R'N'R

Slept in until eight, went downstairs for breakfast and to get the new wifi code (they change it everyday – one server services about six restaurants throughout the area). Went up to my room to change the code on the computer then uploaded yesterday’s blog because I had too many beers last night to do it. 

I was feeling guilty yesterday from doing virtually nothing but then I thought of you, dear readers and thought I owe it to you for the greater good – to just enjoy it! 

In an effort to avoid the same guilt today I walked down the sunset side where there was no burning sun yet and spent three hours reading, eating pancakes and drinking fruitshakes. 

I found some steps down to the river so I stripped down and went for a swim.               

The arrival/departure beach with some tubers just coming in and some tourists on bikes. I keep wanting to call it the wharf but there is no actual structure, it's just a small beach.

I went to a restaurant at the arrival/departure beach for lunch then went to my room to wash the Mekong off me and rest under the air-conditioner.

Standing on the beach looking up the main street, my Guest House is about five hundred metres along.

I went for a vodka at The Little Eden bar for sunset just so you could see the cliché sunset photos from a different angle……………so without any further ado..............

After sundown I went for a chicken schnitzel at Darren’s restaurant which was the first real schnitzel I’ve had since I left Australia. Then I went for “one” last vodka at Rouges to watch the last half of “The Departed”. Cedric turned up and went to the veranda bar out the back, he called me through when the movie was over to chat to a lovely Spanish girl who wanted a few tips on Vietnam. We chatted and after she left to pack for her early morning departure - and my third vodka - I wandered home peacefully to bed.

Is It Tuesday?

I woke early, made it down to the arrival/departure beach in time for a coffee with Phil before he left for Phnom Penh. 

Went back to my restaurant for coffee, Cedric turned up briefly. Caught up on some email. Went for a massage, had lunch, read a bit then crashed out for the afternoon.  

The arrival/departure beach at the end of the "street"

Woke up just after sunset, went to Rouges and watched the end of “The Beach” then had dinner at The Streetview and a few beers with Darren who had many great stories of first arriving here ten years ago as the only white guy and the many changes that have occurred since. 

Darren BBQing my pork steak.

Then I went to bed, how relaxed can you get?

I Love Mondays

I woke at seven, a better view of the river from my room door, I keep waking up thinking "who's mowing the lawn at this time of day?" then realsie where i am - it's boats.

I went for breakfast down near the boat arrival/departure beach where I bumped into Phil who's leaving tomorrow and starting his day with a beer, breakfast of champions. Below is the main street which is watered down every couple of hours to stop the dust from blowing.

I decided I should do some exercise and walked a couple of kilometres along the “sunrise side” and stopped for a coffee. 

As I sat down at a table Cedric appeared from his bungalow opposite, I had no idea where he was staying but we seem to keep bumping into each other. 

I went down to the water for a swim then sat with a nice French girl “Morgane” and arranged to have a sunset drink with her. 

It’s past midday so I headed backed to the main drag for a bite to eat then caught up on some email and crashed out for a while.

I met Morgane at my Guest House at quarter to five and we made it to a sunset bar in perfect time for cocktails and more sunset photos. 

Again my fascination with the cusp moon, Venus and a boat under them both on the river.

After the sun went down we went to a “pizza and pasta” place because I felt like pasta. We ate then played pool on the worst table I’ve ever played on.

I went to the movie bar for a bit when Morgane went home but they were playing “The killing Fields” which was just a bit too much at that time of night so I went to bed.

Another Day of Rest

Pretty much the same as yesterday. Slept in, had breakfast, went to find a quiet bar to play some WWF and bumped into Cedric, a French guy I met one night out with Donatella. 

We watched two tubers call for help and a boat go over to pick them up, they seemed ok, don’t know what the problem was, they were probably just bored. In Vang Vieng there are bars all the way down the river who drag you in for a drink but here you just float down the river for four hours. 

When I say "main street" you realise that means a muddy dirt track right?

Don Det is kind of like Vang Vieng but without all the English girls in shorts that are too short and testosterone driven drunken yobbos. I should like to clarify, I don’t use the word yobbo in a derogatory sense, I was one not that long ago. 

The people here are much less intense, as if Laos wasn’t relaxed enough already so I’m going to take in as much of that as I can before I go back to Vietnam. 

Watched a movie at “Rogue Bar” one of the few that plays movies. It has been weird, I have not had access to real TV for five days, there is no signal down here so there’s just these couple of movie bars. Liberating. 

After a rest I met up with Phil who was in a foul mood from something that happened at his hotel and I tried to calm him over a beer at sunset, yes that’s all I got again today, boring sunset photos. 

Some lads taking an evening swim.

Another great shot of the cusp moon and Venus.

Darren BBQing our steak and fish.

We went to The Streeview for BBQ and I wandered off to “Rouges” where I watched a movie with Cedric until passing in for an early night.

I Ain't Doing Nothing

Today is my day to do nothing and that’s just what I did! I actually slept until nine, went down to the Guest House Restaurant for coffee, eggs and bacon.  

Went down to The Streetview to catch up with Phil and sort out getting some cash. There are no ATMs on the island so there is an “ATM service” which means paying for a boat to go to the main land and use an ATM there but even then I can only take out one million Kip per day and I may need more than that.

I’m not desperate for money or anything yet and I’m not sure how long I’m going to be here but I will need more cash eventually so there is “a guy” who will give you the cash and charge your credit card for services instead of cash advance. Of course, at six percent instead of the usual four but it suits me fine and beats making two or more trips to the main land.

Then after such an exhausting morning, I watched a movie in a bar over a couple of coffees then went back to my room and had a nap.

I got up late afternoon, Oh that's what I did today, I shaved when i got up and had a shower then went to find a bar with a sunset view so I at least had some photos to bore you with today, and here they are…………

After the sun went down I got this shot with the iPhone, there is a cusp moon as well as Venus.

After the sun had gone I went to The Streetview and had a few beers and BBQ pork with Phil. Darren the Aussie guy who runs the bar with his local wife of ten years, a sweet decent guy from Western Australia who just thought this was the life for him, being Aussie he cooks a great BBQ!

The Three Amigos

Good thing I had thought to set the alarm yesterday. It is seven, the latest I have slept in for over a week but considering the night before not surprising. I thought about going back to sleep but I had agreed to do it and Donatella was tagging along as well so I thought the only way this is going to happen is if I sit straight up and have a cigarette.  

It took about three drags of hacking cough to make me vomit and I felt almost ready to start the day, just a shower and I would be half decently prepared for action.

The minor view of the river from my balcony, though very under appreciated this morning.

Unfortunately sensible Simon stayed in bed while stupid Simon headed out the door for a motorbike ride in thongs, T-shirt and shorts. 

I know what you’re thinking – recipe for disaster – well read on. 

I arrived with enough time for a coffee and half a fruit salad, no food was going to make me feel human again just yet. 

The bikes are automatic step throughs so no problems with the thongs thankfully. I said I didn’t feel comfortable taking responsiblility for Donatella as my pillion so she rode with Phil. Darren, the Australian guy from The Streetview hired us the bikes and wrote out a pretty good map of the two islands (connected by a bridge – five thousand Kip for locals - fifty thousand Kip for tourists) We headed out to see the various sights. The “small waterfall” the nearby beach, the bay where the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins swim and the illusive suspension bridge that we didn’t end up finding.

Poor little monkey tied to the tree swings his day away.

The "Small" Waterfall, the "Big" one is on another island.

The beach where the waterfalls form back into a river.

That's Cambodia over my shoulder. This is the bay where the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin are, you can see a tourist boat out trying to spot them, there are only about two hundred left.

A Teepee Resort?

The whole day was riding along narrow little tracks winding through forest and hills, over dodgy little make shift bridges and along the river, just a spectacular day. And have to admit to feeling a bit smug passing tourists who had decided to do it on push bikes.

We got back about four and Donatella headed off to the free sunset cruise run from the dreadlock bar we were at last night. I went for a rest as did Phil.

I went down to the dreadlock bar for a farewell drink with Donatella who was full of energy for her last night and fairly emotional about leaving. That turned into several drinks back closer to the main street. I managed to make my excuses and get out of there before I got myself into any trouble, it was sad to say farewell. One of the most vibrant and energetic people I’ve met in the last couple of months but after two straight days with her I needed a break and considering the night before I feel I did ok to get that far, I could see she was going to keep going for a while so sensible Simon went home.