louiseinlimbo

I've been in Hanoi nearly three weeks, trying to see the sights but also trying to get some 'down time' - what would be days at home just pottering about if I had a home.  Not always easy, as for example this morning I'd planned to do just that, but then before I'd finished my breakfast I got into conversation with a couple of other guests staying at my hostel, and suddenly it was 12:45 and time to go out and buy a bread roll for my lunch.  So right now I'm hiding behind the curtain that screens my bed from others in my dorm; I'd rather like a cup of tea, but that would involve locking my laptop away in the locker, going down four flights of stairs to the kitchen, and risking getting into another conversation.  Not that I'm complaining, as meeting other travellers can be as interesting as seeing the sights, but sometimes you do have to work at managing your time and personal space in this type of life. You also have to work at being 'present' in

For some reason I can’t explain, the UNESCO-listed Plain of Jars is somewhere I’ve long wanted to visit.  Several thousand stone jars of varying sizes are spread over a large area in north-eastern Laos, their original purpose not really known although generally believed to be coffins, grave markers, or temporary storage for decomposing bodies.  The province where they are located (Xieng Khouang) was one of the worst hit by the second Indochina war, and unexploded ordnance still poses a threat, but many of the 90+ jar sites are now open to the public. Now I had my opportunity and so I set off on a supposedly ten-hour journey by minivan from Luang Prabang, through twisting partly unsurfaced roads winding up and down through the mountains.  Scenic but not so comfortable (many Laos take travel-sickness medication before the trip).  The route is heavily used by big trucks, even though the condition of the road makes it difficult for them, and several times at some of the sharper, steeper be

I was in Laos in December 2007, down in the south of the country, and always knew that I had to come back to see the central and northern parts.  Finally, with it just a (long) bus-trip away from Vietnam, it was easy to do. I started in Savannakhet, where the bus arrived.  Nothing much to see there, but that in a way was good, as I was able to relax for a couple of days without feeling I needed to be out seeing things.  From there I would have gone straight to Vientiane, but a friend had told me how I needed to stop on the way in Thakhek, to see some amazing caves.  I did so, although it was pricey as I couldn't do the usual tourist thing of renting a motorbike and spending 3-4 days driving the 'loop' but went instead on two day-trip personal tours in a minivan, driven by the hostel manager.  Worth it, I think, for some really spectacular caves and pretty good scenery generally. From there I moved on to the capital, Vientiane, a place many travellers bypass, but I stayed fo