Goodbye Bangkok, Hello Vientiane
Hello My Friends,
On Saturday in Bangkok, I first went to breakfast (included in the room price) and enjoyed a lesiurely sit with the paper. The headlines on one page caught my eye. "Elephants stop, loot trucks on dark road". The article continued to tell about a group of 20 elephants that tipped vehicles over on their side so young could eat sugarcane and tapioca. I just had to smile as it is never something I would be reading at home! I headed out the hotel after breakfast to find the ATM (to get the all important Thai baht to start life in the new land) and the street was a busy one with many of the sights that have become familiar over the months that I have spent in Thailand...plenty of trash along the sides of the street, roaming dogs (though they are never mean, but always looking for a scrap of food) , spirit houses ( a small house on a pedestal to house the mischevious spirit the Thai's believe will inhabit their house if they do not have this), a woman carving duck at a small restaurant, a kind woman who stopped me and asked if she could help me and pointed to "up the road" for the ATM I was looking for, side streets with no traffic but the busy life of the locals, fresh fish being put from a basket to a barrel, veggie/fruit vendors selling from the back of a truck to people who pass by, motorcyles mechanic shops open to the street.... I found the ATM and walked back stopping at a small store with a helpful woman getting me a couple of bottles of water. She smiled and gave me a tangerine as well! That is the Thai. Always with a smile and always kind. The rest of the day, I rested--caught up on the sleep that I did not get on the long plane ride--and read and watched a bit of TV and packed all up to get ready for the next flight--to Laos.
This morning was another EARLY morning. Up at 4 and on the way to the airport by 5. I had to make sure I got another "re entry" stamp in my passport since I would be leaving the country. I was told that if I did not do this, my long term visa was no good. So...waiting in line to get get the boarding pass for the ticket, then seeing the customs guy for the stamp--fill out another form and give them another picture and also 1000 baht and wait for a while. Then I am called over and THANK YOU! there is no problem and I am off to wait at the gate. The flight was wonderful and I love Thai air for that. The flight was only an hour to Vientiane Laos, but in that hour they served a full meal (ah so different from those peanuts I am use to!). Landing in Vientiane I had to wait for an HOUR to get the visa there. A long line, and they only have one person doing it.. and then after the visa is OKed there is ANOTHER line to wait in to PAY! Ok, now that is done and I am out with all my bags. Thong was there to meet me along with three of his friends from school. Thong was a young man I met last year in Luang Prabang (Laos). He was a novice monk and invited me to see his English class that he taught to the other monks in the evening. I spent three days seeing his lessons and having chats with him and his other friends there. He left the temple last year in April and I have supported him in his studies of English and business in school in Vientiane. It was so nice to see him and nice to meet his friendsHe had booked a room for me close to the main part of town with which I was familiar with from last year. The guesthouse is very nice with an inner courtyard. My room with it's own TV, and private bath and quite spacious.. all for $12. Thong's friend Vong, Thong and I went to lunch and then watched some TV back at the room. Then they all went back to their place and we will meet later for dinner. At some times it is amazing to me that it is almost a year since I have met Thong.. and now he is here studying. I am happy to have supported him and it is nice to see him here and listen to the Lao banter with his friend Vong and speak English with the both of them. I am off to a Lao massage just down the road. Ah, a nice relax for the afternoon.
Life is good.
On Saturday in Bangkok, I first went to breakfast (included in the room price) and enjoyed a lesiurely sit with the paper. The headlines on one page caught my eye. "Elephants stop, loot trucks on dark road". The article continued to tell about a group of 20 elephants that tipped vehicles over on their side so young could eat sugarcane and tapioca. I just had to smile as it is never something I would be reading at home! I headed out the hotel after breakfast to find the ATM (to get the all important Thai baht to start life in the new land) and the street was a busy one with many of the sights that have become familiar over the months that I have spent in Thailand...plenty of trash along the sides of the street, roaming dogs (though they are never mean, but always looking for a scrap of food) , spirit houses ( a small house on a pedestal to house the mischevious spirit the Thai's believe will inhabit their house if they do not have this), a woman carving duck at a small restaurant, a kind woman who stopped me and asked if she could help me and pointed to "up the road" for the ATM I was looking for, side streets with no traffic but the busy life of the locals, fresh fish being put from a basket to a barrel, veggie/fruit vendors selling from the back of a truck to people who pass by, motorcyles mechanic shops open to the street.... I found the ATM and walked back stopping at a small store with a helpful woman getting me a couple of bottles of water. She smiled and gave me a tangerine as well! That is the Thai. Always with a smile and always kind. The rest of the day, I rested--caught up on the sleep that I did not get on the long plane ride--and read and watched a bit of TV and packed all up to get ready for the next flight--to Laos.
This morning was another EARLY morning. Up at 4 and on the way to the airport by 5. I had to make sure I got another "re entry" stamp in my passport since I would be leaving the country. I was told that if I did not do this, my long term visa was no good. So...waiting in line to get get the boarding pass for the ticket, then seeing the customs guy for the stamp--fill out another form and give them another picture and also 1000 baht and wait for a while. Then I am called over and THANK YOU! there is no problem and I am off to wait at the gate. The flight was wonderful and I love Thai air for that. The flight was only an hour to Vientiane Laos, but in that hour they served a full meal (ah so different from those peanuts I am use to!). Landing in Vientiane I had to wait for an HOUR to get the visa there. A long line, and they only have one person doing it.. and then after the visa is OKed there is ANOTHER line to wait in to PAY! Ok, now that is done and I am out with all my bags. Thong was there to meet me along with three of his friends from school. Thong was a young man I met last year in Luang Prabang (Laos). He was a novice monk and invited me to see his English class that he taught to the other monks in the evening. I spent three days seeing his lessons and having chats with him and his other friends there. He left the temple last year in April and I have supported him in his studies of English and business in school in Vientiane. It was so nice to see him and nice to meet his friendsHe had booked a room for me close to the main part of town with which I was familiar with from last year. The guesthouse is very nice with an inner courtyard. My room with it's own TV, and private bath and quite spacious.. all for $12. Thong's friend Vong, Thong and I went to lunch and then watched some TV back at the room. Then they all went back to their place and we will meet later for dinner. At some times it is amazing to me that it is almost a year since I have met Thong.. and now he is here studying. I am happy to have supported him and it is nice to see him here and listen to the Lao banter with his friend Vong and speak English with the both of them. I am off to a Lao massage just down the road. Ah, a nice relax for the afternoon.
Life is good.
posted by Tracy at
1:49 PM
