The intrepid voyages of James Luxford.


Part 1 : Thailand
Part 2 : Laos
Part 3 : Vietnam & Cambodia
Part 4 : Myanmar
Part 5 : Singapore

Part 2: James in Laos

James moved into Laos at the end of '99 and sent us this update on Tue, 11 Jan 2000 04:28:08 GMT... precisely.

War, Huh, What is it good for?

Tourism actually, but more of that later.
Laos rules beyond all ruling things, like rulers, or maybe those king and queen like things. Have just returned from the south, where I had a great larf. Saw very old ruins, with stone puported to be used for human sacrifices a long time ago (6th century), which was really good. Then another slow boat down the Mekong (its a hard life), where I ended up at the four thousand island area of Laos, which is just a collection of coconut palm covered sandbars, soaked in golden sunshine and with rare (cos the Cambodians keep killing them accidentally) freshwater dolfins nearby. It also has the only railway in Laos, built by the French to get supplies from Cambodia, it stopped in 1945 during WWII, but this hasn't stopped the government from including a train travel section in its phrasebook?!. Then I went to the Ho Chi Minh trail in the south of south laos, where most of the wreckage has been pilfered by the locals, but not the unfired Russian Surface-air-missile still in its launcher. Then survived a 20 hour journey over the worst tracks (can't call them roads) in and old fooked bus, so am about 2 foot shorter now.
Speaking of short things, we went out on New years to a club (in Laos? strange but true, and it stayed open after 8pm!) where I was taller then everyone else by about one foot. DOH. Before that we went to a bar where the advertised attractions included a left handed guitared (shock) and a "spinning cow", which was a barbecue, not the bovine ballerina spectacle that I was expecting. We saw in Y2K (luvvie) on the banks of the Mekong with a beer. Ahh.
Oh for those of you wondering what happened to Todd Landers from Nayburs, I can reveal that he has exlpoded into obscurity by making learn English programs in Oz, like the one I saw a weeka go in a restaurant. "My name is Andy, I am a university student" he said, with all the feeling and expression of one who didn't finish their first day at special ed. school. Also have seen a Thai soap opera/comedy, which is weird, its all Nayburs, 'stenders moral shite, then in kick the "booiiinng" and "thunk" overdubbed effects. I think that the episode I saw was entitled "bloke who looks like Kurt off of Hollyoaks looses girl, then gets girl, then has to drive retard brother into the big bad scary retard-scream inducing city". I could be wrong.
Anyhoo, off to Nam tomorrow, so watch out, charlies all around, what gooks?
aaaaaaahhhhhhhh (ahem)

J



Location map

For a little more detailed description of his ports of call, scroll down and click the links below.

Laos: Stats Physical Economy History


J's Milestones
Mekong River Ho Chi Minh Trail



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