Rollin-Luang Prabang

Last day: (Feb 12-13)
We continued crusing, chatting, and hanging out with pet turtles until we finally arrived (7 hrs later) in the lovely Luang Prabang. I checked into a hostel, where I met up with a few other people from the boat, who met up with a few more people from the boat. I checked into my room with 7 british babies (read: approx 19) who are really funny, for 35,000 kip (less than a pizza!) and a group of the boaties went out for dinner, drinks in a town that shuts down at approximately 11:30pm. Its interesting to say the least. But the town is ultra chill, and situated on the Mekong, really beautiful. There is a clear French influence from the colonial days ( although I’m not sure if that’s authentic or just for effect as it is a HUGE tourist area). It is however, touristy, and believe it or not, I’m tired of travelers. I need to find some Laotian friends stat. But the travelers are cool, and I enjoy being part of a group, if you could believe that. IT is hard to get 8 peoples ass in gear, and we did almost nothing today until half two when we finally climbed a hill to get a spectacular view of the city, see a temple, chat with monks, see buddah’s footprint and hang out with Laotian children who were trying to steal spidey.
Group on top


We went for dinner (1 usd plate buffet? Loves it!) and spent a lot of time just lounging, since this city is famous for its ultra laid back, who the hell cares attitude. We went to a really cool bar, where I hung out with the people from my dorm and some friends from the boat. 1 thing I did not know about Laos? They’re communist.



Bar we hung out in

Rollin' down the river

Note: I've been writing these along, and just haven't had the time/connections to upload

Feb 11, 2011
The morning after my last night in Chiang Mai I had to get on a bus up to Chiang Khong. After saying goodbye to my buddies (who I miss already!) I was picked up by a minivan. Needless to say, I passed out straight away and woke up only when the bus stopped so I could be sick. Lesson learned? Probably not. It was worth it. We drove up through the countryside where we stopped to see the “white temple” outside of Chiang Rai, which was delightfully morbid and weird (and by this time I was starting to feel a bit better….) We got to our crappy hostel in a tiny town on the Mekong, where since I hadn’t really slept I just passed out after chatting with a few people.
This morning I woke up ready to go. A lot of the people on this trip seem to be rookie Asia travelers (more on being a young traveler in a bit) and it was kind of cute. I was a little nervous, having stayed my Thai Visa, and after a fine (booooooooo) was allowed through to get on a tiny long tail taxi for the 2 minute trek across the Mekong. There, immigration control was a mess and everybody was getting cranky (welcome to Asia, people). I eventually got the visa (The first one on my appended pages!!!!) which is pretty, and moved on to wait outside of a travel agent with 12 other people coming from Chiang Mai and a piece of paper saying we paid somebody. We waited forever until we got to the boat, jumped on and cruised. This is a 2 day journey, each day being about 6 hrs to Laung Prabang. Its actually really pretty, and its really just foreigners so there’s a lot of chatting. I found a Laotian, and after he taught me some Lao, we caused mischief and chilled. Lots of BeerLao was consumed, some naps were had, a lot of stories swapped and we finally got there to the biggest cluster fuck I have ever been a part of (and I was in China, people). The boat (read: about the size of a bus) stopped and everybody’s baggage was everywhere and people were getting on the boat to sell you shit and people were getting off and it was crazy and everybody was so cranky. I found a guesthouse (might be the crappiest place I’ve ever stayed) negotiated my price (cause I’m not a rookie) and went to seek dinner. On my travels a nice couple recognized me (mainly cause the man had a computer out and I asked him if he had wifi) so I joined them. We were later joined by Thomas, a man who walked for 3 months through Japan and 3 months through New Zealand; and his friend. I dare you to tell me I don’t meet the most interesting people. There was more chatting and story swapping until the Beer Lao started to put us to sleep. Day 3/3 tomorrow!

What one was that? The one where you set the couch on fire.....

Feb 4-10th, 2011
So the class ended on Thursday, and after a quick input session on Friday, we were officially done and ready to party like…well…we just finished a highly intensive course run by one of the greatest universities in the world. So we did. We rolled into Chiang Mai and a group of 7 of us got a guest house and went out to dinner and for drinks with one of our tutors. Seeing as most of us weren’t familiar with the city since we were on “the compound” it was cool to explore the nightlife and see what Chiang Mai, which is a college town, was really all about. Something about fistpumping out the back of a tuk tuk with your tutors’ wife makes life a little better.
The next day included some day drinking and putzing around, and then another party to say goodbye to some of our friends T.T Seeing as Laura, one of the girls on the course, is as awesome as I am, we decided to make this a theme night, dressing up as geishas, exploring lady boy bars and consuming buckets. We ended up drinking on the moat, and then causing some trouble in the hostel……
The next day, needless to say, we just couldn’t be asked to do anything. We lazed about before paying a tuk tuk to “keep us entertained for a few hours” We went to Dot Santep which is a temple up on a hill. It was pretty, but once again, temples are temples. It was more the adventure. There we randomly met up with the boys but called it an early night cause the next day we were doing the Gibbon Experience!
This was amazing, and included zip lining through the trees (40 meters up, and the longest one was about 1km!). It was touristy, but a really cool way to see the jungle. Kevin, Laura and I all enjoyed it. It was amazing to see how lush and green and well, jungly the jungle actually is! That night I enjoyed some delightful foreigner food, and introduced everybody to the glory that is root beer, and a root beer float.
The next day. Since we didn’t really want to do much, I ended up toolin’ around town on the back of a motorbike (Thanks, Grant!!!!!) This may have been a highlight. I LVOED it, and Chiang Mai is so different looking at it in that perspective. There may have been a trip to the police station, but we may have payed our way out of it and kept toolin’. We didn’t go anywhere in particular, although did find some cool café. That night we went out HARD to reggae bars and jazz clubs and all over town, not getting back until super late making the next day messy………
On the next edition:
LAOS, PDR: the beginning.

Celta wrap up

I PASSED. PASS PASS PASS

"Erin was a popular member of the group, with the colleauges and the tutors. She was a pleasure to have on this course thanks to her lively, enthusiastic rapport, and will fit in well in any staff room"

Chiang Mai Mai?

Quick Update

+++CELTA IS DONE
-I kind of miss having routine, learning, and tooling off
+In Chiang Mai with the 6 of the course that stayed
-My visa ran out
+But I'm still here
+Chiang Mai >>>>> BKK
+Going to LAOS on Thursday

Went to some temple today. It was okay. Doi Sethep? I'm over temples, which doesn't bode well for laos.
Pics sooooon

Happy New Year!

Especially to fellow year-of-the-rabbits (1987)!


The girls with a new years lantern



Having Li help me with mine!