and all these girls got together in various venues and places to cook up their best dishes and feed us all so happily
so the menu was … eggplant dip, rattonwood dip, green papaya salad, green bean chilli mushed up salad, freshly roasted pumpkin seeds (my contribution and the only thing i can apparently cook well!), fried kaffir lime leaves w garlic, sticky rice, steamed rice, fried rice, fried tofu, apple potato cauliflower salad. all so sooooo tasty!!!
and i feel a small victory today as many people noted to me how they had never had just a vegetarian party before, and actually just eating all fresh vegie based stuff was in fact great!!! nice!!
my greatest birthday cake stash ever!! on the left you can see the delightfully fake creamed fake chocolate fluoresescent green chinese bakery version, the middle a cake carved out of watermelon!! and the right is essentially a big pancake with some homemade uht cream variety garnished with steamed carrots and sultanas!! and the thing i love about all these cakes is they reflect what people perceive i love which is essentially quite true … big flowers on top of the choc one, my attachment to fresh fruit in the middle one, and my perceived over eating of vegies (coming from a culture of people who love meat) embraced in the steamed carrot garnishing. fab!!
i actually for the first time in the history of lnt sampled some of this fake cream stuff, and you know, it’s surprisingly just not too bad at all!! happily spooned in a number of mouthfuls!
so this is the sort of lovely frilly gear i’ve been decking myself out in for the last 2 + years … thought i’d better take a photo moment to remember the girliness i managed to embrace. these types of skirts – sinhs – are standard wear in the garden, in the office, at the market … everyyyyyywhere
i realise there is a lot of talk about rats on this blog, but there is a lot of them in my life unfortunately! this little baby clearly thought the poison was in fact musk sticks
recent floods in town turned these rice paddies into a whole lot of muddy water unfortunately … normally this should be all green at this time of year
one thing i love about laos people … never too much time spent feeling sorry for oneself … rather an opportunity for fun and fish dining! this is the main road into town
hmmm … unfortunately my house seems to play home to many a rat … before i headed to greece in june, however, i planted a whole lot of poison at various strategic places around the house which is meant to have a delayed reaction so the rats die back in their normal habitat. upon return home however, there was a rather unpleasant musty smell as i entered the kitchen and this delightful skeleton was found amongst my garlic … clearly this guy was a little greedy and jumped back in for a final late night snack. yeeeeeeeep … not pleasant
these are all the people in the lnt office … all laos people lovvvvve to sit around and gin som (eat sour) in the afternoons and so we are munching on various odd assortment of bitter leaves, chilli, garlic, and dipping in salt, sugar, chilli sauce etc … this is a VT version though so a bit different … nem pun
well it’s no secret to those of you that know me well and in fact even those that don’t … that i love summer. it creates a certain energy, brightness and sparkle in my step that only a warm sunshiny day can do. i’m feeling particularly chirpy today because the “tapering” part of my training has begun! every run is now a few kms, a few mins or a few stairs less than before, which feels good so good! in fact it’s 3 weeks from today that i will be sweating my way up the delightful mt olympus, gazing at the view of the ocean, and counting the km’s til i can submerge in the water again … ahhhhhh. i think i am sorted … i have my special NU PURE shirt in hand, some springy shoes, ergonomic socks, a box of bandaids and even a couple of sets of muscles that i’ve never before seen on my body! in fact i was a little worried a couple of weeks ago that i had some weird swelling thing on my leg, but upon finding the same kind of weird swelling in exactly the same position on the other leg, i’m putting it down to a new muscle group … never before seen and very possibly will never again been seen on this set of pins! i’ve also turned into something of an insomniac of late, not helped by the 4.30am chopping of wood next door … but there’s too many exciting things for my consciousness to be entertained with at the moment!
summer around here also means the wet season, but to be honest, some drenching rain in the early morning, a sunday afternoon or on a hot hot run is quite lovely. and everything is greeeeen, more green than the greenest green you can imagine. i have attempted to capture a little bit of that below, but i’m sure have not done it justice.
the wet season also means that the animal world continue to take refuge in my house, and the frogs are my latest additions. and i don’t mean cute little green frogs. i mean brown fat moley ugly frogs, getting cosy amongst my clothes. apparently if you’re a gecko, my bed is a comfy spot for laying an egg or two as well. and i’m telling you … these guys either lay eggs daily, or word is traveling around gecko world that my pink sheets are the spot to go … because if i don’t check the bed before zzzzzz, i wake up with yolk on my feet. anyway, it’s all good material for my entry into the published writing world, which will happen one day before i’m 60, i’m going to make sure of it.
was having dinner on my own the other night, and a laos guy at the restaurant started up a chat. after a bit he asked me how i like living in town now. i couldn’t remember ever having met this guy before, and apologised and asked where we had met. he said, oh no, we’ve never met … but i see you running all the time. and last year you always looked most tired when you were running out of town, and this year it’s when you’re running back into town. observant guy! i have also found out that the lady from my favourite papaya salad stall at the market can see my house from her kitchen. so every time she sees me now, i get grilled on my latest movements … why didn’t you go running this morning, how come you came home so late last night, what were you doing in your garden yesterday …. and and and … small townssssss! as much as it’s all very neighbourly and nice, i’m looking forward to some european anonymity.
had a bit of a cold this week and have been sniffling and coughing my way through the days. now of course if i was back home, the general opinion would be bed rest, orange juice and some codral cold & flu. a few of the people in the office noticed i was a bit under the weather and told me i should do some afternoon exercise, followed up by a local herbal sauna. not being much of a medicine taker, i decided to take their advice, and two days later, am as right as rain! the saunas here are amazing … a little wooden room on stilts, with a fire underneath, burning all sorts of weird twigs and leaves that have a distinct gum leaf, tea tree kinda smell. really is perfect for a chesty cough.
some good pals are on the trail of releasing a new album, so i’ve done a little unrequested promo for them below … and not because they’re good pals … because the tunes are good, really good
A few new pics for you below …
A few quick stories now …
The tall guy is back at work … Yep … the only guy in town that’s taller than me, and thinks this means we can get married. You see not a day goes by where someone doesn’t try and set me up with a cousin, son, nephew, neighbour, brother of a son’s cousin’s uncle’s neighbour etc etc … you get the picture. Me? Absolutely not interested. My standard, and I would say previously successful response was that I couldn’t marry a man shorter than me, and Laos men are all short. Foolproof. A few months back I was repeating this to someone over lunch however and a random guy from a different office, but in the same building wandered over and stood next to me. Yep … he was precisely 1 milimetre taller than me. Anyway he disappeared to work in Muang Long but this week, has returned. Hmmmm … this means he seems to keep turning up everywhere and sussing out the marriage possibilities at every other moment. I’ve tried to explain to him that he wouldn’t be happy married to me as I wouldn’t be cooking for him, cleaning for him, serving beer to him, letting him have little flings on the side or generally running around after him. He’d be happier with a Laos wife. He seems to think I’ll change. He’s wrong. Yeah … it’s not funny anymore. It stopped being funny a long while ago … Aaaaaaaaaaaah … !
We are piloting a Non Formal Education program at the moment called REFLECT …. I say a little more down below … but essentially it is focused on people learning literacy through thinking and problem solving on topics/issues relevant in their villages … as opposed to textbooks. Anyway … went out to a village in Muang Sing to see how it was operating and was the first first first time I have heard teachers and students ask “Why?” … and not just once … several times! A ground breaking development I would say … and now the trick is finding out how to take some of these techniques and spread them through all activities … My brain is ticking …
I am eating so much pineapple at the moment that my mouth constantly feels like it is buzzing from all the acid it is having to process … But it tastes soooooo good!
My lovely friend Nitzy sent some amazing homebaked choc chip cookies in the post this week. And just when my supply of chicos had run out. So so great!!!!! Thanks Nitzyyyyyyyy! I’ve been trying hard to be generous with them but I have to admit to hiding some in the corner of my fridge.
There’s some photos below of the fried dog feast we had in Muang Sing … and that is another story … but after eating, the Naibaan (Village Head) rounded up his collection of daughters (and being Akha, he is allowed to have several wives, so there were a lot) … and he instructed two of them to give me this amazing massage in the corner while the men got stuck into the rice whiskey … One of those twilight zone moments
Some of the men from the above village wanted to know how many wives you could have in Australia … !
It is less than 5 weeks til I will be in Greece … ! The old OXFAM ankle injury has decided to revisit which is highly annoying, but I’ve switched to a bit of cycling in the meantime which is actually super nice. Was nearly washed away in the rain last weekend, but a good cool down. My motivation levels are still pretty high and the special hydration and protein powder my lovely Mum sent over is helping that process along as well. Thanks Muuuuuuuuuum!
OK … well some pics below …
and so this delightful set of 178 stairs is my training ground for mt olympus! if i’m not at work, lazing on my fishpond deck, or drinking pineapple shakes at a shop you can normally find me sweating my way up here these days …
if the bike wasn’t fluro green with a kiche basket on the front i might even be able to have a stab at joining the hell’s angels hey??
kirsten’s bday … so an amazing sunday lunch of bruschetta, salad with yoghurt dressing, belgian chocolate cake, home baked bread, european coffee was had (all fancy ingredients smuggled in from everyone’s last trips abroad!)
from left around the circle … marcus (a danish consultant working over here for 3 weeks), peter & kirsten, chantavon (lao team leader of the project i am working on), pierre, lara, nathalie, marcus
peter & kirsten, nathalie, pierre and kids … are without a doubt my family over here
notable things of the last week …
moving into the fishpond house which by the way is completely amazing … many hours of creativity, laziness, books, talk, beer and more could be spent here so if you were maybe just a little bit thinking of taking a trip over you should check the photos below and then head to flight centre and book the flight
turning up to the fishpond house on moving day and finding a whole lot of people I knew from the Teachers College and more who had already scoped out where I was moving to, and had set themselves up nicely with sunflower seeds and chairs on the deck
arriving at the fishpond house and being informed by the landlord (who is totally lovely) that his sister in law would be coming to live in one of the spare rooms since I was there alone and clearly wouldn’t need all that space … he probably had a point … but i nipped that one in the bud as quickly as possible
coming back to the fishpond house after work one day and having a visit from one of the very sweet, one toothed old ladies in the village … i went to grab her some water and then found her wandering in and out of the rooms checking it out … her main concerns? i was sleeping alone so must be cold … her offer? one of her sons to marry who could then come and live with me so i wouldn’t be cold … also nipped that one in the bud fairly promptly
waking up at my fishpond house to fish gliding and spinning out of the water … very gentle and far superior to a buzzing alarm clock actually
phooooooottttttooooooossssss …
and so this is the spot where you can while away many hours doing all manner of things … while lazily dropping a line over the edge
not bad, eh?!
a little impromptu after work gathering
no nobby’s or samboys here … roasted sunflower seeds, dog meat, a varied assortment of leaves and chilli paste … aside from the dog meat, pretty satisfying actually!
So have just arrived back in Luang Nam Tha after being in another much bigger, somewhat touristy but beautiful old French provincial town of Luang Prabang. The project I am working with has its main office in LNT, but another office in LP and Phongsaly (most Northern province of Laos).
Staying at a guest house for the time being while the bathroom/kitchen/elec of my cute little fish pond house is finished. The town is overrun with tourists at the moment (about 40 at any one time) … and this number spread over 3 restaurants makes it feel a little overcrowded. Haven’t really been in the mood for tourist conversations so have been getting to work on a few little creative endeavours I have in the pipeline!
On Sunday I went for a long walk back to one of my favourite little river spots and soaked up some sun and water. So much for not swimming in fresh water as the rather ridiculous travel doctor who clearly hasn’t travelled far outside 5 star hotels from back home suggested. Two boys from the local village wandered down at one stage to cut some bamboo for new fishing poles and stopped for a little chat. I had a bit of fruit and some tomatoes with me so we had a little picnic together while they wanted to ask me some questions on the topic of why foreigners always kiss each other when they greet! They then expressed concern that I was getting too much sun and my skin was getting dark, so invited me up to their house for tea – one of those perfect unexpected LNT moments that I love.
Oh yeah … my most laughable moment of the week … The male owner of the guesthouse where I am staying works in the local bank here in town. They had a new baby a little while back and have just decided on a new name – “Visa” … yep that’s right … named after the inaugural Visa Card! I had to pinch myself to withhold laughter while commenting on how pretty the name was!
And for the rooster cocks bit you have to read the photos below …
so my last hours at the teachers college began with a minor motorbike accident which in reflection was a fairly hilarious sequence of events, not least being the part when the “hearing” was in the police station and the other guy tried to blame me and then a number of random onlookers leaning through the windows yelled out and advocated in my favour that player b was in fact at fault and the police took that down as an official statement … to when a bus of teachers from the college and about 20 relatives of the other guy accompanied me for a bike check up at the mechanics and a me check up at the hospital … The doctor there tried to give me some arthritus pills (inflammation??!!) and told me I couldn’t drink at all with them and then some of my friends complained and noted that I would have to that night as it was my farewell so then the doctor said oh right then … well you better just start taking the pills tomorrow. Anyway … the photos below are from the farewell “basi” put on and lots of dancing and celebrating to follow.
The last couple of weeks have been spent tripping around Germany and drinking warm spicy wine in the falling snow!!! … but more on that when I sort my photos out … Now soaking up some warm summer australian rays
Xmas greetings, songs, bells and all that
Just arrived back from a day in Luang Prabang … meeting up with my good pal Kel from down the south. Drove down Saturday, Sunday in LP and bussed it back Monday … but all worth it … and what’s a few hours on the road for a well road tripped Aussie girl eh … A few photos for you. Also below some photos from a dance competition held at the Teacher Training College … Students from all the different minority groups performed traditional dances etc …
The next couple of weeks is a bit crazy with a step up of goodbye parties etc etc … Have only probably told a few of you, but the end of this year I will be finishing up at the Teacher Training School … but have been fortunate enough to secure a really interesting and exciting contract with EU who have an education project in town … basically supporting the milennium goal of providing free basic education to all. I will be involved most specifically within the community development aspect of it. So I will be home over Christmas for a couple of weeks, but back to my little town in the hills for next year!
See you for some Xmas celebs in SUMMER soon!
fascinating, unusual and just plain really nice moments
… was just at the market talking to my favourite market ladies and they were asking me questions again about the beach … they have a constant fascination about this due to Laos being a land-locked country, and they find it amazing that I am not scared of the waves! Anyway I told one of the girls I might visit Australia in December and asked them if there was anything they would like me to bring back for them. Their answer? A bag of sea water. That’s right … not food, not clothes, not souvenirs, nothing of the expensive variety, just a bag of seawater. Continuing to learn so much about the appreciation of the small things …
… was talking to a few travellers over dinner last week and an AUSTRALIAN guy asked me which part of NEW ZEALAND I was from! What’s happening to my accent???!!! I have been practising the word “six” 10 times every day for the last week …
… went to my regular Wednesday lunch spot where they sell little bowls of pumpkin, beans, corn and all manner of other things … So anyway, I turned up today to find all of the pumpkin had gone (this is one of my current dining obsessions) … but no … this cute girl had saved a special bowl of pumpkin under the table for me. To use her translated words “the pumpkin is really sweet today so lots of people wanted to buy it … but I know how much you like it so I wanted to save some for you. Now that … is customer service.
… hitched a ride to the airport a couple of weeks back and got talking to the driver who was of Hmong origin. So we were talking about his family and where he was from etc and he was telling me how his wife wasn’t very happy with him at the moment. So I asked him why and he said because he only wanted to have one wife! My curiosity is of course aroused so I ask him more qsts … and in short, this is the deal. In the Hmong tradition, polygamy is allowed for men. However this sweet man only wants to have one wife because he says he loves only her. She however is angry with him and wants him to take some more wives! Why you ask? Because she knows that if her husband was to take another wife, the new wife would be expected to take care of the cooking and cleaning etc and she would get to rest back on her laurels and live a very luxurious work free life!
… someone asked me today how they could get a nose like mine … A nose like mine!!! I have been joked about many a time for having a big nose in Australia, but over here they all think it is beautiful and pointy! So anyway, I suggested a peg on the nose for one hour every night …
… drinking alcohol at any time of the day or night is a main occupation in these parts … and believe me, it is forced down one’s throat at any possible opportunity. Anyway there are a few key excuses I have worked out that are generally pretty water tight … one being “pun nyard nying” – “sickness lady” … which is basically the girls “monthlys”. So anyway it was Teacher’s Day a couple of days back and by 11am, the drinking had set in. Really not in the mood for that sort of action at 11am on a Monday, so I pull out the “pun nyard nying” excuse. Unfortunately for me, there were a couple of teachers at the table who had been with me a couple of weeks back at some other drinking event and remembered that I had used this excuse only 2 weeks previous … and … clearly after a bit of quick arithmetic, realised my blatent LIE!! Unfortunately, being a Monday and all, my brain wasn’t thinking quickly enough for a backup excuse and so the pre midday Monday beverage drinking commenced … I realise this sounds like a very decadent thing to be doing at work on a Monday, but believe me, it becomes unbelievably tiresome after a while! Oh the problems we have to deal with … !!
A few pics of recent events …
