Laos: Making the Best of the Backpacker Trail

When we heard that Colleen’s friend Camille had decided to join us for a few weeks, we were excited to share our travels with her. Her visit would coincide with our time in southeast Asia, so we looked into it a bit and suggested Laos as a destination. Because it is a little out of the way, we figured that Laos might be a little less crowded with tourists than neighbouring Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia affording perhaps a more adventurous experience. Unfortunately we were dead wrong. Laos has been “discovered” and is a popular stop on the famous southeast Asian backpacker trail. The backpacker trail is the nickname given to popular destinations in the region and the routes linking them together. It was once the destination of choice for independent travellers looking for adventure, but is now more or less overrun with hordes of holidaymakers of all kinds being shuffled like cattle from one overcrowded spot to the next. There are still plenty of great things to see and do, but unless you make an effort to get away from it, at most stops, the tourists outnumber the natives, and you are just as likely to find pizza and banana pancakes as noodles or rice. Of course this dampens any sense of discovery or adventure, and can frankly be a little annoying. However, we’re all about making lemonade, not dwelling on the lemons, so we did our best to make the backpacker trail work for us, and did our best to show Camille a good time.

Boat to Mong Ngoi

One advantage of the backpacker trail is that the transportation infrastructure is fairly well established, so that getting places is easy. Easy is a relative term though, it’s not meant to imply that’s Laotian travel is comfortable or particularly safe. The busses are held together with duct tape, the boats leak, the roads alternate between paved with giant potholes to unpaved with giant potholes, and while everything always seems to work out, the “system” governing the purchase and exchange of tickets is chaotic and indecipherable at best. Frankly the traveller is just a confused bystander hoping for the best. However, armed with some patience and a willingness to suffer some discomfort you can get places relatively quickly if you want to. This worked to our advantage in that this was Camille’s vacation, and unlike us, she had a limited time in which to pack in as much as she could. So pack it in we did. Aside from Bangkok where we met Camille and spent 4 days, I don’t think we spent more than two consecutive days in any one spot. As near as I can figure, we covered somewhere in the neighbourhood of 1000 km in Camille’s three week visit, and we covered them in almost every mode of transport available: train, tuk tuk (three wheeled motor taxi), songthaaw (sort of a small pick up truck with two benched in the back), sleeper bus, local bus, VIP bus, taxi , minivan, bicycle, longboat, motorbike, inner tube, elephant, and kayak, and we were able to see the better part of northern Laos including Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Mong Ngoi, Phonsavanh, Vang Vieng.



Elephant ride

Another advantage of the backpacker trail, is that there tends to be plenty of things to see and do everywhere you go, and seeing and doing them tends to be easy. From cycling in Luang Prabang, to hiking to remote villages in the hills around Mong Ngoi, to partying with the tubers in Vang Vieng, to motorbiking around Vientiane, and all the temples, museums and stunning scenery in between, every day was filled with some new activity or thing to see. Frankly, once Camille got going, she wore us out. As far as the activities go, I liked the kayaking best, but that was only because Camille dunked herself and her French partner trying to go through some rapids. Colleen’s favourite was definitely the Lao massage. Not only was it the best massage she had ever had, but at 5 dollars for one hour, she could have them at will (she just had to be careful to avoid the massage parlours offering boom boom). Camille said she liked the cycling best because it got her out into the countryside and away from the tourist hustle of the towns. I wouldn’t presume to contradict her, but to me, she seemed most animated after the elephant encounter. There is something about sitting on the neck of an elephant as it walks through a river that will do that to you.



A wat, two monks and a scooter

The best part the backpacker trail though is other travellers. It is a weird dichotomy. On the one hand being off the beaten path and having a place to yourself is a bit of an ideal, but at the same time, connecting with fellow travellers can be some of the best experiences to be had on the road. It is difficult to describe, but most travellers tend to be really generous, thoughtful and interesting people, and because everyone is in the same boat, it is very easy to strike up a conversation and meet people. We met so many great people in Laos, and just about every night was spent with a small group of fellow travelers shooting the breeze, playing cards and drinking beer or laolao (the local firewater). Also because most were following the same route (thanks again to the backpacker trail), we would end up running in to the same people again and again in different cities and get to spend more time with them.

Three's Company

So while Laos may not have been as adventurous as some of the other places we’ve been to, we certainly covered a fair bit of ground (in some dodgy transport), saw and did some pretty cool things, and met some great people. Backpacker trail or no, that is what travelling is all about. We really enjoyed Camille’s visit, and our time in Laos immensely, we hope Camille did too.

Anyway, like I said before, Camille kind of wiped us out. We need a vacation to recoup from her visit. I hear there are these Islands in the Mekong river in southern Laos near the border with Cambodia that specialize in thatched huts, turquoise water, hammocks and cold beer. Sounds perfect.

Michael

Souksan Guesthouse

Don Khone, Laos

Bangkok: A Welcome Break

When we set out on our trip, we specifically chose southern, less developed countries as destinations as we thought they would be more interesting to visit. We have not regretted our decision so far. However, after four months of hard travelling in Africa and the Indian subcontinent, Bangkok was a welcome break. From the ultra-modern (albeit unpronounceable) Suvarnnabhumi airport, to the city metro system to just plain paved roads, traffic lights, and no open sewers everything works, is clean, and new in Bangkok. It was sort of like showing up in Las Vegas after spending a year in Siberia. As much as we have loved the past few months, everything we have done has been difficult. From travel arrangements, to lodging to food, everything was an effort. Bangkok on the other hand was like taking candy from a baby. Because the city is a popular destination for independent travellers, amenities catering to them like accommodation, food, travel agencies, laundry services etc. are plentiful and inexpensive. Also, the city is easy to get around, and full of fun and exciting things to see and do (not to mention eat and drink),and, because of the political troubles the country has had recently, the city was not as packed with tourists as it usually might be at this time of year. Bangkok was the perfect destination for us at this stage in our trip, and although we were only there for four days, we packed in as much as we could.

Bangkok street

We started off in the Kho San road area, which is the epicenter of the Southeast Asia’s independent traveller culture. What a show. It was a weird mix of spring breakers, hippes, and hard core backpackers, all stuffing their faces with cheap pad thai and even cheaper beer. Every storefront was either a massage parlour, bar, or restaurant. The highlight for me was sitting at an outdoor bar attached to our guesthouse surrounded by young Thais, other travellers and ladyboys (transvestites – Bangok is teeming with them), drinking beer and listening to two fifty something Thais strum their guitars and belt out 70s classics by the Eagles, Willie Nelson and Johnny cash. Their accent rendered the songs barely intelligible, but they were having a blast, and so was everyone watching. I had the laptop with me and wifi was available, so I was able to skype my brother in Melbourne so he could join in the fun. Cold beer, a mangled version of Me and Bobby McGee, a motley crowd watching the show and even more just wandering by, street vendors, bright lights and my brother with me on the computer, all just outside our guesthouse. Not exactly an African experience

The reclining Buddha

Kho San road is in the old part of town, near all of the important Temples and palaces in the city, and we took in as many as we could. I think we saw all the important Buddha temples: the Emerald Buddha (really made of jade, not emerald), the reclining Buddha (46 metres long, 15 metres high), and the Golden Buddha (made from 5.5 tonnes of gold). I like my Buddhas big, so I think my favourite was the reclining Buddha. We also saw the royal palace compound which was quite impressive. Thailand is interesting in that it is a constitutional monarchy, but unlike other monarchies like Britain or Spain, the king in Thailand is respected and still has considerable power. His picture along with the motto “long live the king” is posted everywhere in the city, and lese majeste (insulting the monarchy) is a crime punishable by a stiff prison sentence.

Also near the old town, but on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river is Thonburi. Thonburi is riddled with canals (called khlongs in Thai) that connect the area like city streets. Development has not occurred here as rapidly as on the east bank of the river. The buildings are smaller (no highrises), the pace slower, and with a little imagination, you can get an idea of what Bangkok must have been like fifty or even a hundred years ago. It is difficult to get to Thonburi by car or on foot, so we hired a hang yaaw (sort of a long skinny motor boat) and spent an enjoyable afternoon winding our way through the khlongs taking it all in. We were less than half an hour from downtown Bangkok, but the maze of waterways choked with boat traffic, small wooden houses on stilts, temples and shrines set on patches of dry land, children playing in the water, and open areas of swamp and farmland all gave the feeling of a small village lost in time.

Bangkok sunset

While the old part of town was great, no visit would be complete without taking in the newer part of Bangkok. We switched to a new hotel near chinatown to be a little nearer to the action (the place was ok, but it had a great roof deck with amazing views of the city skyline, perfect for a sundowner), then set off to take in as much as we could. Siam square, Sukhamvit road, the skytrain, crowds, highrises, shopping malls, bright lights, all fun in their own right, but again, after months in places with open sewers and cows in the streets, the modernity was almost novel to us . We even got to spend New Year’s Eve in Siam square (Bangkok’s answer to Times Square). Loads of festive people, a countdown and fireworks, what more can you ask for?

Long live the king

Bangkok was so much more than a clean modern city, or the sum of its attractions though. I loved the oddball things that make it unique. Grilled bugs sold as snacks on street corners, Thai hipsters with outrageous hairdos, ladyboys, dodgy massage parlours, hot pink taxis, tricked out tuk tuks, massive placards with pictures of a creepy looking king posted everywhere, and loads of tourists in tank tops, all contributed to an air of surreality that I found quite endearing. The food was out of this world too. Eating well is a national pastime in Thailand, and on every street corner, there was someone cooking something. From fried noodles, to grilled meats, to soups, to things you couldn’t even recognize, everywhere you turned, there was something delicious to eat, and we ate as much as we could. I think the thing I liked best though was the friendliness. Losing one’s temper or displaying emotion is a no no in Thai culture, rather jai yen (literally “cool heart”) is the ideal. This translates into a calm if not downright pleasant demeanor from most Thai people you interact with. No arguments with touts, no carhorns, and smiles all around. People were actually friendly as a rule rather than the exception, and even the ones trying to rip you off were doing it with a smile and a laid back attitude that was quite refreshing after India and Africa.

So that was our four days in Bangkok. I’m fairly certain that I would not want to spend months travelling in cities like Bangkok, but it was a great break from our regular travels, and I loved every minute of it. Anyway, Camille has joined us, and we are now in Laos. As a matter of fact, as I write this, I am drinking a very cold beer watching the sun set over the Mekong river in a small village near the Cambodian border, but more on that in the next post…


Michael
Vong Paseud Guesthouse,
Champasak, Laos

Christmas in Kathmandu

Christmas this year was bound to be different than any either of us had had before. It would be our first married Christmas, our first Christmas away from friends and family, and our first Christmas in a non-Christmas country. I think that the first two would have been easier to deal with without the last. Multi armed Hindu deities and shimmering white Buddhist Stuppas don’t really evoke yuletide cheer. Also, the Christian population of Kathmandu in negligible, so there wasn’t even a hint of the normal holiday iconography (santa, bells, Christmas trees, etc.) that we are used to getting bombarded with each year to remind us of the season. We would have to make our own Christmas cheer.

Christmas in Kathmandu

First order of business was to acquire appropriate attire. We purchased red and white wool caps from a local shop, then had them modified to look a little more Christmassy. I even bought a Santa beard from the one shop in the city we found selling Christmas stuff. The result looked pretty silly, but it did seem to amuse the Nepalis we passed in the street, especially the young children, and got lots of high fives from other western travellers.

Next we found a church, well sort of. The assumption church is the only Catholic church in Kathmandu. It is a small congregation tucked away in the backstreets of one of the suburbs. The problem is that nobody (aside from its congregants I assume) knew where it was. We spent three hours driving, then walking through the suburbs of Kathmandu on Christmas Eve and never found it. This was a real disappointment for us, but we can only hope that baby Jesus gives us credit for trying.



Gifts under the tree

Having missed out on mass, we headed back to our hotel to exchange gifts and for a little reveillon (if Nepali whiskey and pringles count as reveillon). I did manage to buy a very small Christmas tree at the same store I bought the Santa beard, so the gifts were “under” a tree, but there was no wrapping paper to be found, so newspaper had to suffice. The only problem was that our hotel was next to a nightclub that was blaring music so loud we thought we were on the dance floor. We actually (poor us) had to step out for a nightcap to avoid the noise.

Christmas day was quite nice. We were able to skype with our families, which was really great. We were able to watch them open the gifts we had sent them from Africa, and were able to talk with each of them. It was as close as you could get to being there and really made our day. The highlight though, had to be talking to Colleen’s grandmother. I don’t think she had ever used skype before, and the look on her face when we wished her merry Christmas from Nepal was priceless. Also, a girl Colleen had helped with a small cut on her leg a few weeks earlier invited us to lunch. This would have been nice enough on its own, but the girl was French, and her mother had just flown into Nepal to join her and had brought all sorts of French delicacies like foie gras and andouille. We ended the day at a western style restaurant that served a very passable turkey dinner with very strong egg nog.

All in all maybe not either of our best Christmas’, but certainly one neither of us will forget anytime soon.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Michael
Menhora hotel,
Tanon Surawongse
Bangkok, Thailand



Chitwan National Park: The Rhino Eludes us Again

Chitwan National Park is located in the southern, central part of Nepal. As opposed to the high Himalayas of the far north of or the smaller hills of the Kathmandu valley in the middle of the country, the southern part of Nepal is flat, and until recently (1970s) was completely covered in dense jungle and infested with malaria. In the 70s, the Nepali government implemented a successful program to combat malaria in the region. With the threat of malaria out of the way, people soon moved in and reclaimed the land for farming. This pretty much wiped out the jungle habitat within a couple of decades. Chitwan National park along with Bardia national park further west are essentially all that is left of this habitat. It is also some of the last remaining habitat for the royal bengal tiger, the Asian rhinoceros and the sloth bear, along with several other interesting avian, reptile and mammal species. The park is a popular destination for wildlife viewing, not only for the chance to see rare species, but also because the park offers opportunities to trek into the jungle foot as well as on the back of a domesticated elephant in lieu of a  jeep or truck. 

Chitwan Jungle

Primordial jungle, rare dangerous species seen from the back of your very own elephant, nights in a cozy lodge nestled in the jungle with wild animals roaming outside, who could ask for more. Not to mention the fact that the rhinoceros was one of the only animals we didn’t get to see on our African safaris. Chitwan advertised “excellent” chances of spotting rhinos, it’s what they are famous for. This would be our second chance at spotting a wild rhino. As soon as we booked our flight to Bangkok and realized we had enough time to squeeze in a visit to Chitwan before we left, we eagerly signed up and jumped on the bus headed south.

Indian Elephant

I would love to say that the experience was a smashing success that I will never forget, but the truth is far more aggravating. Aside from a wild chicken (apparently they taste just like chicken) and some other birds which were described by the guide at length, the park’s signature species, tigers, rhinos and bears, did not make an appearance. Let me tell you, nobody goes on safari to see birds, and when you are expecting tigers or rhinos, a description of the mating cycle of the crested hornbill can be extraordinarily annoying. We did see a paw print that we were told was made by a tiger earlier that day, and some poop that was ostensibly produced by rhino, but I have my suspicions that these were plants by the park staff. Even the elephant ride was a little off putting. The first encounter with the elephant is thrilling, but once the novelty wears off, and there is nothing to look at but endless jungle, the ride becomes quite uncomfortable and a little tedious. Also, the elephant’s handler kept smashing the elephants head and stabbing it behind the ear with a heavy, pointed metal rod to control it, which was frankly a little disturbing. Our room was freezing cold with no power or lights after 7:30, the food was barely edible, and the staff were downright unpleasant. I would have to say that this was the first real disappointment of our whole trip.

Having said that, you have to keep things in perspective. I’m not so jaded as to complain about how difficult we have it because the animals didn’t show up on demand or that my eggs were a little runny. I am very well aware that even with the odd disappointment, we are still extraordinarily fortunate to be doing what we are doing, and we did get to ride an elephant and wander around in a jungle.

Still, it would have been nice to see a rhinoceros…

Michael

Orchid Guests House

Thanon Rambuttri (near Khao San Rd.)

Bangkok, Thailand



Kathmandu Valley: Slowing Things Down

Our travels have been a little rushed ever since we left Africa. We breezed through northern India in three weeks packing in as much as we could, then we arrived in Nepal and headed straight into our 2 week trek on the Annapurna circuit. I can't really complain, we've seen and done some pretty amazing things, but we had not stayed in the same place for more than a night or two in 6 weeks, and everything was getting to be a bit of a blur. So while I was a sad that Colleen would be leaving me for a couple of weeks to do her work in Ilam, a part of me was relieved to have the time to slow things down and really take in the Kathmandu valley.



Stuppa at Swayambhunath

The Kathmandu valley is really the heart of Nepal and has been for centuries. Three cities, Kathmandu, Patan (now more of a suburb of Kathmandu) and Bhaktapur vied for dominance until Kathmandu gained ultimate supremacy. The legacy of this competition is a wealth of ancient Hindu temples, royal palaces, art, and culture. The valley was also a major stop on the trade route to Tibet, so Tibetan and Buddhist influences abound (added to recently by refugees fleeing China's annexation of Tibet in the 1950s). Given this, it is no surprise that the valley has the densest collection of UNESCO world heritage sites on earth. There are seven sites within a 20 km radius: Katmandu's Durbar square and Hanuman Dhoka, Swayambunath, Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Patan's durbar square, Bhaktapur's Durbar square and Changu Naryan. I decided to use these sites as my roadmap to explore the valley. I also decided, in the spirit of slowing things down, to visit each on foot.



Kathmandu street

The choice to walk was not taken lightly. Most of the sites were pretty far apart, and finding them on foot would be a challenge as streets in Kathmandu are windy, confusing, and almost never labeled. However, exploring a new place on foot, at my own pace, is one of my favourite parts of travelling. It's difficult to describe, but I just love seeing new things. Not even particularly interesting things, just the day to day stuff, bus stops, schools, shops, parks, etc. I love wandering around and taking it all in. As a matter of fact, the UNESCO sites were really just a destination to justify the walks.



Rice fields at Bhaktapur

So walk I did. I must have walked between 10 to 15 kilometers each day. I would mostly get only a little lost (rarely a lot). I caved in and took a bus once, but it was local bus and an interesting if somewhat uncomfortable experience in its own right, definitely in the slow category. My days would consist of a late breakfast followed by an afternoon of exploring, dinner of steaming momos (dumplings) and thenthuk soup or dahl bat (rice and beans), then back to the hotel. My room had a tv with HBO, so if the power held (power outages occur daily, you just never know when or for how long) I would watch a movie, if not I would read by candlelight. The next day, I would get up and start the whole thing over again.

Buddhist Monks

The UNESCO sites were remarkable. The temples were impressive, the stuppas imposing and the statues of strange and wonderful Hindu and Buddhist deities were definitely worth the price of admission. However, the memories that will define Nepal for me will come more from my walks. The morning mist on the rice fields outside Bhaktapur, a father playing a violin and singing a folk song to his daughter, two very young Buddhist monks asking me to take their picture then giggling at the result, dusty roads with loud traffic that almost ran me over daily, side streets and back alleys crammed with shops, temples and people, and the ubiquitous “namaste” people would use to greet you with. These are the sights, sounds and smells that will stay with me.

Nepal has been great. We’ve actually been here 6 weeks. While we’ve enjoyed every minute of it, it’s starting to get cold, and we’re anxious to move on. We have one more stop (Chitwan national park), then we’re on to Bangkok where we meet up with Camille for a couple of weeks and start a new chapter in the adventure.


Namaste,
Michael
Tashey Darghey Hotel
Thamel, Kathmandu
Nepal