back to warm Laos

On the way back i decided to stay at the same village i'd stayed before and visit that lovely teacher Noi and stay at her brother's guest house before move to Vientiane, the capital of Laos where i intended to apply for a Chinese visa. Second stay turned to be less informative then the first. This time Noi was out in Vientiane and her brother reached home late and drank, fooling around and giving his girlfriend affencive names, calling her fat and so on. He was sweet though, and his girlfriend as well I was just very tired and didn't have any will to explain him english words or trying to persuade him to give me a discount. With all this sircumstances the absence of water was quiet annoying decpite of the previous time.
Again as it happend the last time i was there i had to get my Western Union money transfer and again had to wait before the office was open. Then i received my money, paid a guest house fee and took off towards the capital.

end of Viet Nam trip

in Viet Nam it was unbearably cold! I know, this statement sounds bizzarre from a russian girl, but there was no opportunity to get warm and even those +10C were felt like hell after the hot Laos and Thailand! Even the cofeeshops where you can drink the best cofee ever with a bottom covered with reach portion of condenced milk, even they didn't have any doors, neither heaters!
Well, but there ain't no doubt that i enjoyed all my days in Ha Noi! First lazy, slowly days at an Australian hostel, having an included to the price somewhat breakfast, movie room and knitting, then crazy days with an amazing hospitality of Tracy and all the couchsurfers i met there! Have to confess, i even drank there, quiet much, but that was worthwile as it was too cold and the bars were too inviting:)


Of course there was one event which i can't call positive at all. When I was refused to issue a Chinese visa in Ha Noi, I decided to move back to Vientiane, Laos to receive one. And the transportation was choosed as on the forward way - buses. But this time the driver chited me harshly! Not only he took the duble price but also didn't inform me that the second one will drop me off at the border, from which i'll have to find a way out by myself! And it was again cold and foggy, i crossed the border in a slow pace as all the passangers were let through in front of me. Then i get ot at a Laos side and that's it, no bus, nothing visible due to the thick fog, raining, wet shoes, expencive taxis standing on the side of the road and only tears of despare apeared on my face. But i was lucky to find a mini bus, full of a kindest family who gave me a ride till the first warm point in Laos!

///to be continued

Viet Nam

Here now, but so far here what happened:

Was probably the first foregner local people have ever seen in Vinh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinh

so they stared and even touched me to check if I am real;

Was helped by two Laos boys to oder the food in a restaurant in Vinh;

Moved to Ha Noi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi

by a cozy half sleeping bus, met a Vetnamese boy who was with me till I entered the hostel doors to make sure I am safe;

Enjoying the street food but had first dissapointment – one of the souses turned to be disgusting!!

Have been surprised by price chitting by every seller on the street!

Visited the fine museum of arts http://vnfineartsmuseum.org.vn/English/gioithieu.asp;

Was refused to be issued the Chinese visa;

Couldn’t find the Russian embassy by the address given in web.

Laos (end of December - 7 January)

Traveled to 4 thousand island (less in fact)http://wikitravel.org/en/Si_Phan_Don

In Pakse when my monthly money were gone, sold some of the hand made, was fed by a very kind Laos cook in a hostel;

Got the Vitnamese visa for $40, even though in fact it is for free for russians (some of them even spoke Russian to me and were very friendly);

Hitchhiked to north (kindness of local people is impressive, but one boy charged me at the end of a trip, no English speakers of course);

Visited amazing Kong Lor cave

http://www.grottegruppa.no/index.php?topic=2439.0

(was lucky to meet Canadian tourist who bought a tour and invited me to join him in the boat saving me quiet a lot of money!

The owners of a guest house I’d stayed in turned to be teachers in local school, and gave me the opportunity to go to school and have a little chat about the world with kids

http://wikitravel.org/en/Ban_Nahin

Had the most gorgeouse border crossing with Vietnam, even though the sun was left in LaosJ

Thailand (end of November - end of December)

Had a flight to Bangkok, asked where is the tourist area, took the bus there, asked the people where is the cheapest accomodation, found amazing hostel with flooded entrance

http://www.phimanwaterview.com/#/home/

Met a God gifted Thai artist and moved to a Koh Chang island http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ko_Chang

with him to help to organise an art and music festival,

http://duddproject.blogspot.com/2010/12/bailan-art-craft-fair-young-artists.html

Had a water colors class with a nude model

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45927585@N00/

Had first in my life dumpster diving with a lovely kiwi girl;

Sold my jewelry and then drank a lot of coctailes and had to loan money

http://www.travelfish.org/board/post/thailandadditions/9718_new-open----jungle-garden-----in-bailan--koh-chang

Went to every consert of a funky Mexican bandhttp://www.lasabrosasabrosura.com/

Had tones of inspiration;

ate a lot of pine apples!

After almost a month in Koh Chang moved back to Bangkok and from there crossed the border with Laos by bus.

Overstayed in Thailand for one extra day and payed around $15 fine!

Back to India (end of September)

Stayed in New Delhi with my friend fashion designer from Canada, helping him to teach the ‘personality development’ course, learning scetching;

Had a party week with Swedish and Indian girls;

Spent thousands of rupees on a brended cloth;

Learned more Hindi;

Stayed 2 weeks in a village in Himaliya, eating abandoned apples from the frozen ground (with the frozen hands);

Witnessed the cycling of the Common Wealth Games

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Games

Boughed a very expenceve last minute ticket to Thailand.

Continue Nepali trip

Pokhara.

Went trakking to Annapurna. 7 amazing days in the Himaliya, with rains, waterfalles, leeches, and my companions – 4 students from France!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapurna

Had couple Yoga lessons with Satyavanhttp://satyavanasia.blogspot.com/

Couchsurfed with a wonderful Kashmiri family, had Ramadan fasting for 3 days, cooked Mexican hot tomato soup and learned Hindi

http://www.couchsurfing.org/mapsurf.html?SEARCH[skip]=0&view=detail&sid=3752615d1adcd6b761d2af7c3a7948a8

Kathmandu.

Danced at the Krishna’s Birthday in Durbar Square

http://www.magical-nepal.com/nepal_UNESCO_culturalHeritageSites_patanDurbarSquare.htm

Couchsurfed with French – Nepali couple;

Hitchhiked in a police truck;

Stayed with a family in a village and had a great time at a local school with kids;

Learned how to make chatney and a bit Nepali language;

Hiked with 8 th grade girls from a village school;

Got the Indian visa for 2 month.