Hello everyone,
Just a friendly update from your favorite technologically-impaired travel blogger, whose recent online silence has sparked several concerned emails regarding her whereabouts and cardiac status.
Yes, I am alive, and currently in Vang Vieng, Laos. Since leaving Chiang Mai, Thailand last Monday, I have officially entered The Rest of Southeast Asia, otherwise known as Slow Wifi Land. Any attempts that I have made in the last week and a half to update my blog and upload photos have been met with imaginary derisive laughter from my iPad. “Silly rabbit! Pics are for kids!” Not that I am complaining. It just means that I am now about two months behind in my travel updates. I have this funny feeling that many of my future posts will be completed in snowy post-Christmas Cleveland.
In the past three weeks, I have:
– bathed and fed a family of elephants
– gone whitewater rafting in northern Thailand
– taken a two-day slow boat along the Mekong River from Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos (*** TOP 5 EXPERIENCE OF 2014 ***)
– swam in waterfalls
– watched the daily early-morning procession of Buddhist monks who walk to collect their breakfast, donated by locals
– tubed along the Song river in Vang Vieng while simultaneously avoiding the persistent offers of free shots of Lao whisky from a dude wearing a My LIttle Pony tank top
– purchased and wore not one, but two pairs of baggy elephant-print pants. Hey, when in Rome, right? I may look like a hippie farang, but man, are these pants comfortable!
Upcoming plans are to head to Vientiane, the capital, this weekend, get my Myanmar visa, then take an overnight train to Bangkok next week. From there, I will fly to Mandalay in Myanmar and spend the next 2-3 weeks exploring one of the least explored countries in Southeast Asia. Can’t wait!
Photos and posts… well, they will happen when they happen. Off to eat some pumpkin soup to remind myself in this humid, tropical weather that yes, it is October!
Tooth on the Loose 
Hi Becky, Glad to hear from you again and that you are well. Was this boat you took from Huy Xai and did you stop overnight in Pakbeng, or did you sleep on board? I was thinking of doing that trip one day myself!
Hi Max. Yup, this was the Chiang Khong\Huay Xai to Luang Prabang route. I didn’t realize that there was a less expensive option between the luxury cruise and the jarring high speed local boat, so I booked a more affordable cruise with Shompoo Cruises… and was SO GLAD that I did, since we only had three people on our boat! We all stayed overnight in Pakbeng (worth it to get a bungalow overlooking the Mekong). You should do it!
So jealous!!
Good to hear from you, Mrs. M! Congrats to you! I was just thinking about all my Boston friends and wondering how I am supposed to celebrate Halloween properly this year without all of you. Somehow I don’t think Myanmar is big on October 31 festivities, so I am already thinking of my own versions of costumes that wouldn’t stand out TOO much. Hint: most of them involve hippie elephant pants ;).