Author: Justin

A Vientiane Visa Run by Cameraphone

Rule number one: The Thai Delta Force is not going to save your gambling ass.

Comforting words at the Nong Khai border crossing, Thailand
The ghetto-est wheel lock ever (or maybe it’s a parking boot?):

A mobile ATM van (Thai Military Bank – doesn’t a MILITARY bank just seem safer?)
Welcome, Comrades!

“…some animals are more equal than others.”
Speaking of animals:

Fresh meat sleeping; their brothers are roasting in the background.
A restaurant (and Tandoori chef) in Vientiane we can heartily recommend:

Rashmi’s Indian Fusion, across the street from the Lao Plaza Hotel.
My favorite shot of the whole trip:

“Don’t flap your arms like a bird or God will strike you down!”

Trashdozer Kill Kill!

In some ways, living in a gated community of nice houses here in Thailand really makes me feel comfortable because it’s so similar to living back home. Then something comes along along that just blows my mind and serves to remind just how differently some things are done here. Case in point, the Trashdozer:

Trashdozer!

Kill Kill!
I have no idea why they don’t just use a garbage truck… Then again, if it was my job, I’d rather use a payloader, too.

Counterbalance

Yesterday was a paradox of bad things that would have been a lot worse if not for little blessings:

  1. A big dog came running after me – but there was a big rock on the ground next to me, and I don’t play to lose in a country that doesn’t vaccinate
  2. Our right rear tire blew out on the highway – but we were only going 60kph, and there was a tire store 200 yards up the road
  3. Nam locked us out of our house – but her sister, who lives fifteen minutes away, just happened to have a key
  4. I stepped on a dog turd – but it was the “perfect” consistency (not wet enough to stick and not dried out enough to crumble and generate the dreaded Doggy Doo Dust)
  5. The water supply for the entire neighborhood got shut off – but there was water left in our auxiliary tanks, and taking bucket baths on the lawn was refreshing