Change of Travel Plans

Friday, Aug. 13, 2010--Vientiane

Heavy rain with lightning and thunder started around 3:00. As the morning progressed, the rain continued. I had planned to take the bus to Vang Vieng today and spend 3-4 days there before returning to Vientiane. I didn't want to travel in the rain, however, so I just slept in and decided to postpone my trip until tomorrow. The day ended up remaining cloudy although the rain ended about 9:30 or 10:00. That resulted in a cool afternoon. I took my current book and went to a couple of Buddhist temples to read. All the temples have outdoor seating and/or tables usually in shady areas. At each, however, after reading a few pages a monk came to me and wanted to talk.

I didn't mind visiting with the monks. The conversations are always interesting, and I learn things I never knew in each conversation. One of the monks told me that they have a problem with tourists bringing beer into the temple and sitting at the tables drinking. He said they would not let a Lao person do that, but they do not feel they can tell a foreigner not to do so. When I mentioned the number of people searching for rooms at night, the other one told me that they often let men sleep in the temples. They do not allow women and men to stay together in the temples, however.

I found a new restaurant tonight that had very good food. I had pork and vegetables in brown sauce over fried egg noodles. It was very filling and cheap. While sitting there waiting for my food to be prepared, I was thinking about tomorrow being Saturday and wondering if I would have trouble getting a room in Vang Vieng. Then I thought, I've been there before. Why am I going again? I have such a nice hotel here, I should just stay here until I can return to Thailand on Thursday. I felt so much better after deciding to do that. I won't miss making those two 5-hour bus trips that would have been required to go to Vang Vieng, and there is nothing there that I will miss either. It is mostly a party place for young people.

I sat on my balcony after returning to the room and watched the Friday night crowds as they moved up and down the street. Of course, mixed among them were people trudging with their backpacks from guest house to guest house looking for a room.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010--Vientiane

Now that I have decided to stay here for 5 more days, I don't feel a need to get out and do something every morning. Today, I stayed inside and did research on the computer related to places to stay at my next two stops. I think I have picked out some good possibilities.

Around 10:45, I got a sandwich and took my book to another nearby temple. On Saturday, the monks sleep late and are seldom seen. Today, I could sit and read with no problem. There was the cutest fluffy, dark gray puppy there, however. He slowly worked his way toward me. He picked up a piece of pork that had fallen out of my sandwich and ate it. Then he started rubbing against my legs. He was so sweet.

The sun came out around 1:00, and it became to feel hot. I returned to the room, watched the news on TV, and read some more. Then I went back out around 17:30. I decided to explore the construction site for the park along the riverfront. I have been seeing people there every day, so I thought I might as well go, too. The big equipment was out grating and rolling a wide pathway along the top of the levy they have built. And the trails leading to the levy are mostly unpaved. But I walked on the curbs and made my way there. Many people were up there and just moved slightly out of the way anytime a big piece of equipment came toward them. The park is going to be nice when it is finished. One of the monks the other day told me that it is a gift form South Korea. They've already put grass on parts of it, and a large number of workers were setting out plants and flowers in one area today.

I returned to the same restaurant to eat tonight. Just as I walked up, there was Charles, the Lao man who lives in Australia. I joined him. There was another man at the table who had been talking to Charles, so I introduced myself to him. His name is Justin. He's an American and is so much like me it is unbelievable. He is a scientist who contracted for work related to satellites mainly with NASA. He quit his job and has been traveling and doing volunteer work teaching science. Charles kept asking him the same questions he had asked me three nights ago: Why do you travel alone? What interests you about traveling? Etc. Justin gave exactly the same answers I had given. I kept turning to Charles and asking, "Does that sound familiar?" Anyway, we had a nice visit. Then after eating, I bought a beer and we stood on my balcony drinking it and visiting further. Before he left, I gave him the website and contact information for St. Joseph's International Academy in India where I volunteered, showed him a web address I found this morning for volunteering at Nong Khai across the river from here in Thailand, and my e-mail address. I suggested that he come to San Antonio for a visit when he is back in the States.