26 May 2010

Current state of mind...

... and lessons learned are best summed up in a couple of old songs from Slovenian teenager/children films.

To all non Slovenian this will probably make no sense what so ever if you don't translate the lyrics... and even then :P

1) Cisto pravi gusar - Also as adults we should be entering the fairytale world and letting ourselves go....

Vse naše pravljice s papirja nam bežijo,
junaki njihovi med nami živijo.
Vse naše pravljice zaklepamo v svet zase,
na vratih piše le:"Ni vhoda za odrasle."

Pustite nam ta svet,
nedolžen in drugačen,
naj vsak ki vanj je ujet,
bo pristen, ne popačen.

Vse naše pravljice, so naše prve želje,
kdor ne sanja več naj ne zahaja vanje.
Vse naše pravljice so stvarnost, ne prividi,
kdor sam ni del tega, ne sliši in ne vidi.

Pustite nam ta svet,
nedolžen in drugačen,
naj vsak ki vanj je ujet,
bo pristen, ne popačen.



2) Kekec - Let's see how long I can keep it up after coming back... ;)

Jaz pa pojdem in zasejem
dobro voljo pri ljudeh.
V eni roki nosim sonce,
vdrugi roki zlati smeh.

Kdor vesele pesmi poje
gre po svetu lahkih nog,
če mu kdo nastavi zanko,
ga užene v kozji rog.

Jaz pa pojdem in zasejem
dobro voljo pri ljudeh.
V eni roki nosim sonce,
vdrugi roki zlati smeh.

Bistri potok, hitri veter,
bele zvezde vrh gora,
gredo z mano tja do konca
tega širnega sveta.

Jaz pa pojdem in zasejem
dobro voljo pri ljudeh.
V eni roki nosim sonce,
vdrugi roki zlati smeh.



3) Poletje v skoljki - No comment :)

Dlan išče dlan,
da res prepletejo se prsti,
v stiskih nežnih, gorkih, čvrstih,
na dobri dan ...

Dlan išče dlan,
dotik dotiku gre naproti,
nasmeh z nasmehom se zaloti,
na dobri dan ...

Odveč so izrabljene besede,
pogled potaplja se v poglede,
v podobe sanj,
na dobri dan ...

Dlan išče dlan,
vzkipelo je pričakovanje,
z dlanjo se poiskala dlan je,
na dobri dan,
na takšen dan,
na dobri dan ...

Dlan išče dlan,
dotik dotiku gre naproti,
nasmeh z nasmehom se zaloti,
na dobri dan ...

Vzkipelo je pričakovanje,
z dlanjo se poiskala dlan je,
na dobri dan,
dlan išče dlan, podobe sanj,
dlan išče dlan, podobe sanj,
na dobri dan ...

25 May 2010

"Why not??"...

... was the usual response of our guide in jungle.

Exclaimer: The more squeamish of you may want to stop reading here.

And this answer goes also for question: "Do you eat ... (insert anything that has a mother and is not human)?". The only thing Smy (the guide) doesn't eat is wild chicken... go figure! Something to do with the spirits as they are animists.

In that mode we went for a night creek "fishing/hunting/collecting" expedition and had a night snack of small fish, crab and frog - all eaten in full with bones/shells. Had a guana for lunch on the last day and loads of different plants and fruits along the way. But no, it doesn't finish here.. after the trek was over he took us (I was travelling with an Ozzie guy) for some more food tasting. But because his friend already sold the monkey we had to settle for dog meat and eggs with fetus.

I've posted some photos from Ratanakiri on Pobarvani trenutki, but the food section was documented by Drew and here is the midnight snack.

17 May 2010

Job interview...

... with a difference!

Today I had a job interview for what will hopefully be my job when I get back. But instead of sitting in an office with no windows I was sitting in a hammock on the porch of my hut with the following views...

16 May 2010

When you think it can't get...

... more chilled out than Laos in general, you come to Si Phon Don. Super slow pace of everything, hammocks, silence,...

Due to loads of different IT issues (viruses, Picassa malfunction, connections,..) I can't give you a proper update, but finally, I manager to get at least a taster of Laos to my Pobarvani trenutki (Moments coloured in).

12 May 2010

Should I stay...

... and enjoy or should I go and see more?

The end is slowly approaching and I need to decide if I want to speed up a bit and see at least some of the planned things or slow down even more and unwind completely before flying back. :) I guess it will all depend on the mood and company when I get to Si Phan Don which is supposed to be even more relaxed than other placed in Laos (don't know how that is possible). But before that I'm renting a moto tomorrow and going to get lost in central Laos.

In the last days I noticed that my addiction with sticky rice (*I* *love* *it* and can't get enough of it) is helping me to pile on any kg that I might have lost in Cambodia and Vietnam. :) And I also took a cooking course so that I can maintain my addiction back home. :P

Apart from the cooking class I also went to see their traditional opera and although I can't say it is my prefered type of art it was definetely a good experience. But these days also brought a new highlight of my travels. I went to an elephant sanctuary to get to know more about them and bathing them was brilliant! Mine was super playful splashing around all the time. Loved it!

P.S.: Puntaaaaaar!!! :)

09 May 2010

Feels like...

... home!

If you would compare Laos and Slovenia you could use the phrase that is heard constantly all over SE Asia: Same same, but different! I know some of you will go WTF, but the landscape is very similar apart from the wider rivers and tropical vegetation. Both countries don't have anything special re resources or industry and are a crossroad for bigger neighboring countries. There are no big cities and even the capitals are small and relaxed.

Anyway... I feel almost like at home. Loving it! There were just to many photos and events to write everything down...

Luang Prabang is a nice French colonial town with is in a way very similar to Hoi An in Vietnam. Old, chilled out, a bit up market due to turism... but Luang Prabang has a few additional elements. Mainly loads of temples and monks and the night market.

After I headed up the Nam Ou river to Nong Kiaw and Muang Ngoi Neua. Both are in a high mountain valley with spectacular views! And specially Muang Ngoi Neua is very small. It is only accessible my river and there are no cars, no motobikes... even no bicycles. There is electricity... but only between 6 pm and 10 pm. I loved it... went to even smaller villages around, kayaking, going to caves, bathing in the river, playing with children and the guys I met there are really nice. I almost stayed even longer, but I'm slowly starting to run out of time... two or three more days in Luang Prabang and then I need to head south!