A Day in the Life...

In an attempt to see the real Laos, we set out to Muang Ngoi. For most of the people in Laos, life is more about surviving than it is about cell phone ring tones. In fact, the majority of the population of Laos lives along the shores of the Mekong river, and this river is their life. It provides fish for them to eat, water for them to drink, cook with, or bathe in, and the only means by which to travel.

From Luang Prabang we set out north by bus for three hours. In Nong Kiew, we boarded a time machine in the form of yet another speed boat, and in one hours time we were transformed from modern civilization to life in it's simplest form. Along the way we noticed women cleverly bathing in the water so as not to reveal too much skin. Animals bravely roamed the steep hills which remained bare. And children populated the row boats, sometimes fishing but mostly just messing around.


Muang Ngoi is a village that has seen a recent invasion of backpackers. This has changed the dynamic of the place noticeably, as there are signs in English welcoming travelers to restaurants and guest houses. A couple of bucks a night can sustain life, and so tourists are welcomed with open arms, great big smiles, and a limited-but impressive English vocabulary.


In the morning we set out to explore the surrounding villages, which of course are within walking distance of each other. At 12:30pm we arrived in a small village called Banna. As usual, chickens roamed freely and the high puppy to adult dog ratio made us wonder...? A quick stroll through town revealed a party taking place on main street. As we cautiously approached the festivities, the music grew louder and a vaguely familiar aroma was detected. It smelled, sounded, and looked like any keg party that I've ever been to. The women danced (and I use this term loosely as they mostly just staggered around with their hands in the air) and the men knocked over tables which sent bottles crashing into the mud below. They all grinned at each other and were oblivious to our existence. These people were wasted, and why shouldn't they be, it was a Saturday!


Meanwhile, 45 minutes down the road it's business as usual. Actually, it seems more like this village had their party yesterday, and today is more of a recovery day. We once again approach cautiously, passing a family of free roaming pigs this time as we make our way through town. Our arrival is met with mixed reviews from the locals. Children excitedly scream, "Saibaidee" and gaze at us with interest at us, the exciting visitors. The adults do their best to ignore our presence, and we smile to try and communicate that we mean no harm.


As we exit town, the pre-teens that we just passed gave us the farewell I was expecting by throwing rocks at us. We walk along in silent amazement at what we just saw. The path has been widened here, quite obviously to make room for a new road which will connect this village to the outside world. It's pretty clear from the reception we received that there are mixed reviews about this road, but it seems the younger crowd won the vote.

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang has got it all. Not one, but two glorious rivers. There are monks running around between the numerous Wats, and travelers enjoying international cuisine at it's finest. Look in any direction and you'll see some of the best preserved French architecture in the world (and that includes France). And if that wasn't enough, there is a mountain of Phousi right in the middle of town! It is truly a magical place, and according to UNESCO, the "best preserved city in Southeast Asia." And UNESCO doesn't mess around.


(The best of the many Wats we've seen)

We spent our days enjoying the numerous sights that lie within the city or just a quick tuk-tuk ride (see picture above) outside. We ate and drank to our hearts content and were always pleasantly surprised when the tab arrived. We treated ourselves to massages that we didn't need because they were too cheap to resist. We met new friends that we'll not quickly forget, including Caroline, Yefim, and Seymour...as well as Mister Ben, who gave us an insiders perspective on Laos.


(Coffee done right in Luang Prabang)

Ironically, UNESCO declaring Luang Prabang a world heritage site was like an announcement to the world to come and spoil it. The jewel of the Mekong is in decline, so see it while you can.


(View from the top of Mt. Phousi)

Uncomfortably Numb

The Mekong river serves as a natural border between Laos and Thailand. And in Laos, it is also the best highway (when there is water in it). And because our next destination, Luang Prabang, was just a couple of miles downstream, it was time to buy some boat tickets. Of course, we decided to skip the slow boat down the river g which took two full days, instead opting for the quickest form of transportation: the speed boat. It wasn't until after I purchased the tickets for the speed boat that I decided to read the chapter in our guide book which strongly discouraged this mode of travel, "simply put, it's unsafe." This warning began to ring true as we sat down in the speed boat and our driver tossed us life jackets (expected) and flimsy plastic helmets.

After the first three hour leg of our journey, we stopped for lunch. Getting out of the unstable boat proved especially difficult as our extremities (specifically our legs) had gone numb from the lack of leg room. Meanwhile, a short Laos man jumped up from his ample seat which allowed him to nearly lie down. And of course, when we finished lunch we noticed the man had returned to his seat where he was presently digesting. At that point I wished desperately for a crash in which he would be sent flying but leave us safely intact because we were quite literally packed like sardines.

So we spent the whole day flying through the Mekong at speeds nearing 30 MPH, seemingly fast forwarding the scenery of the tiny Laos villages along its banks. The combined discomfort of our numb legs and chill from the wind was enough to distract us from the fact that our lives were in jeopardy. The boat would noticeably shift whenever we encountered a small current in the water. The tiniest wave would send us flying and for a brief moment we would ask ourselves whether we would return to the water?...the answer was always painfully relieving as the boat crashed back down. We also realized that the bottles curiously floating in the water were tied to underwater hazards to provide some warning to the drivers...and peace of mind to the passengers?




(Press Play to see what I'm talking about)

At some point during the long afternoon we stopped to converse with some ladies along the shores near one of the tiny villages. After five minutes, one lady appeared holding a dear carcass, which brought a huge smile to everyone's face (except of course for ours). Our driver quickly wrapped the deer in a tarp and placed it directly on top of our backpacks. As I was pondering whether or not deer blood could seep through canvas, I realized that this would go down as one of the most memorable experiences of our trip...if we survived.

A Moment of Reflection

Brought to you by Lauren Hartz


As I sit here, drinking a cold Singha (the national beer of Thailand), looking out at the little street that lines our guesthouse; the sun is shining down on me through the bamboo plants along the table and I feel as calm as a meditating monk. As my mind flips through the photo albums of our trip, a smile is cast across my face and I know this is what I've been searching for.

The traveling life, or more directly the backpackers life isn't always easy. You're often faced with less than desirable surroundings, including: hard beds, cold showers, a smelly man snoring on your shoulder and invading every centimeter of your personal space (I'm not talking about Blake either), heavy backpacks, large bugs (filled with other peoples blood), and more body pains than an 80 year old man endures. But when faced with the choice of five-star hotels filled with rich, high class travelers or, interesting backpackers whom have been traveling for 6 months straight and have the craziest stories to tell you, my choice, hands down, is the latter.

I can't say I've enjoyed every second of this trip, but I can almost say I've enjoyed every day of it. It has been a gift to be able to take 4 months of my life, with Blake, and head to the places I've seen beautiful pictures of and heard jealousy invoking stories about.

At this point there is no clear favorite place, but it wouldn't be fair to make that decision before the trip is over. Actually, I don't think I could make it even if I wanted to. Every step of the journey has made the experience what it is, and although I may not revisit certain places, I would never change my decision to go there. I'm nothing short of ecstatic to continue our travels to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, and the experiences we've had thus far have only made us better, wiser travelers.

Traveling is something everyone should do. Many people have expressed their inner jealousy of our journey, but I hope that, if anything, we can be inspiring to others. I know it's not possible for everyone to quit their jobs and move all their stuff under their boyfriend's mom's house, but you have to find your own way. Up to this point in my life I've been nothing short of green with envy when I hear about other people's travels, but now I have my own stories to tell.

This is an amazing life, go out and find your place!

Chiang Mai

Welcome to Chiang Mai, a sanctuary for Thai people, and a magical place for tourists. Travel through the Night Bazaar; a land where Louis Viutton and Channel bags magically drop down to a price which ordinary people can actually afford, but are still overpriced. Browse it's small cobblestone streets and you may come accross an elephant, but beware of the slave driver who will demand money for every photo you take. We're not quite sure whether Chiang Mai is the greatest place on earth, or just infinitely better than Bangkok (where we had just come from). It's probably a little bit of both.

A Six Month Quest

Prior to departure on our journey, an anonymous tip was received for the acclaimed "best Thai restaurant in Bangkok". Keeping this tip in the back of our minds, and more literally carrying around a piece of paper with the name and location for 6 months, we decided it was time to head out and discover for ourselves what the fuss was all about.

In the 2 hours we searched for the restaurant we digested more of the thai culture than we did food upon arrival. We were harrassed by t-shirt sellers and encountered many smiling scam artists telling us "that restaurant closed, you come to this one". But with determination we continued our elusive hunt for the coveted restaurant of which I had been dreaming. After half a dozen attempts to ask for directions, we got our answer from a high hot dog vender in the local 7-11.

Alas we arrived to the holiest of shrines, in the form of a hole in the wall restaurant. The two disgusting dirty shitzus and chihuahua that drug it's butt across the floor to get some relief from the worms, could not deter us.

As we sat there, ice cold beer in hand, we knew we had not waited in vain. The surroundings were meager, but the food boasted a bold, spicy flavor we had yet to encounter on our trip so far. We relished in our choices for no more than 20 minutes, stuffing our faces faster than a monkey eats chocolate (see Halong Bay). After the tornado of eating finished, we looked at the table, wide eyed, at the mess we had made. We sat back, looked at each other, and with extreme pleasure in our hearts, smiled...we were in Thailand!



















The next day we returned to the famed restaurant, having yet another wonderful feast. We were leaving Bangkok, happily, and thus this was our last meal.

Bangkok-only good for sex tourists and shoppaholics!

Before arriving in Bangkok many people told me you either love it or hate it, plain and simple. Well, as we come to an end on our third day here, all I can think about is getting the hell out! Although Bangkok is known to have some of the most amazing temples and Buddha statues in the world, the feeling of peace and serenity are no where to be found among the honking horns and swindling street vendors. Amidst all the beauty spread throughout the city, you are constantly berated with scam artists, street vendors, and enough smog to liken your lungs to those of a 20 year smoker's.

Now, I don't want to be too hasty in my overt judgement of this powerhouse city, in our short time there we were able to experience some of the best it has to offer. It didn't even take one day before my senses were enticed and I found myself entranced by the best 2 1/2 hour massage of my life (sorry all- no happy ending to speak of here). In addition to this near nirvana experience, we have stuffed our stomachs with more Thai food than is healthy in such a short period of time.

But alas, we sit here on a bus heading out of town, north to Chiang Mai. We are nothing short of ecstatic to be getting out of the city and off to a place where the enlightenment can commence. After sitting through a grueling 2 hours of traffic just to get to the bus terminal, we are both in utter dismay as to why anyone would attempt to drive in such a permanently gridlocked city. Bangkok offers an above ground train, the acclaimed Sky Train, which can whisk you away to many popular areas around the city, but not actually into the heart itself. Aside from this, your other modes of transportation are cab (which goes back to the gridlock I mentioned above), the Thailand tuk-tuk, or huffing it on foot (which, to be honest, isn't a very doable option).

Don't let the afore mentioned issues put you off entirely, there is a great deal of culture to be seen and smelled lying inside the city walls. As you walk down the street your senses are constantly challenged by new, sometimes foul, smells. Foods you've never seen or imagined line the walls and hang off the carts, just waiting to be plucked up by a passing pedestrian. All the while, the most interesting noises are serenading your stroll and causing your head to turn in all directions. This adventure is often times interrupted by street vendors shoving everything from the latest Louis Vuitton knockoff bag to frog noise makers in your face. This is a city that survives on selling tourists everything they don't need and then sending them down the street with a smiling man who will scam you out of the last 50 baht left in your pocket (which equals about $1.25 US).


(This guy gladly leaves Thailand without a dime to his name, already planning his next trip back to see his "girlfriend")

Moving on up, to the Southeast side

We felt a bit like the Jefferson's when we exchanged our $10 Australian dollars (about enough for a decent sandwich), for the 300+ Bhat at the currency exchange in Thailand. We had essentially been transformed into millionaires overnight, while we flew from Brisbane to Bangkok on the 'smooth as silk' Thai Airways flight.

So no we face our last challenge, conquering the land where smoking still makes you cool, doorways are really just a place to bump your head, and public displays of affection are limited to hand-holding: Southeast Asia...should be fun.

On a side note, the Australia photos are up...Enjoy