It was with a mix of both sadness and excitement that we left behind both Laos and Thailand in the past 24 hours and embarked on a flight to India. I thoroughly enjoyed the kindness of both the Thai and Laos people, the beauty of the natural surroundings and the many new flavors, sights and sounds. I should start by saying that the elephant riding was amazing! My elephant was a bit “cheeky” and would swat at me with branches, but I think we achieved a truce at the end and parted on good terms. The visit to Vang Vieng was a bit surreal because of all the western influences. We spent the greater portion of an afternoon floating down the Mekong River in tire tubes while listening to Bob Marley and visiting the bars that dotted the shores. After much peer pressure I was coerced into swinging from trapeze over the river and plummeting into the water below. It was all a bit kitschy and reminiscent of spring break excursions in college, but was also a welcome change of pace and a respite from the more serious and historical travel sites. In the evening most of the tipsy and damp travelers head off to restaurants throughout the town where you can lounge on elevated platforms and watch “Friends” and an assortment of other DVD’s on offer. So surreal! Our next stop was in Vientiane, the capital of Laos and home of the Laotian Arch de Triumph. I ventured out in the rain to visit the National Museum and was intrigued by the varied history of the region. I am anxious to read up on all of it when I return home, and pick Marie’s brain about some of the things I’ve seen and heard. We are about to land in Kolkata (Calcutta), the temperature is a warm 92 degrees with about 90 percent humidity! Wish me luck.
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