Lazy mornings, boring nights

So we’ve been up here for 2 days. Everyone claims that Luang Prabang is BEAUtiful. Which I’d agree. But they didn’t mention how boring it can get. I guess if we came up before going to Vang Vieng, I would certainly have enjoyed being here more. Now all I can think about are the parties I’m missing out and the people I would have met. Luang Prabang doesn’t seem to possess tourists under the age of 25. everyone looks old and aged. Like a retirement town. Gahh. I could use more live and energy here, honestly. i've been sitting out at our little living room area the past 2 hours waiting for grace to wake up, feeding my face with laotian bananas. i guess it is peaceful and quaint, to a certain extent that is.

Because it’s been so slow paced and would I daresay, boring, we’ve been sleeping in practically the past 2 days. I mean, we did plan for an early start. Like I mentioned earlier, to catch the monks collect their alms and stuff. But it just didn’t seem enticing enough either. We’ve been back to the same street, the same night market, the same area the past 2 days. I’m hoping we trek through a different route today, and hopefully end up in Phosi Mountain to catch the sunset.
Speaking of which, the sunsets here are gorgeous. And my camera takes really good picturesque shots of it. Almost postcard material, and I would proudly declare that. Shit, I hear an animal screaming. I cant make out what it is. Sounds like a pig in distress. Maybe it’s a tuktuk that has a cold engine. Haha, I don’t know, but I’m not liking it. It sounds horrible. Sounds like the fella’s waiting to be slaughtered :(

Just yesterday, we tuktuk-ed up to the Kuang Si waterfalls. We ended up without a tour group since we pretty much woke too late and decided against one anyway. It was ok, apart from the fact that we paid much more than we should. Its pretty much 150,000kip per tuktuk regardless of the number of people in it. Since Toby met his ladylao, we left him alone and told him we’ll meet him there. We found another going for 100,000kip, but since this tuktuk guy’s our innkeeper, and that we promised we’ll go with him, and that he had already paid for his tuktuk rental for the day, we kinda felt bad. I don’t need him throwing us out of his place afterdark, or something like that. We could really avoid confrontation for just a mere 50,000kip more. So that’s that.

Ladylao’s a local Toby met on the bus on the way here, and again at the discotheque on the first night he was here. The innkeeper’s so gossipy about it, its hilarious. He even told us, “aye, now I charge him 70,000kip. No more 60,000kip because he now 2 people. Ladylao stay here last night so 2 people.” Hilarious. First labeling here as ladylao, and now the gossiping. Ah, what a way to start the day.

The falls were pretty. And there were cliffs you could leap out from. Nice. it’s a touristy spot so the westerners there were the crazy fun lot. The usual, you can imagine. But of course, there were the old folks as well, who just wanted to see the place and nothing more. We trekked all the way up to the top, and down to the part where the cliffs were. I climbed up the tree and told grace I’m jumping straight in. no way am I gonna dip myself in slowly and let every hair on my body stand in protest. Uh uh, you wanna go in, you’ve gotta do it the Gloria way. Quick and easy that will shock every cell in your body. Grace starred at me and went, you’re kidding me. no way. Uh uh, you can go ahead. Haha, poor girl, she gets dragged around silly by me doing all these insane things. And I still feel bad getting her drunk the night before, leaving her to endure a crazy hangover on the insanely bumpy ride here. Haha.

I climbed up a tree that overlooked the falls, got myself ready and WHEE! It was freaking cold! If I had balls, they would have shriveled up to raisin size! Oooh! And the weather here is wayyyyy colder than in Vientiane or in Vang Vieng. You cant do without a jacket, even in the day, and pants for sure at night. Even that, leaves your digits cold and freezing. And your breathe freezes over everytime you talk. So you can imagine how cold the water was that day. Ooh! But it was good! Grace took the plunge too in the end. She even got us up the cliff! I’m loving this girl already, she picks up my craziness quick! Pronto! Haha.

We went by a black bear reserve on the way back. Those recaptured from poachers, from bile farms and stuff were rescued and placed here in this reserve. We bought bear t-shirts just to show our support and headed back to Luang Prabang. It has been a good day.

We met this Japanese lady, Miroki, whom, when I asked how long she’s been traveling for, totally knocked the socks out of me! She said, oh, its been 2 years and 2 months. I’m like, sorry, so how long have you been traveling for. Well, 2 years and 2 months! What?! She said she’s traveled the whole of Australia for 2 years, working bits here and there to fund her trip. Waitressing, odd jobs here and there. And now she’s in SEasia just to finish up her gallivant before heading back to Japan. Grace and I immediately looked at each other and went, “WOW! We’re so definitely doing that someday!”

We ended the day off with some phad thai. I swear the guy ran out of noodles and ran into the nearest convenience store to grab rubberbands. They were so chewy! Ew! We should have stuck to Koi Soy, Lao pork noodles, or my favourite veg omelette thing we had in the afternoon. Which is really, to die for. The sauce they cook it in makes it all so gooooooood! And of course, to top it off with some local lao ice coffee, though beerlao pretty much made up for it. We finally visited lotus spa, just as sir liang had recommended. It was ok, not that great. I still enjoyed the previous one more. The place was pretty though, but the masseurs massaged me like I forced her to. Not cool. Didn’t appreciate that one bit.

I woke up this morning trying to figure out what I dreamt of last night. And it was weird. I don’t know if I’ve been dreading going back to work, or dreading Nick leaving, or whatever that has happened in the day or on this trip, is really making me feel like quitting my job and leaving to travel for long. I don’t know, either which, it was really really strange.

I dreamt that we were all held hostage, and Nick had a huge ass machine gun. In order to see if you’re worthy to the company, whether you can stay or not, he’ll shoot, if it hits you, you’re out. So it came to me, it was my turn and immediately, he fired 24 shots into the air and it all penetrated into my knee. Why my knee? Why 24 shots? Why do I so clearly remember these things. It was weirddddd like I said it would be! So the rest of the dream had me weeping and solemn and totally dreading birdpark. Thinking the company hates me to the core and really wanted me out. There were a couple of random people in my dream too. Some back from mg, some I totally don’t recognize. One girl called patricia, and I don’t even know who she is. She got shot in her face, another had her cheeks and elbow blasted off. Gory dreams I have aye. Gahh.

I cannot describe how much I’m wishing to work and travel now. Haha, if only it did come true. But times are so bad these days, its gonna be difficult finding a willing party to let me work and travel. I did give it some thought, even using our infamous soap story we’ve been telling everyone here about how we got robbed back in Vang Vieng came to mind. Like, excuse me, I really need a job! Please let me work here, my flight back is in 2 months and my money got stolen and I could really use a job here. Haha. Or something like that, something to that effect. Urghhh! I really want to see the world. It isn’t like some youthful restlessness that Eugene had described it to be. I really do wish to get out and meet the millions of souls that I’ve yet to meet. i need to wash it out of my system. to really determine whether is it truly just a youthful jitterbug in me or do i really want to travel for the rest of my life.

This angmoh guy in front of me is speaking lao to the innekeeper’s wife. So many interesting people to meet. Ah! What wouldn’t I give! 2009 is definitely gonna be an interesting travel year for me. ooh. I so cannot wait.