Are you kidding? A 12 hour sleeping bus!

There is no way in any shape or form I am getting on a sleeping bus.

No way.

No how.

For some reason my protests were ignored.

Ceci kept repeating:

It’s all part of the adventure.

My ass!

I don’t want to be on a bus overnight as it tries to negotiate through the roads of a mountain, which is just big enough to fit a bus on one side and a car on another… with some parts not offering any guard rails.

Yeah you can see my reluctance to get on the stupid bus for 12 hours.

The only reason we are getting on the bus is to go to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Side note… here is the history lesson (courtesy of Wikipedia):

Luang Prabang, means: "Royal Buddha Image, is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about 425 kilometres north of Vientiane.

Thankfully, after arriving at the travel agent, we were informed that the new sleeping bus was broken. Yes a bus that was brand new, and only been on one trip that week, didn’t work. Yeah I was pushing out of the way to get on that bus!

Anyway after weighing up getting on another 12 hour bus or a 30 minute flight to Luang Prabang, we all collectively agreed, to book a flight out of Vientiane the very next day.

This gave us an opportunity to head to Ceci’s favourite Lao restaurant where we gorged on traditional food – chicken larb, spiced chicken in ginger and coriander, with desserts like pumpkin and coconut cake, and pineapple with palm sugar and coconut ice cream. DELICIOUS!

Suffice to say, I waddled home filled with food and BeerLao.

Laos... where is that exactly?

On Tuesday 16^th November I started at the immigration office in Laos and smiled and repeated…

Yes I am teacher. Yes I am teacher. Yes I am teacher.

For the record, I am not a teacher but I am going into a Communist country and what I do for a living kind of makes some people nervous. I have experienced that nervousness in China, Egypt and India and just thought this time I would be a warm, inviting, softly spoken teacher.  

I had spent the previous weekend, laughing, more laughing, and being my ever loud self with family, friends and my boyfriend, celebrating my 30^th birthday.  

After eating, unwrapping pressies and drinking Woo Woo cocktails, I was ready to head over the one of the most bombed countries in history.

I thought instead of sitting on one’s arse for their 30^th birthday, I decided to head overseas and visit an old friend, home I lived with in Tuscany, building a house and being an au pair to four little rat bags (or boys).

The plan was to spend some time shopping till my heart’s content in Bangkok but the recent floods changed it all and so I made my way to Udon Thani on Thailand’s border to cross into Laos.

To cross to Laos you need to take The Friendship Bridge via a rickety old bus and then stand before immigration and pretend not to look nervous, despite the fact, I have never done anything illegal-ish.

Once that was all over, Ceci was waiting for Bec and I on the other side and made the announcement she has booked a moped for me… something I said no to because of my inclination to fall off them, get burnt by the exhaust or just scream bloody murder every time I hit a bump in the road, a car came anywhere near me or wind happen to blow in my face. I hate them and they are not fans of me.

Laos’ capital, Vientiane, is a beautiful place.

It’s not too big for a capital city and is filled with little streets and dusty roads, and is riddled with mopeds, banged up cars and smiling faces everywhere.

I am definitely liking Laos!

Bon voyage

Well i'm off again for another adventure.

This time's Laos, land of the ...

Well I'm not entirely sure because the lack person in me neglected to read up about it because I thought I would have plenty of time on the plane... a whole seven hours to read cover to cover about Laos.

So I can't really say what I am doing but I know I am going to Laos.

Sorry I can't be more helpful but hey that's all part of the adventure... not planning every single detail!

xo

Joke for the day...

I had to share this after reading a reply to a blog about relationships...

I like to sum up the way men and women veiw relationships with one simple joke.

A man, arguing with his wife says: “how can you be so damn stupid and so damn beautiful at the same time!” she quickly responds: “easily, god made me beautifil so you’d be attracted to me.. and god me me stupid, so i’d be attracted to you!”

I actually laughed out loud! Too funny.

FYI - the same blog said men knew more about relationships than women... sure!  

Today I become an old tart

Today is my 30th birthday!

And so far, I have been spoilt.

I have myself a giant bouquet of flowers sitting on my table from my boy, and endless list of calls and texts from family and friends. And on top, I have been pampered to an inch of my life, which will continue later today with a new hairdo.

And its only 1:30pm... more fun to be had.

Ah birthdays, I love them! Mine, family and friends and boyfriends.

xo

Seven days and counting...

I have seven days left of getting away with showing my ID

I have seven days left of getting away with wearing pig tails (not in public) while singing and shaking my booty to Ricky Martin

I have seven days left of saying, no no no I am in my 20s

I have seven days before I have to wear bed socks to bed

I have seven days until my taste buds go awry ....

Ok seriously I know its an over reaction but I can't help wonder what my 30s have in store for me... because my 20s were friggin' AWESOME!

I loved my 20s, I travelled, I explored, I meet many people, lost some, and had a wake up call.

So bear with me as I sit here with a mud mask on my face, a glass of red wine, while Fraiser is playing in the background, and a delicious Italian sponge cake calling my name.

Ah 20s!

Awesome!