LAOS

Dear Friends,

So, you've likely been sitting on the edge of your seats, wondering about the slow boat to Laos. We began the journey in a luxury minivan! Ann and I sat in the front seat as the van was full. The ride was fine and we stopped at a local restaurant (near Chiang Rai) and ate Pad Thai for $1 (CAN). YUMMY! We arrived in Chiang Khong at approximately 1700hr. This is where the adventure began. The room was clean but very basic. The bathroom was so bizarre (see pictures). The toilet was installed backwards and you had to use a pail to 'flush' the goods away. The shower was a hose attached to the wall above the sink. The water was heated by a heater, also fixed to the wall. The water basically shot out of the hose and sprayed your body and the entire bathroom at the same time. The bed comprised of a mattress and sheets /pillows and all seemed to be made of cement. Dinner was served at 1930hr and it was a lovely buffet of local, delicious food. We met many young travellers from the UK and Canada. What a wonderful evening.










I (Debbie) explored the village with Alan and Samantha (UK). We came upon a temple and decided to explore it. We saw a 'monk' in the yard and Alan said "If we aren't suppose to be here, he will say something". So we walked onto the grounds. Immediately, he came over. "Where are you from?" etc. We talked and talked and talked. After about 15 minutes, I asked him if I could take his picture. He declined. His robe exposed one shoulder and chest and he said that the tatoo was not something that he wanted photographed. I respected that request but I must have looked disappointed. He looked at me and said "By the way, I'm not a monk"! Rather he was a widower who is very passionate about meditating thus has spent 8 years in monasteries in India and Laos ... learning the practice. Later that evening, we spotted him in the tower of the pegoda. He was in the company of several monks. At that point, he enthusiastically invited us to take pictures!

The next day, we were challenged through the immigration process. Although we had paid the guesthouse to get our VISAs processed, we endured the multiple lineups (one to fill out paperwork, another to pay the fee which varied depending on your country of origin and on the basis that we were travelling on Sunday thus had to pay overtime to the customs officers, yet another to fill out more paperwork etc). It was absolutely chaotic and another example of how our Canadian, structured society has its advantages.

We were then hoarded onto a Tuk Tuk and taken to a depot where we would be processed onto the slow boat. The adventure intensified. The guide exclaimed "Now I will tell you the truth about this trip". You are suppose to get on boat #38. It is a bad boat: 180 people, one bathroom, crammed conditions. We will stop overnight in a village a) where there may not be enough 'good' guesthouses to accommodate you, b) where people will try to steal your luggage off the boat, c) where guest house staff will steal from your luggage when you go out for dinner, d) where there is limited electricity (generator) for only the first 2 hours after your arrival etc. We were offered the option to take a 11 hour bus ride to Luang Prabang at no additional cost. YAHOO! 12 people opted for this luxury. SURE.

The bus trip began at 1300hr. One hour later, we were approximately 2km from the bus station. We had stopped frequently to collect goods to transport for the locals. Then we stopped to get gas. We finally proceeded. Within 30 minutes, the bus broke down. We waited on hour for the next bus. Within 30 minutes, we had a flat tire. We stopped at a local village and the crew changed the tire. 18 hours (and 560 km) from departure, we arrived in Luang Prabang. Initially, the roads were impressive.

The highway was state of the art, smooth but winded through the mountains. THEN, we turned off onto dirt roads that were plagued with landslide spills, potholes and innumerable twists and turns. We were miserable but had to chuckle too. We kept telling ourselves "this is part of the adventure". We stopped for dinner at 2100hr and were pleasantly surprised. I went to a restaurant / house where I found packaged noodles. I asked the woman if she could make soup. Absolutely. She stir fried bok choy, peppers etc and made the most delicious spicy soup! Soon, others from the bus joined me in her cafe / living room and we enjoyed the comfort food. The cost was less than $1 CAN. Ann and I arrived at our hotel (Haysoke Hotel) at 0530am and luckily, were welcomed and escorted directly to our room. We were covered in dust (bus had no air conditioning so dirt road debris came through the window and landed on us!).

Laos is a picturesque country. Lush tropical forest-covered mountains, emerald green rice fields, exotic flowers comprise the landscape. 85% of Laos people live in rural areas, and are extremely poor. The average monthly salary for low-end earners is $57-71 US. To maintain even a basic standard of living, a monthly salary of $110 is needed. As we witnessed from the bus, the houses are bamboo huts on stilts, with thatched roofs. There are no windows, no electricity, no water, no furniture etc. The bus passed through many villages after sunset (1800hr) and it was like witnessing ghost towns. The country side was pitch black other than the fires that were burning to cook food. Eerie.

We spent the first few days of our trip in Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang one of the most preserved cities in Asia. It has been classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage town because of its historic, cultural and architectural values. It has a strong French influence (language, signage, architecture etc) as it was once a French colony. It is also a very spiritual town. There are numerous pegodas / temples and over 100 monks reside here on a permanent basis. We attended the famous night market, town centre, temples, Kuang Si waterfalls (into which Debbie slipped and fell!), Tham Ting Cave (housing 5000 Buddha statues), Ban Xang Hai village (where Debbie tried Lao Lao rice whiskey!) and an Asian black bear rescue centre. We also had the opportunity to witness alms offerings (where monks gather their once daily food from the devout locals).

Next, we flew (no way we were chancing another bus ride in Laos given our previous adventure!) to Vientiane, the capital. Vientiane is a city situated along the banks of the Mekong River. Vientiane looks like a Government town; several countries including Australia, France and the USA have embassies here. Though Canada does not have an Embassy in Laos, it does have a relationship with Australia so if we run into any troubles we can touch base with their Embassy. Good-to-know! There is also an Austrailian Clinic here providing Western-type care, this is another good-to-know as we hear that the Laos health care system is not that great.

Before leaving Vientiane, we visited an exhibit at a Rehabilitation Center. The exhibit was sponsored by a non-government organization (NGO) called Cooperative Orthotic and Prothesis Enterprise (COPE). COPE works with the Laos government in providing rehabilitative services to people who have sustained injuries as a result of unexploded ordinances (bombs, mines) and other types of accidents. Laos was the most heavily bombed country during the Vietnam War. Approximately 260 million bombs were dropped during that period with an estimated 80 million still unexploded; it has been some 30 years since the end of the war and there are still between 500-600 people injured each year. This year, 4 kids were killed and another 5 injured when, while crabbing, they picked up a cluster bomb shell which exploded on them.

During our final evening in Laos, we dined with new friends (Frank and Jacqueline --- from Holland). It has been remarkable to meet so many interesting travellers. We enjoy reflecting on both the experiences we've shared and the insights we are gaining about other cultures (and our own by way of comparing / constrasting!). Over and over, we tell each other that we must never take our blessed lives for granted. We are privileged and travelling has made us more fully appreciate that fact.

Next we are flying to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

THAILAND

Karon Beach, Phuket was our first destination. We decided to treat ourselves to a beachside resort for 10 days. This was a welcome oasis after more than 9 weeks on the go. Although the neighbouring district (Patong Beach) is a shop-til-you-drop destination, we chose to drop exclusively. We have been positioned in beach chairs (either poolside or at the ocean) since arrival. We've each read one novel per day, pampered ourselves with Thai oil body massages, dined on delicious, healthy and cheap(!) Thai food and fresh exotic fruit, and taken in the magnificent sunsets! The weather is spectacular: sunny, 30s C, picture perfect. Ann says "IT IS DAMN HOT". The poor girl is melting! The lotus, phlox and orchid flowers are so incredibly beautiful. It is difficult to imagine the cool Fall upon our family and friends back home in Canada. Oh, did we mention that Karon Beach has the biggest butterflies we've ever seen?!

Debbie did a day trip to Phi Phi Island. She explored Maya bay, Khai Island and Monkey Beach (where she fed bananas to the monkeys). She snorkelled in Loh Samah Bay and Pi Leh Bay. The water in the Phuket area is teal green and so clear. It is breathtaking. She also visited the Viking Caves where there is harvesting of shallow birds' nests --- a Chinese delicacy.

Chiang Mai was our next stop. We flew in on Oct 10 and explored the neighbourhood near our hotel: Bossotel Inn. On Oct 11, we attended the first of two cooking classes "A Lot of Thai" (http://www.alotofthai.com/). Our hostess was Chef Yui! The day was incredible. We learned to make Pad Thai, green curry with chicken, hot and spicy soup, stir fried chicken with cashew nuts, spring rolls and a sticky rice / coconut milk dessert. We also toured a local market and tasted some of the delicious fresh ingredients that make Thai food so flavourful. Our fellow participants were fun and lively! Thanks to Joe and Hong (USA) and John and Caroline (UK). By the way, Canadian chef Michael Smith of the "Cooking at Home" series will be filming Yui in November as part of his "Chefs Abroad" series. We hope to be able to watch the show when it is eventually broadcasted.

Oct 12 (Ann's birthday) was celebrated in fine fashion. We began the day with a tour of a hillside village called Hmong. The tribal people who live there originated in Burma and southern China. Essentially, they are nomads who have travelled and survived by growing and selling opium and marijuana crop. Because this type of farming destroys the hillside soil over time, the farmers need to continually move to new locations. Approximately 45 years ago, they settled near Chiang Mai and the King / Queen of Thailand have encouraged a "program" where the tribe can maintain their viability, instead of growing/selling opium, by way of creating crafts (embroidery, linen, etc). The village is open to the public and craft goods are sold to support the community. Next, we visited the Doi Suthep Temple. Again, we witnessed profound Buddhist traditions / customs. The devote offered up lotus flowers, walked 3X around the pegoda and burned incense. Monks were very much present and it was surprising to see them sporting body piercings, and tatoos, and using cellular phones! Later that evening, we explored the famous "Sunday" craft market in Chiang Mai proper. We shopped, dined on spring rolls, stir fried noodles and BBQ corn on the cob. We also sampled organic wine made at the University of Chiang Mai. Debbie enjoyed the strawberry wine. Ann indulged in the lichy vino. The tuk tuk ride back from the market was scary, scary, scary. There are some nutty drivers in this world!

The next day, we visited an orchid and butterfly farm. The orchids are simply beautiful. Pictures will never do them justice! We then went to the Maesa Elephant camp where we watched the elephants be bathed and perform a talent show (soccer, painting, dart throwing, hoola hoop swirling etc) show. We had the opportunity to ride on an elephant and it was an amazing experience! The mahout told us that our elephant was 40 years old. Next, we visited the Queen Sirikrit botanical gardens. Again, the sights were breathtaking. The weather was glorious: sunny, 30s. We lunched on fried noodles and fried chicken for $1 (CAN) each!

After lunch we visited the Red Karen long-neck, Big-ears, and Lisu Hill tribes. This experience was an eye opener. These tribe people are considered to be "refugees"; they work the land, pay no taxes and as such are not entitled to any of the benefits that Thai nationals enjoy. Their houses are rudimentary (2 room huts made of bamboo, no windows, no furniture, no electricity, no water). The village people survive by farming the land and selling their crafts (woven scarves, jewellry, picture frames etc). There is a one room (Christian) Primary school for the children, and no Secondary school. Boys and girls begin to work at approximately 13 years of age. Boys tend the fields while girls create crafts. It was so difficult to reconcile that at age 5 years, girls MUST begin to wear the neck rings. The rings are made of copper and are extremely heavy and thick; our guide told us that the experience of the inital application (and of each addition of rings) is painful. The rings are taken off every 2 years to wash their necks and then more rings are added so that over time, the neck appears to elongate (it is actually that their shoulders droop from the constant pressure). This custom is important to the tribal people as they believe the long necks are a sign of beauty. Women must wear the cumbersome and heavy rings until death. It was difficult for us to reconcile that in our modern era, developing societies allow these customs and traditions to continue. Given that it limits mobility, is painful and by virtue of their refugee status and minimal education, tribal children have extremely limited opportunity for their future. The next day, we attended the Chiang Mai Thai Cooking School where we made yellow curry with chicken, chicken with cashew nuts, red curry fish steamed in banana leaves, spicy prawn salad, stir fried noodles with pork and bananas in coconut milk. There were approximately 25 people attending this course and we enjoyed speaking with folk from Belgium, Holland and Denmark. Again, the food is so incredibly delicious and spicy. Our last day trip was to Chiang Rai: hotsprings, ~650 year old temple, 2 more extremely poor tribal villages, slow boat cruise in the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle is the place where the Mekong River boasts banks in Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. We debarked in Laos and did some 'shopping' in their craft market.

In the evenings, Ann and I have enjoyed a couple of visits to the night market. We dine in local Thai restaurants in center town and then roam around 'people watching' and shopping.
The Thai people will hold a special place in our memories. They are gentle ... always bowing and greeting us with hands clasped at their hearts. The women are STUNNING. The hotel staff have been gracious and generous. On her birthday, the hotel arranged for Ann to receive bouquets, bouquets, bouquets, bouquets and bouquets of orchids, a dessert platter and a token gift. The room was an array of colours and smelled magnificently! Next, they arranged for someone to come and repair her suitcase. The repairman drove to the hotel, fixed the suitcase back at his shop and returned it at a cost of $3. Unbelievable.

Tomorrow, we will be leaving for Laos via a bus, and slowboat / ferry along the Mekong River. This trip will be an adventure and will take 3 days to accomplish. We will update you on our Laos trip as soon as possible.

Be well.

HONG KONG

In between our China tour and Thailand trip we spent four days amid the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, one of the most spectacular and without rival, the most densely populated city in the world (~6500 persons per square kilometer versus Australia with only 4 persons per square km). We cruised the harbour (both during the day and in the evening) to get the two perspectives; the evening cruise featured a sound and light show with over 250 Hong Kong highrise buildings participating. It was stunning!

Other highlights included: seeing the city from Victoria Peak, eating some Western food (after 3 weeks in China we were craving something other than Asian food!) in Hong Kong's SoHo district , eating Dim Sum at the harbourfront, and enjoying the amenities of the Eaton Hotel (rooftop pool, bathrobes for the princesses, elegant dining, free internet service etc).

We also toured the various markets (Women's Market, Sports Market, Gold Fish Market) as our hotel was located on Nathan Road --- in one of the main shopping districts of Hong Kong.

If you are a shopaholic, Hong Kong is most definately the place for you!

Hong Kong caters to all tastes and budgets, from the very high-end (Luis Vitton, Chanel, Cartier etc.) to the very low-end knock-offs (Luis Vitton, Chanel, Cartier etc.). Debbie and I each bought a pair of Teva sandals (Debbie in Hong Kong, I in China). We purchased them from stores that looked legit, and the sandals themselves definately look legit (when compared to real Teva's) however given that we only paid ~$15 CAD each (versus the ~ $125 CAD at home) we had our doubts that the shoes are authentic "Tevas"!

We have since figured out (when Ann's shoes lost their label and strap dyes and turned her ankles black) that what we purchased were likely knock-offs, not just incredible bargains! Still, they look like Teva's, feel like Teva's, and so, as far as we are concerned, they ARE Teva's!

All is all, Hong Kong was a delightful place to spend some time.

CHINA

By way of our extraordinarily competent tourguide Xiaoping, EXODUS tours provided us with a trip of a lifetime in CHINA. The unique history / culture, the intriguing people, the sights, sounds, smells and tastes overwhelmed the senses and our spirits during this interactive (and very active!) tour. In total, we covered more than 8000 km of China in 20 days! We travelled by train, cruise ship, plane, rickshaw, gondola, bamboo raft, bicycle, car and foot. Having climbed over 5000 steps, we can attest the strenuous 'athletic' expectations of Xiaoping --- leg cramps woke us up almost every other night!

Our journey began in Beijing where we explored Tiennamen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace. We were privileged to be in Beijing during the Para Olympics and were impressed with the caliber of the Olympic venues and organizers' efforts to meet the needs of the special athletes. It was humbling to catch a small glimpse of the lives of our neighbours in the suburb where our hotel was located. Most families have one room homes --- with no washroom facilities. Rather, they must utilize public toilets scattered throughout the community. Body washing seemed to occur by way of buckets / water on the sidewalks. While in Beijin, we spent one day exploring and climbing The Great Wall at Simatai! What a spectacular sight.

Next, we took an overnight train to Xi'an. Xi'an is one of China's former capitals and one of the few cities in China to have retained its city walls. Ann and I walked on top of the wall for an hour while our fellow tour participants chose to cycle the entire 14 km structure. While in Xi'an we visited the Large Wild Goose pagoda and the staggering display of Terracotta Warriors at the famous mausoleum of Emperor Qin.

Subsequently, we boarded another overnight train and proceeded to Chengdu --- the capital of Sichuan Province. There we visited the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base. Did you know that there are only 1000-1500 panda bears remaining in existence? We traveled to Leshan to see the Grand Buddha which stands 71 meters high. We also made our way to Emei where we climbed Mt Emei Shan Peak (one of the 5 most sacred Buddhist mountains). Again, the scenery was beyond description. Buddhist tradition abounds on Mt Emei and we had the fortune to witness monks in 'ritual' walks around the main, prominent Buddha.

It was on to the city of Chongquing (population 30 million!) to board a ship for a 3 day cruise along the Yangtze River. During the cruise, we witnessed stunning, towering cliffs and gorges. We visited the famous three gorges (Qutang, Wu and Xiling). Flooding of the gorges has begun with ~70 meters of water. We learned about the plight of displaced farmers who were relocated by the government in view that their land was lost. We were told by our local guide that young people welcomed the opportunity to relocate and obtain affordable housing (they were offered accommodations at cost) whereas the many elders found the move traumatic and devastating. We had the privilege of attending an information session at the damn and learned about this important project --- undertaken to mitigate the impact of flooding.

After the cruise, we took our third overnight train to Guilin / Yangshuo where we were promised time to relax. Who are we kidding, there was no relaxing!!! Xiaoping organized a bicycle tour to Moon Hill. We cycled for hours in 30-35C heat and then climbed over 800 steps up Moon Hill. We were treated to an amazing, authentic lunch at a local farmer's home. We were also pampered to a bamboo raft cruise down the Li River! We explored various craft markets and vegetable and meat markets too! Like all the days of this EXODUS we were treated to enormous amounts of healthy, tasty cuisine. Xiaoping was generous in his constant attention to detail. After feasting on what seemed to be limitless food and beer, we gladly paid our $4-6 bill! Unbelievable.

We flew from Guilin to Shanghai (a very modern city commonly referred to as the "Paris" of China --- population 12 million) where we enjoyed the fast paced, lit-up (with signage, video screens on buildings, skyscrapers) city!

Next, we traveled to Suzhou where we visited famous gardens and a silk factory. We also had the opportunity to see Tongli, a medieval village criss-crossed by canals and tiny bridges. The houses are rudimentary (over 700 years old) and for the most part, the town has kept its authentic personality! Again, we feasted on a wonderful lunch at one of the local tea houses!

Throughout our trip, we had the pleasure of attending several venues showcasing China's talents including the Beijing Opera, a spectacular Water Show with over 600 artists (this show coreographed by the same man who coreographed the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics), and another equally amazing Acrobatic show.

China was fascinating to explore. Much to our delight, the country was extremely pristine and it seems that many people are employed to keep it looking nice. We saw numerous street sweepers who used homemade brooms to clean the streets and guard rail washers who polished the roadside crome by hand! The people of China were extremely friendly. They always offered salutations as we walked by. H-E-L-L-O! Frequently, they requested photo ops with us --- making us feel like movie stars!

Regrettably, as in many other countries, there appears to be a trend toward widening disconnect / gaps between the rich and poor. Within cities, millions of people still live in Hutongs (1 room, no water) while their neighbours enjoy the luxuries of worldclass skyscraper dwellings. In Beijing (population 12 million) alone, 4 million own 'power' cars: Mercedes, BMW, Audi etc.

China is a booming country. Construction sites abound. We were told than in many instances, it is a condition of setting up business in China, that companies create accommodations for the people within the community. We learned that schooling is compulsory and government sponsored until Grade 6 while highschool and university are the responsibilty of families. There are over 1000 universities in Beijing alone to accommodate the growing number of students!

We also learned that the one child family policy continues although farming families are permitted more than one child to assist with the physical demands of life on a farm. Our guide explained that most Chinese people support the policy as it is logical given the extreme overcrowding. Many young Chinese couples are opting to have no children due to the (already) high cost of living.

As always, we are grateful to have had the chance to explore another part (albeit small scale) of this great plantet! Our EXODUS friends will forever hold very special places in our hearts. Thank you to Xiaoping, Shelby (New York), Mette (Denmark), Bill and Libby (UK), Barbara and Jim (UK), Heather and Bill (UK), Les and Jill (UK), Joan and Peter (UK)!