Hitchhiking 101

So, it seems there are a few places more difficult to hitch in...Asia being one of them. I guess because of the huge amount of backpackers here, especially on the routes I did in Laos. It seemed there were less offers of assistance on these roads. many drivers expected I wanted to be walking (which I did).

In many Asian countries there are private vans and cars with paid drivers. Don't bother flagging these cars down, they charge a rate to take you to your destination, much like taking a bus and quite the opposite of what you want to achieve.

Here are some basic rules 'of thumb' -

1. Be prepared to walk. In countries where hitchhikers are not common, it may take you a while to find a hitch but there is no point getting sad about it!

2. Wear bright fun clothing, a smile and have a clear sign. Taking your sunglasses or hat off when cars come may also help in the trust department as people can see your full face. Use a friendly wave and point in the direction you want to go rather than sticking out your thumb - it helps!

3. Choose a good location. Make sure you are somewhere drivers can see you..and have time to think about picking you up..and that there is enough space for them to stop safely. You don't want to cause any major traffic accidents!

..and preferably not here...

4. Be careful walking on highways..try to find a lift before, at toll roads, service stations, restaurants etc You'll be amazed what a simple chat can achieve (provided you speak the language!)

5. Speaking of safety, ensure you have your intuition and judgment skills switched on, you can easily assess the feeling of a person from one look - remember to do this! If you don't feel safe, the person is too eager to get you in the car or there is something else, simply don't get in..you'll always get another lift!

A Long Walk - Luang Prabang - Vientiane

Whew..I'm kind of buggered..but it's done - my solo experiment walking from Luang Prabang - Vientiane.

Tab's little feet have been so happy, so content, so...lazy..for so long, it's time to let them do more of the work. I travelled from the north to the sunny south of Laos, one colorfully dressed, flowy foreign woman walking the heights and the hills of the breathtaking landscapes, low valleys, tiny towns and dizzying mountains of Laos.

So why walk when you can have the totally bland, impersonal and regulated experience with 60 other foreigners?

Something that has become increasingly uncomfortable for me travelling well-travelled countries, is tourists. The sheer mass of Western bodies moving through Asia is incredible. But the way that people travel. Without the thought that they can have a different experience, happy to be led from bus, to taxi, to hotel..without a thought

This really frustrates me. So, I got off the bus and decided to walk.

The road from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is full of mountainous passes and green countryside. Tiny villages on the way with gorgeous cheeky children and laughing people...to be honest, they were mostly laughing at me. It's a strange tourist who decides to walk these parts.

Along the way I was given rides in trucks, utes and a very nice man on a scooter took me to a hillside wedding party, haha, after beers and lots of lovely kids and people, dropped me to the highway again!

The time spent communing with sun-beaten country roads gave me a lot of time to think...mostly about contentment, the kind that is found when you simply have to put one foot in front of the other..when there is no other choices to make but keepin' on walking or sittin' down :) Ah, the utter simplicity.

So now back in Vientiane, I am now happily about to head back to the quiet and solitude of Dreamtime..I'm ready for more bliss!

Luang Prabang - World Heritage city of holy carrots

Beautiful Luang Prabang - a quiet and relaxed city with a beautiful feel and surrounded by mountains and holy temples, waterfalls and night markets. The former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage city, a really charming little city with French architecture and clean streets..

..but the effects of mass tourism can really be seen here. I was told the city has dropped in its standing as number one world heritage city to number ten. A pity for the people living in this gorgeous area.

I wake up early in the morning to take a peek at the amazing sight of morning alms giving. Monks and locals line the streets on each side to offer a blessing and food for their morning (and only) meal of the day..it was both beautiful and awful watching tourists snapping photos of this local tradition. Merchants quick to get in on the tourist happy hour, have sold unsafe food which has resulted in monks getting ill..and now there is resistance to continuing this tradition. They strongly advise observing from a distance...it's nicer that way.

I spent a lot of time wandering the markets and the streets considering my next move..it's a nice, sleepy town that shuts downs completely at 11pm, but there are so many tourists, so many bars that it was hard to relax. It was nice swimming in the river with the kids, hanging out of the banks of the Mekong and eating fried pork and chicken at the markets.

Since deciding not to travel to India this time around, I'm making my way back to Dreamtime! But I want to do it under my own steam! With my own two happy feet...

Slow boat to China? Or Luang Prabang!

Those of you who haven't heard Josh's catchy travel epic 'Small boat to China' might not understand why I stress the word 'catchy', after two days on a river boat singing this song at the top of my lungs..I sure do.

Sorry Josh, the Finnish and I butchered your song, but you are now officially internationally recognised - by blonde Scandinavians :)

Fresh of the bike and into a two day journey by slow boat - from the hills of Pai to the heart of Laos, Luang Prabang. A wide offshoot of the Mekong river snakes through hills and mountains taking chugging river boats crammed with tourists merrily along. I was fortunate to meet two beautiful Finnish girls, Paula and Nadja, packing bottles of rum and chicken sandwiches - I couldn't have been luckier.



Laos immigration at this border crossing was a complete joke. If you plan to go this way, try to be prepared for around 3 hours of unorganised choas in a small concrete space with 200 confused, hot and tired international travellers..

And then we were squeezed onto a boat..

Finding a nice patch of floor we settled in, a 7 hour trip the first day, an overnight at Pak Beng and another 9 hours the next day.

The girls cracked the rum...

Most of the river travellers were freshly filtered from Pai, there were a lot of old friends and new ones. A chilled chilled crew and plenty of room to smoke, stretch, chat, wander..whiskey in the front deck, rum on the cushions and joints passed in steerage. What a nice way to travel down a river :)

Luang Prabang is a city of monks and temples - - - goody - - -

Big Brother Mouse

It's incredible to think that some children have never experienced the sensation of being caught up in the terrible excitement and wonder of a good children's book. That they have never had their minds open to the possibility of witches, goblins, giants and fairies. That they have never imagined a big, red dog, or a caterpillar who ate everything or a spider who had a big heart!

Wow, as a book lover, I can't imagine a child's life without books to expand my imagination!Big Brother Mouse helps kids in Laos to do just this. They translate, edit and publish books for kids and make literacy their number one priority. While I was in Luang Prabang I dropped into the center and volunteered for an English class. The kids I had were from 7 - 16 and we had a great time doing tongue twisters and a pronunciation session. Afterwards I read them my favorite book! Possum Magic!You can volunteer for an English class or simply buy a book or two!





www.bigbrothermouse.com
To reach the shop, walk down the main street of Luang Prabang. From the Night Market area walk towards the end of the peninsula. Take the third left (not counting small alleys), immediately after 3 Nagas Restaurant. They are down on the left.