From Vientiane

How is Laos?

Or accurately, how is Vientiane? My first impression on landing here was definitely that of weather – it’s cooling, definitely hovering around 25 degrees but its purported 15 degrees Celcius at night seems a little incorrect, at least it’s way cooler than Malaysia’s perpetual hot weather. As of writing now I’m somewhat.. (a little embarrassed to admit) hammered from merely consuming about 3/4 of Beerlao, the national beer that’s supposedly South East Asia’s finest brewery. although my horribly bad palate in discerning tastes couldn’t really find a difference between other beers (Heineken, Tiger’s, etc) and Beerlao. Other than its cheaper price, ‘course.

So throughout the day, after landing in Laos, I wasn’t really in that good of a mood – somewhat depressed in fact. It’s something I’m somewhat reluctant to admit, maybe without Gopi it’s a little difficult to actually plan stuffs and our financial budget and whatnot, but I don’t think that was the main factor anyway. How do you explain sporadic depression that just materialise out of the blue (like PMS wtf)?

It got quite bad at one point that I was having second thoughts about the trip (wanting to go back home that instant wtf), but that’s nonsensical of course as of now. As of now when you have a semi-hammered yours truly feeling loads better and looking forward to tomorrow’s kayaking trip.

Yep! I’m kayaking on a river with Siew to Vang Vieng tomorrow, a town infamous among backpackers kilometres ahead of here, and it’s gonna take a full day wtf (8am-5pm wtf, USD$29 for the whole trip which is a little expensive, but hopefully it’s worth it). Obviously we’re not gonna kayak the entire day, but if what we were told was true, we’re gonna kayak for 3 hours and a half on a Grade 1-2 river, and then go on a pickup truck straight to Vang Vieng.

Vientiane is a relatively quite city, with so much fewer people, fewer vehicles, that for a capital city it’s nothing compared to other cities I’ve been to – Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, even Phnom Penh. (This keyboard is fucking annoying to use btw, I keep pressing other keys as its layout is a little different than usual.)

Vientiane. Siew and I walked a large part of the town surveying its attractions which were.. rather boring, consisting of temples after temples which I’m sure we can find almost anywhere – omnisciently – throughout the world. Which is why we’ve decided to leave the capital and head north instead of staying for another day here.

Roy phoned me when I was in Sepang’s LCCT, and apparently he caught a fever and his mum didn’t want to let him go with us even though he’s coming 2 days later. :/ Somewhat wasted, I thought.

Nothing much to add I guess as of now (I can’t really think what else to write about when I’m somewhat hammered wtf). At least the Beerlao does help dull my senses, and let me return to my usual easily-excited self.

Chatting with Jess right now on MSN. Funny that she was always the first person I’m chatting with whenever I’m abroad (probably the only one too wtf, others aren’t online).

That’s all for today I suppose (and maybe a few days to come). Siew is sitting beside me now waiting for me to finish blogging (so can’t keep him waiting for long, can I?), before we explore perhaps the night market and return to our roughly USD$2.50/person/night room, which was quite basic to begin with (smelly pillows heh).

Somehow I think I’m spending too long a time in Laos – I realise there’s really no reason to stay in a town for more than 4 days (but I’m gonna stay in Vang Vieng for 5 days, as per our original itinerary, and now that we’re leaving Vientiane earlier, we have another extra day to kill =.=).

7:46pm in Vientiane now (an hour earlier than Malaysia’s). Oh we also spotted a Malaysian restaurant earlier, but didn’t enter ‘cause it looked erm ordinary. And I also spotted quite a few angmohs who have Laotian girlfriends.. which is really a bizarre sight.

Signing off – hope you guys are well.