Vang Vieng, Laos

Today we are in Vang Veing, a fairly quite little town, luckily more hustle and bustle than Laung Probang. Laung Probang was nice though, a funny bit of charm but not quite that lively especially this time of year. We did go check out the local waterfall, biggest nicest waterfall I've ever seen, and a wicked walk up the side when you can walk sorta along into the side of the waterfall, getting a bit wet along the way but very very cool. On the way back the bus driver stopped off at a small village with some kids selling wrist bands, it was sorta weird cute but poor and dirty kids, cuts and scabs and stuff I gave them my lucky pen, and some post cards that I had planned to send to people, one with an few elephants and another with some of the northern Thai hill tribe kids (the ones who use the rings to elongate their necks) it was quite cool seeing them blow out at that. It had an odd zoo vibe, weird feeling of helplessness and that we should have been able to help more. Photos here

When we got back from the waterfall we were carted off to the bus station to get the local bus down to Vang Vieng, it all started off fairly well a local told us it was about an 8 hour journey, a smidge longer than the 6 or so the guy who sold us our ticket had said. There was a fairly scruffy plain clothed guy who paced the bus and kept watch up the front, packing an AK47. It was odd, we saw plenty of security guards, ticket inspectors, police and army staff in Thailand, all with the most immaculate uniforms, just to see some dude in his trackie dacks and a rifle under his Nike jacket didn't really fill me with the utmost confidence. Any way, about 45 minutes in, I see the local sitting in the seat in front, fumble with his window, he manages to open it just in time for what was probably a 60/40 split of out the window vs. over the side of his seat and window spew. Sitting right behind him I got a lovely bit of splash back down my legs, and a small cascade over my bag ( laptop camera iPods inside of cause ) hmm not to worry only 8 hours to go…….

The rest wasn't too bad really, I did get a chance to clean up a bit after a few hours, and a tamazapan and plenty of chill tunes on the iPod helped me eventually catch a few Z's. We arrived in the middle of the night in what seemed to be a total ghost town, knocked a few guest house doors until we found one with some one who would wake up stumble over with a key hand it to us, point at a bungalow then head back to bed.

The next morning I scored a wicked mulberry pancake at "The Organic Farm Cafe" a little ( mainly mulberry) but all sortsa other stuff organic farm near town that is heavily involved in some good local projects. Over a cup of local organic mulberry leaf tea, I spied a little advert saying they had after school English lessons up at the community Centre and were asking for volunteers to go help out with a class or two.

I went up to the farm to suss it out, and was told they were happy for me to take a class that afternoon of about 40 five to ten year olds. The young Korean volunteer (who's name I've forgotten) and an Aussie couple who were around 30ish wandered up to the Community Centre, I met three of the kids along the way who spoke the cutest, Hello my name is ….. It is nice to meet you…. English. It was pretty funny, I introduced my self to one, so the others quickly ran over to shake my hand and say hello and introduce them selves.

We waited around and about 25 kids turned up, there were a fair few chunky storm clouds in the sky, and some were dumping rain onto the mountains nearby, the volunteer said that some kids cant get back from class easily if it rains, and that normally more turn up. I was pretty nervous, she pretty much just said, ok get up in front, I'll introduce you to the class, then just teach them some English. I was happy with only 25 and not 40. Any ways, me up in the front writing on the blackboard, "Hello, my name is Will. I am from Australia", and crash, thunder, lightning and the clatter of rain on the tin roof. About half of them were already up and heading for the door, the other quickly writing down what I had written on the black board before doing them same.

Unfortunately that was it for my experience of teaching English in Laos, I'm gonna try and get back there tonight, we have booked some kayaking already and I'm not overly sure I'll get back in time, which sucks 'cos I really would have liked to. I've even though up a bit of a lesson plan now. I think it's a must do next holiday activity, a quick scuba dive down south, a few weeks ( or more ) chilling in Pai, then Laos for some time teaching English here and helping out with the community projects…

I'll let you know how it goes if I get another chance at a lesson…..

Well, I've had had two slightly morbid entries into the competition, keep up the good work, keep em flowing and there is no rule saying only one entry per person….

Cheers.

Will Cowan