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Roam Through Luang Prabang, LAOS

Roam Through Luang Prabang, LAOS

September 2020 · 6 min read · Luang Prabang

It was a very hot day especially at noon when I took these pictures on my walk. Some kids on a motorcycle stole my phone while I was using it at as a flashlight at night while I was riding my bicycle so I bought a cheap iPhone 6 for $30 so I could take pictures again. Even though it's an old phone, it still did the job.

Green curry with chicken is my favorite meal. It only costs about $3. My friend David recommended this about four months ago. Once I had tasted the sauce, I was instantly hooked. I've ordered this almost every day since. I don't even need to say anything or look at the menu. The owner knows that this is what I want once I sit down. It's nice to see restaurants still put their heart into great cooking. I'm really going to miss her delicious cooking whenever I can finally leave.

I've been here so long that I can read the Lao language now. I could read Thai before I came here and they are very similar so it's not that big of an achievement, but it feels good to be able to walk into a restaurant that lacks an English menu and tell the apologetic server that it's all good. Many foreigners learn the speak Lao, but very few can read. Of course this say's Pepsi. It's nice to have cold complementary water on such a hot day like this. I may be stuck here, but I'm happy to be able to eat at great restaurants like this.

This has been my pull-up bar for the past year. My goal was to do 20 military quality pull-ups for my 40th birthday. That means a fast pull-up with your chin above the bar without using your legs at all and a slow controlled down without touching the ground. I made it to 17 back in March, but just 12 today. I think pull-ups are a great way to stay in shape. I don't ever go to the gym. I never do push-ups or sit-ups, just pull-ups. If you're lazy like me, but want to maintain a bit of strength, pull-ups are the best.

Here's another great place that bit the dust due to Covid. No one here has died. No one is wearing a mask. The people here don't go all conspiracy theorist and deny it exists, they just joke and say that Lao people are strong. They eat all organic food. There aren't that many obese people. Maybe it's true. It's sad to see how many hotels and restaurants had to die because of government over reaction.

There are zero tourists. Only the same old expats who were always here. There is some construction going on which is a good sign. It seems they fix these brick sidewalks every year. 

I'm looking forward to the day when personal electric drones or flying cars are a thing and we can fly to the tops of these mountains. If and when there is another global flood, these mountain tops will be the place to be.

It's been raining every day for months. The bamboo bridge is gone now. This is twice as much water than when I was here last. The water is usually very brown, but it looked pretty clear today.

It's wonderful to visit these ancient temples and be the only soul around.

This place is starting to look worn down compared to when I first came here two years ago. There was already a drop in tourism before the Covid. It will probably get worse.

These poor chickens were getting their last drink of water before they become a meal. It's weird to see the chicken or fish you're about to eat alive, killed, then cooked, but it really is more fresh and delicious. I can see my Vegan friends from California horrified by this, but this is how it's done here. Vegans always look weak and unhealthy to me so who cares what they think.

I needed some painter's tape, so I dropped by this hardware shop. Most shops here look like this. This is the only shop that sells 3M tape. The Chinese crap they sale should be illegal. It leaves sticky residue behind and it doesn't even stick to anything.

I was sweating like a pig, so I did my best to stay in the shade. Someone stole my bicycle last month too. I really miss it when it's hot like this. I stole lot's of stuff when I was a kid, so I guess this is my what goes around comes around moment.

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Here's the Goddess of rain and life again. A lot of things you'll see at temples here predate Buddhism and are leftovers from Hinduism. The same thing happened with Christianity. Why do you think Jesus is white? He's just a Zeus clone.

It's hard to get a shot with the sun shinning. It looks like this cheap phone will do  the job. Too bad the battery dies at a rate of one percent a minute. 

Another victim of the Covid. They keep showing the infection and death rates on the news, but I wonder how many people have starved to death or have killed themselves because they lost everything. 

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Fahrenheit was the perfect word for what I was feeling. It felt like 95 degrees. Maybe it was 100. When are Americans ever going to use the metric system? The imperial system is so stupid. I've been gone for so long that I've forgotten how to think in pounds, miles, feet, or Fahrenheit. Am I a bad American for thinking that? I couldn't care less. 

Thanks for going on this hot, but lovely walk with me today. Hopefully you will have the option of coming here and I'll have the option to leave. It feels like groundhog day to me not having the option to fly, but I'm happy I got stuck in such a nice place as Luang Prabang.

Travel Resources for your trip to Laos

Recommended by TravelFeed

Flights: We recommend checking Kiwi.com to find the best and cheapest flights to Laos.

Accomodation: Explore the best places to stay in Laos on Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.

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Transportation: Use 12go and Omio to find detailed bus and train schedules, making travel planning easier.

Car Rental: For hassle-free car hiring, DiscoverCars is our trusted choice with a wide selection of vehicles.

Internet: Got an eSIM compatible phone? Airalo is perfect for reliable internet access during your trip. Just install it before you go, and you're set!

Day Trips & Tours: We recommend GetYourGuide for a variety of well-organized and enjoyable activities.

Tickets: Save on entrance fees in Laos with Klook and Tiquets.

Travel Planner: Need a hand planning? Our free travel planner chatbot is your personal guide to Laos. Chat now.

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