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the magic of Nong Khai

We have a 63 year old man on our team whom we affectionately call "pappy', although I don't think he likes it...He moves slowly and talks slowly but his mind is sharp. Yesterday we gave him a surprise party for his birthday and he was really touched. He seems to take delight in simple things and it is really sweet.

We went to Nong Khai, Thailand yesterday (it is just a hour bus ride from Vientiane) to buy some groceries at this big wal-mart type of place. Nearly every type of packaged food item is cheaper in Thailand. I was also happy to see a nice, new movie theatre and a Pizza Company restaurant. It is nice to know that some of the comforts of western civilization are just a short bus ride and a boarder crossing away!

It is so weird seeing white backpackers/ tourists around town. They look so dumpy, clueless and lost, and they wear really ugly, dirty clothes and don't seem to know that people in Southeast Asia also value cleanliness, and it would be nice if you would wash your hair, thank you very much. Also, when you encounter a backpacker, they are always smug, and they give you the cutting look that says, "What are you doing living and working in this Southeast Asian city? You are messing up my mental illusion that I am the first and only westerner to ever experience the magic of Laos/Thailand/etc. Lead me to the youth hostile that is higher than I!"

ckb


Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003 at 4:15 PM



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