Outside of Bangkok, Thailand, Vientiane (Laos) is only the 2nd capital city that I have visited in Southeast Asia.. That being said - the contrast between these two cities are a difference of night and day. While Bangkok is a sprawling cosmopolitan city which throbs with life and activity, Vientiane, with an estimated population of about 500,000 inhabitants, has a small town feeling and is decidedly provincial in flavor. While not quite as laid back as Luang Prabang, the pace here is decidedly slow. While I was only in Vientiane three days, I would hasten to say that every day feels like a lazy Sunday. Unlike Bangkok, which is famous for its traffic jams and air pollution, there is relatively little traffic congestion here and the air is very breathable. Like Bangkok, there are a fair number of people riding motorbikes, but many of the people can be observed riding bicycles as well. In addition, Tuk-tuk drivers will solicit you for their service, but they are not quite as aggressive as their counterparts in Bangkok.

One thing that I love about Vientiane is that while they are many cafes and bakeries, there are no Starbucks on the scene. Of course, as Laos is a former French colony,
one can have some delicious Laotian coffee with fresh baguette and jam almost at any café. Every day is Sunday in Vientiane…it is that slow.

Bicycling around Luang Prabang at night, there is such a serene, tranquil ambiance about this small town-cum tourist mecca of about 30,0000 people or so, Even when passing thru the night market - a stretch of 200 meters of local merchants displaying their handcrafts and wares -there is a wonderful calm in the air. All the merchants were oh so polite and friendly. I have never been in small town of this size in my travels around the world that is so idyllic and peaceful.

Sounds a like little bit like Shangri-La, huh? Well on my last night in Luang Prabang, while bicycling back to my abode, Thongbay Guesthouse, I was the victim of a crass prank by two teenage boys. Out of the blue, I heard a loud scream/roar in my right ear. Startled and somewhat frightened, I looked over my shoulder and I saw two teenage boys bicycling the other direction. Laughing and snickering out loud, I guess they enjoyed the scaring the living daylights out of the great Hanumann. While they scurried away, I uttered a series of expletives and threats against their manhood. Naturally, they were too cowardly to return to the scene of their dastardly joke and face the wrath of Ling Yai (the Big Monkey)

Returning to Chiang Dao in Northern Thailand, I once again stayed at Malee’s, one of my favorite guesthouses in all of Thailand. I was really pleased at the improvements that Ms. Malee has made to her small guesthouse-cum- nature resort. She has added a massage pavilion, a rooftop lounge-dining area for special occasions and has expanded her garden dining area. When I arrived, she had just finished hosting a wedding party for a younger sister who married a gentleman form Europe and the lavish decorations were still up. In addition, she has improved the landscaping around the property, adding more colorful flowers and the like and has added several new deluxe bungalows with linoleum floors and wrap around terraces. Also I am happy to report that all the ceilings in the bathrooms of the older bungalows have been raised to a height of about 76 inches, so most people, unless they are NBA size, won’t have to stoop anymore.

One thing that has not changed is the warm hospitality and the delightful personality of Ms. Malee. Now that Som , her brother from Bangkok, has joined her for the high season, Malee has some much-needed help around the place. Then there is Peter, her adorable little 4-year-old boy. He took a really liking to Hanumann - Ling Yai (the big monkey). I renamed him Ling Lek (the small monkey) When I called out to Peter “Ling Yai”, pointing to myself, he would respond and say “Ling Lek”. Nothing like showing respect to Hanumann! Rates are 500 Baht for standard bungalow and 900 Baht for the deluxe bungalow.

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet in the Thailand’s’ rural countryside, Malee’s should be at the very top of your list. Definitely one of the best small nature resorts in all Thailand!

While bicycling early this evening thru the very serene town of Luang Prabang, a local passed me by on bicycle and solicited me to buy some Opium. Funny thing - On back of his T-Shirt it read ‘Be Drug Free”. I guess he wasn’t practicing what he was preaching. Laughing to myself, I ignored him. Of course, he came back for a 2nd sales pitch and I pretended I did not know what he was talking about. This was the very first time that someone in this small town has solicited me for drugs.

Later on, I stopped at Jomo, a small upscale bakery-cafe for something to eat. The young waitress served me my cup of coffee and apple croissant to my table outside. Upon leaving, I left a small tip of 3000 Kip (about 30 cents) on the table for the young waitress, Hopping on my bicycle, she called out to me - ‘Sir, you forgot some of your money on the table” to which I replied, young lady, that is you tip. She smiled, ‘waied me” saying Kop Jai (Thank you) with a smile on her face. I guess she’s not used to getting any tips from farangs.

Most popular expression among the local vendors in the night bazaar is ‘Lucky for you” meaning it will bring you good luck if you buy something from them.

One of my primary objectives on this recent trip to Thailand was to cover the much hyped up Royal Flora Expo, Thailand’s international horticultural exposition, which is being staged about 10 miles outside of the northern city of Chiang Mai. The Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk (the official name of the Expo) is one of the many events staged to commemorate the King’s 60th year on the throne.

On the surface, I never would have guessed it was a horticultural exposition that I was attending. Yes, there were exhibits by many participating countries as well as a special exhibit showcasing Thailand’s many species and varieties of orchids, but from what little I saw of this horticultural extravaganza, I was let down and disappointed. Maybe I was victim of my own hype - to be fair, I only spent a scant 3 1/2 hours at the expo during the late afternoon hours of November 28, so I really have to hedge my disappointment. In retrospect, I‘m sure there must be some very interesting individual horticultural exhibits and show gardens to see, but due to my physical condition and time constraints, I did not have the opportunity to check them out.

Certainly, the commerciality of this event cannot be ignored - there were banners and signs throughout the grounds touting Toyota and the other sponsors of the Expo. In addition, the organizers strategically lined up all the concessionaires about 300 yards before the exit to maximize their profit and sales potential. Needless to say, there were a variety of crafts and souvenirs being offered - yellow commemorative t-shirts, caps and jackets, royal family paraphernalia, unique crafts from the prestigious Mae Fah Luang Foundation as well as ceramics and coffee mugs with floral designs.

Ironically, The Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk did not have any blooms of the beautiful yellow flowers from Cassia fistula (locally known as Ratchaphruek) on the sunbaked Expo grounds. The Ratchaphruek is one of Thailand’s auspicious trees and yellow is the color associated with Monday, the day that Thailand’s beloved King was born on. I was impressed with the number of Thai people who attended the Expo and throughout Thailand, who wore the special royal commemorative yellow shirts to show their love and respect for Thailand’s 79-year-old King Rama IX, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Probably the most outstanding memory that I have of the Expo was my excruciating pain and suffering - due to a flare up of my tendonitis of the right knee (affecting my upper thigh as well) , it was extremely difficult for me to walk without uttering a grunt every time I took a step. There I was - hobbling around like a wounded animal trying to cover the highlights of the expo. Oh well…

I am the Road Warrior - I am currently 32 days into my arduous 42-day odyssey of Thailand and Laos. To date, I have visited nine different locales in Thailand and two in Laos, having endured in the process, thirteen changes in hotels. My travel scorecard - In Thailand, I started in Bangkok; from there I traveled to Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi (Western Thailand), Koh Chang (Eastern Thailand), Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao, the Yunnanese village of Mae Salong and Doi Tung (Northern Thailand) as well as Chiang Khong situated on the Laotian border overlooking the Mekong River. I have driven on the winding mountainous roads of Northern Thailand’s Golden Triangle, and have stopped at the famous town-tourist trap of Sop Ruak (more commonly known as the Golden Triangle) where the Mai and the magnificent Mekong Rivers converge and where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.

I have visited the much hyped up Royal Flora Ratchaphreuk (somewhat of a disappointment) and I have endured a 2 day journey on a dilapidated slow boat crammed with over 90 passengers and cargo on the Mekong River from the Thailand-Laos border to historic Luang Prabang.This UNESCO world heritage site is the former capital of Laos and is now a thriving tourist mecca.

I have survived the noxious cigarette smoke from inconsiderate European tourists in restaurants and on the slow boat journey on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang. I have endured a debilitating flare up of my tendonitis during Royal Flora Expo, braved an attack by some irate wasps in Koh Chang and I have survived being thrown off a bicycle in Chiang Dao, landing chest first on the highway, knocking the wind out of me and bruising my ribs in the process. In addition, I have been thrown off a bamboo raft into the mini-rapids of a fast moving river near Sangkhlaburi due to the reckless navigating of my Thai oarsman. As an aside, even more frightening was when my right leg went right through a big gap between two bamboos. Of Course, I was laughing all the way 55555

It’s been quite an adventure for me so far and I must admit to battling a severe case of travel fatigue. Thank G_D, I have a chance to relax my weary self for the next couple days in a nicely appointed bungalow overlooking the Nam Khan River in Luang Prabang. Despite the travel weariness and battle scars, I have enjoyed every minute of my journey. Travel is a very enriching process - I have met so many wonderful people along the way including fellow travelers as well as many gracious, warm-hearted Thais and Laotians, who are some of the most hospitable people in this world.

Up Next - Vientiane, the capital of Laos, my first venture into Isaan country in Thailand and back to Bangkok, where it all began (and where the journey ends on Dec. 20).

During my stay in Mae Salong, a quaint Yunnanese Village in Northern Thailand, I had a very interesting encounter with a group of Farangs from Europe. It happened one night, when I strayed from my upmarket accommodations at Mae Salong Villa, looking for a local restaurant to have dinner. I ended up at Shin Shane Guesthouse, where I sat down at a table occupied by the owner. I have coined this local guesthouse, which caters to backpackers and budget minded travelers as Farang Central, as it is a popular meeting place for western tourists. While having my dinner, I chatted and joked with the owner. At a table not far from me were a group of four cigarette-smoking middle aged Farangs from Europe who engaged in some lively bantering back and forth while seemingly downing one beer after another.

All of these guys were in my age group, early to mid 50’s. One of the blokes, who was wearing a Bart Marley Reggae t-shirt, apparently had a motorcycle accident while pulling into town late in the afternoon. Besides being bruised and bloodied all over, he was in good spirits and survived any significant injuries. One thing led to another, and after dinner, I somehow joined the fray after being subjected to some good-hearted ribbing by these gents by token of being from America.

Of course, the conversation started with how could America elect such a moronic president like George Bush. I laughed, and agreed that they were right, admitting that was the reason why I fled from USA to Southeast Asia - to escape from the idiots who reelected Dubya to a 2nd term on his platform of family values and keeping America safe from terrorism. Of course, the conversation drifted from Bush and American politics to the typical exchange of traveler’s stories and anecdotes. These guys - two were Dutch, one was German and one was a Swede - were some serious travelers. Having journeyed to Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Iran, Kurdistan, Uzbekistan and other exotic oddball places, these guys were real road warriors. Compared to these blokes, I was the equivalent of a virgin traveler.

As it was getting late, I excused myself after sharing a round of beer. Upon leaving, Mr. Swede told me that they were going to solve the world’s problems, and next morning, they would tell me what to do.

That was one of the funniest lines I have heard. These guys were a real riot and I enjoyed my brief encounter with them, even though I had to tolerate their noxious cigarette smoke.

Driving thru rural neighborhoods off the main highway, you better watch out for sleeping policemen. Their job is to make sure that you proceed slowly thru their village. They position themselves usually in the middle of the road. Exercise extreme caution when passing them by.

Factoid: Sleeping policemen are actually dogs, taking a daytime siesta on the road.

While driving on the winding mountain roads on Northern Thailand’s Golden Triangle region, I have observed an interesting peculiarity about Thai drivers. For the most part, the local drivers have tendency to veer across or straddle the yellow line dividing the road. I don’t really have a clue why most of the Thai people drive like this as the roads are wide enough to accommodate their vehicle in their own lane. Maybe it’s part of their culture - however I don’t want to jump to conclusions. In the United Sates, erratic driving like this would definitely draw attention to the state highway patrol who would most likely pull the driver to the side of the road and issue him a citation In addition, there a number of drivers who are outright reckless - I am referring to those drivers who pass other vehicles on a blind curve. Needless to say, I keep both eyes glued to the center of the highway and to oncoming traffic when driving in the mountains. The key to safe driving is to drive defensively.

While driving in the mountains yesterday, I was really startled when I saw a young couple ahead of me on a small motorbike; the young lady, who was the passenger, was carrying her baby wrapped in cloth around her chest. After passing them, I couldn’t help but think how this young couple was putting themselves and their baby into a potentially very dangerous predicament. Needless to say, they were not wearing protective helmets around their heads. Oh well…

Driving in Thailand is relatively easy, even for someone like me, who is used to driving on the right side in the USA. I admit that it takes a while to getting used to doing everything completely opposite - the steering column and the turn signals are on the right hand side. Now, I wouldn’t chance driving in the heart of the big cities like Bangkok, with its murderous traffic jams and precarious intersections nor would I drive in Chiang Mai, with its many subsois (small alleyways and side streets) and crazy and nonexistent signage. However, once you get outside the big cities and out into the countryside, driving is not that difficult and actually quite enjoyable.

Surprisingly, the main roads are pretty good shape, with absolutely no potholes and relatively decent signage. To aid drivers navigate the winding mountainous roads in the region of Doi Mae Salong in Northern Thailand, there are reflective orange- yellow arrows on the shoulder of the road. This is especially helpful at night.