Becoming Millionaires

Coming into Laos is something that Tony and I are excited about. Neither of us has travelled here before and we've both heard positive stories about friends who've loved their experiences here. Amidst all of my excitement, I'm feeling a little sad to leave Thailand, it truly has captured my heart and although I love each country I visit for its uniqueness nothing comes close to my beloved Thailand in terms of places I could happily live in again.
By flying into Luang Prabang, we have taken the easy option. Most people go overland from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, then over to the edge of the Mekong river and across into Laos, then two more days down the Mekong river on a slow boat. Being the precious flash packers we are, we didn't want to sit on a boat for days squished up with farang so opted for an hour flight direct into Luang Prabang. As our flight was running late it gave me the opportunity to do my favourite pastime-people watching. Here's what I noticed.
*A man of South East Asian appearance snuggled up into the back of his wife. This is in itself noteworthy as public displays of affection are so rarely seen. Just as I was thinking how cute it was, he turned his head and wiped his nose on his wife's shoulder. Lovely.
*A flight had boarded and was calling last passengers to please join the plane that was waiting for them and due to depart. A beautiful lady in a long white dress sauntered up to the counter, had a look and then moved off. Returning to the counter 10 minutes later with a bag full of shopping, she then decided to board the plane.
*A man taking photos of the gate TV screen.....concerning.
*Gorgeous elderly women clearly from Chiang Mai, dressed in their Lanna finest of silk sarongs, tailored silk blouses and sterling silver belts accompanying a procession of monks.
Realising my plane was delayed for two hours, I turned my attention inward and went for a foot massage.

After a smooth and easy flight into Luang Prabang, Tony and I found ourselves arriving in darkness, something that isn't optimum for getting one's bearings in a new country. The upside was though, we had become millionaires during the flight. One $AUD = 6000 LKP (kip) so whilst 2,000,000 was only $300 odd bucks, I embraced my new title regardless.
Being only 4 km away from the airport, the city is close and soon we were motoring through the streets, watching out for where our guesthouse could be. Luang Prabang is a sleepy, quiet, rural city compared to the countries we have visited so far and arriving at the guesthouse, we could see that they had waited especially for us to arrive so that they could finish for the day. Our new home was a

beautiful wooden room with shuttered wood windows, crisp white sheets and silk cushions. We quickly ate a delicious Lao meal by the side of the road and slipped into bed ready to awake to discover this new country.
Arising the next day, we opened the curtains to see our guesthouse was opposite the river which was surrounded by Heliconias, Orchids, ferns and palms and sitting eating breakfast next to the river, we looked down to see the farming allotments chock full of herbs, tomatoes, chillis, corn and bananas. It was a mix of hill tribe like community farming and simplicity with French architecture, stunning Laos wooden homes, lanterns swinging in the breeze with birdsong and butterflies replacing traffic. I love it already.
Walking through the town, the shops are full of beautiful and carefully arranged silk homewares, wooden carvings and hill tribe crafts and the scent of freshly baked croissants and pain au chocolates entice us in to a patisserie. The people are quiet and kind, eager to help yet unimposing and a quaint country feel to the city. However, it is clear that Laos does not enjoy the same level of prosperity that its neighbour Thailand has and the effect of USA bombing them hard in the Vietnam war and being colonised by the French has left them a little more guarded than the Thais. Understandably so. Tony and I want to know more that what our Lonely Planet can offer so decide to join a day trip with a local guide to take us up the Mekong and see a locally revered Buddhist site in a cave.
Our guide Sabu is knowledgeable and passionate, shedding some light on what it's like to be Lao and I'm reminded of why I do love organised tours for the level of knowledge and insights which one gets when one can be amongst locals. Clearly Lao needs help and they do need foreign aid for education and health especially.
The more we have travelled through South East Asia, the more I have come to question the notion of 'volunteering' that we initially desired to do on our trip. We wanted to travel via volunteering gigs in each country, staying for short periods helping out with animals, maybe in schools (for me) and agriculture. Whilst certainly altruistic in our desire to help others and wanting to genuinely make a difference, we have come to see that this method of volunteering rarely makes a valuable contribution. 'Voluntours' charge an inordinate amount to provide unique experiences which usually give tourists menial work that locals could have done and most often have to fix once the tourist has gone. Locals see that tourists flock to rehabilitation centres to see animals in cages, thus have no incentive to care for the forests where such animals exist in the wild. Laos has gone to the extent of imploring people in their shopfronts to NOT volunteer in orphanages as the children have already been abandoned from their parents and feel abandoned each time they get attached to a tourist and then they leave.
How does one then travel with a desire to give back? I have come to the conclusion it's by

supporting the programmes and NGOs that already exist by either cash donations or by buying souvenirs or products that go back to fund the good work they are doing or by committing to a country long term through either Australian governmental volunteering programmes or through NGOs using the specific skills we have been trained in the west to do. So far we've found the Women's Prison in Chiang Mai which teaches inmates who are due to be released how to massage so that they may have an income once resettling back into the community, a second hand bookshop that uses 100% of profits (run out of an Australian lady's lounge room) to buy medical equipment for hospitals and a restaurant (delicious I might add!) who finances 'Lao Kids' which buys anything that is needed from educational materials to medical equipment to support Lao children. Tony however has cynically added that these can be marketing ploys too...I'm reminded of my time at Intrepid Travel when I used to urge passengers to 'spread their wealth' by eating a local street side restaurants, splitting up into smaller groups, trying new businesses and searching out new options instead of relying on their hotel as a one stop solution. As tourists we generally only stay in the centre of towns, visit major cites and support a minority of businesses so for me, it's about doing that as ethically and as mindfully as I possibly can whilst realising the limitations and reality I face that I AM a tourist and I will only ever be able to do a certain amount due to time, knowledge and possibilities. I doesn't stop me thinking of how to help in the future.
Tony and I have discussed many times through this trip how we shouldn't have ' rights' as a tourist, we have duties and responsibilities. Yes, it is wonderful to travel and we want to see the amazing features that make a country unique, but one should be made to study the basics of attire, culture and behaviour before they visit. Why don't planes show a little video of how to cause the least amount of offence to the host country before landing? I am sure that most people would do the best thing given knowledge. Wouldn't they?

Back to sightseeing......
Being on the Mekong gave us a chance to experience the mighty river that we missed from flying into Luang Prabang. We were joined by two very sweet Irish girls who made great company. They were both biomedical engineers, one just finished her PhD, and were fascinating due to their stories of medical research and how devices are created. The caves that we visited were a welcome cool reprieve from the heat of the day, filled with Buddha images from the tiny to the imposing and Sabu's knowledge was invaluable about the relics and structures that differentiate Lao Buddhism from that of Thailand. Visiting villages along the way, we watched silk being woven into incredibly beautiful sarongs and scarves, watch Lao Lao (homemade rice whiskey) being distilled and sampling the end results. I shall refrain from writing about my internal dialogue when we saw that some of the whiskey had brown bears, lizards, snakes and scorpions added for 'medicinal' purposes.
Returning late in the afternoon,we walked to the top of a hill with a small Buddhist chapel, where we watched the sun disappear behind the mountains leaving the Mekong shimmering in gold and silver. Another delicious Lao meal and a fabulous nights sleep.
Today has been a lazy, catch up day- trying to remember what I did in Penang as I'm so behind on my blog, reading my book I bought called 'The Rosie Project' which is hysterically funny and feeding Tony's addiction of sugar by hunting down the patisserie he smelt two days prior. Our gorgeously kind landlady helped us with our new mobile SIM so we are ready to be in contact with the world again yet are embracing the slow and relaxed ambiance that is Luang Prabang.
Our next day was pretty cruisey once again, toughing it out by visiting a waterfall which looked like it had been sculpted straight form a landscape designing catalogue. The water was crystal clear, ferns were hanging everywhere and there were rocks thoughtfully placed in the perfect place to sit and have the water cascade over one's shoulder. Except, it was natural and truly spectacular. The first sections we came to were the lower pools and as we walked higher and higher it got better and better culminating in the 50 odd metre drop which was stunning. Tone and I walked around the edges and up over the top of it and some sneaky

westerners had defied the 'danger, do not pass' sign to end up swimming at a pool just before it cascaded over the edge of the 50 metre drop. Tone and I being too old and sensible now, decided it was a bit too risky. Quite frankly, getting back down the side of the waterfall was enough for me-a very steep descent which was spent mostly on our bums as the soil was like powder and the rocks had been work smooth by eager climbers. Happy to be back on solid ground, I took a dip in the icy water and watched the bikini clad western girl entertaining the local men.
Celebrating our last night in Luang Prabang, we made reservations for dinner at 'Tamarind' which my friend from Intrepid owns with her Lao partner. Sadly, as is the theme of this trip, all of my little South East Asian buddies are not here when I am, so I didn't get to see Caroline. Her restaurant is recommended in the Lonely Planet and Trip Adviser and justifiably so. She has created taster plates of Lao food and the waiters teach each guest how to roll sticky rice and explain all of the ingredients in each dish. The food was delicious and its a shame it was booked out the previous day's as we would've loved to go again.
The bus to VangVieng is described as 'stunning' in my travel ebooks, but I think whoever wrote it was stoned. I am finding it bordering on terrifying as we are in a double decker bus 'VIP' (note the quotation marks-I'd do them in the air if I could) which is on a very narrow road at the top of a never ending mountain. I think it's only about 200 km to get there but it's going to take us over seven hours due to the fact we are travelling about 30 km an hour. There are sheer drops off the edge with absolutely no fencing and the road has massive potholes or sections missing as well as random dirt parts. The driver to his credit is amazing and toots his horn around the repeated hairpin bends and pulls over for other massive trucks. I pondered taking some Rescue Remedy but it wouldn't touch the sides so have chosen to make myself travel sick instead by writing this to keep my mind off the fact one wrong move would mean plummeting to my death. Maybe a little dramatic....the irony also is that my thai friend Noi whom I've been trying desperately to catch up with in Thailand is due to pass me on this road at some stage with his group. I can't help but look out the window. I see the following:
* Buffaloes in the mud
* Chooks chasing each other
* Calves suckling milk in the middle of the road unfazed by our approaching bus
* Nannas looking out of bamboo thatched homes
* Kids directing traffic
* Women washing in sarongs under taps
* Karsts and rice paddies, fields of cabbages and roadside stalls
Farang putting motorbikes onto bus.

Whilst the above list is pretty standard, shoving three motorcycles on a bus was not. Tony and I couldn't believe it when our bus arrived and the farang (tourists) were packing their bags in the luggage compartment when 4 tourists rocked up on bikes. They pushed their way to the front and a Laos man they had befriended began talking to the driver about putting the bikes in the hold. Understanding most of the conversation, I watched as the driver looked at them in both exasperation and disbelief. "Motorcy mai Dai" he was saying. 'The motorcycles cannot' At this point I chipped in and also put in my two cents worth in Thai, yet they persisted. Ripping the mirrors off the bikes, the shoved them on-all three, and the looks on the farangs faces who had patiently waited to put their bags on ranged from pure anger, shock, to hilarity. What I couldn't understand was, if you had bothered to buy a bike, why not ride it? Most bikers jump at the chance to ride mountainous roads! Maybe they forgot their insurance....

Arriving in Vang Vieng, we settled into our hotel. It was lovely-polished floorboards, a private balcony and a stunning view over the river and the limestone karsts. Setting off to find dinner we stumbled upon an Irish bar (of course!) and as it was St. Patrick's Day, we thought it could be the one time we'd visit. Tony is now wishing we didn't as the only time he ever seems to get sick is from western food. He spent the next few days in bed as a result and is now sticking firmly to local cuisine. Hanging out in our room and watching life on the river was actually the best thing that either of us could've done in Vang Vieng however. I was taking walks though the city and kept retreating back to

our little sanctuary due to the local atmosphere. Once ravaged by drugs and parties, Vang Vieng has a few leftover backpackers who seem oblivious to Laos culture of dressing modestly and acting decently and as a result there is even graffiti on the walls saying 'Go Home Tourists'. I feel embarrassed watching the western girls walk around in their bikinis and the blokes with beer bottles in their hands and shirts off. The locals have even gone as far as putting up signs asking for respectful dress which shows how frustrated they are as Lao people don't like to say if something is offensive (as they lose face) but clearly they have well and truly had enough. There aren't many smiles here sadly which is such a shame as the town is breathtaking. Maybe in another 5 years when the reggae bars go and the guest houses stop showing endless reruns of 'Friends' nature lovers will come in droves. I hope they do for the locals sake. Highlights however were enjoying a cool reprieve in a large cave which was a revered Buddhist site and watching river antics: kayaking, swimming, locals fishing, cows drinking, people cycling past, hot air balloons each day, makeshift restaurants being set up, huge lanterns being lit and studying the numerous geckos that lived near the lights of an evening.

Vientiane is a sleepy little capital-even Canberra rocks it harder than here. Coming in by another VIP bus, we were feeling a little apprehensive but are delighted to have had a non eventful trip. Our hotel is slightly out of the main streets but what it lacks in proximity it makes up in size. Our room is the size of our Sydney lounge room and we have a huge four poster bed. We are embracing this millionaire lifestyle! Our first night we wandered through the night market along the Mekong river, seeing Thailand twinkle it's lights temptingly at us. Coming from the huge island that is Australia, it never ceases to amaze me how countries are separated by just a signpost or a river. I just love looking over at a new country, it conjures up so many wonderful possibilities.
Today we have explored the temples and museums, eating our way through the city. So far we've had a western breakfast, French morning tea, Thai lunch and will head out for dinner soon. I saw a Pakistani place that looked yummy!

The following few days in Vientianne we spent soaking up the major sites and for me, eating more French patisserie delights. I seemed to magically find my way back to the same street each and every day vocalising my surprise that somehow we'd ended up again back near the delicious citron tarts. Some days I couldn't even be bothered to disguise my insatiable appetite for them, declaring that I must eat a citron tart there and then. God I miss them......they were so bloody good.
Salivation finished, we saw most of the major Buddhist sites, temples and parks, our favourites being Vat Sisikat and Vat That Luang Tai. The first temple has most of its buildings, relics and books plundered by the Siamese in a border dispute but had somehow managed to keep a tiny section preserved. Whilst in dire need of restoration, the ancient paintings and frescoes were stunning and it was a serene place to sit in and ponder the years and years worth of painstakingly skilled painting and the artists who created it as well as trying to count the hundreds of tiny Buddha sculptings that had found their way into little shelves set back into the walls.
Vat That Luang Tai was a large park with a large Chedi,temple and teaching area with gorgeously manicured grass, carefully planted gardens and two temples on the periphery. It is the pride and joy of Laos people and we enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and wandering through the pretty surrounds. We found a bodhi tree that had been gifted to the Laos people from India, surrounded by

the 8 different Buddha images which corresponded to each day of the week. Wednesday has separate images for morning and night which accounts for the 8th image. We're still working out which day Tony was born on but I know mine already. I was born on a Tuesday so my Buddha image is the reclining Buddha. That may account for why I love sitting and eating citron tarts so much (oh no, there I go again, thinking of those delicious pastry delights) or maybe it's because I'm about to reach enlightenment. My growing waistline and gluttonous obsession probably suggest the former.....
The day before we left, I convinced Tony that visiting the COPE centre would in fact be a good decision despite the sad situation it would explain. It would end up being one of the best things we saw not only for their exceptional work but also a wonderful museum on Lao people's history and the hardship they have endured. The COPE centre has come about as USA dropped more bombs on Laos during the Vietnam war than was dropped on the whole of Europe during the world wars. For a country that had nothing to do with the situation, they suffered incredibly and continue to today. There are millions and millions of unexploded bombs all through Laos and inevitably, the poorest and most remote villages are the ones that have the most. Families are desperately poor and get money if they collect the metal from bombs and they also use them in up cycling projects to fashion cups, bowls, fish traps, and even canoes out of the metal

they find. However, most are still unexploded and the consequence of moving them means limbs are blown off, or worse still, people die. The COPE centre brings together a multidisciplinary team of doctors, social workers, prosthetics engineers and physiotherapists and gives everyone who comes through their door an individually fitted prosthetic so that they may have some semblance of a normal life. Their museum had a little theatre for documentaries, replica villages complete with items made from collected bomb metal, loads of artificial limbs, feet and hands and an amazing collection of devices the occupational therapists use. I wouldn't say it was fun, but it was incredibly moving and an important place to visit to better understand Laos and its people and how cruel and heartless wars are.

To cheer ourselves up again, I somehow managed to subliminally affect our tuk tuk driver as he dropped us off near to the citron tart shop for another passionfruit juice and sneaky pastry. Hooray!

In summary, Laos has been a country of contracts for us. Beauty, poverty, history, culture, westerners making a difference, westerners getting wasted, sadness and joy wrapped up with shy smiling faces, delicious food and breathtaking scenery.