12.3
Good morning.
Ok, I think I need to move today. I am so tired of being stuck here, but there are certainly worse places to be stuck. Vientiane was very good and very easy. The people are friendly, the food is great, internet cafes are everywhere, it’s quiet, and apparently the tuk-tuk drivers not only serve as your personal taxi drivers, but also as your pimp and drug dealer as well. At certain times of the day, the tuk-tuk drivers all gather around a few tables just around the corner from my guesthouse, like some kind of union meeting. Actually, I think it’s a bit more Godfather than Norma Ray. I’ve noticed that there are NO OTHER forms of public transport available in Vientiane other than the tuk-tuk drivers. No motor scooter drivers. No cyclos. Just the tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are like motorcycles on steroids. They have 3 wheels and a covered bed in the back with a small bench on each side to sit on. I’ve seen 8 people with bags in one. But only about 4 farangs with backpacks could possibly fit in one. So I imagine these little tuk-tuk driver meetings deal with fixing prices, settling turf disputes, eliminating the competition (a motor scooter driver seems much more economical and useful for tourists.), etc. They clearly have some power here in Vientiane, because there are way too many of them, and they openly offer you prostitutes and all kinds of drugs on the streets.

I need to get breakfast, a bus ticket, go to the post office, the bank, pack up my considerable amount of gear and check out, all in just a few hours. No more time to write!