Lao

Let me say, I've been meaning to post this for some time now..I have a lot going on :) Not a bad thing but i should make more time for my blog. I would love to document more things here and hats exactly what ill make as a mission.

Lao was a good experience. I've lived in KL for 5 years alone but I've never really traveled to another country completely alone. I always either travel with people or meet people there. I know this might be a bit lame since its something not unusual but it was new to me!!!

I arrive at the airport, I feel relieved. Finally I made it. So now I find that I have to get the visa which of course i already knew about but somehow it slipped my mind that id have to pay for it. Thankfully i had some 100 dollars on me otherwise i don't really know what would have happened. All my cash was in my bank account. would they have accepted a master card? XD haha.

It was 30$ for me, I pass through and find my luggage ready. There was this musician i was eyeing. Cute! Anything walking around with an instrument i would most probably find attractive.

I get outside, I managed to book a hostel during my long layover in transit and wrote down the address, so i thought for a minute that i could just walk and ask around and hopefully find the place, but then i was sort of tired from the long trip and figured id just get a cab.

On the way i manage to have a short chat with the driver, I ask about places to visit in Vientiane and gathered there wasn't much but anyway i already knew. The drive was less than 15 mins, Its a very small place.

I reach the hostel, its not all that but i wasn't expecting much anyway. people were very nice. The owner recognized me, as in they were expecting me and i checked in. I was a little bit worried since this would have been the first time i stay in a mixed hostel and so my original plan was to stay for a day or so then see how it goes.

I put my stuff and i get more concerned because i don't see any girls so i go to the front desk and ask if there are any ladies coming and he laughs for a while then assures me some Koreans will be coming.

Most of the time i spent sitting outside. they had a table with a few chairs around. not much of a view. there was a building being constructed right across and i found it very fascinating that the workers there would play really loud music through speakers while they would work. Never seen this anywhere before and i enjoyed it XD.

I would take the hostel owners guitar and just sit out there strumming. I don't know how to play but there was a day i felt a bit stressed out and i felt much better afterwards. I strum and its beautiful to my ears. It is a wonderful thing. to make music with your own hands. And so I feel that if I own a guitar and i get a chance to learn, I would have the ability to play with so much passion.

Usually sitting outside was also a chance to meet and socialize with people. There were a lot of Koreans and I met about three that would sit outside sometimes and we would chat. Usually we ask questions like were are you from and what are you doing here. half an hour later or so I would find myself promoting the movie "The interview". I've seen it not long ago after all the talk on it died a bit and i found it very entertaining.

I loved the Laotian women traditional wear. It was like a wrap around skirt and i thought it was beautiful. Usually held by a metallic belt (which i thought was an addition, as a trend or so). My observation of Vientiane, is that it gave me the impression that people there were mainly sort of traditional and reserved but as i went out more I noticed maybe not so much but perhaps to some extent they are.

My first day there I met a German guy who introduced me to two Brazilian girls and a Ukrainian guy that were travelling together from India. We also hung out with two German girls and an Australian guy that were travelling together but those people were doing their own thing so we were just together that night for dinner and some drinks and afterwards we went to a pub were we played some board game (the one with mini football players and a ball). I thought it would be boring but man i had so much fun!

I wanted to go to the Buddha park and the Brazilian girls and the Ukrainian guy said they were going and asked me to join so I agreed but turned out they were cycling there and i don't know how to cycle (Face palm!) so I ended up taking the bus. It wasn't that bad, I met a Finnish girl and there was an explosion of clicking! we just bonded right away and it was awesome. We went for dinner afterwards and had a few bears and caught the night market right before it closed. She asked if i wanted to meet up for breakfast or lunch the following day but I was unfortunately leaving early in the morning. Very nice girl although i was the one who initiated the convo. in the start by asking her to take  a picture and sending them to me since my phone was dead (proud of myself though). Being more social. All good XD.

I didn't have enough time in Lao. If i did i would have visited more cities but nonetheless, it was a good experience.