Floating downstream

Originally uploaded by deepwarren

The last few weeks have been frantic, between attempting to get a work project finished and trying to get good routines going again after the holiday break. Today I got a film developed, that I'd had taken in Laos while tubing down the river. I'd brought a disposable underwater plastic camera rather than risk my dslr. I am rather clumsy, and a watery death for my camera would have been a likely outcome.

So I got the photo's back and they seemed magical. All blurry and yellow-ed, and taken in eariier era, rather than 4 months ago. And thinking about it, you feel the shoulders relax, and remember the feel at looking at towering mountains with yr bum in a rubber ring.

Travel is a beautiful thing.

Vietienne, Laos

morning cup of tea
Originally uploaded by Scratchin Dog

Ahhh, money. I find it really hard to mentally change money into real australian dollars in my head.. and here, they will do the US$ into kip, then into baht if you want. Am now carrying 3 types of currency.

10.00 AUD = 74,107.17 LAK (known as the kip)

or approx 150,000 is AU$20.. or 50,000 is AU$6.70

In real terms: 10,000 = 1 longneck of Beer Lao (except for happy hour when it drops to between 6 -8,000 kip)

A dodgy hovel of a hotel room is 50,000 or AU$ 6.70. For that you get a bed, a shower (over the toilet) and no real windows.. and a fan (thank god!).

Off to watch the sun set over the Mekong and eat street food. Whole fried river crabs are crunchy!