Luang Prabang from Vang Vieng), I think I've reached a turning point on this particular trip. It's happened to me before when I travel without the specific intent to go surfing — I get sick and tired of the type of people I run into (and hang out with) in the whole Southeast Asian tourist/backpacker scene.
Simply stated — it's all been done before.
There reaches a stage when there is nothing more the majority of these people can say, do, or be that is of any interest to me. The majority of these people think they are the most outgoing, adventurous, and brave people in the world — simply because they have been staying in shithole guest-houses and hostels for a few months.
C'mon, get the fuck over yourselves, people!!
Yes, there is something to be said about doing what you've done and being to all the 'backpacker' haunts you've been to, but not THAT much.
So you've swung from a rope into a river … ooohh, here's a cookie!
So you've gotten pissed drunk or stoned incontinent in the middle of the jungle somewhere … umm, okay.
Got over it. It's NOT a big deal!!
Go surf triple overhead at G-land, go climb the Himalayas, go live in some cave or shithole village for a few months — THEN maybe I'll have some respect for your boring-ass stories. But as it now stands, your shit stinks just like the rest of us.
This is what happens when my gills dry out. This whole backpacker scene can hold my interest for only so long, and I just want to go someplace to surf with people whose company, and stories, I actually enjoy.
I just wanna go back to where things make sense to me. I wanna go surfing again.
Sep 19 2008
Bowling in Luang Prabang: Good.
Beer Lao: Good.
Lao-Lao (homemade) whiskey: Questionable.
Resulting Hangover: Bad.
Try to remember this the next time one of your buddies tells you to do something like that.
Sep 17 2008
Yes, me being who I am, I was bound to get injured sooner or later. The good news is that it's a minor injury — more aggravating than anything else. I'm still here in Vang Vieng, and I was planning on going tubing down the river today, as per suggestion of my buddy 'Dee'. However, yesterday I went rock climbing and in returning down from the set climbing route, I slipped in some mud, my flip-flop came off, and I sliced open the bottom of my foot fairly deep on a rock.
Sigh.
Like I said, not a really big deal, except that there's no way in HELL I'm going tubing down a muddy ol' river today with an open wound like that. Plus, I don't have any shoes, so it's a real pain in the ass keeping it clean for the next couple days (at least) — especially now, during rainy season.
What a drag. I may go up to Luang Prabang a bit sooner than I thought since there's not much else to do here besides eat and get drunk, while nursing a sliced foot. Oh well, it could be worse … I could be working on Wall Street. HA!
P.S. Dee, funny thing - the 2 brothers that run the climbing place I went too have a brother that I (and almost certainly you) know that works for Hot Rocks down in Railay. Fucking small world, huh?
Sep 16 2008
I'm now up in Vang Vieng, Laos. It's a small(ish) little village on the banks of the Mekong River, which for some reason has devolved into a haven for wayward backpackers.
The main street is littered with guest houses, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and tour agencies. Almost all the restaurants have large televisions playing American sitcoms (most of them 'Friends' — no, I'm NOT kidding) on a rotational basis.
And despite the hell (and gag reflex) this vision invokes, it's actually not all that bad of a scene. This is saying something, considering the praise is coming from yours truly. I think it's because the whole Laos lackadaisical attitude doesn't push the whole issue on you as much as it does down in similar spots in Thailand and elsewhere in S.E. Asia.
Regardless, I'm still only staying a few days to do some climbing, some rafting, and some drinking (did I mention Laotion beer, coffee, and food just fucking ROCK!?!). before heading up to Luang Prabang for another few days before rafting back down to Vientiane.
P.S. Dee, sorry I forgot to respond to your continued suggestion that I hit Vietnam. I'm not doing it this round — for 2 reasons: 1. I head back to the Philippines to go surfing in only a couple weeks; and 2. they changed the visa requirements for Vietnam (it now takes 5-7 days and about US$65.00 for 30 day tourist visa — so fuck all that right now). Thanks anyway, mate.
Sep 15 2008
Hey guys, I'm currently in Vientiene, but pressed for time as I'm catching a bus to Vang Vieng in about 20 minutes. As per the claims of my buddies Dee and Desh (no, I'm not kidding about the names), there's not much to do in Vientiene besides eat and drink … a lot.
But I will say this:
Yes, Beer Laos is the BEST fucking lager beer I've had in S.E. Asia (perhaps ever).
Yes, Laotion (sp?) food is perhaps the BEST in S.E. Asia (whereas the Philippines has taken the WORST food and drink combinations from all the cultures it was conquered by, Laos has taken all the BEST … think baguettes with pate and spicy guava salad - damn good!)
Yes, there's not much going on here, and the pace is beyond laid back. It's a lot like the Indo islands I frequent … but with no surf to pass the time. Still, it's nice.
Okay, more later, but gotta go.
Sep 12 2008
Aloha you nutjubs, listen up: I'm taking the suggestions of several of my friends and heading up to Laos tommorow for a week or so. My first stop is Vientiane, where I'll probably spend 1-2 days. Then my plan is to take a bemo to vang Vieng, where I'll probably stay another 1-2 days. From there, I'll be heading up to Luang Prabang, and then from there, I'll probably take a slow boat down Mekhong river back to Vientiane.
These plans are tentative, but it's a start. If I get sidetracked, I'll let y'all know. But for now, that's the plan.
If anyone has any other suggestions (ahem … Dee), please lemme know. I'll try to post some pics and stuff from the road wherever there's internet and such. Thanks kids, I'm outta here.
- Next »
After wasting 10 years practicing law in the bowels of various soul-sucking U.S. law firms, I sold everything but my surfboards, a laptop, and a pair of boardshorts. Now I'm traveling across Asia and Oceania in a desperate attempt to reclaim my soul.
