It has been over a week since my last post, and quite a bit of ground and water has been covered since then. So, what have I been up to? For ease of discussion, I will go chronologically. Below is a map of my location, with purple lines indicating travel by minivan/bus, the 90s-esque teal … More From tubing to temples and (almost) everything in between

At long last I am out of Savannakhet and have found myself in the town of Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng is about a four hour drive north of Vientiane, the capital, and is a popular backpacker destination. The reason is obvious: the confluence of water, mountains, and forest is stunning. This town is known for … More Vang Vieng

… Then it’s another. Take two! That last post was yet another passionately crafted comminique lost in the oblivion between when I hit “publish post” and when the post is (supposedly) published. I didn’t learn my lesson last time about copying what I write before publishing, so the words are gone forever. So here goes … More If it’s not one thing…

When you start having dreams about people in FedEx uniforms, you know it’s bad. I have spent two solid weeks waiting, and can wait no more. This morning I packed my bad knowing that I was going somewhere today, at first thinking I would take a side trip to a couple small towns east of … More Time to get this show on the road! (As my mom would and did say.)

… is what I would like to say. Unfortunately, I am still “stuck” here indefinitely, at least until my new card arrives. According to the FedEx tracker, it is in Laos, but who knows how much longer it will take to reach me. As I have said before, Savannakhet/Laos in general is not the worst … More So long Savannakhet…

Okay so I just spent the last three hours typing a long, thoughtful post about my last four days in Salavan province and the adventures I had there. And… it looks like despite all my attempts at saving while typing, all my writing (except for the title) somehow got lost in transition. Maybe tomorrow they … More Side Trip to Salavan…?

Already I am losing track of the days. A glance at my watch (a good investment from Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown) informs me that it is shortly after 18:00 (confirmed by the Thai national anthem that someone’s speakers just played; in Thailand all media plays the anthem at 8:00 and 16:00. This apparently applies to any neighboring … More Local Encounters

From what I have heard from other travelers, Laos is a very laid-back place. From what I have seen so far in Savannakhet, I would have to agree. Savannakhet is the provincial capital of the most densely populated province, but it is still a pretty quiet place. Tonight will be my fourth night here, which … More “Mandatory” Relaxation