January 1998, twenty years ago
I've been traveling in northeast Thailand (Isaan) and am now in the city of Khon Kaen. For the past four days, I've been staying with new Thai friends - two families living in a very comfortable compound out in the countryside. The husbands both work for a dairy farm project under the Minister of Agriculture. I've been treated like royalty - great for the ego! I met one of the families hitching and things developed from there. I even did some work for one of them, Narong, proofreading a presentation to be given in English at an Asian agricultural conference coming up in Vietnam. I did some rewriting and he was very appreciative. (Later, in the summer of 2000, he emailed me another paper on dairy farming to edit for him. We have remained friends and visit whenever we can, every few years.) In fact, they want me to spend more time with them after my trip to Laos.
Needless to say, the "excellent adventure" seems to keep going in unpredictable directions. I certainly will have a lot to share with Gig when I get back. Have seen elephants around the city. Owners ride them around and sell fruit for you to feed them. The Northeast is quite rural - one of the farm belts.
I got my Laos visa yesterday and expect to enter the country tomorrow. I'm not sure there will be Internet over there, an understatement, apparently. Even regular mail service is not so regular - very sketchy except for around Vientiane, the capital, and my point of entry. So much has happened - if I had unlimited email access, I could write volumes. Writing today from Udon Thani, the location of one of the major airfields for the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. There are many former GI's married and living here. There is even a VFW (American Veterans of Foreign Wars) located here, a reminder of the help Thailand gave to the U.S. during the "Secret War" in Laos. [During the Vietnam War - called the American War over here - the Hmong Hill Tribe people in Laos were recruited to help fight the communists there.]
January 13
I just stepped into a computer store and the owner let me write in NotePad. Will cut and paste later to email home. Arrived in Laos two days ago after spending two days in Nong Khai on the Mekong River in Thailand before crossing the Friendship bridge. [Photo shows one of the local markets in Nong Khai providing goods and serving people from back and forth across the border.]That town was quite pleasant. At that point, I didn't know how long my visa would allow me to stay in Laos. Most people get 15 days. When I got the visa in Khon Kaen, I requested 30 days and had to wait two days for it. The official I was dealing with assured me that I would get the 30 days even though the visa did not show this info. So basically, I didn't know how long I could stay until crossing the bridge and going to the immigration office for formal entry. Sure enough, I can stay until Feb. 8th, if I want to.
My impressions of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, are mixed. Before leaving Thailand, I spent part of a day at the Nong Khai Technical College with a couple of the administrators. They have programs in boatbuilding, electronics, building construction, etc. One of the administrators is married to a Laotian, so he goes to Laos often. I asked him some questions about Laos. "Is the time zone different?" It took a while for me to get my question across but after a while, he said, "Yes, there is a difference of one minute."
Then I asked about the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River. He said it was built a few years ago and when first completed there was much traffic. However, now there is little traffic. When I asked why, he told me that everyone in the local region crossed over only out of curiosity. The same was true of people in Laos going over to Thailand. Finally, the local people concluded that it was the same on both sides of the bridge and there was no point in making additional trips. I would disagree with this thinking. The infrastructure of this country is several decades behind Thailand; it is a very poor country, disorganized and with poor leadership in the Pathet Lao. The roads are very poor, and they drive on the right side of the road, not the left as in Thailand. There is little power or phone service. [This was before cell phones.]
While I was riding on the local bus from the bridge crossing the Mekong to Vientiane, I noticed a guy who had been sitting near me holding something in a grain bag. I gestured to him inquiring what was in the bag and he indicated he had a live snake! The snake must have weighed about 15 pounds. I didn’t ask to see it. I did notice there was a small hole in the bag. If that snake -- I think it was a cobra -- had gotten loose on the bus, I would have freaked out, probably along with the rest of the passengers.
Vientiane is the biggest and best that Laos has to offer. It does have some good restaurants. I had an excellent steak dinner in a French eatery called Le Bayou. It came with fries, salad, bread, and a special sauce on the meat. The first western-type meal I've had since arriving in SouthEast Asia. It was all delicious! They charged 3900 kips - about $1.60. I’m going back tonight. It is possible to eat for one or two dollars, but you can really "pig out" for several times that amount. A filling breakfast, available from street vendors, which includes ba-tan-gho, or fried dough, can be had for 1000 kip. Sticky rice and chicken or laap (delicious chopped spicy meat), and spicy soup are great introductions to Lao food, as is waterfall beef. Beer Lao tastes good. It contains about 5% alcohol and is served either in bottles of 3dl (10oz) and 6dl, or in 2-liter jugs. In Thalat, north of Vientiane, they sell 4-5 liter bags for a few thousand kip.
...Back online again! Vientiane is more like a sprawling village than a national capital. The main road is partially paved – most side roads are dirt. There is dust and debris everywhere. Laos is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Annual per capita income is around $500. We are in the midst of the dry season which means zero rain and much dust in the air. Went to Burmese Embassy today for a chat about visa requirements, etc. Very laid-back – we sat around a coffee table. Also went to the American Embassy and registered.
Hoping to head north to Luang Prabang in a day or two – it's supposed to be a beautiful ancient city. Have met people from the US and other countries here. A lawyer I met here yesterday from NYC on a one-year leave raved about LP and Nepal and told me Burma was also great.
Seems like I missed the worst winter storm in Maine history -- the Ice Storm of '98, a real event! Believe it or not, last night I saw on CNN International a brief shot of tree crashing on the highway in Augusta. Amazing!
Met a Norwegian social anthropologist yesterday who had just come back from a very remote area to the north, accessible only by helicopter. A place where malaria is prevalent. He's been in SEAsia about 5 years, off and on. His wife is working at the Chinese border. Today, I'm heading to Vang Vien by bus. Will continue on to Luang Prabang a day or two later. LP considered one of the jewels of SEA. [It later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.] It is located in a very rugged mountain range. Will write more about it when I get back here in about a week to ten days.
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Buddhist nuns dressed in white with shaved heads.  |
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Making ricecake-like cookies, drying outside.  |
Note: Vientiane to Vang Vieng
I like Laos very much. After about five days in Vientiane, I pushed myself out of the city and headed north. Of course, I missed the "scheduled" bus so walked to the north end of town and started hitching. Got a couple of short rides; then a bus that took me about 10km. Continued walking and hitching until a new sedan stopped. Two men, one white, the other Laotian, were on the way to the largest dam and lake system in Laos. These guys were very personable and decided to go with them even though it was a bit out of the way for my plan of heading to LP.
The man from Laos, Paul, had lived in America for about 20 years. When the communists took over in 1975, he was 18 and working for the U.S. He was advised to leave the country immediately. Apparently, he received assistance from our government to do this. He left his family and country to start a new life in America. It was very difficult at the beginning. He lived in several places in California, including San Francisco where he attended college, working in a restaurant full time and as a volunteer with a resettlement program.
The volunteer work was the most demanding. Although the refugees were from Laos, they were H’mong hill people who spoke a different language and had no concept of Western ways. [Gig says, "Read The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, a fascinating and heartbreaking story of the Hmong people in America, 'mainly refugee families who supported the CIA militaristic efforts in Laos.'"] Paul’s job was to help these people adapt to a totally different way of living. They were living in apartments and had no concept of how to maintain an American household or use the bathroom or other modern fixtures. Electric appliances were a problem. They had little or no experience with electrical power. They would often get into difficulties with neighbors, landlords, and the police because of language misunderstandings. Consequently, Paul, at the young age of 19, was on call practically around the clock.
Eventually, he managed to get his driver's license and purchase an old car with three friends for $1000. This acquisition gave Paul and his friends much more freedom. Not long after getting the car, they headed to Houston where a friend from Laos had encouraged them to go. The economy was booming and the friend helped them get established. After living in Texas for a few years, Paul moved north, finally ending up in Chicago. Until about 1990, Paul had no contact with his parents or relatives in Laos. If he had attempted to contact them, it might have put them in danger with the communist government. Once the government loosened up a bit, Paul was able to return for a visit.
After much deliberation, Paul moved back to Laos two years ago. He now regrets this decision. He owns a highway construction company and several pieces of heavy equipment which he imported from America. He invested most of his money in this venture. When he has work, he makes very little money, perhaps $20 per day. He can’t get much money if he sold the equipment, so he is stuck. He’s a football fan and we may get together in Vientiane for the Super Bowl.
The other guy, Jim, is a retired Brit millionaire with a "lot of irons in the fire." The three of us had a great time at Ang Nam Ngum, the largest lake in Laos. It was created by a massive hydro-electric dam. After a boat tour around the lake, we were dropped off at a floating restaurant that served fresh fish. By fresh, I mean the fish were kept alive in a holding tank. After we placed our orders, the fish were netted from the tank and released on the floor. The cook let them flop around until dead. Then he coated them with salt and placed them on a charcoal grill.
Jim ordered beers and we waited. A couple of young waitresses played some loud Lao pop music and suddenly it was party time! We drank beer and did some dancing. We were the only customers and the staff was happy to relieve their boredom and have some fun. After our little dinner party ended, it was time to walk to our huts for the night. Next morning, they dropped me off back on the main road heading north to Vang Vieng. I kept in touch with Jim and Paul as best I could after that.
Had no problem catching a ride to VV, a small town with beautiful Nam Song river winding through it. Beyond the river are limestone cliffs, mountains, and rice fields. It's the #1 backpacker party town in Laos. One of the favorite activities is tubing down the river and stopping at various bars along the shore for liquid refreshment.
Back in Vientiane, January 30
I like Laos very much. After about five days in Vientiane, I pushed myself out of the city and headed north. Of course, I missed the "scheduled" bus so walked to the north end of town and started hitching. Got a couple of short rides; then a bus that took me about 10km. Continued walking and hitching until a new sedan stopped. Two men, one white, the other Laotian, were on the way to the largest dam and lake system in Laos. These guys were very personable and decided to go with them even though it was a bit out of the way for my plan of heading to LP.
The man from Laos, Paul, had lived in America for about 20 years. When the communists took over in 1975, he was 18 and working for the U.S. He was advised to leave the country immediately. Apparently, he received assistance from our government to do this. He left his family and country to start a new life in America. It was very difficult at the beginning. He lived in several places in California, including San Francisco where he attended college, working in a restaurant full time and as a volunteer with a resettlement program.
The volunteer work was the most demanding. Although the refugees were from Laos, they were H’mong hill people who spoke a different language and had no concept of Western ways. [Gig says, "Read The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, a fascinating and heartbreaking story of the Hmong people in America, 'mainly refugee families who supported the CIA militaristic efforts in Laos.'"] Paul’s job was to help these people adapt to a totally different way of living. They were living in apartments and had no concept of how to maintain an American household or use the bathroom or other modern fixtures. Electric appliances were a problem. They had little or no experience with electrical power. They would often get into difficulties with neighbors, landlords, and the police because of language misunderstandings. Consequently, Paul, at the young age of 19, was on call practically around the clock.
Eventually, he managed to get his driver's license and purchase an old car with three friends for $1000. This acquisition gave Paul and his friends much more freedom. Not long after getting the car, they headed to Houston where a friend from Laos had encouraged them to go. The economy was booming and the friend helped them get established. After living in Texas for a few years, Paul moved north, finally ending up in Chicago. Until about 1990, Paul had no contact with his parents or relatives in Laos. If he had attempted to contact them, it might have put them in danger with the communist government. Once the government loosened up a bit, Paul was able to return for a visit.
After much deliberation, Paul moved back to Laos two years ago. He now regrets this decision. He owns a highway construction company and several pieces of heavy equipment which he imported from America. He invested most of his money in this venture. When he has work, he makes very little money, perhaps $20 per day. He can’t get much money if he sold the equipment, so he is stuck. He’s a football fan and we may get together in Vientiane for the Super Bowl.
The other guy, Jim, is a retired Brit millionaire with a "lot of irons in the fire." The three of us had a great time at Ang Nam Ngum, the largest lake in Laos. It was created by a massive hydro-electric dam. After a boat tour around the lake, we were dropped off at a floating restaurant that served fresh fish. By fresh, I mean the fish were kept alive in a holding tank. After we placed our orders, the fish were netted from the tank and released on the floor. The cook let them flop around until dead. Then he coated them with salt and placed them on a charcoal grill.
Jim ordered beers and we waited. A couple of young waitresses played some loud Lao pop music and suddenly it was party time! We drank beer and did some dancing. We were the only customers and the staff was happy to relieve their boredom and have some fun. After our little dinner party ended, it was time to walk to our huts for the night. Next morning, they dropped me off back on the main road heading north to Vang Vieng. I kept in touch with Jim and Paul as best I could after that.
Had no problem catching a ride to VV, a small town with beautiful Nam Song river winding through it. Beyond the river are limestone cliffs, mountains, and rice fields. It's the #1 backpacker party town in Laos. One of the favorite activities is tubing down the river and stopping at various bars along the shore for liquid refreshment.
Back in Vientiane, January 30
Have tried to combine a few notes from trip to Laos. Basically, I am fine after my expedition to Luang Prabang, although my return trip was a bit unusual. Took a route not mentioned in the guidebooks. Good maps of Laos are hard to find but I managed to do research in LP that indicated another option besides taking a boat all the way. Took a three-hour bus ride south to Tha Deua. Saw elephants along the way, primitive villages, many rice fields, farmers using plows drawn by water buffaloes, and stands of giant trees, trucks loaded with massive logs and smoke in the air everywhere.
Then I took a boat across the Mekong River and jumped on a truck to Sainyabuli. The rain came down in buckets there, briefly -- the first and only rain I have seen so far since arriving in SEA. Got stamped into the province at the immigration office and then walked and hitched further south. Then a ride in a mini-truck to some small village before dark. No hotel or guest house. The local pharmacist took me in for the night. He spoke some English; he was a medic during the Vietnam War and worked for the US military. His son is a doctor at the local hospital which is more like a clinic. Spent time with his family in the evening before the power went off. (Or, more probably, turned off for the night.) Next morning, went out to the road to catch a car or truck or bus. On my hike out, the villagers were going about their business, free-range roosters and chickens crowing and pecking, ducks quacking, pigs squealing. It was very foggy, very surreal. I ended the trip back with a frightening four-hour speedboat ride down the Mekong from Pak Lai. It was a narrow longtail craft very unstable, with almost no leg room, and no life jackets! I was in agony the entire trip. What a relief to finally disembark!
Next morning, went out to the road to catch a car or truck or bus. On my hike out, the villagers were going about their business, free-range roosters and chickens crowing and pecking, ducks quacking, pigs squealing. It was very foggy, very surreal. I ended the trip back with a thrilling four-hour speedboat ride down the Mekong from Pak Lai.
And speaking of boat rides, I wanted to tell you about Taj, a free spirit from Quebec, who nearly lost his life on the Mekong. I met him outside my guesthouse in LP. After some chit-chat, he launched into his story. Back at the end of December, he was on a boat heading for LP from the northern Thai border. It was one of the slow boats that typically run up and down the major rivers of Asia. These boats generally carry as much cargo as the owners dare to carry. There are no toilets or other amenities and passengers receive no special consideration even tho they may be in the boat for days. Most of these boats are somewhat enclosed with open windows and doorways.Early on this particular trip, they arrived at a section of the river that had some rapids with large rocks. This time of the year, the river is quite low in places. Apparently, the boat pilot wasn't paying close attention to the position of the boat as it entered the quick-water. The stern started swaying to the left in the direction of a boulder. When this happened, the pilot suddenly realized he had to do something immediately. So, he yanked the wheel to the right hoping to jerk the boat away from danger. His idea worked but unfortunately, the bow was overloaded and this sudden movement caused the bow to dip into the water on one side and then the other. The boat sank in about 6 seconds!
Taj was sitting inside on the floor of the boat when this happened. Before he knew what had happened, he and the other passengers were rolling across the room and water was gushing in from all sides. Almost instantly, the boat was at the bottom of the river. With only a short breath of air, Taj was certain that he would die. In the darkness, he managed to find one of the openings and extricate himself. Even then, he thought he was about to die. Above him, he could see a circle of light and as he headed towards it, he felt he was leaving his life and all that he knew behind. He felt hands pulling him upwards, an angel - and then, he popped to the surface!
Those who survived the sinking had to make their way to shore as the river current carried them further downstream. They ended up in random locations and had to be rescued one by one.
Several other passengers were not so lucky, including a young Japanese man. His parents back home learned of his fate from one of his friends who survived. They contacted the Lao government but received no help. In fact, the parents were told the boat accident never happened! So, they had to go to Laos and hire a helicopter in order to find their dead son's body.
Luang Prabang is a walking city, mystical and seductive. After four days, I am still learning my way around and finding many things of interest. More farangs per capita here than anywhere else in Laos, perhaps even in SE Asia. Every traveler I meet ends up staying longer than expected. The Lao people here seem so blissful, harmonious – smiles, laughter, easy to befriend. The women are very attractive and self-confident. Perhaps communism has had a positive effect in regard to the role of women. [Buddhism elevates men over women, and although this is certainly evident in some aspects of Thai culture, it is also somewhat a matriarchal society.] The people, particularly women, are built sturdier in LP. More like Americans except not overweight. Between Thailand and Laos, I can count on one hand the number of obese people I have seen, excluding Westerners of course.
Electricity is a relatively new phenomenon in this country. Most of the smaller villages still do not have it. Some larger towns have it on a limited basis. I stayed in one place where the power went off at 8:25 in the evening. Fluorescent lights are the rule whether in homes or shops. LP is fairly dark once the sun goes down. There are some street lights scattered around the town but not nearly as bright as in the US or even in Thailand. I usually took my flashlight when venturing out at night. I stayed at the Viradesa Guest House, a friendly little place proximate to the Mekong. The bottom floor is set up as a dorm with nine beds. They charge 2500 kip which is just over one dollar per night. Only recently in 1997, the exchange rate was 117kips per dollar, and for a long time, the Thai Baht and US Dollar were accepted everywhere in the country. This is now officially forbidden, and people seem to take this pretty seriously.My last day in LP, I did some laundry and went to the Immigration and Tourist Management Office to get stamped out on my passport. When traveling from province to province here, you must find the immigration office and get stamped in upon arrival and departure. However, nobody seems really interested in the details. [Note: If you happen to see the information copied from your passport, it might say Mr. Blue Eyes or Mr. Cambridge England.]
I had read in Lonely Planet that you need to register with the police wherever you go north of Vientiane. If you fail to do so, there is a charge of 5$ per day as a penalty. It's entirely up to you to look for the police office;, nobody will tell you that you have to go there and register! The police stamp your departure card for a small fee and then you're free of any hassle. Apparently, this applies not only if you move from one province to another but also when you spend a night in a different village of the same province. [Not sure what it is the communists are trying to control with this kind of bureaucracy. I found it to be the same in Burma.]
It is obvious that tourism will explode in this country if the government lightens up. I feel a little bad for the locals because they are being swamped by farangs - tourists who don’t speak their language and don’t understand their customs. It must be an enormous adjustment because it is happening so quickly. Most people living in the towns have access to television, and that exposure must be softening the blow, especially for the younger people who like Western music and sports.
Overland travel from Vientiane to Luang Phabang is possible but still not a safe undertaking. There are disgruntled Hmong rebels who still fight the communist Pathet Lao government, occasionally ambushing traffic – sometimes people are killed. Two years ago in '96, a French travel agent and four Laotian men were killed when their minibus was ambushed 75 miles north of Vientiane.
Overland travel from Vientiane to Luang Phabang is possible but still not a safe undertaking. There are disgruntled Hmong rebels who still fight the communist Pathet Lao government, occasionally ambushing traffic – sometimes people are killed. Two years ago in '96, a French travel agent and four Laotian men were killed when their minibus was ambushed 75 miles north of Vientiane.
Road conditions are bad, with potholed, unpaved, dusty streets. During the rainy season, roads are often flooded or washed away so that transportation is not possible. Very few streets are paved. The roads are made directly from the red earth and develop many ruts and holes. Of course, the earth turns to very fine red dust in the long dry season and there is dust everywhere, on your clothes and skin, in your hair, even between your teeth. You get used to it, and it certainly helps to remind you to drink a lot. In the evening you can get a shower and since laundry service is cheap and available, theoretically you can change your clothing every day.
The bus ride here from Vang Vieng was the mother of all rides. The ride consisted of eight hours of nerve-shattering curves and switchbacks in some of the most rugged countryside I have seen here. Once up in the mountains, we followed ridge lines; sometimes, there were steep drop-offs on both sides and no guard rails anywhere. It was comparable to my Copper Canyon experience except the road and bus were in better shape here and the driver appeared to have some measure of sanity. And here, I didn’t dare get off because there continue to be occasional violent incidents on the highway from the village of Kasi north to LP which I didn't have to worry about in Chihuahua, Mexico.
After the first few hours, my fear - and at times, terror - were replaced by fatigue, and my brain simply refused to worry anymore. In fact, my major concern after six or seven hours was to just get there as soon as possible. The bus was so cramped that it had become a torture chamber and I only wanted the trip to end. The seats and space between are made for much smaller people. The safest thing to do on a bus here is to hold on to your seat, so as not to bump your head at the top, or to bounce on your feet and use your legs as natural springs, since the bus has none.
We were finally freed from the metal cage about 8:30 and I staggered off into the almost dark "bus terminal." I then walked two km into the center of the town to look for lodging. A local lad assisted me in finding a guest house for the night. Still wired from the trip, I wandered around looking for a restaurant. In the process, I met a guy from London who had found an excellent new guest house with two extra beds and was looking for a roommate or two to split the cost, so I went back to the other guesthouse to pick up my gear.
Images of Laos:
Children, four or five years old, running down the street flying kites made at home from newspaper ... Monks and novices strolling down the sidewalk always with umbrellas over their heads to shield the afternoon sun ... Armor Day with Soviet flags galore, two elephants on a barge floating down the Mekong, Christmas carols playing as I walked to the bus terminal in early morning darkness ... Taj and his narrow escape from death on the Mekong ... The Lao-Japan Forestry project and the mile-long abandoned airstrip ... Sticky rice and black rice and laap, ancient temples everywhere, Hmong hill tribe people, steak dinners, fresh beer, Van Vieng - staying in private home, the park caves, the fair, the rickety bamboo bridges. [Photos below from Vang Vieng midway between Vientiane and Luang Prubang.]
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Caves on the Mekong |
A book about Laos to look for at home: Luang Prabang: Capital of Legend by Francis Engelmann, who was here last month autographing his books. Others recommended to me of possible interest to Cheryl Drake and others: The Sorrow Of War: A Novel of North Vietnam by Bao Ninh; Romancing Vietnam – Inside the Boat Country by Justin Wintle; and Burmese Days by George Orwell.
I plan to watch the Super Bowl Monday morning before heading back to Thailand. I am glad to be back in communication with Gig and others again. I think of her often, wishing she were here, and am lonely for her at times, but my passion for travel keeps me going.
I have returned to Khon Kaen and am with my new Thai friends, Narong and his wife, Noi, who is a high school physics teacher. [Gig notes: when I met Noi years later and asked her what she would like me to bring from the U.S., she said a physics textbook in English. Which I did.] When here earlier, I'd revised and edited a paper that Narong will present at an Asian Agricultural Conference next month in Saigon. Last night, he invited me to attend the conference with him. I may do that, and spend time in Vietnam instead of Burma, but I need to explore details such as visa requirements and plane ticket. On first blush, the idea of attending a conference in Vietnam with my Thai friend seems very appealing. They want me to stay here for several days but I need to get back to BKK soon to change wardrobe and contact travel agencies for airline ticket info. Depending on where I decide to go, I may need to visit an embassy to get a visa.
I feel like I’m in the final leg of the trip and becoming very aware of the time remaining. I'll leave for BKK today, then perhaps to Koh Chang for a few days at the beach. Still pondering options.
