Laoooosssss: the first!

No I didn't forget to write, I haven't been ill, there was just no internet access or I was having to much fun...

Well what happened: I started on DonDet one of the 4000 islands in the south of Laos, which is an island where you can do nothing else than relax, eat and meet other tourists. I met a lovely indian-english couple and stayed a couple of days on this island. Our favorite place to eat was a 'restaurant' (Janine: read...warung) with one big table and 8 chairs. Everyone eating together like one big family. I loved it! Here I met Johnny the first time. I made more or less a travel plan for Laos, because I wanted to see as much as possible in 30 days (visa) of this lovely country. Because of my schedule I wasn't able to visit many more islands. In Cambodia they play Beachvolleyball in Laos they play petangue (jue de boules). Champaksak was the next stop. On the way to Champaksak I met a very nice swiss couple from Schaffhausen and hope to see them again when I'm back in Switzerland. In Champaksak is not much to do, except for visiting the amazing ruins of a Wat...and drinking Coffee Latte :-) Pakse next stop, one of the bases to explore the Bolaven Plateau. Here I met my sweet Mariia (finnisch girl) the first time. Together with the swiss couple we did a day of Waterfalls on a motorbike. And I saw Johnny again... After Pakse I decided to go to Tad Lo and to leave 'my friends'. Tad Lo is a sweet little town with not that many tourists but a relaxed atmosphere and...Mam's pap! (restaurant) and I spent here, like anyone else, more time than expected. Have to tell you that I already new in Tad Lo that I had to extent my visa....Laos is lazy...and so am I! In Tad Lo I was really lucky to find a bungalow in Palamei's Guesthouse. The owner is such a treasure. He and his family had with Austrian money the possibility to build up their little paradise with one secret place to stay called 'the bamboo hut' The day I wanted to leave there was a ceremony for 2 bungalows, one of them was mine :-). 

Short description of the ceremony:

- 7 am wake up 'call' they started to prepare the terrace of the bungalows.

- 7.30 am first alcohol: laolao, kind of whiskey and beer. A glass of beer goes around, you empty almost the whole glass and the last part you throw away.

- praying, singing, with the Monks and giving them food

- more beer....more laolao....

- 9 am first time food

- more beer...more laolao
- 11 am second time food

- and so on... I left around 1pm and ALL women were drunk, getting a bit rude, but still dancing, laughing, eating and drinking....I was back around 5pm and the party was over and the lao people were a sleep :-)

This was a whole experience...the funny thing was. When I saw some of these women, I had been eating, dancing and singing with the other day, they pretended not to know me anymore...  In Tad Lo I met Johnny again, together with some other guys. We decided to do 'the loop' together. The loop means nothing else then renting a motorbike for a couple of days and cruising around!

The loop starts in Tha Kaek. Summary of the loop:

- Just outside Tha Kaek the landscape is filled with beautiful limestone mountains, they will be  our friends for the next couple of days

- Johnny got in total: 2 flat tires, he lost his key. This problem was solved by Mc Gyver with a lighter and a plastic bag! and...his chain fell off. and the others??? NOTHING :-)

- we had to do an emergency home stay, due to a flat tire and a search for an almost impossible to finding cave (we were no longer on the traditional route of the loop anymore ;-)) The home stay was sleeping with 6 person on 3 mattresses on one side of the roof terrace and the locals in one row on the otherside. Loud lao soap television and the lights turned on during the whole night.

- 80 KM of dirty road...with a beautiful scenery 

- Konglor Cave 7 km long...just amazing

- speeding....speeding and having great fun! 

We made it all save and without big accidents back to Tha Kaek.

soon more....:-)