First Day in Laos

Well, we’re here. We made it to Vientiane, Laos today. (Everything seems to be a first in Laos.) Our flight was scheduled to leave at 8:30 a.m. Wouldn’t you know it was delayed for a few hours. We finally left at 11:30 a.m. We were picked up by Maurice Babcock, our country director whom I like very much. As soon as we stepped out of the airport, I knew there was something about Laos that I loved. And it was confirmed by our bus driver. He was just genuinely happy that we were there. And that’s not something I’ve felt since I’ve been in Asia. He just kept smiling and making us feel welcome. And it’s nice to feel welcome sometimes. There is no smog or traffic, unlike Hanoi. And it seems to be cleaner as well. Now it’s not the clean you’re thinking of. Clean is definitely relative.

One of our first orders of business was to get a cell phone. Maurice insisted on it. He wanted everyone to have a way to get in contact with him. The whole team rode a tuk-tuk to the store. They’re a lot of fun. And it’s our mode of transportation for the next 6 weeks. After we purchased our cell phone, we purchased a SIM card and number. We noticed that the cards were not all the same price some were 50,000 kip and some were as much as 300,000 kip. We asked what the difference was. Oddly enough, the more lucky numbers were more expensive. It gave us a taste of the culture and the things that matter here.

The last thing we did was visit a restaurant and coffee shop called Joma. It’s a chain here in Laos and caters specifically to Westerners. And we felt catered to. The food was amazing. It was definitely the best food I’ve had in Southeast Asia. It just made us feel at home. Speaking of, I kind of feel at home here in Laos. And it’s a good feeling. I still miss people I love. But I know his peace in Laos.

Russell