Return for the future!
Goodbye my love!
Time passed quickly despite the slow and relaxing life in Asia . Six months of travel just went by in the blink of an eye. It’s time for heartbreaking farewells to all the staff, Shampoo, Dima and my new love Pearlyn give me one last kiss or a hug before the big departure. It’s amazing how in one month or even a week , you can become close to people who were total strangers before.
My new friends escorted me to the bus station in a truck. Dima asked to see my passport. He hid it and said, “No, Bobby, Bobby you stay here with us.” Hey! don’t be stupid I don’t want to miss my plane. Tricky, this hairless Russian.
I was going to buy my bus ticket, but unfortunately the VIP bus was full. I had to take the next public bus which stops in several villages and sometimes takes two hours longer. I was going to experience Lao until the very end. Shampoo immediately thought,” We got one hour before your departure. Come drink beer at the Vietnamese bar in front of us.” Lanterns, pig roasting on charcoal on the sidewalk and karaoke confirmed the heritage of its owners.
An hour of relief has split mouth, saw Dima’s frenzied dance and drank my last Beerlao. They left me at the bus station, but it seemed that the public bus would not leave just yet because there is a minimum number of passengers required. My companions wished me good luck with promises to meet again and disappeared into the dark and warm streets of Luang Prabang. I was looking for a solution to my problem when I met a French and his Lao girlfriend in the same shit as I am. I stopped a bus coming from the north. It had empty seats hallelujah we are saved.
- The bus was going at full throttle and it took a little over eight hours much better than the usual 12 hours.
- Arrived in Vientiane, I walked away and took a tuk tuk.
-He picked up other passengers and went around the city. Once at my brother’s great house the driver didn’t want to lower his price.
- The driver almost dropped a tear. OK 35,000 kip ($ 4.50). I hate tuk tuks in Vientiane; always trying to bleed us dry. At least two or three times the price of what a local would have to pay.
- I stayed with my brother, his wife, family and children for a few hours.
- Tired and exhausted from the uncomfortable bus trip ,I tried to sleep but I was too nervous.
- we watched news from Canada on the television , it seemed to be experiencing a heatwave, two days of 30 degrees and it caused general hysteria.
- they gave advice on how to survive in this temperature. Truly a society leveled from the bottom and governed by fear.
- My brother took me to the bus stop near the morning market in Vientiane. All the the tuktuk drivers ,seeing my big backpack, asked and seeked with enthusiasm.
- I bade goodbye to my brother. I would take the bus, at least I know the price I would pay.
- I bought my ticket to the border for a cheap 15 000 kips, a little less than $ 2.
- I realized once seated in the bus that I was not in the right one. I got off at full speed however my bag was stuck at the bottom of the baggage compartment.
- We arrived at Lao border, waiting for my luggage, but this time it remained there until all people had crossed the border
- I wanted to exchange my kip into baht or USD at Lao bank exchange before leaving the country because I could not do anything with it after, but fellow passengers quickly moved to the customs office. I didn’t want to miss the bus and lose my bag.
- The customs officer looked at my passport and my famous liquid paper, left his cabin to the control office. He came back and finally stamped my visa and let me go … It was freaking hot!
- This is the first and the last time someone applied some liquid paper in my passport because next time they will slap me with a fine or worse, a jail sentence.
- I finally changed my kips to baht quickly.
- The bus crossed the Thai border, this time it went very quickly.
- Is the first time I saw a luggage search in Thailand, but only for the Thais, probably other consequences of red shirts action.
- We waited in the bus, not obvious to gather 90 people after two passport control and two border crossings
- The minutes flew, I lost my patience, I had just over an hour to get to the train station and buy my ticket. I don’t want to miss it or spend the night sitting on a narrow wooden bench.
- Everybody returned to their seats, we set off, but unfortunately it was the peak of rush hour through a road under construction. why all these obstacles?
- I arrived at the station jump in a jumbo. Quickly to the train station please!
- The driver laughed at me: why come all the way to Nong Khai when the station is just beside the border. You’ve come all this way for nothing. Yes, my mistake, I should have requesed a ticket for the friendship bridge and taken a taxi from the Thai border. It’s much quicker and does not expect others to return border posts.
- There are only available seats in air-conditioned sleeping cars for 570 baht or about $ 20 no problem!
Train timetables and tariff of Thailand
- Some nice people are sitting next to me ;an Irish ,who has been teaching English in Bangkok for 7 years, and his Thai girlfriend.
- Drank a few beers which were bought at the station market before our departure.
3rd Class Train Travel, Thailand
- Curiously, this time there are no itinerant vendor who offers us water, Pepsi or even good beer.
- Military patrols constantly move in the car checking the passengers, I noticed that the doors are closed between each car another compliments of the red shirt I guess.
- We went to the dining car where smoking is allowed in contrast to the rest of the train.
- Police and soldiers out of the back of the car and seemed somewhat messed up by alcohol.
- Ask for the bill, oh my buddha the last time I paid about 80 baht ($ 2) a large beer now is 130 baht ($ 4.33) the invoice was ridiculous. I protested a bit, but I ended up paying the bill
- A little later. The Irishman was drunk and he fell to the floor of the car. It was not so easy to help him up. He told me to pay the bill and he would return the money to me later. I paid, albeit complaining a little.
- Later last bill arrived and it was a bit expensive, Irish said it’s OK but I said don’t worry. I argued, but they threatened to call the police. I paid and we went into our wagon far away.
- The Irish insisted on finishing his beer. I drop it into the sink and said, “Not really, you don’t need anymore.Is enough ….”
- I woke up in the morning and the train is now in the eternal suburbs of Bangkok, The Irish was gone quickly without returning my money or inviting me home like he said he was at the restaurant … a bit of a moron … to be continued
Travel Schedule, Bangkok from Laos, train bus
laos on the river
I’m planing my route to be sure to be on time at the airport in on July 8 in the morning. From here, it’s more than a thousand miles to cover in a short time under uncomfortable conditions. What do you want?! The flight from Laos to other destinations is expensive, so not in my budget for go back home.
I will be in City of Angel(Bangkok)around 7 o’clock in the morning. I’m going to leave my bag at the station exploring the city and get to the airport at 21 pm
I have to finish the Shampoo website and promotional brochure before leaving Luang Prabang. I put all my effort and I get to near finish all the project. i have just little details and glitch to fix. Thank you, to Pearlyn for correcting my English because i’m not perfect. Mr. shampoo and I are really pleased with the printed copy of its new brochure. Much more professional than his previous promotional booklet.
I have no time to lose. I’m going to the bank get my money via Western Union Co. to cover my travel expenses to the airport in Bangkok, Thailand. I leave my computer to the care of a young French man who asked to use it a few minutes earlier.
I arrive at the Western Union office located 10 minutes walk from the hostel. The clerk at the desk tell me to wait because the computer network is down. Time passes, customers line up, nothing seems to work, but everyone remained calm and smileys. The minutes are long and endless. I spot a Lao receive kip (lao money) two bricks of 15 cm. She carefully dispose of his in gigantic handbag. Surely the equivalent of about $ 2,000. imagine if it was like that in America we would need to wallet on wheels. An hour later, I was handed my 1.8 million kip and I can finally go back to the hotel with one of my many step yo go home realise.
I come back, things go wrong my computer crashed and refused to start again. Oh no all my files, I know, time will be long without it. How can I write some news and fix my comeback home? I’ll deal with it….
Stay in laos or go back home
Luang Prabang backpacker hostel
It’s 19 h 30, I’m going with Shampoo in the hotel truck to pick up two customers at the international airport in Luang Prabang. A fonctional small airport, but not ultra modern. We are waiting for thirty minutes and fifteen passengers exit from arrival door. It was a minibus or a plane? Shampoo offer a transport for passengers who don’t know where to sleep. we returns to the hostel with 5 clients instead of two originally planned. Bravo Mr Shampoo your hotel is a proof that with a little effort, good prices, activities and a smile can be successfully attract customers who leave happy.
After my meeting with Tiger Trails that confirming that there was no position open for at least two months. I begin to think of returning home to Canada for a strong come back. My bank account is in the red, my passport is almost full (it only remains two blank pages) and in Canada it’s summer with hot sunny weather. In short, all of this points push me to leave. It’s with a bunch of regret that I resign myself to abandon my plan again to reside permanently in South East Asia. There a job already waiting for me in the country and it will be easier to work with my partner effectively. We will plans our company operation and communication system Better for my next visit in Asia.
Finally some good news, Shampoo proposes to me to work with him on the promotion of his hotel and Southeastasiabackpackers.com at my return from Canada in six months. He can’t offer me a fortune as a salary, but a place to stay, a visa and a work permit that can distresses me to run every months to have a new visa.
Speaking of “overstay” I go to the small outpost of immigration to add 10 days to my visa. Here we need the big visa sticker the first month and we have the right to be stamped 2 times for a period of one month before exiting the country to get a new official visa. The office is tiny and it’s open from 10 to 12 and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It’s a police headquarters and immigration center. If you go before its expiry date you pay $ 2 a day instead of $ 10 penalty a day so do not forget to check your visa expiration dates. This will avoid you problems and to throw your money in the trash. A special customs officer is at the desk, because at Luang Prabang the police and military can hold several titles at once. I asked an extension of 10 days. He looks at my passport and he said: “It not remains lot of room in.” He came out some “Liquid Paper“, I said “oh no there are two other pages at the beginning.” It’s all over and changes the dates of my previous visa extension in less than 2 seconds. It makes me see my passport, work is well-done, but I ask: “Are you sure I would have no problem leaving the country.” He assures me not. I tell myself that I have no choice and the customs officer at the border should understand because it is a special visa stamp of Luang Prabang headquarter.
My plane ticket is almost confirmed for early July. My idea is to leave Thailand to avoid an “overstay” in Laos again …maybe visit Chiang Mai, because I’ve never seen this supposes to be mythical city. After I may take the train to Bangkok for $ 413 baht ($ 14) or the plane for a small amount of 1,300 baht ($ 44). I check the local hotels on hostelworld.com. Is a good way to find a cheap hotel, while checking the percentage of appreciation and criticism of travelers who have stayed there.
July 29th, I received an email from my partner confirming my return ticket for $ 1,200 Canadian from Bangkok on July 8th at 5:40 pm to go directly to Quebec. Time passes quickly and I must plan my itinerary and costs to be sure not to miss my plane. Already almost 30 days I expect my new ATM card. It’s officially lost somewhere in the abyss of some post office somewhere.
Trekking and elephant in laos
I woke up still wasted from the BBQ and world cup evening party. i was thirsthy and i pay the price now. I took a chance to ask my new American and Netherlands friends to cut my hair with vulgar office scissors. Happy with the work of my friends and supported by their satisfaction smile, I will go to sleep slowly to be sure to not fall the stairs. I open my eyes, oh no! the Clock project myself out of bed quickly, I barely have time to drink a coffee for going to Tiger Trails office before taxi-truck to leave. I arrived just in time, 8 h 30 for departure. They take other clients at their hotel and were left for 30 minutes on a dusty country road to Ban Xieng Lom. The village where the éléphant Village is established at the edge of Nam Khan River.
The place is simply beautiful, the architecture of buildings is a mixture of modern, exotic wood and Lao traditional. Rest areas located across the river are an invitation to a delicious meal with a superb view over the river and surrounding mountains. Everything is prepared at the restaurant located just asides.
This project helps to preserve the elephants and give jobs to people from poor villages of the area. It offers a home, some healty meal and veterinary care to all its residents. In fact, it’s a good way to discover the elephants, mountains, wildlife and nature of northern Laos while helping a team dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for the elephants and the surrounding communities.
A “briefing” before departure and text panels introduce us to the present reality and tumultuous past of elephants in Laos. The place has nine elephants, including a younger, we can ride after a small basic courses. The people are friendly and passionate about their craft. The place is well kept and elephants evolve in an environment tailored to their well-being. It’s impressive to see such big beasts dress to obey as such small humans.
we awaits the return of the other members of my group from their elephant trekking that takes about an hour through the jungle and ends with a bath in the river with elephant.
We takes some supplies and water bottled. We are now ready for Trekk. 30 min by boat on the river where we met fishermen, kids taking a bath, villages with houses of woven bamboo and water buffalo that refresh. A true journey into the ancient past of our society away from our capitalistic and consommation culture.
We finally arrived at the start of our trek. We pass through the main city in this corner of the jungle, a tiny downtown where straw houses alongside the power lines and satellite TV antennas in a perfect symphony of anachronism.
It runs fine trails not too rugged. We enter the heart of the mountains that can be seen from afar on the winding road between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. You can see beautiful mountain scenery, wild rice paddies or women work hard with rudimentary instruments. The trek is a good way to make the big empty, full of culture and stay in shape.
It rises and it rises, it seems to have climbed all the mountains, but not yet another steep slope appears before us. The sun at its zenith makes the climb even more sporty. I come finally to the straw roof shelter. I sit at the table and wait for the other. My jacket was wet as if I had fallen into a river. we had a lunch, is already after noon and I just had a cofee this morning. I just bit into my sandwich and I hear my digestive motor get going. In less than a minute my meal is already gone. Completely burnt up in my digestive system.
We joined a small village, my guide says it has a population of fifty residents. All rudimentary houses with no facilities and services. We see a Hmong takes a shower at the public well and some children said “hello” timidly. We only watch their daily life discreetly from outside their villages to avoid disrupting their activities. We feel a bit guilty to watch them, but as far as we stay respectful everyone wins something.
We continue to the bed of a small river and we encounter water buffalo concealed by a fence in the middle of the jungle. The temperature is stifling. Me and the guide enjoy the large leaves plant to make hats to protect us from sun. What can be more ecological and green?
We stop at a table of traditional wood house on the trail for a snack. A woman runs after his goats in the mountains. A bag of tobacco stand over the table. Sheets of standrad white paper serve as rolling paper. Something tells me that it shouldn’t be healthy. A radio plays in the background. Surely powered by batteries because there is no electricity evidence here. We are walking 30 minutes through the mountain to a Khmu village build at the end of the main trail.
My guide, who is Khmu native give me information on the differences between the Hmong culture and Khmu culture two of the major hill tribe from Laos. He came to study in 1997 in the big city of Luang Prabang. He had to travel five hours in the jungle and two hours car drive before reaching civilization. Approximately 75 families residing in villages. This village is much more organized than the Hmong village we met before. A band council, a residence for guests wanting to stay among them and one general store where can buy get a warm Pepsi and warm beer. People say hello to us timidly while the two couples of my group discuss intensively, the minutes fly and the rain is close to drop on us.
We continue to the river, the rain starts and stops immediately, but the path is now muddy and slippery. My rubber sandals near to project myself directly in the mud. 1 hours of slippery trails through the jungle and burning the rice field to finally reach our boat. Our diver exit from a bamboo house with his guitar and uses it to play us a little song.The boat cross the other side of the river and we’re back at the Elephant Village. The elephants are now in their area for a well deserved rest. Another half hour to go back to my hotel room to shower and sleep tonight will be very appreciated. oh yes! I was going to forget. I was going in the shower I pass in front of a mirror and I perceive that my hairdresser friends do me the worst cancerous haircut. I begin to understand why people looked at me in a funny way to Elephant Village. I owe you one bastards …:)
For more information visit this website:
Tiger Trails
Eléphant Village
