Having signed-up on-line before hearing the “to ride or not” controversy, I went to the original Elephant Sanctuary. They stopped using the heavy wooden seat structures and the rest of our group enjoyed their rides thoroughly. I discovered in the warm up ring that the elephants neck has big rolling bones that move in unpredictable ways and thought it best to avoid the steep path down to the river walk. Went to the village school instead and saw beautiful kids, the complicated writing in notebooks and the same math we all learned on the blackboard. The sanctuary had a beautiful pool for further hookey from the program.

Laos only opened to the outside world in 1995 so one of the least developed places. I just found out that the one month of smoke filled air from slash & burn farming started on my arrival. The owner likes the rainy season when it’s lush, cooler and only rains a couple of hours mostly at night: June-Sept. The mosquitos aren’t bad he said.

Several people looked to be picking up litter but they were fallen flowers to flavor their food.

Up 329 steps to Mt. Phousi temple.

People buy 2 little wild birds in a cage then get good luck by releasing them–if they can figure out how. It took much effort on dad’s part then they escaped faster than a camera shutter.

Gardens of Mar Vista everywhere. Night blooming jasmin, bougainvillea.

Bike parked by spegetti of high voltage wires.

Sausages for sale–somehow the dog knew not for him.