My first long bus journey of the trip today. 7 hours to Luang Prabang, stopping for a rest break at a place called Kasi, appropriately enough. A 200km road like a corkscrew, ascending high over mountain passes and back down to the Mekong valley just in time for the mad dash for a cheap room, cold beer and, in my case, a Chicken Jalfrazi. The Israeli on the seat next to me immediately fell asleep on me, but after a few hours my instinctive Anglo-indignation subsided, and the ebb and flow of the road lulled my senses, and settled me into numbed observation of village after village perched on 15 ft strips between the road and ravines. Children, chicken, pigs and dogs all live at the edge of the road, inches from traffic, but seem to possess an innate understanding of the swept path of the trucks that pass them.
It is the middle of the dry season, and it seems now is time for roof repairs. Almost every villager was squatted by the side of the road bashing the hell out of bamboo stems which, I think, they'll rethatch their roofs with. After the bustle of the Capital and Vang Vieng, the Khao San Road of Laos, it was a glimpse of the subsistence life of most of the population.
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Have just got round to checking out your missives and I must say, I approve! Sounds like you are having a right proper time like. Have you run into a transport planner called Fraser at all? Him and his girlfriend Rach appear to be hanging in your hood apparently.
You're not missing much - recession will be worse than some experts predicted according to some other experts in Davos; BoJo still wittering on about his fantasy airport island; Sir Paul Stephenson's nickname is either Rusty Face or Sunbed Stephenson; Snow predicted for next week. Not that the forecast matters to me cos I'm off to Chamonix where there better be snow or I'm suing the French.
Have fun & stay safe
x
Oh - and the dance tunes are doing my head in. Not used to anything without clogs or a washboard
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