Well, the morning was dismal and wet, as the bus set off for the capital. Oh… to be in England!!!! 🙂 I had to go back to Vientienne enroute to Vang Veing which lay in the north west part of the country, by the mountains and on the way to Luang Probang. I was only going there because I’d happened to hear about the place and it sounded cool as, with tubing (going down the river on a tyre tube drinking beer!!!) being the main draw!!! But it meant that I had to spend another night in Vientienne in order to catch another bus the next day….luckily, I still had time before this international meeting started!!!!
I wondered if I would see Bee, Caroline and Tim/Tim again as they said they were heading the same way too. Would be cool, but didn’t think that much more of it.
There was a thick mist throughout the pass this time, with it being rainy and cold throughout the journey. Our armed escort looked extra vigilant throughout…. especially when the bus had to slow down to negotiate the odd small landslide caused by the heavy rain. I dunno though….. having someone with a gun around doesn’t really make me feel secure….. in fact it generally has the opposite effect!!!
And just cos that persons a policeman doesnt make it feel any better because not every coppers a good person who genuinely has justice and your rights at heart. Much of the time they’re just pawns of the state carrying out and enforcing the agendas of politicians cos it’s their job. The same goes for soldiers…… wars would stop tomorrow if they refused to pick up their guns when their conscience told them to…..but orders are orders hey….. even if they do come from spiritually inept political leaders who try and overcome their gapping energy deficit through a thirst for individual power and greed. And that same spiritually inept political class manipulated the population into believing Muhammed Ali was a traitor when he refused to fight!!!!! And they did it, not because they were afraid of the strength of his fists…… but because they feared the effect of the strength of his enlightenment. One person can change the world…… without a gun……. and they know it!!!!!
Once in Vientienne, I checked back into a room at the guest house. The next morning I went out for breakfast at the only decent place in town…….. and the only place in Laos where you can get western food……. with western standards…..and it was….The Swedish Bakery……HALLALUYA!!!! The Swedish bakery is a Gem Stone in the communist grey crown of Vientienne!!! It’s a bakery with all the European trimmings, which also doubles up as a restaurant where fried rice and vegetables are not on the menu!!!! But you can get FRIED BACON!!!!!! And if that wasn’t enough….. Earl Grey and English Breakfast Tea aswell!!!! Along with……. papers in English!!!! FANTASTIC!!!! I felt like a very jolly boy…….. and I wasnt even on an outing!!!! 🙂
AHH MATE….. you would not believe the sensation of experiencing western civilisation after you’ve been away from it for so long!!!! Its great traveling the world and seeing different places…. but it felt so good to order some food and then have the pleasure of eating it, without wondering if the script for “Gandhi Stikes Back” was in the process of being written!!!!! 🙂
So I ordered my English breakfast….. which was annoyingly labeled “American Breakfast”…… and sat down to begin munching my beloved!!!!!…… and then Bee turned up with the crew!!!
“How you doing?” I asked “I thought you guys were heading off when I went to the Plain of Jars?”. “We were, but the buses weren’t going because of a landslide on the road, we’ve been stuck here, but we’re leaving today” she said. It was the landslide Owen had been going on about!!!!…. “Nice one, can I join you then?” I asked….
“OF COURSE” was her wonderful reply.
I told them the deal on the breakfast and went to get myself another English Breakfast Tea at the counter in the room next door. It was so funny, as I was ordering, I was having fun with all the girls working there (4 of them), in my usual way, and just as I cracked a joke and made them all laugh similtaneously…. Bee walked through the door and gave me a funny smile… “You flirting with all the girls again?” she said and actually looked jealous!!!! Fantastic!!!! “Yeah….. would’ve been rude not too” I winked back at her. Then after she’d ordered everyone’s stuff too, we proceeded to go back and join the others with Bee informing everyone of what had just happened….. “You should’ve seen him” she appeared to enjoy saying!!!!… “Gor Blimey love…. I’d love to see you too!” I thought!!!
And so, straight after breakfast, reunited and feeling all the better for some bacon and eggs, a cup of tea and catching up on the football results……….. the double couple and the crafty cockney continued together on their journey. We were like the Famous Five….. guess who was gonna be Timmy!!! 🙂 ….. and Enid Blyton was going to enjoy writing the next chapter………… because the next adventure was all about…………. Vang Veing!!!
Isn’t life nice sometimes!!!!! 🙂
Love and Light,
Miller
The Adventures of Miller 