Pakse again

Trip Start Sep 30, 2005

129

Trip End Sep 29, 2006

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Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep Pakse, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Saturday, June 10, 2006

Back in the travel hub, thought we'd get some last bits of shopping done before we leave Loa. As Adam had discovered he likes sticky rice, weve bought a couple of sticky rice pots (little woven pots with slide on lids)that we have no intention whatsoever of using, and will no doubt hang off a wall somewhere.And more Lao coffee, which I have every intention of drinking by the bucket-full as soon as I get home :D
Back to Thailand tomorrow...we may find the stressful pace of life to much after Lao :)

Oh, theres something I forgot to mention...this incident has served to reinforce once and for all that Brits under the age of 25 should NOT, under any circumstances be allowed to travel to asia(or anywhere else for that matter) unaccompanied by a responsible adult...we left Don Det and took the little ferry boat back over to the mainland where we walked for about half a km to the bus station, got in a little bus and waited for the compulsory but inexplicable huge delay before finally leaving. The bus was full of whities.After a few mins a Lao guy approached the bus and asked us all if we had passports? Odd, we thought, were only going to Pakse. Then he produced a moneybelt! Another Lao guy was talking to him, apparently this other guy had found it but didnt speak English and had asked the first guy to negotiate for him. Guy with English, opened the pouch and pulled out a British passport and several hundred dollars US. One guy on the bus, brit about 18, looking hungover, scruffy and wearing a pink beer logo T-shirt...said "oh yeh, thanks man thats mine...er yeh...thanks man"and put out his hand. The guy with english looked at the pic in the passport, then at the hundreds of dollars, then said.."you maybe give him $3 for return?"Now bear in mind, the idiot had left the belt in the guest house on the Island, this man had caught the ferry over and pursued him to the bus station in order to return it to him, at some expense to himself, youd think $3 was a very fair if a little to low. The Brit looked at him with almost disgust and said..."$3! huh! Ill give him a dollar!!!" He then fumbled through his pockets but couldnt find a note smaller than $2, he begrudgingly handed it to guy with english, saying"oh just give him that man...er yeh, thanks man". Both Lao guys looked perplexed but took the money. Guy with no english looked bemused as he looked at this pitiful amount, probably less than it had cost him to catch the ferry, and slowly walked away.
Now, I dont like theft, and am very impressed when poor people remain honest. BUT that guy should have kept the belt! The utter contempt that that w*nker showed him was inexcusable. How long are these people goingto remain honest if they see us treating them like that? OK ill get off my soapbox now. :D