laos, the wrap-up

our comments and observations of laos:

• the people of laos are shy, generous, and genuinely friendly. they are also modest, decent, and carry themselves in a respectful manner. with the majority of the country unaffected by tourism, we feel the lao people are some of the kindest in south east asia.
• lao people are honest. we didn't feel the need to worry as much about being grossly overcharged or scammed as we have in other south east asian countries.
• the coffee keeps getting better and better. in our opinion, lao coffee is some of the best in the world.
• a lao person will not eat in front of you without offering you some of their food.
• lao food is tasty, fresh, and absolutely delicious - it's better than we anticipated.
• there are no western fast-food restaurants in laos.
• when it comes to food, the lao are particular and critical. it's common and acceptable for a lao person to touch, poke, smell, and even taste a food item prior to selecting it to purchase.
• we have come to love the unidentifiable dried meats of laos - they are delicious!
• compared to other south east asian countries, not as much english is spoken in laos.
• with double rooms including satellite tv and hot water bathrooms in the $4 to $8 range, lao guesthouse accommodations offer some of the best value in the region.
• with a population less than 6 million, laos has one of the lowest population densities in asia. over 70% of laos is covered with forest and plateaus. the majority of the land and people share the same qualities of being rural, primitive, and untouched.
• lao children start working at a young age. we encountered numerous child waiters, cooks, and vendors. additionally, especially in rural villages, lao children care for children. it's not uncommon to see a young child caring for an infant.
• the lao people are the most laid-back of south east asia. we find their non-aggressive manner quite refreshing.

what things cost in laos:

• the mekong border boat crossing from thailand $1.00 per person
• double ensuite room at the khamking guesthouse in luangnam tha $6.50
• a one-day guided trek through ethnic villages and countryside $17.00pp
• one day scooter rental $8.00
• one liter of gas $1.10
• lao coffee with condensed milk $0.33
• bottled water $0.22
• a 12oz can of diet coke $0.55
• a large bottle of beer lao $1.15
• a fruit smoothie $0.55
• american breakfast at a café $2.20
• an order of laap $1.75
• a bowl of khao soi soup $0.70
• an order of sticky rice $0.30
• an italian-style pizza $3.50
• a chicken baguette sandwich $1.10
• a little bag of dried meat $0.50
• admission to the ti dam festival $0.50pp
• admission to the children's cultural show in luang prabang $5.00pp
• admission to a wat $0.50pp
• a five-hour bus ride from udomxai to luang prabang $5.00
• standard tuk-tuk ride from the bus station to the city center $1.00pp
• laundry service $1.10 per kilo
• postcards $0.15 each
• postage to the usa $0.95 each
• internet usage at a cafe $0.75 per hour
• the lao mask $6.00
• a cross-stitched purse from a tribal village $2.00
• silver earrings $3.00
• hand-woven scarf $5.00
• cloth ornament $0.60
• cross-stitched change purse $0.55
• hand-embroidered wall hanging $15.00

what's next?

from the southern city of pakse, laos, we'll board a 3 hour bus that will take us across the border and back into thailand. from the eastern city of ubon ratchathani, we'll take a 10 hour bus back to bangkok to hang out for the weekend. following bangkok, we'll be moving south for a couple weeks of much anticipated fun in the sun and beach relaxation in the southern islands of thailand. here we come thailand….again!

onward!

alina