There’s a thin line between really knowing a place and getting sick of it. In order to really know a place you have to spend some time - walking around a couple’o times, listening to the locals, experiencing the food, and taking the uncharted anti-“Lonely Planet” tracks. But you have to be very careful not to overdue it, ‘cause familiarity sneaks up on you and when you least expect it you might move from a “oooh, I love that street” sweet sensation to a “not that bloody street again” anger management program.

Everyday, little by little, you uncover the secrets of Luang Prabang.

A brilliant idea, something I’ve thought about a few times, never figuring out how to move from fantasy to …

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Vietnam.

Somewhat of a surprise, since I didn’t plan on going there, but so many people I’ve met in Laos that came from Vietnam told me it’s worth visiting, and I’m already so close, that I’ve decided to give it a go.

So, I have about a week (3 working days with weekend) in Laung Prabang to wait for my visa and I’ll be off to Hanoi.
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Categories :b-vietnam b-laos

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“Yeah, that’s right. Yeah, that’s so true. I’m exactly the same. That happened to me too. Geezzz, I love that too.”
Ohhh… creepy. It’s been 4 hours already, sitting next to the Mekong River, just outside the Sokdee Guest House at the fabulous UNESCO world heritage Laung Prabang. I’ve been having drinks with Irish Connor and just chatting about whatever. We came together on the same bus with Matt and Carly and we’ve all been kind’o hanging together over the trip in Laos, but that’s the first time I had a long conversation with him. The view’s spectacular, wide river to the right – French colonial buildings to the left – temples rising over the hills. The weather’s okay, as long …

“Clementine: What are you? NUTS?
Joel: It’s been suggested.”
(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)

There’s Matt and Carly, the Israeli horde, and the two-ladyboys-and-two-lesbian bunch(AKA - ‘weird bunch’). That’s the people I now know from my bus ride from Vientiane to VangViang. The Israeli group was sitting between the weird bunch at the back of the bus and me at the middle. I soon adopted my secret non-Israeli identity and eavesdropped on the group the whole way. It was funny and embarrassing at the same time and I was praying to god that no one understands anything they were saying or associating me with them. They went on and on about their latest Bangkok fuck-fest with some Thai ladies, showing nude pictures …

Ooooo, much better. It’s gorgeous here, reminds me of Pai-Thailand.

Spent some time with British folks, and going tubbing/rafting on the river tomorrow. Categories :b-laos b-vangviang

“Larry: I know who you are. I love you. I love everything about you that hurts.”
(”Closer”)

It’s such a big title for such a small person. In heart, I’ve begun to take matters into the next stage, the good Israeli that I am, looking ahead. For some reason, the concept gave me the creeps, so it was either one of two ways - take in a big dive and go for it, or make it more familiar and comfortable. The first offers the fast lane, the second has the big “no risk, no risk” up on it, though whenever this is concerned there is always risk involved. Maybe not risk, more of a rush.

Well hidden, off Bangkok’s Chinatown, was this monumental …