The Great Ruins of Angkor
Angkor Wat would probably be one of the most visited historical sites in the whole Southeast Asian region. This is one place that you shouldn’t miss when you go to Indo-China.
Some facts from Wikipedia
“Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. The temple is the epitome of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors.
Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.”
From Manila, you can fly to Bangkok and do the overland trip to Phnom Penh and continue on to Siem Reap. Alternatively, you can fly to Kuala Lumpur and then fly directly to Siem Reap (via Air Asia) if you don’t have much time.
When you get to Siem Reap, there’s a lot of cheap hostels to choose from. There’s also a lot of cheap food stalls that you’ll find around town. Most people go to Angkor Wat around dusk and stay there until dawn to capture the magnificent sunrise and sunset view of the temple. I went there around midday because of sheer laziness to wake up early. I suggest you rent a tuktuk or a motorcycle so you could go to most of the nearby temples easily. I think I just paid $7 for the whole day rent of the motorcycle that took me to different sights around Angkor Wat.
Here’s the admission information from www.tourismcambodia.com
“You must possess an admission pass (an 'Angkor Pass') to visit the temples and sites in the Angkor Archaeological Park. Passes may be purchased at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat. One-day tickets only can be purchased at the secondary tollgate on airport road entrance near Angkor Wat and at Banteay Srey.
Passes are sold in one-day ($20), three-day ($40) and seven-day ($60) blocks that must be used on consecutive days. Photo taken on the spot with free of charge is required at time of purchase.
Visiting hours are 5:00AM - 6:00PM. Angkor Wat closes at 6:00PM, Banteay Srey closes at 5:00PM and Kbal Spean at 3:00PM. Always carry your ticket. It will be checked upon each park entry and at major temples. There is a significant fine for not possessing a valid ticket inside the park. A regular admission ticket is not required to visit Phnom Kulen, Koh Ker or Beng Melea, but there is a separate entrance fee of $20, $10 and $5, respectively.”
Here are more pictures
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Challenges of a Filipino Backpacker
These are some of my observations.
1. Low Wage: Most Filipinos are earning the minimum wage which is around $200-$250 a month. A huge portion of it will go to paying bills and supporting some family members. Some will go to personal allowance and whatever’s left will be used for recreation stuff such as traveling.
Suggestions:
a. Look for alternative sources of income
b. Watch your spending habits and cut unnecessary expense
c. Compromise some of your wants (example. Not drinking a $2 cup of Starbucks a day is an opportunity to save $60 a month)
2. Poor Peso Performance: You fly out and go to the nearest money exchange shop to change it to other currency just to find out that it’s just worth half of the other nation’s currency. Last April, when I was in Bangkok I was shocked to find out that the Peso equivalent to Baht is just around fifty cents. Sigh!!!
Suggestions:
a. Change some of your Peso to US Dollar (when the rate is good)
b. Change some of your Peso to your needed currency (example: If you know you’re going to Thailand in a few months time, watch out for the possibility of 1:1 exchange rate and take advantage of it)
c. If the rate in currency exchange shops is unacceptable, try withdrawing your money instead from your ATM. They usually give better rates. When the rate (in money exchange shops) was at fifty cents (sometime in April), I was able to get 0.70 rate from the ATM.
3. Visa Restrictions: If you’re a Philippine passport holder, chances are you’re only allowed to enter a limited number of countries without visa. According to Wikipedia, “It is estimated that 62 countries and territories granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Philippine passport holders, while 41 countries and territories are visa free accessible (visa on arrival for free counted).” Compare it to Singaporean or Malaysian citizens who are allowed to travel to more than 100 countries without visa or with the visa upon arrival scheme. Sigh!!!
Suggestions:
a. This is something beyond our control. My suggestion is travel first to visa free countries.
b. You may opt to change your nationality or get dual citizenship (which is a tough and long process).
4. Trust Level of Immigration and Embassies: I was in Nepal last August and I had decided to get my Indian tourist visa there. To my horror, most of the travel agencies said that there’s a slim chance of getting it in Nepal because I’m a Filipino. I asked around for a reason because most nationalities are entitled to get a tourist visa to India. The owner of the hostel where I was staying said that it’s because a lot of Filipinos in Nepal have bad records that’s why they don’t like Filipinos. While planning my options, the owner asked me if he could see my passport. I showed it to him and he saw that I have never overstayed in any countries that I’ve been to and I have a visa for US and Schengen territory as well. He suggested that I try it again because I might get the visa because of the credibility of my passport. To cut it short, I got my Indian tourist visa.
Suggestions:
a. Build and maintain your good reputation as a traveler. Don’t overstay in any countries unless needed (e.g. emergency hospitalization etc).
b. Whenever we travel, let’s try to be a good example for our nation. I don’t want to sound preachy but it’s just a practical approach in building a good relationship with our foreign brothers and sisters.
If you have suggestions or additional information that could help our Filipino backpackers travel freely and easily, please feel free to post it here.
Flip is dreaming of a borderless world.
The World Map is from Wikipedia
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Thanksgiving for Backpackers
Thanksgiving is now being celebrated by our American brothers and sisters with the traditional get together parties with their families served with some of their traditional foods. But what is Thanksgiving anyway?
According to Wikipedia, “Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States
What is in store for us on this special day of the year? Well, a lot of Filipinos have relatives in the US
Here are some items that might be useful on your next trip.
Sleeping Bag: Don’t leave your sleeping bag behind if you’re going to travel for a long time. This will protect you from bed bugs from some old, cheap and shabby hostels. This will make sure that you sleep well at night after a long day of walking and trekking.
Note: Flip does not endorse any specific brand. I always opt to buy the cheaper products as long as we don’t compromise the quality.
P.S. Check out Flip's Amazon Store :-) Thanks!!!
P.S. Check out Flip's Amazon Store :-) Thanks!!!
Photos are from:
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Phnom Penh: A City of Hope
I was planning to take a boat trip from Saigon to Phnom Penh but most travel agencies were still closed when I arrived. So I just bought a bus ticket and did the usual overland crossing. I was expecting it to be another long ride but it just took me five hours to reach the capital city of Cambodia.
I wasn’t expecting a lot of modern infrastructures in Phnom Penh since I knew that the country is still recovering from the genocide a couple of years ago. Although I have to say that there’s a lot already, maybe because the country is building more facilities for tourist who are en route to Angkor Wat.
As soon as I got off the bus, motorcycle drivers did their usual “offer frenzy” and I made a deal with one of them for a $1 ride in exchange of me staying in the hostel that he recommended. The hostel was pretty basic but not bad for a $3 a night. The cool part was their open air patio facing the lake. It was breezy and relaxing.
I rented a motorcycle the following day and went to the usual sights in Phnom Penh. I’ve heard and read a lot about the Killing Fields but not S21. The only time that I’ve heard about S21 was when I was in Laos. One of the guys that were staying in the same hostel as I did told me some stories about S21. So, basically, I knew what to expect, but of course I was wrong again.
Some facts about the Killing Fields from Wikipedia
“The Killing Fields were a number of sites in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Khmer Rouge regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the Vietnam War. At least 200,000 people were executed by the Khmer Rouge (while estimates of the total number of deaths resulting from Khmer Rouge policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.4 to 2.2 million out of a population of around 7 million). In 1979, Vietnam invaded and toppled the Khmer Rouge regime, which was officially called Democratic Kampuchea.”
I went there and spent some time looking around and imagining what could have been like during those times. It was horrifying and I felt bad with what happened with them and at the same time felt good that it didn’t happen in the Philippines.
After the Killing Fields tour, I went straight to S21.
Some facts about the S21 or the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum from Wikipedia
“The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a museum in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. Tuol Sleng in Khmer means Hill of the Poisonous Trees or Strychnine Hill.”
This was the place were they imprisoned and tortured the poor people of Cambodia. I was walking around, one room at a time looking at the pictures of the dead prisoners. Some were mothers, fathers, children, women and old people. I looked at the pictures of kids, paintings of torture and I even went to the torture rooms.
As I was walking along, I felt that my cheeks were getting wet. I didn’t notice that I was crying already. And so I stopped, went out and lit a cigarette. And then I couldn’t help it, I cried.
I started asking myself. How could we be so cruel to our fellow man? How could we chain them and lock them in small cells? What motivates someone to do such cruel acts?
Murray (the old man who mentioned S21 to me in Laos) was right when he said that I shouldn’t miss this museum.
I realized S21 is not just a Cambodian museum.
It’s not just about Khmer Rouge.
It’s not just about Phnom Penh and its history.
It’s about mankind. It’s a reminder of choices that we have made. It’s about letting something like this happen. It’s about learning from this one and trying our best to not let this cruelty happen again.
Not to another Cambodian.
Not to a Filipino.
Not to any other citizen of this world.
More pictures of Killing Fields 
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Backpacker Sex… Sssshhh!
Warning! This topic might only be applicable for readers who are above 18 years old. Minors should consult their parents regarding this matter.
This would probably be the hardest topic to discuss especially coming from a culture like ours. We usually do not discuss this publicly compare to other cultures, especially online. However, I find it really important to acknowledge the fact that it does happen and we should all be aware of it. Please be aware that I’m not advocating it nor condemning it.
Here are some things that you should keep in mind when the inevitable happens.
- Abstinence: This is the first thing that came to my mind. Although I have to say that this is the hardest one to follow as well. I wouldn’t dwell much on this one since it’s self-explanatory. If you’re not educated enough with the possible consequences of having sex with someone you just met, then don’t do it.
- Use Protection: Yeah, I’m talking about condoms. If you’ll be having sex with someone that you just met on the road, there’s a big chance that it might not lead into a long term relationship. Having said that, getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant because of unprotected sex is something that might bother you for the rest of your life. Another reason why you should use protection is to keep yourself safe from diseases such as STDs and HIV.
- Be Considerate: A lot of young people nowadays are now braver and are willing to engage in bigger risks such as having public sex. Again, I’m not advocating it nor condemning it. All I want to suggest is be considerate to other people. I was on a bus from Laos to Vietnam and it was maybe around 4 in the morning and everyone’s trying to get some sleep when a couple of young tourists decided to have sex inside the bus. It was a bit loud and even their friends were annoyed at them because all of us were really tired from such a long trip. I also met a friend who moved out of her hostel because another couple had some loud sex activity inside the dormitory.
- Have a Test: It would be very wise to consult your doctor when you go back home. If you don’t have any money left, check some online resources for free consultation. You don’t want to spread some disease that you might have caught abroad, do you? Please, do not be a walking time bomb if you know that you’re in a big risk of having HIV and STDs .
We as travelers are in big risk of acquiring diseases such as HIV when we travel. I’m not singling out travelers though, of course, sex also happens in the home country. It’s just that we’re more expose to different people from different countries that are just as spontaneous and fun loving as we are. Awareness is the key in keeping ourselves and our families safe from unwanted diseases.
Feel free to post additional information or suggestions.
Picture from MS PPT Clip Art
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How to Find Free Accommodation
There are ways on how to get free accommodations, although some of them requires a longer than the usual stay.
B. Getting Free Accommodation and more
1. Couchsurfing: www.couchsurfing.com is an online community for travelers and the program lets you stay in a local person’s place. The main purpose though is not the free stay but rather the interaction between people coming from different cultures. It’s a great way to learn some local stuff like cuisines and culture and to meet new friends as well. There are also other websites like this such as www.hospitalityclub.org etc.
2. Volunteering: The internet provides a wide array of volunteer opportunities that will provide you with a free accommodation and sometimes free meals too in exchange of sharing your skills and talents.
3. Temples : Some temples in India and Thailand Laos
4. Friends: If you have friends staying in the city of your destination, do not forget to contact them. They might be able to provide you some space in their living rooms for a couple of days. This is also a great way to catch up with some lost time and to share updates about your lives. At the end of your stay don’t forget to express your gratitude by offering some unique and thoughtful gifts.
5. Camping: If you have the guts and a tent, why not set up your own camp so you won’t have to pay for your accommodation. I personally haven’t tried this though but I might in the future. I met some people who usually bring tent or hammock with them so they won’t have to pay any hostels.
6. WWOOF: A lot of travelers go for this one. You have to register to a WWOOF website (depending on the country of your choice) and you’ll get some information about farms that offer free accommodation and sometimes meals in exchange of some hours of labor. Always make sure to set the expectation straight to avoid surprises which usually leads to a negative experience. This is a great way to learn a new skill.
I’m sure there’s a lot more online. If you have any other suggestions or ideas, please feel free to post it here.
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How to Find Cheap Accomodation
After airfare, accommodation is pretty much the next big thing that eats up our budget in traveling, especially for those who are just on a short vacation. Here are some tips on how to save money or maybe get free accommodation on your next trip.
A. Cheap Accommodations
- Check the Internet: A lot of small budget hostels still don’t have their own websites. You will usually find them in other host website like Hostelbooker.com I frequently use this site because it provides you with hostels that belong to different price range and at the same time some feedback from previous guests. This will give you an idea on what to expect when you arrived at the hostel of your choice.
- Stick with your Budget: My daily budget for accommodation ranges from $3-$5 (in
- Share your Room: Look for a roommate. There are thousands of independent travelers roaming the planet and there’s a high chance that you’ll find one to share the room with. Most prices of single room are almost the same or just slightly lower than a twin room. You can save a lot in sharing your room although you also have to exercise vigilance in choosing your roommate. I never had any bad experience yet but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
- Let the Drivers Bid: When you get off the train or bus stations, there will be a lot of drivers that will offer you some accommodation. Usually they get some commission out of this. Take advantage of this “offer frenzy” and bargain hard with them. Do not make any commitments. Just tell them that you want to check it out. This is how I usually get a free ride from the stations to my next hostel.
- Search the Area for a Cheaper Hostel: After getting to your hostel, take some rest and maybe shower. I’m sure you’re tired from a very long overland trip. After that, you might as well check out the neighborhood. If you’re staying in a backpacker’s area, there’s a lot of other hostels around. So take a walk and check their prices, you may start bargaining with them as well. Who knows, you might just get a cheaper deal.
- Ask Other Backpackers: A lot of backpackers are very much willing to share their information. Ask where they’re staying and how much they’re paying for it.
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A Day in Paris
After almost an hour of waiting, the cab driver finally arrived. He took me to my hotel which is a couple of hours away from the airport. Our office is in the center of another town, just an hour train ride away from Paris
I immediately checked in, showered and ran to the train station to buy my ticket to Paris
G met me in the train station.
I met G a couple of years ago in Sukothai. She was traveling with her friends in Thailand
It was very surreal that after more than two years, I would meet her again in her hometown.
We decided to just walk from the train station to different city sights. She said that most Parisians just walk or bike wherever they go because the cost of petrol is really high. So walk we did.
(bird feeding in Notre Dame)
(Notre Dame)
(La Louvre)
And then she mentioned that she’s going to show me Champs Elysses.
And I said, “What’s that?”
She looked shocked when she said, “You don’t know? That’s the most famous street in Paris
“Oh’ I’m sorry but I didn’t know that”, was my reply while chuckling.
(Arc de Triomphe)
“That’s it? That’s Eiffel Tower
“What do you mean, that’s it?” she sounded surprised. “Most people fly to Paris
“Well, actually, we’re still pretty far, I know a nice place where we can see it well” she said.
And we continued on.
“Wow! It’s really beautiful” I said in my childlike tone.
After a few hours of strolling in Paris Paris
I didn’t even see the city at night. It was such a pity because Paris is knows as the City of Lights Paris
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Cebu Pacific P1 Fare is Back
Yep! You heard it right! Cebu Pacific's famous P1 fare is back with Zero Fuel surcharge. Promotion booking starts on November 21-22 and fly from June 15 to September 30 2010. For those of you who weren't able to avail of the previous promotion (like me), now is our time to get our fair share. There are still a lot of available promo tickets for domestic flights as of this time, but for international, well goodluck... hehehe... i didn't get any. Well, there's always a next time.
Book ahead, plan your vacation and enjoy :-)
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How to Find the Cheapest Airfare
Arguably, the most expensive part of our travel is the airfare. It could easily set us back at $100 for a one way ticket to Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok or maybe even more.
a. Plan ahead. Take advantage of those dirt cheap airfare promotions from Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. I was able to get a MNL-BKK P25 (including tax) ticket from Cebu Pacific last December 2008. It’s one of their Zero Airfare promotions with no Fuel Surcharge. Yes, it’s not a typo it’s really P25, cheaper than watching Twilight’s New Moon.
b. Always compare prices of different airlines. Don’t just book Clark to Singapore just because you saw Cebu Pacific offering it for P1000. Check other airlines like Tiger Airways or Jet Star. You wouldn’t know if the other airlines have a promotion unless you check them out.
c. Check Manila Bulletin for travel ads. We frequently see them and we always ignore them. Some of them are not just travel agencies, they’re also known as consolidators. They buy bulk tickets and sell it dirt cheap. Compare their prices with your online price. I haven’t personally tried this but I’ve heard a lot about people getting good deals getting their tickets from consolidators.
d. Check online consolidators as well. They’re not always expensive. For example, I booked a ticket in Ctrip.com for one of my travels in China and the cheapest was around P1500 (including taxes) to fly from one city to another. So I checked the website of the same airline, hoping to find a cheaper price and whoaaa!!! it’s more expensive. The price was almost P5000 for a one way ticket. I booked my ticket in Ctrip and I was able to save P3500 for the same flight.
(Lhasa Airport)
e. If you’re flying long haul, always check the price if you fly from the hub. Like for example, I was planning to go to South Africa and I checked out Cathay Pacific’s RT price (this was last year) from Manila to Johannesburg. And whoaaa!!! it’s like almost or more than P100K. But if you fly using the same airline from Hong Kong, it will just be around P50K including taxes. It is because Hong Kong is the major hub of Cathay Pacific. So book MNL-HKG via Cebu Pacific and then HKG-Johannesburg (just an example). This plan didn’t materialize though due to lack of funds.
f. Re-route. If the Cebu Pacific price for Bangkok to Manila seems to be expensive why not check the Air Asia price for Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and then Kuala Lumpur to Manila. This is one thing that I always do. Some routes have more promotions than others. And sometimes Air Asia offers more promotions than Cebu Pacific and sometimes it’s the other way around.
g. If you’re traveling in a landlocked country like for example Cambodia. You might as well try doing it overland from Bangkok instead of flying. More often than not, especially if there are no airfare promotions, overland traveling is cheaper.
h. Don’t forget to bank your miles. Check if the airline has a mileage affiliation or something. Sign up and bank those precious miles. You might be able to fly for free because of those miles. There are also some ways of earning miles other than flying. One is to get a credit card that converts your points into miles, the most flexible that I know is Citibank Premier Miles. Another thing that I do to get miles is by answering surveys and getting miles in return. You may try it if you want, check out .
If you have any other suggestions or information to share, please feel free to write it in the comments area. Good luck in finding the cheapest ticket and keep on traveling.
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How to break your heart in one day
I woke up a little late from our agreed meet up time. I blamed it on the booze because I had the worst hangover ever. I hurriedly ran to the bathroom and took a quick shower and then ran to her hotel.
Wheeew! She was already there waiting and I quickly apologized. She showed me the map and asked me if I still wanted to do the walking tour. I honestly wanted to say no because of the terrible headache.
But I said yes.
And walk we did.
After our lunch in a nearby Mexican restaurant, we walked back home. I was planning to walk her back to her hotel but I felt really exhausted so I went ahead.
I slept and woke up after a few hours and I remembered that I didn’t ask her to meet up again. What a loser, right? So I ran back to her hotel hoping to catch up with her but the receptionist told me that she’s not in her room.
Sigh! I knew it!!! I think I made a bad impression when I went ahead that noon. I felt terrible. I went to the street side restaurant (sort of) and ordered something to eat. I was gobbling up some noodles (for the nth time, cheapest I could afford) when I saw her walking back to her hotel.
I hurriedly crossed the street and talked to her. I asked her if she had dinner already and she said yes. I invited her to go out to have some coffee or drinks but she politely declined because she said she’s tired already and wanted to sleep. I didn’t push my luck anymore. She went up and I went back to my noodles.
Sigh! I ordered a beer when another guy from the same hostel I was staying in walked by. He joined in and bought a couple of beers as well. While we were drinking, I subconsciously glanced at the hotel and my eyes went up to an open window.
And there she was, she closed the curtain and turned off the lights. Oh my God!!!
I guess during that time she might have thought that I was a psycho stalker watching over her. It was just a coincidence because I only stayed longer on that street because I was drinking with a fellow traveler.
Now the feeling became much worse.
The following morning, I went back to her hotel hoping to talk to her for the last time. The receptionist told me that she went to the market to do her last minute shopping. I knew that her flight was in the evening, so that means I still had time to do something.
I went to different shops looking for a nice postcard and a nice goodbye gift. I found a very nice cheap scarf that didn’t look like cheap. I bought it because I noticed that she likes wearing scarves. I had it wrapped and I wrote a brief message in a postcard and ran back to her hotel.
She wasn’t still there when I came back. So I left the stuff to the receptionist and asked her to hand it to her as soon as she arrives. I waited for almost an hour but I didn’t see her. I left her hotel and didn’t bother to go back anymore.
I went to my hostel and immediately booked a bus that would take me to Vietnam
And I left Laos
(i'm the frog prince)
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Crashing a Party in Vientiane
She mentioned that she likes someone else. Ouch!!! (I swear I’m gonna find cupid back in Luang Prabang and kick him for shooting an arrow straight to my heart.)
Anyway, it didn’t stop me though from enjoying the chat with her. She’s a great conversationalist and has a lot of interesting and sensible things to say. After dinner we went down the road hunting some cheap watering hole to drink some beer.
We continued chatting, laughing and I continued giggling like a high school kid (I’m such a loser sometimes). And then I saw a sign near the staircase, “No Entry, Private Party Only).
Oh wow! There’s a private party going on and it only means one thing. Free booze!!! So I asked her if she had ever crashed a party before. I couldn’t remember her answer though and we both decided to give it a try.
We went up and we found out that a local guy was celebrating his birthday. He was on a vacation from his study, something like that. So we asked who the birthday boy was and greeted him and then they said,” “Feel free to get some food and drinks.”
And so we did. I couldn’t remember how much I drank that night. It’s just hard to resist free booze you know.
And so the party ended.
It looked like an expensive club and I felt a little nervous because I didn’t have money. But I thought that they’re going to pay for it anyway, so we went and partied.
After a while, the alcohol took its toll on me and I knew I was already drunk. I was trying to avoid the embarrassment that could happen so I decided to call it a night. She agreed and we both walked our way back, which we didn’t know where.
(yeah right!)
We were walking and running and laughing like crazy on the street of
I didn’t know what it meant. I thought that she meant thank you but I don’t want to see your giggling face anymore.
I was sad but then I thought its ok. Life goes on. And we only knew each other for a day anyway. But still the feeling sucks because I still want to hang around with her at least for one more day.
So we got off the tuktuk, and I walked her to the hotel door and said goodbye.
And then she said, “Hey, do you want to go for a walking tour tomorrow? I saw a walking tour map of Vientiane
And then the hills went alive with the sound of music.
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Infatuated in Vientiane
And so we were. We really ended up both on the same bus.
I was hoping to chat with her on the bus but unfortunately we were assigned on different seats. So, I just opted to listen to music until I fell asleep.
After a few hours of bus ride, we finally reached Vientiane
Unfortunately, there’s a guy who offered a bigger vehicle that could accommodate more people and offered a cheaper price. So we boarded that instead together with the other tourist. Dang!!! I thought I could just be with her solo.
But still, I tried chatting with her. I couldn’t stop looking at her pretty eyes. They’re just so beautiful. She said she already had a hotel booked in Vientiane because it’s her last two days and then she would fly back home to London
Ouch! So I sat there quietly until we reached the drop off point. I got off and said take care because I had to look for an accommodation for myself. And she said, “Hey, would you like to catch up later? Maybe around eight pm?”
It’s like I heard the sound of music medley or the symphony orchestra. The jeep left and I started scrounging for a cheap hostel and I didn’t find any. My time was running out, I needed to find a hostel before 7PM and I needed to shower after that and I needed to find her hotel after that. Aaaaaargggh!!! I’m in a state of panic!!!
I found a hostel it wasn’t cheap it’s slightly above my budget but I booked it anyway. I was tired of running around with my big backpack and I needed a shower and I needed to look for her hotel blah blah blah. Aaaaaargggh!!! I’m still in a state of panic!!!
I calmed myself, took a cold shower to freshen up and started walking around the riverside and found her hotel. It was like my second high school moment, there were butterflies in my stomach (which I couldn’t digest unfortunately, that could have save me more money) and all the mushy stuff that I hate.
And so she came. “Hi!”
“Hi.” In my mind I was convincing myself to stop giggling, it’s too embarrassing and I’m too old for that kind of act. But I couldn’t help it.
We went to the riverside and had noodles for dinner with matching candle light while chatting and getting to know each other. And then… BAM!!!
(Riverside, Vientiane)
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Where is Home?
Not until I started traveling.
I met a lot of travelers from different countries who don’t want to go back to their home. For me my definition of home was where you grew up or where your family is. In my case, I used to call Manila
I remember asking one of my travel friends when I met him in Kathmandu , “So, when will you go home? You’ve been away for almost 18 months.”
He said, “I am home my friend. The world is my home.” I got confused and just laughed at what he said. Then we all carried on drinking and just enjoyed the rhythm of reggae
When I got to my hostel, I was lying down on my dorm bed when the question hit me back like a boomerang. “So, when will I go home?”
It was just my fifth month of traveling and I hate to admit that I didn’t miss my so called home. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t despise where I came from.
I retired that night without answering my own question because as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t answer it.
A few days after that “home” conversation, we parted ways and I went up north to Pokhara and he went to a remote area for his volunteer stint.
I kept on moving until I reached India
I had an unexplainable feeling of sadness on my third night in Varanasi
And I did. I received a news that forced me to make a decision right there and then. Would I go back or continue?
I went to the riverside to marvel for the last time at the grandeur of Ganges . I cried and made a decision to go back to my so called home.
Now that I’m home, why doesn’t it feel home.
I realized, maybe I have to change the question.
What is home?
What lies beyond the horizon?
I don't know
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Welcome to Luang Prabang
I decided to stop walking. This time, I was thinking of giving them a good fight if ever they attack me.
And then they stopped and one of the guy said, “Are you looking for a hostel? We own one down the road and we have a vacant room.”
F*ck!!! What a relief!!! I hate it when paranoia kicks in whenever I’m walking alone on an empty dark street.
So I tagged along and checked it. I knew it would be the best for the night because it was so far the cheapest that I found even though it’s still above my price range.
I checked in, went inside my room and dozed off.
I woke up really hungry because I didn’t have dinner before I slept. I left my room and realized that I woke up really early, around 6AM and there were not much people on the street.
(alms giving activity every morning)
(Mekong River)
Wow! So it’s true that the universe does provide. Now I have someone to split the cost with for a few days. Thanks!!!
Welcome to Luang Prabang!
Luang Prabang is a city in the north of Laos
There’s also a night market which I found really amusing. Luang Prabang is a charming tourist town. And since it’s a tourist town, it’s a bit pricey, convenient and perfect for neophyte travelers or yuppies on their vacation.
On my tuktuk ride to the bus station, I met a girl I saw in the Indian restaurant the following night. I remembered she was eating alone and I accidentally glanced at her and I smiled and she smiled back.
It turned out that we’re both going to Vientiane
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Bus from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang
I found one which was just within my price range, but still expensive - $5 for a single room and a bathroom.
(main street of Huay Xai)
I found an interesting shop (The Gibbon Experience) that organizes a zip wire activity in the forest. It seems to be very interesting but I couldn’t afford it so I just went on with just strolling around. Yeah, it’s f*cking hard to be a poor traveler.
I decided to head on to the world heritage town of Luang Prabang
There are different ways to go to Luang Prabang from Huay Xai. You can go there via speedboat (not recommended according to a lot of travel sites), slowboat (which is scenic but cramped) or by bus. It would be nice to cruise along the Mekong River
It was 12 hours. The bus ride was kind of nice and uncomfortable. Nice because of the scenic mountain views, the cheap price and you get to see a lot of local tribes along the way. It’s a little uncomfortable because of the zigzag roads, it felt like you’re being thrown off your seat every… uhmm … 5 minutes
I was hoping to arrive before night falls but I got there by almost midnight. I was a little scared as I got off the bus. It was a little dark and I didn’t know where to start looking for accommodation. I thought that my chance of getting an accommodation by 12 midnight was higher if I go to the touristy area. I took a tuktuk from the bus station and went on.
(local folks)
My heart beat faster and I was scared as sh*t.
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