Lounging in Laos

Sabai-Dee! (Laos for Hello!) Yep, the weary travelers have arrived!!! Completely worn out with 24 hour plus travels of...."Planes, trains, and automobiles". It was exactly as such, as we have completely flown nearly half way around the world, negotiated with other nationalities to be "shuttled" from one spot to the next", just to get to where we're going. The first flight was 12 hours. The 2nd flight was the toll - as it was another 5 hour flight. All 3 heads were dropped, like a moment of silence, for about an hour or two even before the wheels even came off the ground. Arriving in Bangkok, we were extremely out of it - as chuckles sounded out through the not so populated airport on a glimpse of a sign stating the corridor to get to Krabi." Yes, I told ya.Changing our monies into Baht, Bangkok currency, to negotiate pricing to be delivered to the other domestic airport across town. All our luggage loaded, we began our travel through the city. I'm not sure, however it seems that they shut the lights out in the town, not much scenery. We did pass a building that was sparkling in the nite - it was a temple. Really cool as we couldn't determine its source of light, "Tom Bodet didn't leave any lights on." Something you wouldn't see down south. That airport had an opportunity to experience a girl down south, as we were waiting for the airport to open, I pulled out my speakers for my iPod, to start blasting Peat Low, Low, Low. Hmmmm, I can imagine the thoughts going thru those peoples mind as I was dancing to it.One last flight - just an hour - Arriving in Ubon Ratchathani we were back on our game to negotiate for not what we were expecting. It cost us 2000 Baht to be hand delivered to the Mukadan - MUUUK a dan - phonics bus station.

My first experience of European bathroom facilities in of all places - a 7 eleven. They do not have toilets!!!! It's holes in the floor with trenches all around, passing the extra expelled water through out the building and outside. (Gosh, I am truly hoping it was just the spill over of the water flowing in the Womans bathroom.) Needless to say, I took one look, and decided I really didn't have to go that bad. The sites of this country is humbling, as it is really poverty stricken. Motor peds are the main transportation. And the site of a family of four riding down the road on a motor powered bicycle, started my giggles. Its the WeeeGooo model!Now, the bus station to be transported over the border was our breaking point. Our luggage sitting out on the curb, awaiting the arrival to place under the bus. The bus pulled up, and several, it seemed like 1000 Thai ladies and men, telling the bus driver to throw their 40lb bags of rice on the bus, and other household items quickly filled up the understorage. There is no rooms for our bags!!! Now what are we gonna do. Oh did I mention that trying to tell the guy - we have to get across the border WITH our 60lb bags are just as important, and we were in line first in English got us nothing but Thai interpretation of something, but it did come with hand signals pointing to another bus across the parking lot. Oh by the way, we did buy a ticket for this adventure - what are we gonna do with it? I think we all wanted to turn around, say forget it, and go back home!!! Again Bus drivers pointing and talking in Tai, starting to cause a scene in the middle of the parking lot, the original bus driver took pity, and ended up pulling around, placing our luggage in the back of the bus. OK, now 2 redheads happy, RC just relieved, and we're headed for the border.Giving away our extra passport pictures like we were rock stars, FINALLY crossing the Friendship bridge - we are almost there! We again got to laugh, as we are standing in line to pay for our Visas, that RC realizes his pictures are in his briefcase on the bus that is already rolling across the border to await our arrival. Peggy and myself just couldn't pass up the our interpretation of "Run Forest Run". Realize its over 24 hours since we said good-bye to the US, but blessed with our international travel experience we are dropped off to find a white van with "our names printed on a piece of paper! Someone FOUND us!!!! Yeeaaahhh!Another short ride to be delivered to the property - tired, worn out, and hungry - we went to the buffet, grabbed a meal, met our constituents, and preceded to the hotel of our temporary residence. The girls have been placed in the VIP rooms - wwwhhheeewww. We quickly jumped out of our 3day travel attire to shower, and start sipping on the National Beer of choice - BeerLao. It's in a bottle the size of a fifth of alcohol, the best thang we've tasted in acouple of days.We await the arrival of our compadres to determine our dinner arrangements. (Guess who's losing weight for 2 weeks? You got it - mode of transportation now is - footsies!)Everything is hilarious now. Get ready for the next edition, potential title - Bathing in Lao!Take care everyone, and will send more later.