Wow did Don Det (the best island to chill in the 4000 Islands or Si Phan Don in Laos) ever rock (at least for me)! Cuz found it was the first place on this Trip where I could actually chill as started to really enjoy myself like I love doing when traveling!

There must be some kind of rule in Laos that says the further south you go the more chill it becomes cuz just when you thought your blood pressure couldn’t drop any further you arrive in Si Phan Don… The name means ‘Four Thousand Islands’ and the few islands you are likely to visit on this scenic 50km-long stretch of the Mekong are so chilled that you could turn into a hammock-bound icicle! lol

Hell during the rainy season this section of the Mekong fills out to a breadth of 14km which is the river’s widest point along its 4350 km journey from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea. But during the dry months between monsoons the river recedes and leaves behind hundreds (or thousands if you count every sand bar) of islands and islets. The largest of the permanent islands are inhabited year round and offer the cool glimpses of tranquil river-oriented village life – ‘more detached from time than from the riverbank’ as how someone described it. Hell most communities tend to be self-sufficient, growing most of their own rice, sugar cane, coconut and vegetables, catching fish and weaving textiles as needed.

Seems that the Island life is changing as electricity and tourism are the big drivers. The villages of Si Phan Don are often named for their position at the upriver or downriver ends of their respective islands. The upriver end is called hǔa (head), the downriver end is called hǎang (tail). Hence Ban Hua Khong is at the northern end of Don Khong, while Ban Hang Khong is at the southern end.

The ferry from the mainland usally takes to Don Det unless U specify another island like Don Khong! But Don Det is a bit more lively than Don Khong (which attracts travellers looking for better accommodations) while Don Det has become kind of one of SE Asia’s major backpacker magnets! Don Khon falls somewhere in between. It seems that the power grid isn’t all that great tho getting better but wtf it didn’t seem the electricity went off too often while I was there! 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Don_Det

If U want to read more about the 4000 Islands check:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/laos/southern-laos/si-phan-don-four-thousand-islands#ixzz2blG3IUlg

Hell Don Det used to be a real off the beaten track place only five to ten years ago. So even still today you won't find the same crowds here as in, for example Vang Vieng (thx god) so tens of guest houses can now be around in once well kept secret. The installation of electricity supply is now complete, so Don Det has 24 hour electrical service. But unfortunately this will most likely lead to increasingly more services and development.

Hell Don Det is somewhat of a mecca for backpackers and is often compared with the much less relaxing Vang Vieng. Backpackers, mostly in their 20s and 30s, come to this island to relax. Some stay a day or two, some for weeks & a few have decided to stay for good. Hell met one American dude who married a chick from Laos and has opened a sandwich or whatever type shop! Unfortunately tho talked to the dude well never ate there cuz too expensive but hear it was good!

So my bus took me to this Say Don bus station in the small village on the other side of the river where we caught a boat to Don Det! Shit it was so chaotic when we first arrived as it depended on which bus company U came on that decided which boat U took to Don Det or which ever Island U wanted to go!

While was waiting for a boat across met a Finnish guy and we kind of hung out at Don Det for a few days! But the first order of the day was finding cheap accommodations! But no prob as rooms at most guest houses cost from 20,000 kip & up as most bungalow have the basic requirements like a porch with a hammock, a bed and a mosquito net.

Hell when first got there wow realized just how chill this island was so thought I’m finally at the type of place where always look for when traveling!

We wanted to get as far as possible away from where the boats came in and where all the bars, restuarants and noise was happening so we could chill in quiet! So we walked down down the main path in Don Det out of the main part of town! We got about a couple hundred meters down the path and over a small dilapidated wooden bridge! Then this big older type of American dude (shit can’t remember his name) approached us to check if we wanted a room? But there was only one room open as the place only had 4 rooms in that Guesthouse called Vishet’s Bungalow! Bit there were 2 of us so the Finnish guy said would go to another Bungalow while I took the open room with a shower for about 20,000 Kip or say about $5!! Found out this American dude was kinda helping the Lao owners cuz they couldn’t speak very good English which would help to get new guests! So hell when he left well I took over helping them cuz got to be friendly & really liked the Laos couple who ran the place! But wtf they only had 4 rooms which shouldn’t take long to fill! They also had a restuarant which sold Lao meals and it seemed a lot of Locals came there to eat, drink and just chat there!! Hell must have ate all my breakfasts at their restaurant as it was cheap plus got to know the owners really well so wanted to help them out! Of course the owner happened to also be my supplier of weed as he was cool! So I’d go and hang around the café/restaurant and sit on the hammock by the river! Or would chill on my patio in my own hammock! Cuz regardless the main activity on the island was chilling on a hammock doing what I do best and that’s doing fuck all!!!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152783556470527&set=a.393903310526.365804.751750526&type=1&theater

I had met this Indian dude on the other side of the river b4 taking the boat from Don Det & he told me he ran Jasmine Indian Rest on Don Det and should go there! So had to go & try the curry at the Jasmine Indian restaurant. The food there was pretty dam amazing and once again in Laos feel like could eat in a curry house every single night of my stay in a town. The only downside of the Jasmine restaurant was that it took a minimum of an hour to get any food. So eventually got around this by working out when was was most probably going to feel hungry and going there an hour beforehand to pre-order. So generally only had to wait 30 minutes b4 our food to arrive when we came back. The place was packed every single night there as was the best dam eatery in town! Hell can only imagine what additional profits they would have made if they they speed up the cooking process.

Then next to Jasmine Curry House was the Reggae Bar which would become the main joint that hung out to spend most of my time in Don Det as chilled out on the cushions there while having the odd beer but mostly just smoking weed & drinking water! But it was so fuckin chill as had hammocks to chill on and pillows & low tables to hang around! There was also a board to dive / jump into the river in the bar!!! Hell must have spent every day there just chillin, reading and socializing with other travellers! So got to be friendly with a few Swedes, Finnish and couple North Americans, etc. There was also Adam’s Bar next door which also sold ganja drinks, pizzas & showed movies so could chill there! But found the place a bit claustrophobic as the deck was small and crowded so didn’t hang out there often but did buy a cool shirt there as kind of reminded me of Don Det!!! 

Hell the place I was staying was cool to hang out at as spoke to the American Guy as he seemed to have been there for about 3 or 4 months! Think he had an apt outside BKK as he disliked living in the US as do a lot of Americans that meet overseas! Heck don’t blame them cuz if I were an American hell I get my ass out of there too cuz figure that place is just a country of Gun Toting Religious Fanatics!!!

It seemed most nights there were parties on the beach so a few nights I’d wander down there. Cuz some times there was a DJ playing lots of tracks as everyone chilled and sat in the sand drinking beer. It was a lot of fun and (maybe cuz we were far enuf away from the mainland) we were all able to drink away until 3am even tho the bars and restaurants closed at 10 pm a Laos law! It was probably the only time on Don Det that maybe a party went on so late! lol When I went to use their toilet I noticed that some people had remained in the main bar there and were singing some very bad karaoke. Thank hell that shit was drowned out by the DJ on the beach!!!

But had to remember the reason I was hanging out for so long at Don Det/4000 Islands & that was to meet up with J! So I’d check online quite often to see when or if J was coming to meet me in Don Det / 4000 Islands as we had planned! But had to wait a while to get an email saying that J was hanging out some village in central Laos but would be coming! 

So I’d hang out at the Reggae Bar most of the day meeting all the cool chill peep! Met a bunch of Israelis who seemed to be there most every day playing chess, having a beer and of course smoking weed! It was funny cuz one day a couple of the Israeli's were playing chess and smoking weed of course! So 3 or 4 of us were watching (prob more just chilling there than watching) them play but fuk the game was so dam slow like it had been like 30 mins that we were waiting for one of them to make a move! But what was funny was everyone was so stoned that no one knew who's turn it was as I asked them who's move is it? So one guy said it was the other guy while the other guy thought it was the other guy's move!!! Fuk a Russian standoff as they would have prob sat there the rest of the day if I hadn't asked them cuz each guy was waiting for the other to move - the fuking douchebag stoners! LOL  

What was cool was got to became a kind of a friend of one of the Israeli's who had made a cool Bamboo Bong which he let me use quite often as we hung out at the Reggae Bar! Well after a week or so the Israelis left Don Det and the dude gave me his Bamboo Bong! Hell what sucked was got his email address but accidently deleted it from my phone so didn’t have a way to keep in touch and thank him!! So I used the Bamboo Bong for another about week as shared it with other peep met there at the Reggae Bar! Then when I left Don Det I donated it to the Reggae Bar for anyone’s use! The funny thing was the day b4 leaving Don Det most peep smoke up or get rid of all their weed cuz the Cambodian border is only about a hr from Don Det & didn’t want to have any hassles at the border! Also most peep feel why take a sandwich/weed to a banquet which Cambodia is cuz they have their share of weed so no need to bring any into the country!

Hell was really enjoying my stay on Don Det cuz it was so chilled and met so many cool peep to hang out with that prob could have stayed there for months but hell had to remember that was meeting up with J to carry on traveling to Cambodia!! But hell was really getting into the life style on the Island as thought that Don Det / 4000 Islands was the most chilled place I had ever been to in the otherwise boring mainland SE Asia! Tho thought Cambodia was very cool and fun when I had gone there a few years b4! But still felt that Don Det matched and was a lot more chill and interesting to hang out than even the Cambodia I visited a few years b4! But Don Det didn’t have the same edge, excitement, danger that Cambodia had b4 ie peep carrying guns and even using them in broad day light! So had to keep reminding myself just why & how long I was hanging out there!

Anyway waited about 10 days until J finally came and found me in the Reggae Bar! Hell was excited and happy to see J again! But the feeling didn’t seem mutual as all J told me was traveling with 2 American guys but wtf most peep meet & end up travelling to Don Det cuz hell that’s why we travel which is to meet cool interesting peep! But what kinda sucked was J didn’t seem so cool about hanging out with me but was more interested in hanging with new friends which was OK! I had checked out Don Det and the neighboring island Don Khong with a friend b4 as thought it was cool to see! So when J and the 2 Americans asked what there was to do on Don Det well suggested checking out Don Khong! But shit thought most peep after being on Don Det for 5 mins could figure out just what peep do there - chill, smoke weed and hang out meeting other peep chilling! But the 2 guys were typical Americans as they were a bit paranoid and didn’t seem to indulge like moi or others but seemed to be more into the sauce which they spoke about frequently! Which seemed strange cuz couldn’t figure out why J a stoner like me would be hanging out with a bunch of juicers!

But the 4 of us did go to check out Don Khong as we rented bikes and went to a waterfall to hang out and have a drink to chill! Also did go in the water at one of the waterfalls which was cool! So by the time we were getting back to Don Det it was getting dark! So we ran into some locals celebrating something and they invited us to join them which we did! But the 2 American guys didn’t stay long cuz they didn’t seem to mix in too well! While J & I were sharing some drinks of whatever they were shit faced on and dancing! Hell the older Lao women who were quite pissed and the Lao guys were playing the music and supplying the drinks! When J and I left them we were feeling quite good as we walked back to town! Dam it felt good to kind of party and hang out with J again as we talked and walked back! But that was probably actually the last time the 2 of us hung out until the end of our trip!

Later that evening I went to the Reggae Bar as I usually did prob every evening cuz it was probably the best place for a single person like me who enjoyed smoking and meeting cool peep to hang out and enjoy themselves! Well J and the Americans (ha ha sounds like a 60’s Pop Group) came in and started playing chess and horsing around! So we all seemed to enjoy ourselves as the place always had good vibes!

Then the next morning I wandered by the bungalow J was staying to see what they were doing and one of the Americans told me J was out checking buses to take to Cambodia! So I wandered down and guess J saw me so called me to join them at this restaurant! So somehow J and I managed to book ourselves on the same bus out of Dodge/Don Det for the next morning! Also wanted to book a flight from Cambodia to Philippines as had planned as we both still wanted to go! The reason we were going to Cambodia (even tho I had been there b4 & enjoyed the country was cuz there were no flights from Laos to Philippines or would have done that instead!) So in my research well the cheapest ticket I could get were tickets from Phnom Penh (in Cambodia) to Clark Field outside of Manila in the Philippines for about $300 USD (just bought us 1 way tickets) which although seemed expensive was the still the cheapest ticket could get was on Tiger Airways! But what sucked was that about a 1 ½ hr flt the way a crow would fly would take us 24 hrs by Tiger Airways! LOL Cuz our flight went from Phnom Phenh in Cambodia to Singapore (cuz Tiger Airways is based there) so would have to stay over night at Club Changi and the next morning take the flight on to the Philippines! But I didn’t mind cuz heard that Changi Airport aka as Club Changi cuz of it’s decadance & it also catered to pax who had to stay over night and continue their flight the next day – which we would be doing!

https://foursquare.com/v/changi-international-airport-sin/4b0bd124f964a520e03323e3

I was still busy on the computer as the restaurant cuz it had pretty good internet connection unlike the other 2 or 3 Internet cafes on the Island! So J went back to their bungalow while I headed to the Reggae Bar and J met up with me later with the 2 American guys!

Well it seemed the 2 Americans were brothers & they seemed nice but what really surprised me was they didn’t seem to be the type that J would hang out with but here was J following them around like a puppy dog! But who was I to care as it was J’s business not really mine! Cuz about then well was starting to think wtf are we even thinking about hanging out and traveling any more! Cuz it was oblvious that we weren’t enjoying each other’s company which really sucked cuz we were the best of friends back home which is why I asked J to join me on this trip! We got along so well as we both didn’t give a shit about anything but just enjoying ourselves which wasn’t seeming to be happening on this trip!

Anyway hung out at the bar as met up with a few of the other travellers there like I did everyday! When the Pop group of J and the Americans came to the Reggae Bar later well they kind of kept to themselves playing chess and talking! So I never did really get a chance to introduce them to the interesting travelers that I met hanging out there! Hell one of the Swedish guys was interesting cuz he was claimed to be the guy with the most allergies of anyone in Sweden according to a newspaper in Sweden! Hell he was allergic to almost everything from the sun, to water, etc. But what was interesting was when I was telling him when I was in Mali in Africa well I became violently allergic to the heat or something! So had to get the hell out of there to Lebanon cuz my allergies were bugging the shit out of me! Well he told me hell man U’r allergic to Ur sweat! Holy shit didn’t know U could be allergic to Ur sweat but it made sense cuz when ever I was in the hot sun well I would end up scratching myself crazy! But not knowing what it was well shit I went to my family doctor, an allergy doctor, a skin doctor, a tropical disease doctor and finally in desperation to a Doctor of Clinical Hypnotherapy who put me under hypnosis! But it all contributed to my knowledge to make me realize that none of them cured me of my ailment!! But when the Swedish dude told me that was probably allergic to my sweat wow it made a lot of sense!

http://weightloss.answers.com/side-effects/could-you-be-allergic-to-sweat

So anyway would have been cool to have introduced J to the Swedish guys, a Swiss sheep herder who was going to Mongolia to work (as thought J might enjoy talking to him as J wanted to go to Mongolia to work while I wanted to go to Mongolia but not necessarily to work cuz they pay like fuck all there so why work??), a couple of Finnish peep, an American chick from North Cali who told me all about a Reggae Fest going on there in the summer which want to check out, a French dude who told me about Tonsai (a chill rock climbing beach village in Southern Thailand) and a few others I really wanted J to meet but oh well!  I did get a chance to introduce J to a young Vancouver kid who was nice! The reason I know is cuz think J ended up on the same bus out of Don Det as him cuz found out later that J changed and went to Siem Reap (so seems that J dumped the 2 American brothers so guess J figured hell they weren’t J’s type to hang out with as guess I wasn’t either but wtf shit happens lol) where J ended up staying for the rest of the trip but more on that later! So shit never really got a chance to introduce them cuz J and the Americans were too busy playing chess and keeping to them selves which was cool too as long as they enjoyed themselves!

Anyway the 2 Americans left the Reggae Bar while J hung around for awhile b4 also leaving the Reggae Bar in the afternoon! So at least J chilled enuf to smoke some weed but for a stoner didn’t do much cuz was kinda of paranoid or some thing or so it seemed! While I’d do the same shit regardless of where I am cuz don’t really drink but liked to smoke! But J did share a Ganja pizza with me at the Reggae Bar which was cool!! Anyway J told me that the 2 Americans had invited J to stay for free in Phonm Penh in Cambodia which kind of insinuated that J was doing one thing so guess I wasn’t included cuz wasn’t invited to stay with them! So that kind of sucked as it kind of hurt cuz the two of us talked about doing this trip and then after about 3 weeks of a 12 week trip well we separated and wouldn’t see or hang out anymore in SE Asia! Hell we hadn’t even gone to a beach yet or seen the Philippines (originally had thought of flying into Manila but thought might be cheaper to fly into and out of BKK which we did)! But what really sucked and troubled me for the rest of my trip was that was the last time J and I hung out on the trip until we met up in BKK just b4 our flight took us back to Vancouver!

But later was walking back to my bungalow as met this Chilean doctor chick who was staying in the room next to mine! Well J and the Americans (maybe off to play a Pop music gig LOL hell love that title!) were coming towards us but I didn’t even get to say hi as J shoved my sleeping bag (which J used on the Hill Tribe Trek and on the Terrace in Luang Prabang)! All J said was “I don’t want to carry YOUR Sleeping bag any longer but wtf J used it not me” but never got a chance to talk about who should carry it as I never got a chance to say a thing cuz was a bit stunned by the event and a bit stoned (would U believe quite stoned cuz why not as a person could get stoned on Don Det as it was all harmless plus never saw any cops or anyone hassling us not to smoke, drink or party while there cuz it’s super cool which is why loved hanging out there!!)

So went back to my bungalow to take a shower and then headed back to the Reggae Bar for the evening cuz wtf else did I do there?? But never saw J and the Americans that night or again even tho the next morning we were all planning to leave Don Det!

But that night I got super wrecked cuz like everyone leaving Don Det they usually smoke all their weed/stash or give their stash away! So since I was planning to leave Don Det in the morning well that night I smoked / shared most of my most of my stash (didn’t realize was going to leave the next day so had just bought a bunch of it the day b4 from my dealer the bungalow owner where I was staying!)!

Dam the next day wasn’t feeling too lively as kind of slept in! But wtf didn’t hurry cuz figured why even go on the same boat with J and the Americans cuz well they were staying in free accommodations in Phnom Penh (didn’t realize that J had changed destinations to go to Siem Reap so maybe we would have both gone to Philippines but hey given the time spent together in Laos maybe was best for both of us to enjoy ourselves) which meant that I wouldn’t be probably hanging out with them (not that I really cared given how J was acting towards me but hell it still sucked  but hell I believe in everyone doing what they want to do cuz when I travel don’t usually give a shit!!). But kinda later found a file that think J accidently left on my computer which really kinda of bothered me cuz every thing that J told me seemed liked so much BS! Hell J had written:

“i was suppose to go to phillipines, indonesia, borneo and south thailand, but since coming to siem reap, cambodia i have been having to good of a time--been here for one month and will stay till i leave---“. Also “well next time i will go to borneo, i had a ticket already paid to go to phillipines but just said fuck it, but i really wanted to go to borneo, seems so beautiful and wild, and not spoiled by tourists”!

Hell talk about feeding me a bunch of bull shit as J oblviously didn’t care if it bothered me or why leave the file on my computer as WILL NEVER FORGET READING THAT! Hell J had told me b4 that didn’t want to go to Borneo cuz was too conservative as lots of muslims but didn’t notice that when went there! But hell figure when someone does shit like that and kind of BS’s about it well that’s Bad Karma and will probably come back and affect them one day! Insha’allah 

http://randomwisdomblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/can-you-escape-karma

Anyway didn’t make the boat as planned as didn’t hurry so missed it! But what really sucked was that day I had no more weed cuz smoke or had gotten rid of all mine! (dam had I turn into such a big Stoner as that??) But what was cool & another reason didn’t mind missing the boat was the Reggae bar was having a big all-day party on a random island outside of town so I decided to go. The boat was leaving around 11 am which I could make but like Reggae Bars all over the world there’s no accurate timing that’s strictly enforced! But glad decided to check it out cuz it was a lot of fun with lots of food, liquor and of course lots of weed as one dude kept rolling up some big ass spiffs (a joint which candy assed light weight weed smoking Europeans smoke with cannabis and tobacco tho dislike smoking them cuz the tobacco gives me a dam headache plus it so dam weak! Hell North Americans smoke straight weed and so what if we get fucking stoned cuz after all isn’t that why we smoke?? Jamacians call it a Spiff too but it’s usually only weed in the spiff!) Had seen or met most of the 30 peep in the Reggae Bar!

But thought should leave the next day since had plane tickets to go to the Philippines so better get my black ass over to Phonm Penh to spend a week in Cambodia b4 heading to the Philippines! So the day after J and the Americans left well left myself on the boat to the mainland and then on a 6 or 7 hrs bus ride to Phnon Penh!

Btw still didn’t have a camera to use so sorry but U’ll have to check out these pics of Don Det in the 4000 Islands! Yeah I know all the pics belong to some other dude but wtf U still get an idea of what the place looks like! LOL

http://www.google.ca/search?q=don+det+4000+islands+laos&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=WrYiUuaTK4qNigKfsICgCQ&ved=0CEEQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=542

Oh forgot but one day was playing with what I thought was my fuked up camera & wtf it worked so like I did take a couple pics while chilling in Don Det! So may include a couple of pics of moi!

So even tho had some downer times waiting and hanging with my friend J (who started this trip with lol) in Don Det. Well have to say that Don Det was such a real cool chill place that was probably the best and only chill place in S E Asia until went to Tonsai in southern Thailand but more about that later in my blog! LOL ! Another thing that really sucked was I got all these email / contact addresses of cool travellers met in Don Det who wanted to keep in touch with but shit I accidently deleted them from my phone! Hell was so dam pissed at myself for weeks cuz now wouldn’t have any way to contact them cuz shit I didn’t give them my email as said I’d email them and then they’d have mine! What a major fuk Up that was LOL!!!

Yippee was finally back on the road again doing what I enjoy most – Traveling!! But was really fukin disappointed with traveling & seeing most of the center of Laos which was fukin boring!

Hell when left Luang Prabang it was with mixed emotions cuz it seemed when I left on my own that it was kind of like the end of our friendship!! But hell would find out later as time will tell but we didn’t travel together after Luang Prabang which kind of sucked! But think maybe a lot of that was my fault as my pride and stubbornness was party the problem!!!

The bus left Luang Prabang down highway 13 which connected Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng and Vientiane in the south! But I took it only to Vang Vieng as it was 7 long hours down highway 13 which is asphalt and in relatively good shape during dry season all the way to Vientiane. But, it is long, bumpy, and winding road trip. The road resembles a lunar landscape and there are endless potholes due to poor quality surface, the top layer eroded to reveal the gravel under layer, which causes a bumpy ride. Though there have been incidents of violence along this stretch of road in the past, although at present it is safe!

Many of us who have traveled around South East Asia have heard about tubing, an activity that dominates Vang Vieng and its visitors. Originally opened up by hedonistic backpackers, the atmosphere of the town itself is one of lethargy by day and debauchery by night: tourists sprawl out in the pillow-filled restaurants, termed "TV Bars", watching re-runs of US sitcoms, Friends and Family Guy episodes until the sun goes down, and then party heavily until the early hours. But fuk that wasn’t my style and it just reminded me of an drunken University town!

While a couple of kilometers up the river flowing thru the town, there was pulsating music, drinking games and drug-fuelled debauchery of the increasingly lively riverside "tubing" bars starts at lunch-time. NOTE: That there we signs for peep to be aware that roughly one tourist dies every month while jumping or tubing. Several more get severe injuries - every month, as there are many sharp rocks not visible under the water in many places along the river.So peep are told not to jump at all if you are drunk. It's very difficult to always predict where you will land in the water while jumping and there are almost always some rocks nearby!  

U can rent the tubes to float down the river and organize transportation up the river a few miles. Most peep go from around noon to 2 pm which is the best times to go because any earlier & fuk everyone would be still asleep. U get to look at the magnificent view of the mountains rising directly beside the river. U also see a lot of beer and other pit stops along the way. Also they encourage peep to try the diving stop and the swing if you deem it safe - and before drinking.             

But guess what really surprised me was that Laos had a closing time of 10 pm for all bars and restaurants! But hell Vang Vieng could have established itself as the exception to the rule that Laos doesn't have nightlife! Cuz it does have the potential as a base for adventure tourism to attract a few more sedate foreign sightseers. However, it can be considered a noisy "back-packer hell" and so those wishing to avoid noisy, selfish teenagers away from their parents for the first time! So f*ck instead these more sedate foreign sightseers some time seek something Laotian would do as well to either use Vang Vieng only as a base to explore the surrounding countryside or avoid it all together.

But FOUND I REALLY DISLIKED VANG VIENG as only stayed there about 2 days! Hell Vang Vieng is so small that I walked around as everything is easily reachable by foot so just walked around town and outside town along the river and to some caves called Tham Poukham - Blue Lagoon, which is 7 km west from town as maps are provided where you can rent bicycles but fuk had all day so just walked as was open 8 am -6 pm. As I kept to the main road & was OK. Found a spring fed a lagoon at the bottom of "Golden Cave"! It’s a nice place to relax, swim and play on the rope swing. The water is inhabited with a few hundred carp that will eat locally sold fish food out of your hand. The cave above requires a modest 100 m climb up a makeshift bamboo ladder. Once inside, there is a short walk to the Sleeping Golden Buddha and glimmering stalactites about 300 m further inside. 10,000 kip entry and 10,000 kip to rent a head-lamp, mandatory if you go deeper into the cave than the Buddha! Guides for the cave were advertised for 50,000 kip but was probably negotiable. But Guides were recommended to find the best way to climb through the cave as it can be quite difficult.

But fuk after 2 days I realized just how much I disliked Vang Vieng and especially the young peep who hang out there! Hell they’re a bunch of mostly young drunken English & Europeans prob away from home for the first time thinking that they were backpacking but fuk tho they may carry a back pack around they are far from being Backpackers! Hell I hate to be labeled a Backpackers cuz to me it’s similar to being a fukin drunk party person which I dislike with a passion!!

Well I finally got fufed up & decided to leave that fukin God forsaken shit hole! But first had to decide where I wanted to go??? I definitely didn’t want to go to Vietiane (the capital of Laos) so decided I’d go to southern Laos instead to Tha Khaek! Then could go to the Tham Nong Pafa Cave in Khammouan Province of Central Laos which is reputed to be awesome! It a popular base for exploring the Phou Hin Boun National Park including the famous Konglor Cave. It was also a popular base for exploring the Phou Hin Boun National Park including the famous Konglor Cave!

So bought a ticket from Viet Vieng to Tha Khaek with stop over for a bus change in Vietiane! Then another bus from Vietiane to Tha Khaek! The entire trip prob took about 12 hrs in total! Of course the trip was on a bloody full bus and which  dropped us off on some street instead of a bus station in Vietiane (after about 5 hrs) where we had to wait for 30 mins for a bus to take us to Tha Khaek which took another 7 hrs & 60'000 kip! But fuk we go to Tha Khaek about midnight to realize didn’t know anything about this shitty little town! Hell all the other foreigners who got off the bus with me were it seemed from Austrian! Hell most of them only seemed to speak German!! There was one Austrian chick who spoke pretty good English! But at least they didn’t mind me sharing a tuk tuk to find a guesthouse for the night as it was about midnight! Well we finally found a guesthouse but had to find someone to let us know if any rooms were empty then we found out that there were only 2 empty! Well some of the Austrians took one room so the Austrian chick who could speak English was traveling alone and was willing to share a room with me to get a room & to save some $!!! Funny thing was I didn’t even know her name but wtf never saw or spoke to her after that night sharing a room in that shitty little town!

Hell the next morning had to really search for a place to eat as the town was a real shit hole! But had kinda decided that shit the hell with checking out the touristy caves cuz seen one cave (already check out one in Viet Vieng) well seen them all! So decided that would skip the caves here and go on to Pakse considered the gateway to the Wat Phu ruins and the "Four Thousand Islands" (Si Phan Don)!

Figure the place & the peep made Luang Prabang the nicest city in Laos but hey that’s not saying much cuz the other cities were like such Shit Holes but guess cuz I’m not a fuking Tourist!!

So after our boring 2 day boat trip we got to Luang Prabang!

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/479

It’s one of those small cities with atmospheric and charming personalities, Luang Prabang is now on the radar screen of most tourists who have been or dream of going to Venice, Salzburg, Dubrovnik, Ubod, Hoi An, Cuzco, Oaxaca or Santa Barbara.

As a visitor, you cannot help but be amazed by the tidiness and cleanliness of perhaps the most charming city in all of Southeast Asia. With UNESCO so closely involved and a largely responsible group of local business owners, the pressures of mass tourism development have been held at bay, but for how much longer remains to be seen. Restaurants along the main street tend to be expensive and aimed at luxury tourists, while lower cost venues are along the banks of the Mekong.

Hell had no idea how long we were staying! So walked around Luang Prabang until we scored a cheap guesthouse! There was nothing special about the place except the price met our budget!!

Didn’t do too much in Luang Prabang for the first day or so but just walked around checking it out & met some peep staying at the same guesthouse as us an American/Filipino chick & her gay guy friend! But we did try out a few of the interesting & cheap places to eat & smoked the weed we scored!

Then we decided to buy a ticket to leave Luang Prabang in 4 days time which thought was more than enuf time there!

So after walking and checking the city we decided to rent bikes to see more of the place! So we rode around most of the day on our bikes in the hot sun!

http://www.google.ca/search?q=Luang+Prabang&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=h78DUoCzI6XJiQKK5ICICg&ved=0CE8QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=543  (U’ll have to check these pics cuz as had no camera! lol)

On the way back to our Guesthouse we decided to take the Banana Bridge (You have to spot the bridge crossing point on Nam Khan river, pay 5000kip to some kids and cross the rickety broken bamboo bridge, which looks like it will collapse sooner or later.) as a short cut back to the main part of the city where we were staying!

But just b4 crossing the bridge from the opposite side of the bridge from downtown there was a Gift Shop that J wanted to check out! So checked it out & met the sweet young couple Nic & Lan who operated the shop where they also lived! They were really nice & easy to get along with as enjoyed hanging out with them to learn more about the Laotian peep! Plus fuk Lan was my supplier of Laotian weed which really sucked compared to BC Bud (but wtf take it from an expert that it’s world renown 4 being fukin awesome!) but still better than any other shit I had in Laos or Thailand! Plus this source was safe & reliable as his supplier was a Tuk Tuk driver as went with him to get it a few times!

So ended hanging out with Nic & Lan at the Gift Shop a lot in the next couple days plus was a good place to smoke up! So they invited us to stay on the terrace by their Gift Shop! Hell we jumped at the idea cuz was free plus could chill on the terrace, look out over the river & Banana Bridge! Plus hell we ended up cooking and eating with them & hell could smoke in privacy with weed from our host! LOL

One night Nic & Lan took us & a couple Europeans (can’t remember their names or where they came from as they weren’t very talkative & definitely not charasmatic at all but were quite introverted) to a Laotian club to drink & dance! But we did meet 2 cool chicks (Vanesea & Veronica) from San Francisco who were cool & nice! Can’t remember much of the place but we all had a great time plus the 2 Americans came over to hang out with Nic & Lan to help do some work to help improve their business!

Also one night Lan & J picked up a live chicken which J helped kill and then pucked the feathers which was cool! Most of the time I just hung out and chilled for a few days even if I was starting to get a bit antsy!

But we enjoyed it there as J liked hanging out with Lan at her shop! Hell I really liked them too but wtf a Traveller like me can only look at so many gifts & chat so much about improving their business! Plus it also seemed that J wasn’t into talking very much anymore but that’s easy to understand cuz even good friends can get on each other nerves when U hang out together with someone 24 X 7 while traveling tho don’t think we ever argued!! But it got to the point that we weren’t even talking but just the basic things while we talke to Nic & the 2 V’s but mostly I would talk to Lan when he wasn’t working during the day and not busy!

So did a lot of chillin on my own and smoking on the terrace by myself! I’d also go for a walk across the Banana Bridge and chill walking on the walk way across the river! As was starting to get pretty bored as wanted to head off traveling again! Hell most of the time I’d be smoking as was starting to get a bit bored of what was happening! Hell we had already bought tickets to leave Luang Prabang so the night b4 we were to go it seemed J had no desire to leave the next day at least with me! So fuk being stubborn well said hell I’m leaving tomorrow even if I have to go by myself! So we said we’d meet up in a week or so in Four Thousand Islands in southern Laos! So I left Luang Prabang by myself on a bus to Viet Vang the next morning!

Hell the Slow boat ride from Thailand thru most of north western Laos to Laung Prabang was a big fuking disappointment!!

Shit it was Boring as hell & was NOT at all like what peep have said as had heard so many good things about the country!! But guess U have to be 20 & just out of college or a big drinker (Juicer) from Europe & not fukin Stoner from North America!!

So after doing as much damage in Thailand as we could (actually was so dam bland that it was like fuk all) left Chiang Khong early on Feb 5 to get 2 the Huy Xai, Laos ferry crossing & get our Visas! The whole process took about a 1 ½ hrs for everyone in the group which was cool considering how many there were of us & in the line! Hell we were on a bus cuz it was the only way out of Chaing Mai considering it was friggin Chinese New Years so couldn’t get a bus to Pia!!

But U know what really fukin sucked was Canadians were charged $42 for our Laos Visa while everyone else only had to pay about about $35!! Hell even the self proclaimed Rich Americans paid even less than Canadians! So changed the last of our Thai Bahts to Laos Kips! Not sure but think the exchange rate from Bahts to Kips was something like 1 Thai Baht = 695 Laos Kips! While it was like 8000 Kips to 1 CAD!!! So at least one thing was true about Laos as wasn’t that expensive which made it bearable!!!

So after getting our visas had to take a bus to the boat (cuz couldn’t walk as didn’t know where to go LOL)! A funny thing that happened was they were also selling these cushions for the boat ride at the same place we bought our ferry tickets as peep were told it was essential for the trip and sold for 50 Baht ($1.50)! So since nobody knew just how uncomfortable the boat’s seats were well most peep bought one just in case! But fuk nobody needed them and they just became excess shit to carry around but extra money for the boat company! LOL

Hell had heard stories of floating on a Slow Boat thru Laos! So sort of imagined a chillin fun time but NOT fuking So! The boat took us down the down river Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang! But first we had to spend the night in this small fukin town (Pak Beng or whatever it’s called)  half way to Luang Prabang!

The Chiang Kong to Luang Prabang portion of the trip was a different experience passing by beautiful scenery with relative comfort. Shit to say I was a bit disappointed was a fukin understatement as we found out that the boats were so comfortable and touristy (fuk could picture a lot of the pax at home doing a RV trip across Canada!) Hell the boat catered to tourists as they sold beer, water, soft drinks and baguettes with either cheese or tuna  with Chips, etc. not what I woild have thought for a slow boat ride thru supposedly fun Laos but a long fukin boring journey! Left at 11.30 am - arrived at Pak Beng (sp) at around 6pm for a great sunset as we docked. Hell the trip wasn’t even an adventure cuz if done right it could have been one of the transport highlights of traveling thru SE Asia instead of a hum drum boring ride in a boat with all the bland fly in, pickup & delivered to hotel tourists with just a handful of interesting locals!

Stayed the night at Pak Beng or whatever it’s called which was just as boring as the boat trip but hell can handle any place one night! But we did score some weed & a bit of opium (just to try) from the guesthouse owner like at most guesthouses both to spice up an otherwise boring friggin non adventurous boat trip! But the shit they sold us didn’t do much for us cuz hell opium did nothing like the last time I tried it! But wtf like the old saying “when in Rome well do what the Romans do!!”

So fuk on the 2^nd day of the boat trip well had to spice up the trip had to head to the back of the boat to smoke up to make the trip bearable! In the mean time my J was immersed in a book as think was too paranoid to indulge like we did back home (blah) & hell was the reason invited J to have fun on the trip but wtf that’s actually not only reason!! So think that was the beginning of the end of us hanging out to do the trip!!

So all in all it was a bit of a boring 2 day trip but WTF how often do you get to spend two days floating down one of the world’s great rivers? 

Didn't have a camera that worked so if U want to see some pictures well check out this link.

http://www.worldlynomads.com/index.php/laos-mekong-river-pak-beng/ 

One of my Weirder/Shittier trips as journeyed thru SE Asia (will never go to mainland SE Asia again as now find it bland & boring with nothing Adventurous!!!) plus decided to travel with someone!!!

OK, so I took a trip from Jan to Apr 2013 which is what I'm posting here on my travel blog b4 I go on my next trip this fall of 2013, Insha'Allah!

I learned a lot from this Trip as it was totally different than most I’ve taken lately!! Cuz I decided to travel with someone which I never do so it also made it the hardest trip to blog as Not sure if I got my friend's true impressions as I saw it but wtf this is my travel blog!!

But guess it all started as I met a real cool person J who’s a total Stoner like myself which was probably the basis of our friendship! So we hung out for most of the summer just chilling, camping & yeah just hanging out doing Bleja! (Serbian for doing fu*k all!) Yeah and also got invited to some cool camping, hot springs & an isolated island which was so frigging awesome! So really wanted to reciprocate by inviting them along on my trip in about 6 months!!

Mistake #2 was changing my itinerary as decided to head to SE Asia rather than going to South Africa as originally had hoped to do!! Well mainly did it cuz thought it would be easier to do what we both liked to do (smoke weed & piss around more freely) in SE Asia rather than in S. Africa!! Also cuz really feel like we could chill out more in SE Asia than in S. Africa. But my friend was so friggin' paranoid about getting busted (can’t say as prob blame J) that it kind of f*cked up our trip but more bout that later!

Anyway thought J was cool which is why I thought we could travel together as am totally into just hangin out, chillin, sharing & enjoying! But shit really just wanted to check out Laos & Philippines that missed on previous trips so thought would use Bangkok as sort of a base to fly into and out of the countries in the Region! 




So left Vancouver think about Jan 20, 2013 (adding date as never actually remember when did what) on JAL & the flight to SE Asia was uneventful except for not being able to book the seats we wanted in an Exit Row! But we did get one, well sort of one on the second flight we had from Tokyo to Bangkok after a short stop in Tokyo to change planes. Just had enuf time at Narita airport to grab a typical meal & beer at a typical expensive Japanese eatery which cost us about $30! Hell is that country expen$ive!!!! Cuz we just shared a small noodle dish & a beer and it cost us like equivalent to $30!!!

So ended up in Bangkok around 11 PM which is  about 17 hrs ahead of home!! So the first night thought why not stay out by the airport so wouldn’t have to travel around cuz was kinda late to go around finding a real nice place! So booked a room at the Plai Gardens Guesthouse as it was close to the airport & had a shuttle bus from the airport! Since wouldn’t get to Bangkok till 11 pm and wouldn’t get to the Guesthouse till 1 am or so after going thru immigration!

Plai Gardens Guesthouse worked out great as probably the only time that would have a room with an Air Con!! But wtf it was included for about $16!! So next day headed into the city of Bangkok on the Sky Train/Metro to find cheaper accomodations & get into the reality of travelling!! Took the Metro as far as we could and then took a bus as were heading to Koh San Road where most of the backpackers (dislike being called a backpacker myself as prefer traveller) stayed as it had lots of cheaper guesthouses and other amenities! Actually bypassed Khao San Road because it was so crowded and found a street close where there were a lot of cheap places!

Shit the first thing I noticed in Bangkok was that dam Thailand was even more touristy than remembered!!! But also imagine that all the other countries in SE Asia were probably also a lot more touristy too!! But that’s cool as J had never been to Asia or to a 3^rd Country before so this all was one big new exploration! So this was a bit different as usually travel on my own but decided to share my travel with a special friend! The last time I traveled with someone was with my ex wife and it went Ok even if it’s very hard to be with someone 24X7!!

Found a cheaper Guesthouse Lamphu House for 420 baht/$12 for 2 with a fan and shared bathroom! It was pretty full but managed to get the last double room! So we stayed there for about 6 days to finalize some personal business!

Then f*ck did some touristy things even tho it’s really NOT my thing  (cuz it hardly ever involves adventure!!!) plus have had been to Bangkok a few times already but this was the first time for J in Bangkok & SE Asia so decided to be a nice guy so shit tried being a bit of a tourist!

So checked out the sights along Pat Pong Road which would show J the entertainment area where all the Girly Boys and shows like Ping Pong Balls take place! But never went into see any cuz neither of us were really that interested plus wanted to spend the $! Cuz were on a tight budget we tried to take city buses and not taxis or tuk tuks where possible! Also ate in out of the way Thai places or off street carts! Luckily both of us were OK as were cool, open minded and flexible to do that cuz not high maintenance! Hell often shared our plates of food as we didn’t eat a lot in hot weather!

Was being a real nice guy by hangin out & helpin indulge J in doing some shopping as bought some Indian clothes and jewellery as J has a bit of Indian blood! Also must have visited a 100 Temples as J liked to take pictures! One day we walked to the Royal Palace but didn’t go inside but I did have to put on a sort of sari to cover my legs to show respect! Yeah I looked dorky as usual with the skirt! We also took a tour of the Floating Markets which J really enjoyed as we glided over the water on these funky Thai boats! We talked to a Dutch guy who was with a Thai girl as I thought it was kind of disgusting as he was kind of slopply and fat! But that’s SE Asia as guess money talks! J also got a few massages to try and correct a sore neck! The going rate of exchange was 30 Bahts to 1 CAD!

Also had an American friend John (who I met in Bucharest Romania and hung out with to go to Dracula’s Castle) come to visit us at the Guesthouse! He was working in Bangkok and came to visit after working all night and coming a bit out of way as he lived near the Northern Bus Station in BKK!

We also took a tour of the Death Railway! I had never seen a lot of these touristy places b4! But it was cool to see the Death Railway as it had a lot of historical significance during the 2^nd World War! So there were a lot of Japanese & a lot of other tourists there (but where weren’t they?)! Also got to visit the Tiger Rehabititation place which was very interesting and J really enjoyed handling and petting the Tigers!

Went to Ayattara a historical city which was the old capital of Thailand/Siam! It was probably the best day I had on the trip as rented bikes and just biked around the city like we did back in Vancouver! (probably the only real fun activity that actually did while hanging together as even had a smoke behind one of the temples &went for a ride!!) One time when we were biking by a garbage truck J grabbed the truck to be pulled and almost ran into a parked tuk tuk! We also bought an entire cooked fish and went to the river to eat it and watch some men playing some gambling game! I wanted to take a picture but they didn’t want me to as it of course was illegal gambling! We had taken the local bus to the northern bus station and caught a bus (140 B each) to Ayattara & had to walk & took a boat across the river to the old city! Then we noticed that the train station was close by so we caught the train back to Bangkok (40 B each)! So we ended up at the Hua Lamphong Train station (which I remember from my first visit to BKK cuz at that time it was in a real seedy area with cheap cheap guesthouses) a bit away from our Guesthouse! So like fools we decided to walk back there but had no idea where we were going cuz it was dark! So we finally had to end up catching a tuk tuk!

Then shit after about 6 days of playing tourists we took an overnight sleeper bus (1954B/$65 as it served as accommodation for the night) from the Northern Bus Station to Chaing Mai! The seats reclined about 70 degrees which made it quite comfortable for sleeping!

We got into Chaing Mai about 5 am and thought I had booked a Guesthouse there just b4 we left BKK! However I didn’t get to see the reply which said it was fully booked due to the upcoming Chinese New Years in a week or so! F*ck wish I knew that it was going to be Chinese New Years cuz hell this brought about a billion Chinese into an already crowded touristy Thailand, Laos & Cambodia!!! Then I kept being told that in the next year there will be a Railway built from China to Bangkok! Sure glad will never go to those countries again!!

We had to take a pickup truck from the bus station to the guesthouse I thought had booked! The pickup truck carried not only us but others too! So we got off in the sort of guesthouse area of the city and made our way to the Awanna house Guesthouse! But it was fully booked and had sent me an email to tell me but of course I didn’t see it! So we walked around checking other guesthouses but they were all full too! So we finally came by a tattoo studio/parlour Joker Bros which had it’s folding steel doors closed but with a sign saying pull it up and wait until someone came in! So we went inside and waited for a hour until the tattoo artist/guesthouse owner came down! They only had dorm rooms left so we took it for 200 Bahts and J took one with a locker in another dorm room for 220 B.

So stayed one night and then booked a Hill Tribe trek for 5000 B for 2 for 3 days! Fuk not sure why I suggested the Hill Tribe Trek cuz did it b4 and now think about it didn't really enjoy it except the interaction with these indigineous peep! (but must say in after thought didn't really enjoy this trek either!!) But had to do some shopping for the trek! So spent most of day shopping for J to get Nike running shoes (1800 B/$60) as the other shoes we saw sucked, a day pack, a sweater for (300 B) and some sort of underwear to keep warm in the hills! I bought a pair of socks which would absorb sweat and dry quickly but when I wore them well they sucked!

So then were ready to go trekking in the hills! We went with a group of 8 peep! There were the 2 of us, a couple of 20 yr old Brits on their first overseas trip on their way to Aussie on a working holiday visa, an older Israeli guy who had just got a divorce, a couple from Germany and an older quiet German guy who told J that he liked girly boys?? Plus of course the Karin guide who was quite entertaining and good!

We left the starting point and trekked about 1000 m up hill the first day! Then it started to rain and we got quite wet by the time we reached the first huts in a village to sleep! The guide did our cooking and got the breakfast and lunch for the next day ready! We stayed in huts away from the actual village so J and I then walked to have a beer and talk (they couldn’t speak English so we did it by gestures)! A young Karin guy of the hill tribe on a motor bike came by and we bought him a beer or 2 and he got a bit drunk as he had been drinking b4! He then gave us a ride back to our huts on his bike as he drove a bit fast and crazy but it was all good fun! When we got back to the huts we invited him for a beer & the others were a bit shocked that we invited him back to our huts! The British guys said we were the type to bring rowdies to the huts but we didn’t think they were! The others were too shy or didn’t want to associate with the locals! The Israeli guy told us he was a busker in New Zealand so we asked him to sing for the Hill tribe guy but he said he was too shy! We got the impression that they wanted to do the Hill Tribe Trek but not really meet the Hill Tribe peep! While J and I enjoyed hanging out and meeting the Hill Tribe peep! The first night we got separate sleeping arrangements as J and I had our own kind of room if u could call it that! I guess I wasn’t too good company in the morning as I was kind of grumpy as thought J hogged my blankets during the night! Hell had lent J my one sleeping bag while I used the other thin sleeping bag not really suitable for colder weather!

So the next day we trekked about 800 m and visited a cave to get out of the rain! We found that J’s camera didn’t work as it got a bit wet! So let J my camera to J took more pics than me! But unluckily J lost my camera in a stream and told me at lunch time! So 4 of us hurried back to look for it but couldn’t find f it! I was a bit pissed as it had a lot of pic’s and some personal stuff on the 16 GB Memory Card! So for the rest of the trek we couldn’t take any pics! So the 2 Brits and Israeli offered to let us have their pics!! I think J felt quite bad but what could u do as it was an accident!

Of course it rained again even tho we were told it hardly ever rains at that time of year! I was thinking and not paying much attention to where I was going on the trek so I sort of got lost! But luckily J noticed and came looking for me along with the guide! I was way up in the hills above where they were so had to yell to let them know where I was! I finally met up with them at a waterfall where the others were swimming! It was only a 10 mn walk to the next huts we would sleep at! At this hut we all slept in one big room under of course mosquito nets like the previous night! We had an enjoyable evening sitting around drinking beer and talking! J and I went and helped the woman wash dishes and went inside their hut to help cook or whatever! But the others never helped or even met the woman or her family!!

The 3^rd and last day we didn’t have a very long trek so we were finished by about 2 pm! We had to wait for a bus/truck to return to Chaing Mai so we went to check out the Hill Tribe stuff for sale and I bought a bracelet and J bought a top!

When we got back to Chaing Mai well stayed at the Joker Bros Guesthouse again! But this time we had booked a double room to get some peace and quiet! The night b4 we went trekking when we stayed in the dorms well some guys were drinking and talking until about 3 am so only got maybe 3 hrs sleep! The double room only cost us 250 Baht and the dorm 100 baht so it only cost us 50 baht more for the quiet and peace from the dorms! The funny thing is the 2 young Brits (Chris and Chris) couldn’t get a room at their other guesthouse so they ended up staying at ours!

Since we had lost our one good camera (the other one no longer worked as got wet) we asked the owner if there was a place in Chaing Mai where we could buy a camera! He told us that there was this big mall with many places to buy a camera! So we went there and found a Canon shop as we both liked Canons as that’s what we both had b4! We bought a point and shoot camera for about 4200 B/$140 which was probably better than the one we lost! So now at least J had a camera to use as I didn’t take a lot of pics anyway!

Then J saw these places giving shots to help with U’r weight (duh, not that J needed help with weight!!!) so got a couple which cost 12400 B/$400. So was happy that J could get these shots for that price as it was a lot more back in Canada!


Then that evening a bunch of the peep at the Guesthouse were going dancing so we went too! I had been drinking so got a bit drunk and then got some weed to smoke too! So we went to this Reggae bar/dance place! We lost the 2 Brits Chris and Chris along the way as we went to another club which kind of sucked! But all in all we had a good time! Then the next night I got a bit stoned so went to the Reggae bar and came back to get J to come but didn’t stay long!




Another night J lined up some peep to go to a Thai night club but the others didn’t show up so the 2 of us went by tuk tuk to the place! All there seemed to be there were a bunch of young rich Thai’s going to a Club! The place had some live entertainment with a couple of guys playing some slow music! Then another group was a group of musicians and a singer! It was cool to hear but not the type of place I’d go twice! 




Then J saw there was another Tiger sanctuary which she wanted to see! So J went inside while I waited outside as didn’t want to spend the money as already seen one! But of course this Tiger Sanctuary turned out to be better than the one saw in Bangkok! But I wasn’t interested but wtf J got to enjoy playing and handling Tigers!  


We spent a couple days in Chaing Mai just walking around talking pictures and seeing the sights! Then one day J got a cold and fever from little sleep and rest! I think this was the beginning of the end of us travelling as I think traveling together was not a good idea! Cuz think I was too bitchy in the morning and complained a lot! Also I like to be on the go all the time while J liked to stay in one place longer to prevent getting run down and sick! So I went and got J some cold mediation and sleeping pills to rest!

So then it was time to go as wanted to go to Pia a small cool village in the hills! J wanted to do a video with hookers so we went down to area and made one with Hookers singing! But unfortunately it was close to Chinese New Years so there weren’t any buses to Pia so that ended that idea!




So the only way out of Chiang Mai it seemed was sort of a bus tour to Chiang Khong and into Laos! So even tho wanted to take a night bus out of Chaing Mai it was full so booked leaving the next day! So got our passports scanned and got some more visa pics printed in preparation for crossing the border into Laos and getting Visas! Also got our clothes washed after the rainy muddy trek!      




So took a bus for 1400 bahts each to go to Laos and a slow boat! We left early in the morning in a mini bus and of course who was on the bus but Chris and Chris the 2 young Brits!! We stopped in Chaing Rai and visited the White Temple which was the best temple saw in Thailand or anywhere! It was only built about 20 years ago and was a funky white temple with a lot of Pop Art type paintings inside and out! There were pictures of Michael Jackson, Star Wars, etc in and around the temple along with skeleton heads hangin on trees outside! Completely different than any other temples around!

Then we stopped and stayed the night at Chiang Khong by the Laos border! Didn’t do too much except go for a walk to their downtown area which didn’t have much! We got our evening meal included in the trip which was nothing special!


So it was time to get the f*ck out of Dodge (Thailand) for Laos after realizing couldn't go to Pia (a chill place further in the hills cuz it was f*ckin Chinese New Years with a billion peep from China in Thailand!) so couldn't do our own thing but had to take a sort of a bland touristy bus & boat from Chaing Mai, Thai to Luaung Prabang, Laos via the Chiang Khong, Thai - Huy Xai, Laos ferry/border crossing! 

BTW kind of lost one camera & ruined the other so f*ck have no pictures to show U for Thailand but wtf have bin dar dun dat b4 anyway can find awesome pics online except no pics of peep which is cool as dislike my pic taken anyway! But hell U can check this site as every pic I could take wouldn't look as good as these pics online! Plus f*ck U see one pic of Thailand, Laos or Cambodia well shit U've seen everything! LOL




http://www.google.ca/search?q=bangkok+and+northern+thailand&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ryIEUp72NKafiAKhuoCgCQ&ved=0CIMBELAE&biw=1024&bih=543

                

Life is amazing so let's try & enjoy it to the fullest!

I'd never trade my wonderful life, loving family or amazing friends for being someone else or having more. I’ve become more chill, kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't worry about myself if all I eat are cookies all day, not being conventional, not being successful in my job, have a solid job or even gave up a successful paying job cuz it wasn’t me anymore or whatever. I am entitled to march to my own drum, travel for months, be extravagant & not commit or be responsible, etc. So basically like I don't give a F*ck as I don’t care to go with the normal flow! Some people have called me a Friggin Crazy Idiot, Useless fool, Unconventional, Nonconformist, Free Spirit, etc. but gave up caring what others think long ago! I've seen too many people who only work & don't enjoy themselves so they end up leaving this world; before they really understood the great freedom that comes with living. They've never had the freedom of doing whatever they want hell maybe it's working! Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I can sing & dance by myself to whatever awesome tunes I love, and at the same time be sad over a lost love .... even if the love was not really mine cuz it's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all! The important thing is I've loved life and had the love of the ones that count - my family and close friends! Should I care what others think if I get another wild piercing, crazy tattoo, dress like a slob, act like a bit of a weirdo, say stupid things with no tact, not be in a relationship, not get laid whenever I want, etc. So what if someone from the opposite sex doesn’t give you a second look or thinks you’re a loser! Life isn’t about being attractive to people but having solid relations/friendships with your family & people you consider friends! Those that mind don’t matter & those that matter don’t mind, like how you look as they see the inner you! Hell life isn’t about being rich & having a hot car, beautiful house, hot partner, etc. Success is being content with your life, having true friends and family that care for you! Cuz these people are true & don’t judge you on those things. But they are there for you, are loyal, dependable, helpful & listen to you, etc. So what if I walk the beach with or without any clothes even if I may be ugly, short and may look out of shape! Cuz I can still dive crazily into the waves with abandon if I choose, despite the laughter from the jet set who find it disgusting. Hope they, too, can get to the point in life someday where they just don't give a f*ck! So what if I smoke some weed when I want (would u believe almost every day?), have a few drinks & party like a Rock Star! (any or all nights of the week as don't have weekends!!) Hell like should I worry if some people may judge me for it! It’s about doing what I want to do and not what society expect as most people live by those standards. Shit I live within the legal, moral & safe life boundaries, well at least most of the time! But there again, some of my life may just as well be forgotten. As I only want or can remember the important things. Sure, over the years my heart may have been broken. How can your heart not be broken when you lose someone you loved who's a family member or close friend, a relationship ends, a child or someone you care for suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength, understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine & sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect. The thing to remember are the good times we shared with the people who have left us & we miss or those that are suffering! I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have travelled, met some cool interesting people from many countries who have become my friends. So what if my youthful laughter may be forever etched into deep grooves on my homely face. Hell so many have never laughed about crazy shit that's happened or they've done in their awesome life, said to hell with society to do whatever they felt like doing as many have never left their comfort zone! Hell I believe u have to live on the edge sometimes to get your adrelaine going and live Life!! I don't worry about getting older as it's easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think! It sets people free. But until that time I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I won't waste time worrying what others think or worry about what will be. So what if I smoke or drink every day (if I dam well feel like it). But my hope is that any of my friendships never come apart especially since it comes straight from the Heart! So may you always have awesome Smile on your face & in your heart forever and ever. Love your Family & Friends Forever!

Went to India on a Whim to maybe find some Spiritual Enlightenment but instead found a different kind of Enlightement & love with some awesome Indians! Which was more meaningful to me in the big picture!!

I posted my pictures to Facebook cuz most of my friends are from overseas and also want to keep in touch but other than a few friends well don’t communicate with friends on Facebook in Vansterdam !!! Also use Facebook cuz it’s easier to post pics on there then on my travel blog! So bear with me and put up with Facebook even if u dislike it as realize a lot of people use Facebook to post some real shit on there! Which is why I actually dislike that media!

Yeah so OK I know u won’t probably use Face book as u dislike it or don’t have a computer! But if u don't use a computer then how the hell are u reading this? Or maybe u must be using some shit like an friggin' iPhone so then u can follow my travel adventures on my travel blog!
http://www.whereisthefreespiritguy.blogspot.com

I do a lot of traveling cuz I’ve been blessed with enuf money, balls to do it and the health to put up with the stress and poor living conditions to travel to some poor country and places that I stay! Also the food and water I put in my body aren't usually that good!! But shit if the places I traveled to was like back home! Hell I wouldn’t go there cuz it’s the adventures and experiences that I feed off when on the Road!! Cuz yeah I love going to out of the way hard to get to places if possible! That’s not to say don’t love going to run of the mill places too! But shit man dislike touristy places even tho some will say I’m a tourist too even if I consider myself a traveler!! Guess I go to out of the way places cuz they’re cheaper! Cuz like I usually travel for about 3 months as figure if I have to spend good $$ on a flight why the hell not stay a while and see more than one place!!! Hell in 2008/2009 I traveled for 9 months from Mexico, Central America, South America to Buenas Aires Argentina. But shit after 4 months an Amigo in Venezuela got me a cheap return ticket back home as needed a vacation from my travels! Lol So took a vacation from my trip/vacation! So then cut my next trip in 2010 to just 6 months to go from Spain, Morroco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and was heading to the heart of Africa down to S. Africa but shit got sick with a bad skin rash & itch!!! So instead headed to Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Iraq, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany and Holland! Then in Oct 2011 to Jan 2012 went for 3 months to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet countries to Instanbul, to Ethiopia to Abu Dhabi and Bahrain! Now on the spur of the moment bought a ticket for India for 3 months but stayed less cuz forgot to do any research as friggin’ Monsoon season was about to start along with School vacation in all of India which made it f*ckin’ near impossible to get a train, bus or any other cheap mode of transportation!!! Along with that any accommodations! So yeah hung out on the beaches of Goa just chillin’ doing a bit of 420 and stayed away from the usual drinking and carrying on that I do on a lot of my trips!!!

So yeah my trip to India for a bit over a month was a totally different experience and adventure! Cuz I made friends with and hung out with 2 poor Hindu cousins who had no formal education! But what the hells the difference cuz we could communicate and got a long really well plus we learned a lot from each others! Hell our backgrounds and culture were like worlds apart! But I got to love them and was really sad to say good bye to them! Hell I know that one day will go back to visit them! One thing I have to really fight is not to try and help them monetarily cuz like I don’t have anything myself! But compared to them shit I’m a gazillionaire! But that doesn’t matter cuz we all just try to share love and tranquility in living our lives the best we can!!! I got to really love my friend Sunita cuz she was sooo nice and couldn't help but feel sooooo sorry for Hindu chicks cuz they have really no privileges or rights in life! Hell they can’t go out to meet anyone on their own or even meet someone like who isn’t their husband or potential one! Shit I love that girl as she is such a beautiful person and so unlike any one I've met before! She is such a happy chick with a beautiful smile that warmed my heart! Hell the first time I saw and met her I was overwhelmed by her beautiful smile as it lit up her entire face!! I thought shit with the way her life is she actually doesn’t have much to be happy about or nothing to look forward to in life! She didn’t know what love was about, had no sexual urges like most people would in their mid 20’s, or knew what it was like to really like someone of the opposite gender! All of this plus her personality got me to really love her & I tried to help her make some money in her job so I bought some shit I wouldn’t normally get! Like some clothes, bracelets, a henna, foot massage (a Hindu woman can not give a guy a body massage only a guy could give it to another guy), etc. Sunita finally started to realize that a Hindu woman has little or no rights as compared to the men or Christian women! She told me she doesn’t want to get married but shit her mother is dirt poor so probably couldn’t pay the dowry (even tho it's supposedly outlawed in India now!) anyways! She was so loving and caring as she would spend a lot of time buying some over priced meat (for her), cook a meal and invite me over about every evening! So I felt bad as she would buy meat or fish which they couldn’t afford cuz they thought I’d want meat! So I told them that I’d eat what ever they ate as don’t have to treat me any different cuz in reality I’m not a big meat eater as it kind of bloats me and makes me friggin’ sluggish! So I gave them money for the expensive meat they’d buy just so I’d have some meat with my meal!! I’m sorry but can’t tell u how much love I had for Sudhir, Sunita and her adopted niece and younger sister! They’d bend over backwards to please me! They always offered to take me places cuz Sudhir had a motorbike so drove me around everywhere like a taxi! Then we went on a road trip and we rented a small car from Sunita’s brother’s boss for just $10/day!! So I couldn’t help but want to spend time hanging out with them! I learned a lot about living life as best u can, being dirt poor, working hard not complaining and probably simply existing from day to day with little or no future to look forward to!

Yeah I went to Goa to also meet up with my beautiful Russian friend Olga as we were really good friends as we met, hung out and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company in Ethiopia! But shit when I got to Goa and met my 2 Indian friends well I decided to hang out with them rather than travel with Olga to Nepal to renew her Indian Visa! However we are still real good friends as think she understands that I had to help my 2 Indian friends at that time more than hang and travel with her!

Yeah went to India for some Spiritual Enlightenment but found some other kind of Enlightenment! Plus met some awesome nice Indian people who I got to really love and care for! So hopefully one day I can return and visit them again! Been to India a couple times before but wanted to see some new places. But didn’t actually see as much of India as had hoped to but got another more awesome experience instead! I usually meet and get to know locals in every country I visit as enjoy meeting the basic normal even poorer people as they are the types of people I truly enjoy meeting! But if someone would have said before I went to India on this trip that I would become such good friends with poor Hindu people that I loved like them well I wouldn’t have believed them. But shit regardless I wouldn’ t have changed anything for that experience! I will never forget them as truly love and care about them!!

However the next time I go to India well I’ll research the weather and time of year! Cuz want to see places that I’ve missed in my previous 3 trips there!

You can see some pictures I took and some verbal shit I wrote on my Facebook wall even tho I actually dislike using it! But it's easier to post pictures on FB than on my blog!

Crazy trip to India & didn't like Goa but never made it away!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151584725840527.842194.751750526&type=3

What a traveler does when kinda F*ckin’ stuck in Goa b4 Monsoons! 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151587807090527.842538.751750526&type=1

What the hell is that but an Aquarium in Dubai!!!

Aquarium_in_Dubai

There's a bunch of my postings that I haven't finished or added my thoughts or experiences to as yet! But hey it's only been 3 or 4 months so will get around to it soon insha'allah! So if u want to read wtf went on well check back again in another 3 or 4 months time!