Vang Vieng
In Laos still, in Vang Vieng, a sweet little town that is quickly becoming corrupted by tourism and losing it’s soul. But it’s absolutely gorgeous, very small, surrounded by karst mountains.
It’s also the type of town where I would be insanely bored if I was alone, thank god I’m not! I met 4 fun people on the bus yesterday (the 3 hour trip taking more than 5 because we broke down several times): 2 irish sisters, Caroline and Fiona, both WILD, and a couple, Den from Northern Ireland and Jane from Manchester (yet I can understand her!). All very smart and opinionated and I’m so glad I’ll have fun people to spend my birthday with.
I don’t want to write too much now because it cost twice as much for internet here than in Vientiene. And I have to watch my money because it looks like I’m in a little bit of trouble financially - I have loads of money in my bank account but I can’t touch it because I can’t remember my pin number. And nobody takes credit cards so I can’t use my check card either. At least until I get to Saigon. Which just goes to show that my brain consists of:
90% movie lines and song lyrics
9% useless trivia (the name of the boat from Jaws? The Orca)
1% my junior high locker combination: 24-16-28
I think I’m alright with cash to last me until Vietnam but that also means no more posh french meals like I treated myself to in Vientiene.
So funny, the irish people have been sitting here behind me and we had no idea. For like 20 minutes, not until they started talking to each other and I turned around and went HEY!
Jane and Den are doing an RTW trip, they are on their “last leg” of it, which is still a week longer than my entire trip. It sounds so great: South America, New Zealand, Australia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand. But they have been traveling since March! I’m already starting to feel the ache to come home - I miss my friends and family. BUt I’ll see you in a week!
Tags: Travel
November 3rd, 2005 at 12:44 pm
Hi Mary..
You really are an accomplished writer!
You missed a pretty good storm.
Got any roofing skills?
Your mom and I are happily anticipating your arrival at MIA next week…:)
Be safe..
November 7th, 2005 at 6:50 pm
working for a bank - i feel like i’ve somehow failed you. why??? i don’t know. lol
before, when i was a crackhead - and couldn’t remember a string of digits no matter the significance - i would put my pin as a random amount in my check register. like Crack, $14.39. that way - i always had my pin one me - without it being totally obvious. until now.
and i’m so happy that you’ve met up with more people. i know traveling alone has its perks [do you think you’d be such a monk magnet if you were on tour with the pale skins? i doubt it]. but people to drink with and be wild with - fun fun fun!
hey, you know what. i want beer. and i want hot sauce. thanks a lot.