Vang Vieng

After only one night in Vientiane I decided this place was not for me… Although it’s the capital and commands perhaps an other day or two, it was time to go. I hailed a van from the hotel across from mine and i was on my way. The original plan was to take a train, but as i learned talking to others in Vang Vieng there is an app called LCR Ticket and can save you about 100-200k kip instead of booking through one of the many agents along the road. You need a Laos number in order to receive a verification message so keep that in mind. The rails are Chinese owned and mainly move mined materials up to China with occasional trains for transit. They are faster than vans but about 4 times the cost, additionally, depending on the season the rails might be the only way to traverse between towns given the road conditions are questionable and land slides are common.

A couple hours later I ended up in Vang Vieng, a sleepy little town similar in size to bang saray poised in lush overgrown mountains and jungle all around. Absolute breath taking 360 views and the the occasional hot air balloon or para-motor polishing the scene. The road conditions in town are some of the worst I’ve encountered even surpassing Philippines by a notable margin. There are a multitude of lagoons and hikes to experience. Each entry is 20k kip with some requiring a parking fee of 5k kip The parking fee is to ensure your motorbike doesn’t get stolen while you’re away from it.

I was here for a week, explored many caves, lagoons, and a few hikes and waterfalls. I also paid for a 30 minute para-motor for 900k kip and opted out of the hot air balloon tour. Cramming into a basket with 15 other people at 5am was not the experience i was looking for.. As I’m gliding over this town I can’t help but reflect on my journey over the last year and how incredibly grateful I am to not only have this opportunity, but to be 9 months sober… my journey has taken me so far, and I’m not done yet. I’m currently on step 9 of my recovery, making amends to those I’ve harmed. On the rainy days i sat at an open air cafe and wrote letters to family and friends. Such a cathartic experience being able peer into the jungle as it sings back to me with rain and wild animals.

This area is special, its peaceful here, but as my week comes to a conclusion i can’t help but feel there’s more going on behind the scenes… There are a multitude of KTV bars littered throughout the town and brief walks past them reveal dolled up women in tiny dresses. A few dicey massage parlors here and there, the women are no where near as aggressive as Thailand though. I can’t help but feel the lowkey presence of Chinese running things behind the scenes. Many older Chinese men in the area smoking outside of these establishments along with non Lao “security” posted up outside. There is one giant club called Ferrari club, a suspicious site indeed, probably one of the newest buildings in the area and stands about 5 stories tall. The entire bottom floor is a huge night club with a Nigerian DJ and no one it it. I found out later the top 3 floors are actually KTV as well.. I’m curious to know the full story, but know better than to stick my nose in places I don’t belong. The mystery persists. On to Luang Prabang.

Taipei rose garden

When was the last time you stopped to appreciate a beautiful flower? We get so caught up in movement, going to a meeting, seeing this person, appointment at 8. When was the last time you just took 30 seconds to appreciate a bit of nature? Welcome to Taipei rose garden. The floral aroma was present long before you enter the garden bursting with color. It was a rainy morning when I walked into this place, I mostly had it all to myself. I spent about 3 hours here just casually walking this lush jungle in the middle of a bustling city. There is so much beauty in this world that we take for granted and so much to explore! I spoke with several people that have lived in Taiwan their whole lives and have never visited this garden. Life is fleeting and time will consume you.. take a moment to be present, look around and enjoy where you are. Notice the little things, how does the air feel right now? What tensions can you let go?

Streets of Kaohsiung

Following my brief stay in Hsinchu I found myself in Kaohsiung. So much art and architecture flowing through the city. Everywhere you look there is something to admire. I dropped my bags off at my hotel and was greeted with a beautiful lake view and city skyline. Small trainer sailboats were floating in the river catching the lackadaisical gusts that granted a tiny reprieve from the intense sun. The first thought that came to mind was ‘I’m going to move here.” Never in my history of travel have I uttered these words and actually meant it. But there’s something different about Kaohsiung. Its clean, modern, and exploding with art.

My usual plan of action any time I arrive in a new place is to simply get on a public transit and pick a direction, not this time. I found myself just wandering the streets vehemently searching for new angles or a different ally to photograph. I was hooked.

I came to a realization during my stay here. Sunset used to be my witching hour. Between 4ish to 8ish I used to have this nervous anxiety. A fear of missing out. I typically looked around and said to myself “What trouble can i get myself into tonight?” Those thoughts would typically lead me to bad decisions. Now I typically look for a coastline to go watch the sunset. I find peace in watching the sun go down, gratitude for an other day on this planet. Reflection on events of the day and where I would like to improve tomorrow. One day at a time.