Day two of the loop: unforgettable.

We woke up at the guesthouse and there was a torrential downpour going on outside. We were told we couldn't do the second part of the loop if there was rain. We contemplated but made the decision to go ahead and do it. We figured we could turn around if it truly was impassable. Well for the first 45 minutes, the roads were fine. Then, things it gnarly. 

Pictures speak louder that words- here's how the second day went: 

We were covered in mud. 

The roads were way worse than any of us expected. We found ourselves in a situation where attitude was everything. Either we could get pissed off or just laugh hysterically. We chose the latter. We were sliding around everywhere, our bikes were smoking, we were in the middle of NOWHERE. It was nuts. We rode this gnarly "road" for an hour before finally reaching a decent road.  After mud-riding and passing through rural valleys and farmland, we reached Lax Sao where we stopped for lunch. We were disgusting: 

Luckily there was a hose behind the restaurant so we were able rinse off before eating. After lunch we still had several house of riding but the roads were smooth and the views were stunning. 

We were exhausted but had determined to make it to the village of Konglor. 

We'd sleep here and wake up and see the famous cave, 7k in length! Phew what a day!!!!

The loop: a 500k ride on motorbikes through central Laos. [Day One]

We arrived in the town of Tha Kheck after having decided to do the infamous "loop" on motorbikes. The Loop as it has become known is a few hundred kilometres round trip along route 13 to the east and then back up and around returning to Tha Kheak on route 12. It is normally done in three to four days on a moped. It is not for the faint hearted, the condition of the roads and the driving standards make driving challenging to say the least. We spent the night at TheTraveller's  Lodge in Tha Kheck and rented our motorbikes the next morning from a man named Mr. Ku who has a shop right next to the lodge. He only had semi-automatics and since I don't even know how to drive a manual car, I was very nervous. Before I had time to think too much about it, we were off, on our way to who knows where. 

Day One: 

We stopped at Buddha Cave and talked with some locals here:

Buddha Cave or Tham Pa Fa in Thakhek, Laos is located on National Route 12, near Ban Nakhang Xang. The Buddha Cave is about 14 km away from Thakhek in Khammuan Province. The cave with its many Buddha images was discovered on June 2004 by a local villager by the name of Mr. Boun Nong. Mr. Nong found the cave by following a group of bats entering the cave. With his curiosity and the intention of collecting bats, he decided to climb up the 15 meters to the cave’s entrance. Unexpectedly, he discovered the cave and the 229 Buddha Statues therein. Subsequently, the cave became a sacred place for local and neighboring peoples.

We continued along the road and ended up asking a local to take us by boat to another fascinating cave and to a swimming hole: 

Tha Falang.

The cave:

After this, we rode for hours and stopped in a couple of villages filled with the cutest kids on the planet:

They would get so excited to see white people and wave and scream "sabaidee" (hello!)! 

We continued on, passing through jungles and rivers and finally a swampy area. For a while I thought I was back home in Louisiana:

 

It hasn't always looked like a swamp here. A dam broke and flooded the entire area for miles and miles there were signs of flooding. It was a bit strange- jungle on the left, swamp on the right. 

We made it to our first destination called "Sabaidee Guesthouse" in Thalang right before a huge rainstorm. 

12 hours in the capital city of Vientiane

We left vang vieng and headed three hours south to the capital city of Vientiane. We had heard that the capital city wasn't worth visiting and that we should just skip it and continue south. We were so glad we didn't adhere to that advice! We got there around 5pm an found a place to stay for the night quite seamlessly. We then hopped on some bikes and began cruising town. This is me with my to-go coffee: 

We rode along the Mekong river and saw a huge group of people gathered together and heard techno music playing loudly. When we got close enough, we realized what was going on: Aerobics. We immediately jumped off of our bikes and joined in for a full hour of sunset aerobics with the locals. It was led by two people, a man and a woman and there were hundreds of people enthusiastically shuffling their feet on the ground and waving their arms in the air. It was surreal: 

 

I will forever think of Vientiane when I see an aerobics class going on. 

That night we ate dinner and since everything closes at 11 here, we were in bed early. We woke up the next morning and went for a 7k run around town to see the sights. It was a great way to see everything and let out some energy before our next bus journey. 

Vang Vieng: a stunning place with more than just tubing

We had our doubts about Vang Vieng. It's known as a party town where backpackers come to get wasted and float down the river. Several years ago, the Lao government started cracking down on the bars who were selling drugs and too much alcohol. All but three bars remain and the town doesn't get quite as many visitors as it used to a decade ago. It's still a must-do for those traveling around laos and so I went down there with my friend Charlotte and we met up with some slow-boat friends. 

When we first got there, we kept saying that the town had a strange vibe about it. The street was lined with restaurants and bars playing Friends and Family guy sitcoms and we could hear a Brittany  Spears song playing faintly in the background. We didn't know what to think of vang vieng..until the next day when we rented bikes and explored the surrounding areas outside of town. It's an absolutely beautiful part of Laos. We rode through villages and rice paddies with views of green limestone cliffs until making it to the blue lagoon where we spent a few hours swimming. 

We had an absolute blast here and it was the perfect way to cool off after biking in the heat.  After a while, we made the decision that we were ready to go and give the tubing a try. So we headed into town, rented some tubes and were dropped off on the Mekong river. We stopped off at all three bars and since it was the 4th of July, we all toasted to America. I spent all day looking for other Americans but they were few an far between. I didn't mind though and feel like I represented amurica well:

That's mud. 

Even though we had our doubts about tubing, it ended up being a total blast and the perfect way to celebrate the 4th of July. 

The next day, we signed up for a climbing course with Adam's climbing school. We left after lunch and climbed the limestone walls until dark. It was incredible. Our guide was really friendly and helpful and the climbing is some of Asia's best. 

 This was definitely a highlight of our time in vang vieng. It is such a beautiful place here and there is so much more to it than tubing!!! It's also a great place to relax and soak in the stunning scenery: 

My last day in vang vieng before heading south to the capital city for a night: 

The charming town of Luang Prabang, Laos

After two days of sailing down the Mekong river, we made it to the charming town of Luang Prabang, Laos. Located in northern Laos at the confluence of the Mekong and Nom Khan river, it is a Unesco World Heritage sight.  

The city is well known for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries. Every morning at dawn, hundreds of monks from the various monasteries walk through the streets collecting alms.

 One of the major landmarks in the city is a large steep hill on which sits Wat Chom Si.  The sunsets from up here are stunning:

The night market here is also one of a kind with hundreds of vendors who set on the Main Street every evening. 

At night we would peruse the market and then eat at the food market where you pay one dollar for all-you-can-eat veggie stir fries. Ah those buffets were the best part about Luang Prabang! 

Sensory overload and a happy belly. 

Besides the buffets, my favorite memory from Luang Prabang was the day we rode bikes out to the waterfall. For 35km we rode out bikes through hills and villages until we finally made it to the most beautiful waterfall. I was blown away by how blue the water was and I couldn't wait to jump in! There was a rope swing and people jumping off of the top of one of the falls. We had a blast here and around 3 (the hottest part of the day) we rode the 35km back to town. 

We stayed in Luang Prabang for about 4 wonderful days before heading down to Vang Vieng. 

Taking the slow boat into Laos

Laos, you are one of a kind.

Ive been in Laos now for about ten days so,again, I have some catching up to do. On the 27th of June, I said my goodbyes to the Ratliff family in chiang mai and boarded a bus and headed to the thai-lao border. I spent the night in a crusty hotel and had dinner with my fellow bus passengers.  We woke up the following morning and headed across the river into laos where we'd hectically get our passports stamped and begin our adventure into laos. After getting our laos visas we boarded the 90 passenger boat full of sweaty passengers. At this point, I was beginning to get nervous as I couldn't find a seat and I knew I'd be spending two days on this wooden boat with these people. After finally managing to squeeze in a seat, the boat took off and I began to question my decision to take a two day boat journey into Laos. It would have been much faster and easier to take the bus, but I wanted the slower, more scenic route. So here I was, on a boat, in the middle of the Mekong river in the heart of Southeast Asia. I had a book in hand and my earphones ready but soon realized that none of these would be useful. My boat was so full of fun, interesting people! I made friends so quickly on that boat and soon realized that we were going to be sticking together for a while. 

We landed in a village 6 hours down the river called Pak Beng where we spent the night. As soon as I got there I strapped on my tennis shoes and went for a run with my new Irish friend Colm. We then met a group from the boat for dinner and as the town shut down early, so did we. I woke up early the next morning and boarded the boat yet again and prepared myself for another full day journey. Again, it was a blast. We laughed, shared stories, and got to know each other all the while peering our heads out towards the Mekong, passing by green mountains and hill tribe villages. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I realized how fun the journey is and how much we miss when we only focus on the outcome. This slow moving boat ride was moving steadily towards a destination but the ride, I will never forget. 

We made it to beautiful Luang Prabang. I feel like the word "magical" is used way too much but it's the only word that comes to mind when describing this place.  It simply is, magical. It has a charm and grace that is untouchable and indescribable. The night market is one of the best and yet it is so laid back. The night food buffets- oh lawd I could go on about them for days. We'd pay a dollar and get bounties of fresh veggies and spices cooked up over a fire. It was magic. 

I love this town and I love laos. I also love the people I'm traveling with and this makes all the difference in the world.  We have stuck together like family and I've laughed more in the last few days than I have in a long time!

Catching up on past weeks: Last days in Thailand (for a few weeks)

Three days with the Ratliff family.

On Monday of last week I took the windy road back to chiang mai and managed not to puke.  I was dropped off in the old city of Chiang Mai when the wonderful Ratliff family picked me up and immediately brought to the night bizarre. I was connected with these beautiful southerners through a friend of mine in Baton Rouge. They do volunteer work in Thailand in the city of chiang mai and surrounding villages. They took me in so graciously and made me feel right at home. I had a ball getting to know 15year old Katie, 13 year old Nate and parents Kim and Quentin.   It was so refreshing and such a blessing to be able to spend time with such an incredible, loving family.  I had the opportunity to go to a village with them and taught english to a young group of kids.  Kim and Quentin shared God's love with the families out there and it was a huge blessing to witness the work they're doing. 

On my last day with them,  I helped Kim get a few things done at the house and then we went on an biking adventure.  We took off on our bikes and headed for the hills. It was a beautiful ride through lush green scenery, passing by rice fields and small farms. It was gorgeous and so much fun. 

After having a delicious breakfast with the family on Thursday morning, I had to say goodbye.  I only stayed with them for three days but I was starting to feel really close- it was so sad to say goodbye! The way they opened their home and hearts with me was just incredible. I am forever indebted to them and inspired by their love for god and for others. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know the Ratliff family and to have been able to stay a few nights with them.

Kindred Spirits meet under the stars

After a day of relaxing here in Pai (oh and some afternoon swimming), I enjoyed a home cooked dinner at my bungalow. They must have sensed my hunger when the owners of the bungalow offered the girls and I a bowl of deliciously prepared egg noodle soup. This is so typical of Thais to be so kind and hospitable.  They love sharing meals with others and i couldnt have been mode grateful for their offering. 

After dinner, Heather and I went down to the night market and ended up meeting a group of travelers outside of a nearby bungalow. There is something magical about a group of travelers from all over the world sitting together. There was guitar playing, singing, and kindred spirits sharing stories and ideas. This is one of the things I love most about traveling. When you meet people who share the same curiosity and zeal for life, it's exhilarating and inspiring. I stayed there for hours singing and sharing ideas and stories  under the stars. Around midnight, it was time to walk back into town to grab a snack. As I was heading towards the crepe stand, I ran into a Swedish girl I had met at lunch.  Actually we had both attended a short meditation course in town and she couldn't stop giggling the entire time.  I knew I wanted to get to know this girl but didnt know when I'd get to see her again. Well, lo and behold, I ran into her at midnight on the street during my desperate pursuit of a snack.  We caught up for a moment and the next thing I knew, I was on the back of her motorbike and we were cruising around town. We decided it'd be funny to stop at all of the bars and awkwardly stare at people while sitting on the motorbike.  When we couldn't control our laughter anymore, we'd cruise on to the next bar.  We finally went home at 2 am and she left this morning for Bali. It was a short friendship but so rich. I wish I had met her earlier... but I have a feeling I'll see her again!

The Canadian girls (my roommates here in Pai) leave town today. I was having to think about accommodation for tonight while at breakfast at a cafe in town. Well, about 5 minutes into my brainstorming and mango-eating, a girl and her friend walk up to me and said "I know this is kind of random but, do you have a place tonight?" She then said that she was staying here but hoping for another roommate to help with cost. Looks like everything is taken care of and I'll have new roomies for the next few nights. That was easy :) 

Greetings from [Pai]radise!

Well I've been too busy living and have not spent enough time reflecting. A blog update is long overdue and so I will have to so some backtracking here. Ill start with where I am now: sitting in front of a stream in the town of Pai in northern Thailand. I arrived here two days ago and I don't know when I'll leave. Pai is a unique place, situated in the middle of mountains, jungle, and hill tribe villages. It's a magical place, the kind of place where you intend to stay for a few days and then weeks later, you find yourself still here drinking heaps of tea, still meeting new friends.

I left Pattaya after having spent a week down there. Before I left for the north, Monica and I spent a day and a half on the island of koh samet. This island is a popular getaway for Thais who live in Bangkok. We spent the day on the beach and ended up befriending a group of young professionals from Bangkok. You'd have never guessed they were our age, they looked so young and were playing keep-away on the beach, giggling incessantly. They were a fun group and they ended up inviting us to dinner. We had no idea what would ensue. We went to a restaurant on the beach where we sat on mats and ate on low, candle-lit tables. Before we knew it, food started coming to our table, and didn't stop for a solid hour. Dish after dish of delicious Thai cuisine kept coming to our table and we had a family-style, delicious dinner right there on the beach with our new friends. Soon after dinner, there was the most spectacular fire show I've ever witnessed. The fire show would eventually turn into one big dance party. Before I knew it, we were dancing on the beach to "apple bottom jeans" with hundreds of Thais and our new bangkokian friends.

We left koh samet and headed back to Pattaya so we could host a dinner party for some of the bar girls that Monica and her friends had befriended over recent weeks. A few girls that came to the party were supposed to be working but New Love Outeach (monicas nonprofit) was able to pay for their bar fines so they could come to the party. It was a great time together involving a delicious meal, broken Thai-English conversations, guitar-playing, and some Bollywood dancing!

The next morning, I took off to Bangkok and then took a flight up to Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand, near the Myanmar border. I couchsurfed here with an Aussie and left for the mountains on Wednesday morning. I had heard about this town, Pai, and it intrigued from the first time I had heard about it. I had heard that the journey to get here was pretty hair-raising and since I get carsick very easily, I was nervous. It's a three hour bus ride through the mountains with exactly 763 curves. I guess God was watching out for me because I somehow scored the very front seat, next to the driver. I also was able to bum a Dramamine off of a Canadian girl in the bus. Little did I know that this Canadian girl and her friend would be my roommate for the next two nights in Pai! I made it here just fine and was filled excitement the moment I stepped off of the bus. We found a wooden bungalow on the river and the Canadian girls, Heather and Thea, and I took off to explore the town.  This town is not only surrounded by beautiful nature, it bursts with flavor and ambiance. It is full of coffee, art, and book shops and the most magical night market. We explored, had dinner at the market, and ended up at a place called edible jazz where we spent the night playing jinga with the owners of the place. Before the night ended, we made plans to explore the area by motorbike with our new thai friends. The next day (yesterday) I rented a motorbike and a group of us took off the explore. We rode through the hills and ended up on a dirt road, passing by hill tribe villagers and incredible views of the valley. Eventually we found ourselves at a hot springs that not many tourist get to see because its so far off of the beaten path. It was quite a trek to get to this place and there was a lot of mud involved.  I'm thankful that these new Canadian friends of mine were so cute because these Thai guys were so enthusiastic about taking us on an all-day adventure and I have a feeling they were hoping some romance would ensue. I benefited greatly from their pursuit and so my thanks goes out to the
blond Canadian beauties!

We rode all day on the bikes, stopping by canyons, elephants, and rivers. It was spectacular! At the end of the day we landed at a chai tea shop where a girl with dreds served us the best chai I've ever tasted. Guitar playing and singing would soon follow and before we knew it it was time for dinner...but not before one last ride on the bike at sunset. Heather (one of the Canadian girls) and I hopped on the bike in search of the sunset. It was glorious.

Today I'm taking it easy. I'm hoping to spend the night on an organic farm just outside of town. They allow visitors to stay in their bamboo bungalows in exchange for a little bit of work on the farm. I've always wanted to do something this so I will hopefully find a spot here at the tacompei farm for a few days and learn much about gardening and Thai farming! I am in love with this little town and am excited to see what's in store for the next few days.

Days 1 and 2 in Pattaya

Pattaya: It's not exactly where most people vacation when they come to Thailand..unless of course you're a white (creepy) male, typically sporting a rat tail, tatted limbs, and graphic tee (usually sleeveless).  These men are come here for one thing and one thing only: cheap sex. It's dirty, it's wild, it's bourbon street times a million. Pattaya is overwhelming. My friend Monica started a nonprofit called New Love Outreach that helps get girls out of prostitution and I have had the chance to see firsthand what she does. Basically, she goes to the bars and befriends the girls and then invites them to English classes and to a training center where they can learn other skills and pursue other jobs. Many of these girls come from poor villages surrounding pattaya and end up in the sex industry out of financial desperation. Many of the girls are also trafficked that work here.  I've met a few girls whose lives have been changed by what Monica and the Tamar Center are doing. It's really incredible and so wonderfully inspiring. I realize this problem exist not just in Southeast Asia but all over the world, especially in cities like beloved New Orleans. I am challenged to reach out to these women and, if nothing else, offer them grace and a kind word or smile.

Other than seeing what amazing things my friend Monica is doing here, I've had the opportunity to do some exploring on the cheap! Today I got a thai massage and it cost me $10. Lunch was 75 cents and dinner was $2. Ahhh the food: so fresh, so full  of flavor, exotic veggies, and lots of spice.  I'm in love with the street food- it's much better than food served in restaurants and so much cheaper. The markets here are bursting with smells and sounds and are always worth a walk-through. People here work hard and they work a lot. The streets are always buzzing. I did a yoga class tonight to try and find some Serenity. It was taught by an Indian master who spoke so quietly I was blown away that anyone could actually hear him...and that's all I could think about the entire class.

After yoga, Monica picked me up and we met some girls for ice cream and then we zipped around town on the motorbike. It has been a tiring but fulfilling two days in the city and so I ready to seek out some island calm. Tomorrow we will go to Koh Samet and stay the night here. This is a popular weekend getaway for Thais who live in Bangkok. It should be a nice break from the city.  Monday will be my last day in pattaya before heading north!

On a sidenote: I read this great blog today and wanted to share it here on my blog.
It spoke to me as I have been trying to discern between fear and well, disernment.

http://www.allisonvesterfelt.com/fear-or-discernment/

The journey and the trick

I had just sold my last piece of furniture in my New Orleans apartment before setting my alarm for 2:45am on Tuesday morning.  I took a cab to the airport and waited for my 5:30am flight to Chicago.  From Chicago, it'd be 13 hours before arriving to Tokyo and then 6 more hours before finally arriving to Bangkok.  What a journey!  With swollen ankles and a foggy brain, I found Monica in the airport and we met her thai friend Bey. She had told me that he was our taxi driver but it was a bit strange how friendly Monica was being with him.  He was a bit hipster for being a taxi driver and I found it odd that she kept tapping his shoulder and playing with the gauges in his ears while he giggled incessantly.  I was suspicious but thought to myself, perhaps Monica had just become a bit more flirty and extroverted with men since moving in Thailand?!  Finally, when he couldn't stop snickering in the car, he confessed that he wasn't a taxi driver, he was a friend of Monica's.  I had only been in the country for not even 30 minutes and they were playing tricks on me.  Ain't nobody got time for dat!  When we arrived in Pattaya, we stopped to get some food and after a big bowl of curry at 2am, it was time to crash.  After a good night's sleep, I'm refreshed and ready for my first day of adventures in Thailand.  

Mai ben what???

Two days before leaving for Thailand, I had a moving sale in New Orleans and sold just about everything I owned. During the sale, I came across a sweet, eclectic young couple who had recently spent 7 months in Thailand.  They assured me that my time in Thailand would be life-changing and they taught me the expression "mai ben lai".  They explained that it means "don't worry about it!" and that this expression encapsulates the Thai attitude. The phrase has stuck in my mind because I like the way it sounds and I like what it means.  I'm trying to live my life with a "mai ben lai" attitude, putting my trust in God and not the things of this world.  This is where I'll be posting about all of my adventures in Thailand.  Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it and are inspired by what you read.