9:24 on a Thursday night. I’m sitting here on our new comfy couch, trying to figure out what to do with myself. Just got home not long ago, sent some e-mails, and ate. Not going to the climbing gym tonight…so I crack a PBR.

The earth just shook. I jumped a bit and gasped. What the…It’s still going, I think it’s still going. Is it STILL going or am I shaking? Fun. Interesting. A 4.2, no worries for a Californian, I guess.

We had hail storms twice this week. Hail, Thunder AND Lightning. Strange. After a huge thunder roll, I explain to my students what had happened. That was thunder, blah, blah, blah, blah. Afterwards a student raised his hand and reassuringly said “Don’t worry, that was a truck.”

“NO,” I think to myself, “that was not a truck…didn’t you hear what I just said? I said it was thunder!!” A humorous summary of interactions I have daily with my students.

At least he was somewhat on target…he could have just as easily said something completely unrelated like…“Ms. Shepley, I love pink bunnies.”

It is or was my birthday this week. Either today or yesterday. Take your pick. You see, when you are born on Leap Year like I was, you get a little confused about these things. Seeing that next year is a Leap Year, there must be an extra 18 hours in this year somewhere that somehow slips by. Next year I’ll get the full 24 hours and the following year, back down to 6, then 12…and the cycle goes on. I’ve always just claimed the whole week as my own. And so I should, really. Afterall, if they can write Pluto off, so too could they write Leap Day off…and then what? Do I become obsolete? My brother brought that fear upon me, just as an older brother would ;)

What’s stranger is that I’m posting on a site titled “We Live on Vacation.” Hmmmmm. My dad has been trying to convince me that I can no longer make that claim. I think he’s right. I mean, 3 days a week I am working from 7:15am – 8 pm. I have been working 1 weekend a month which is about to become 2 weekends per month. Though I still feel calm, happy and content…I must admit, I can’t quite access that day-in and day-out carefree, laissez les bon temps roulez attitude of being on vacation. So, though I’m not going to change the name of this blog for reasons of nostalgia, I will admit that maybe, just maybe, it would be more appropriately named We Dream of Vacation.

And so I leave you, dreaming….dreaming of the next time….dreaming of the next time I will live up to the mantra….dreaming of the next time I will, in fact, Live on Vacation.

When's the next time?



I'm posting again. Because I feel like it. And I can do what I feel like...

Living out here is really nice. Last Friday, it was a beautiful, sunny, 70 degree day in the city. Then Claire and I hopped into that old reliable Jetta and drove to the Sierras, the mountains. Now most folks from the Bay Area stop in Lake Tahoe when they "drive to the mountains." But we're just not satisfied with Lake Tahoe... it's not the Sierras to us. The real Sierras are a couple of hours down the 395; it's the Sierras of Mono Lake and Mammoth Mountain, of Bishop and the Owens Valley, of Happy Hour at Whiskey and Bachelor #6. They call it the Eastside.

We have fond memories of the Eastside, a place Claire and I have been visiting together pretty regularly since we've known each other (that's 5 years and counting). We're always drawn back. Maybe it's the good friends that serve as a convenient excuse to visit. Perhaps it's the stunning mountain vistas that lure the eyes in every direction. Or the alpen glow of a Sierra sunset, that brilliant, indescribable hue that inspired one admirer to dub these peaks the "Range of Light." It could be the countless opportunities for world-class outdoor recreation, the climbing, the skiing, the hiking, the scorching hot springing. Probably its the half price food and drink at our favorite apres ski and the dependable supply of PBR at the local Vons. A visit to the Eastside is something we savor: it's adventurous, it's nostalgic, it's invigorating, it's just too much fun. and it's always a shame when it's over.

A friend once quoted Greg Brown, "You can't have a cup of coffee with a landscape." Can't say if that's true or not. (I only drink coffee 1) after a nice meal, 2) if Claire orders one and we share it, or 3) if it's a free sample at Trader Joe's.) But I do know this: you can have a beer with a Sierra-scape. It's true. I've done it. And it's spectacular.

So that's all. I had a great time on the Eastside over the long weekend. So did Clairey.

We always do...

Give me a shout out if you have seen (and love) The Goonies.

Thanks all.

"The sun is shining.."

This may come as a surprise,
But it's been nothing but rain out here
in sunny San Francisco, California.
Or as I like to call it,
Seattle.
Alas.
Now, the sun is shining
And these Blue Skies are a sight for sore eyes.
A breath of fresh air. Dry air.

Unfortunately,
The Weatherman says another storm system looms,
swirling in from out
over the ocean.
Bastard.

What a difference a year makes.

Last year on St. Patrick's Day, Claire and I spent a good part of our evening celebrating with friends at our favorite Northfield, Minnesota hangout, the Contented Cow. We were raucous and loud and in jolly good spirits (also consuming some jolly good spirits), glad to be warm and insulated from the Minnesota winter outside. I remember late in the night as I sat with Claire, Jana, and a green frog lamp, rousing one boisterous cheers after the next. Highdee-Highdee Hoe!!!

Fast forward a year. We're not in Northfield anymore, so I don't think we'll be going to the Cow to pursue this year's greened festivities. We're in San Francisco, the sun is warming me as I write, and the only thing on our street as prevelant as the asian restuarants are the Irish pubs. Jana is gone as well; she's in Bangkok, where all the Irishmen wear backpacks, lather themselves with spf 100, and probably still drink Guiness whenever they can find it. At least that green frog lamp is still back in Northfield...

In the past year, Claire and I... well if you're reading this, then you probably know what the last year has looked like for us. If you don't know, we've been all around this world and are back in the Bay Area (check the archive section to fill in the gaps).

So here we are, one year later. I don't think we'll be celebrating this year's holiday quite as aggressively as last year's. We're more grownup now, one year older and wiser. And Claire does, after all, have a test to take in the morning.

But then, again, that test isn't til the morning. And what else are we going to do on a St. Patrick's friday night surrounded by Irish Pubs?

What a difference a year makes...

"Are we doing a good job? Do we still live on vacation, Clairey?" A question Jij posed yesterday and I can imagine one that may be floating in the minds of some of you since the end of our blogging. Afterall, it's quite a bold mantra to only be lived out for a short time. I'm happy to report that after short deliberation, we came to the conclusion that we are, most certainly, still on vacation. Perhaps a busier and more action-packed vacation, but vacation none-the-less. A quick catch up from our last blog to today. From the plane we were greeted by my parents, clad in smiles and giddy to have their kids back. The next morning Willie Nelson boomed throught the speakers of my parent's RV and we were "On the Road Again." Off to Florida for Christmas. After a lovely stay with my family we were off again. To Wisconsin this time for a nice visit with Jij's family, with entirely too much yummy foood and some good karaoke fun.





Biting at the bit, as we were, to get to California, we packed up my car and headed west, both with part time jobs awaiting our arrival. The first few weeks were spent catching up with old friends, a trip to Tahoe for Claire and what seemed like lots of visitors. A trip to Monterrey to the vineyards of Carmel Valley and to visit our "soon to be parent" friends Matt and Kasha (who are now proud parents of a beautiful little girl.) A baby shower to follow and another week began. Off to Mammoth for a 4 day visit filled with snow-shoeing, skiing and well, festive evenings. Jetta got a new pair of cables (to put on the tires) to help plow through the snowy roads. Back to work for 3 days and a visit from my college friend Erin and a trip to Yosemite. It has been about 2 and a half months since we arrived back in the US of A and we are feeling quite settled and happy in our California lifestyles.

As for work, I spend my mornings pouring coffee and my afternoons with a young man with autism. Keeps me busy and happy. I have been accepted into a teaching program in which I will teach in a special education (elementary school, I hope) class in the Oakland Schools come September and take courses simultaneously to get my teachers credential and masters in education. Jij has several part time jobs. He is in charge of organizing 1500 kids in a Beach Clean up in May. He is not only in charge of the kids but of all the ins and outs, the fine details of the event. He also works for a company called Edventure More where he is a sort of contract science teacher. He visits Bay Area schools and teaches a variety of science lessons to them, while at the same time promoting the summer science camp that he will be directing this summer. So, you must now refer to him as Mr. Director. This along with some part time environmental education work at the Headlands Institute (where he used to work) keeps him busy.
And that long-winded wrap up brings us to today, March 2nd.

We still think often of our travels. There are numerous times in a day when I am reminded of something from our trip. I obsess over and often browse through our pictures. It actually took me a while to readjust to a more stagnant lifestyle, by stagnant I am not implying boring. I missed moving so much from one very different culture to another equally different culture. From beaches to mountains to temples to the Eiffel Tower. What a fabulous experience that will live with us for a long time. We are very thankful for the opportunity to travel, we couldn't have chosen a better time to do it. So as we live on vacation here in San Francisco we will fondly remember our adventures, enjoy the present and dream of (and scheme) the next trip all the while living an interesting enough life to keep the blogging going! So keep checking back for updates.
Oh, and by the way, meet our roomate Helen. She's just as English as I am!

AMERICA @#!; YEAH!
We're back.
Currently in Florida, shortly after Christmas progressing to Wisconsin and then out to the Bay Area to live (on vacation).
Happy Holidays!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!


Just 5 days left. We're coming home soon!

We can now actually say that, this week, hear that, this week we are going home. Our three month endeavor is quickly coming to it's end. It' exciting, it's sad, it has all gone by too quickly, it is time to go home...lots of mixed thoughts, but with them all comes a true appreciation of the experience and great excitement of having seen so much and, yet, having so much to look forward to on our return! Isn't life grand.
After our whirlwind tour of Paris we found ourselves in England, Manchester to be exact. There we spent the weekend with my cousins Leah and Abi. In true form, they got us shopping right away! Leah and her boyfriend Az took us up to the Lake District...a true wonder of England. It's hilly, well they would probably call it mountainous, with lots of farmland, sheep, lakes, and nice little quaint villages with nice little quaint pubs. Jij was able to enjoy a true Sunday pub roast, followed by a cornish pasty the size of his head for dessert! I was quite surprised that my cousin Leah was up for the experience seeing that she and Abi are both generally clad in heels and true city girls. Abi's response when we asked her if she wanted to go to the Lake District was quite classic, "What, you mean you are going to go WALKING, I'll stay here!" Afterall, stiletto heels don't mix well with wet, soggy ground. Though short, too short really, we had a great time in Manchester. It's hard to catch up for 3 years over two days, but we did our best!
A train took us from Manchester to High Wycombe (not far from London) where Grandma and Grandpy were there to greet us. Grandma and Grandpy have been very interested in our travels and know more than we do about the areas we have visited!! We enjoyed showing them our slideshow and chatting about our experiences. Grandpy was stationed in Burma during the war and would go to India from time to time. It's interesting to hear his experiences. We learn something every day from the two of them, have enjoyed some nice walks, Jij has been introduced to "grandmas cooking" which is a treat but recently we have been the cooks giving Grandma a rest!! Always an enjoyable time at Grandma and Grandpy's and nice to know that not much has changed!! It's great to see your grandparents so fit when they are pushing late into their 80's.
We then took a day trip down south/west to a small town called Salisbury with my aunt Judith and uncle John. Always a laugh, really, to spend time with the two of them who are probably more energetic than most people my age!!! We had christmas lunch with my Aunt Marueeen and Joan and my Nana. This is quite a proper bunch so you can imagine the laugh we had as we popped our Christmas crackers (which generally include a really awful joke, a paper hat in various colors that you must wear, and a little plastic noise making toy) and my Nana started pulling the ends of this plastic toy making quite a racket! We then came back to the Wycombe area, enjoyed a little kiddie play of the Christmas story, and had a nice evening sharing our pictures and stories with Nana, later joined by Judith and John once they had finished caroling. We headed down to Misterton, to Nana's bungalow later in the week. Had a lovely meal at their local pub...a very quaint little town in the country.
Spent the weekend in London with my Aunt and Uncle, Carole and Malc. Had a great time bustling around London seeing the historic sights...also the typical London sights, the double decker buses, beefeaters (funny looking men standing guard at the tower of london), red post and telephone boxes, mulled wine and mince pies everywhere! It was a nice weekend, I like hanging out with my aunt and uncle...their daughters might not like to admit it but their parents are fun!
We ate a lot in England. The diet is quite different, consisting of very heavy foods. Roast beef, for example, pasties (pastry filled with meats of all varieties, potatoes, veg of all kinds, you name it), lots of sweets, let's not forget salt and vinegar crisps, sausages (oh sausages), sausage rolls, some christmas lunches, and more. Food, food and more food!
None-the-less, though not in our best shape ever, we will not be embarrassed to be spending the next 10 days on the beach in our swim suits!! We (and when I say we, I mean me since we all know Jij doesn't gain an ounce) have come away with small souvenirs around the midsection but it's bearable...and was well worth it.
A visit to England, in my mind at least, was a perfect culmination to our trip. A bit of reimmersion into western culture and colder temperatures. A chance to reacquaint with family and enjoy their company...couldn't ask for a better ending really.

24 hours in Paris
(please pardon all spellings. i ain't french.)

We had a short time to spend in Paris and we definitely made the most of it. After arriving at Charles De Gaulle, we immediately hopped on the extensive (which rhymes with expensive) public transport system which deliviered us within 200m of our hotel. Lugged our luggage to our room, quick wash, and we were back out on the cobbled streets.

First stop: Eiffel Tower. It always surprises me, seeing any famous sight. The Golden Gate Bridge, Half Dome, and now the Eiffel Tower. The art-deco icon was bigger than i thought it would be, definitely bigger than the one at King's Island, and more elegant than I could have imagined. The very top was shrouded with a fog that gave the whole thing an orangish glow. Took a lot of pictures.
From there we strolled through the cold, along the Seine to start of the Champs Elysees and then down too the Arc de Triumph. Nuff for the first day.
Next day, we packed in a week's worth of sight-seeing trapsing in the early morning to hear nuns sing at the Sacre Couer, on to the Picasso Museum, then monumental Notre Dame, the modern Pompidu Centre, the Lourve and finally the Musee D'Orsay (home of the impressionists). We ended it all with a lovely dinner, compete with wine (that's cheaper than water), before heading back to the airport for our flight out.

I was struck most by how nice everything seemed. On our big trip, sight seeing was never of central importance. We simply enjoyed being in all these new places. But in Paris, all I wanted to do was look around me. Every building was beautiful and old. I gazed awestruck just looking down the sidestreets. Simply writing about the sights
make me feel all romantic inside.

We shall have to go back when we have more time to spend... and money for that matter.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling is the "quintessential hill station", its cooler temperatures (afforded by its 6000ft elevation) and mountain setting explaining why the British summered here to escape the rest of India's oppressive heat. It looks a bit like someone spilled a town down a lush green mountainside, and planted a bunch of tea trees around it (yes, tea does grow on trees). We spent the last week in Darjeeling (our last week in India) and had a most enjoyable time, though tinged with a bit of frustration...
You see, despite being in prime position to view the Himalaya to the North and West, we saw none of it. Clouds, bloody clouds, obscuring our precious mountain views, the main attraction for us really. Don't get me wrong. As I said, we enjoyed Darjeeling. But imagine going to King's Island and discovering that all the roller coasters are closed for the day. You could still, theoretically, have an enjoyable time: swinging on the viking ship, driving the antique cars (I love those things), eating coneys and ribs and ice creams galore. But it just wouldn't be quite right, would it? What's King's Island without riding the Beast? You'd be frustrated, your longings unrequited, right? Well that's what it was for us in Darjeeling. Frustrating. We went to the Zoo (saw red pandas; they're cute), walked the towns meandering and often steep streets, visited the Himalayan Mountain Institute, and enjoyed some fabulous Tibetan foods, like MoMo's and WaiWai (I guess they like to eat things that you say twice). But, alas, no mountains...frustrated...until the last day.
We awoke ready to head down the mountain (to sleep closer to the train station and escape the cold, temperatures in the 30's and 40's F), ready to accept our fate of leaving without so much as a glimpse of peak from town. But when we looked out our window, lo and behold, a clear sky (no cloud, bright sunny day) and, could it be... a mountain! We rushed out the door to the nearest viewpoint (where previously we'd only imagined peaks through the pillowy clouds), and before us stretched a snowy cirque of Himalayan peaks, with massive Mt. Kanzchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 26,100+ ft, most prominent of all. It was a wonderful and rewarding sight, as if the mountains came out to reward our patience and bid us farewell.
A lovely, laid back, mountain town in the West Bengal(who dey)Hills. Everything about Darjeeling was refreshing: the cool, thin air, the friendly locals, the lack of touts and stalls preying on foreign tourists, the proper pizzas at the italian/french bakery. All in all, Darjeeling was wonderful to us.

Back in Delhi now, all set to fly to Paris tonight (talk about culture shock). It's almost December... Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving (no turkey for us, but a whole tandoori chicken)... in a few short weeks, we'll be coming home!

Incredible India, that's what the brochures boast and so far our experience would not dispute this claim. Incredible, literally beyond belief, can have both positive and negative connotations. India is clearly a country of contrasts, from the sights (beautiful countryside vs. dusty, polluted cities) to the sounds (the rhythm of traditional music vs. incessant pleas from the begging masses) to the smells (the soothing aroma of chai or the savory smells of Indian food or the ever present, fragrant nag champa incense vs. the all-too-frequent wafts of human waste on the street). It is a land of extremes that takes you from exhilirating highs to sombering lows, at one moment lifting your spirits, at another knocking you down. An Irishman we met put it this way: "One minute, you'll have the biggest smile on your face. The next, all you want to do is escape from the bloody place..." Incredible India, indeed.

We've seen a lot in our short time here thus far. Upon arrival to the capital city of Delhi we were eased into the country by Mr. and Mrs. Raj Duggal who treated us as though we were their own kids. They fed us scrumptious Indian food, being sure that our stomachs could handle such food. Introduced Jij to the surprising sophistication of Indian Whiskey. They arranged our first big travel endeavor for us and truly made us feel welcome in their country.
So on to Jaipur, capital of the tradition-rich state of Rajasthan and known as "the pink city" (the maharaja had the whole city painted a uniform pink to welcome a visit from Prince Albert). Here we were "taken in" by another family the Aroras. They taught us the sanskrit phrase of "a ti tee devo bhava" which means "guest is god". They didn't just talk the talk, but they also walked the walk. We felt very comfortable at their house, enjoyed very much our time there and were very well taken care of.
We were lucky enough to stumble across the "Camel Mela/Fair" in a town called Pushkar. Here people from all around come with their camels, clad in decorative headpieces and saddles. It's a livestock trading fair along with a religious festival...imagine the Minnesota State Fair combined with a Billy Graham revival where everyone is dressed in their brightest, most traditional attire.
After the camel fair, we headed for some tranquility to Keolondeo Ghana National Bird Sanctuary. Here we reunited with bikes and peddled around marshlands to the songs of painted cranes, kingfishers, parakeets and such. Staying in Bharatpur, just outside of the Sanctuary, put us in good position for a day trip to Agra. The town is a pit and spending any longer than a day there would have been unbearable. An hour was nearly too much for us with the bombardment of touts, beggars, and offending smells. It's a wonder that such a place can host one of the most magnificent monuments on this planet...the Taj Mahal. So, we spent the evening in awe watching as the glowing sunset seemed to illuminate the massive marble monument that sat before us.
Then back to Delhi to enjoy some wedding festivities. And festive they were. You've seen it on t.v., they aren't exaggerating. It was a truly extravagant event (and long, lasting into the wee hours of the evening), from the brides attire, to the horse that the groom rode in on, to the band, the massive spread of food, the colorful decor, and most of all the dancing.
We are now gearing up for a 30 hour train ride in the morning to Darjeeling. There we will drink tea and sit, staring at the some of the tallest mountains in the world including the tallest of them all...Mount Everest. We'll let you know how the tea is when we return.

A big thank you to Nisha and Neelam Malhotra for arranging our stay with their family. Shokreea to Mr. and Mrs. Duggal and to the Arora family. Ham Watis Atay (we'll come back).

A Final Note of Gratitude To Our Dear Friends in SE Asia

To Thailand: Kop kun ka/kawp mak mak

For the beautiful beaches, the climbing, the markets; for fantastic foods, bustling Bangkok, and, best of all, a warm place to feel at home (thanks Ginger, Jana and Lisa).

To Cambodia: Ow kun

The Temples of Angkor were magnificent. The roads were bumpy. Driving was stunningly scenic (if you're into rice paddies and water buffaloes). The people were welcoming. And the bicycles... Brilliant.

To Vietnam: Cam on

For: high quality accomodation at very affordable prices; ESPN Asia; Hoi An Tailor Shops; Pho; Water Puppets; Train Rides; Halong Bay by Junk Boat; Lakes in Hanoi; traffic; Bia Hoi; Masala Dosas.

And Last, but certainly not least, to Laos: Kop Jai Lai Lai

To Gina and the Novotel, for accomodating our poshie tendencies.
To our travelling companions, Jana and Ginger, for who you are.
To the gorgeous landscape, for taking our breath away.
To Dramamine, for taking the edge off the windy bus rides through majestic mountain passes.
To Vang Vieng, for facilitating all our aquatic adventures.
To Jai Dee, for facilitating all our lao lao adventures.
To the Organic Farm, for hosting us during a pleasant afternoon bicycle ride.
To the French, for introducing good coffee and fresh baguettes to Lao.
To Luang Prabang, for lazy days and night markets.

And one more thing...

Thank you so much to all of you, our friends and family, for reading this blog, for thinking of us and for checking up on our travels. It's a long trip we've been on, so far away from home, and it's nice to know that you're all back there following along with us.

Love,
Jij and Claire

PS We'll be home soon...

WE'RE IN INDIA!

More news to come when we have more time. Pictures to accompany the posts. We're happy, having fun, looking forward to the Indian wedding festivities that we will be attending in the days to come!

LAOS: Part III

Vang Vieng

Two became four and off we went, Jana, Ginger, Jij and Claire, on the public bus to Vang Vieng. After an extremely scenic, minimally bendy, four hour ride we reached the little backpacker trap of Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng is an active town, you might call it the Interlaken of Asia, an outdoor adventure destination. So, in true form, we did just that...outdoor adventures. We rented bikes and toured around the town, visiting surrounding villages. We had lunch at an organic farm known for its mulberries and silk worms. The food was fantastic, the view from the restaurant was also great, set right on the river that we would be kayaking down the following day. We watched as the local children headed to the river for bath/swimming time. Jij and Jana went down to the river, being the teachers that they are, to interact with the youngsters. The children couldn't get enough of seeing their pictures on the digital camera.
The following day was kayak touring day. A full day tour, the typical touristy thing to do. So there we were again, joining the herd, ready to be told what our every move would be for the next 8 hours. This time we were set loose on the river, with our broken helmets on (for safety), some of us suited in life jackets, the rest in the hands of buddha. We paddled to a village where we had a wonderful caving experience. The caving experience which was advertised as "tubing through a cave" turned into slithering on our bellies, some of us lucky enough to have flashlights in the dark, dark cave, through tight nooks and crannies just fit for the typical Thai or Lao sized person. I don't think they take into account that we westerners are giants. Anyhow, an hour of slithering through wet darkness with spiders and creepy crawlies was not quite the "tubing through a cave" I was expecting. None-the-less we survived it and are surely better people for it!
The flying fox came next! A rope swing and zip line perched high above the river. The only pre-requisite to using the flying fox is that you purchase a beer before going. Claire and Jana were the first girls of the day to successfully complete the rope swing. It was fun, sanook!
More paddling landed us back in Vang Vieng as the sun set behind the surrounding mountains. A truly spectacular scene.
A free cocktail party rounded out the day and segued into an adventurous evening. The night ended with local bar owner Jai Dee taking us to a locals hangout so that our Canadian muscician friend Martin could play pop favorites (accompanied by Jij's rice pot percussion.)
And that was Vang Vieng.

LAOS: Part IV

Luang Prabang

As the mini bus rounded it's last of many bends, we piled out, carsick, groggy and relieved to have arrived in the beautiful town of Luang Prabang. With Jij having spent some time here already, I had a picture in my mind of what the little town would be like. Along with that image came a lot of excitement and anticipation. So, there I was giddy and galavanting amidst my three groggy travel buddies who were suffering from the effects of dramamine (medication to help prevent motion sickness). It was a bit difficult to keep up the giddy act around that crew so I joined in the moping. It was in that fashion that we found a place to call home for the next week.
A few hours spent recovering and regrouping from the ride put everyone in prime form for Luang Prabang's feature attraction...the Night Market. This would prove to be the beginning of our nightly addiction, you could call it a sport, of bartering for "good price for you, good price for me" textiles. Afterall, you can't leave Laos, they won't permit it :>, unless you purchase their unique, beautiful textiles. They are well known for their handywork and do, indeed, produce very nice quilts, pillow cases, aprons, wall hangings and more. Needless to say, Jij and I left with very stuffed backpacks and an overflow bag each! We have now upgraded to rolly suitcases (call us posh, I don't know!) so we can no longer be put in the ranks of dirty backpackers!!
Our time in Luang Prabang was very slow...laid back and mellow! We ate lots of bread and drank some quality coffee thanks to the French influence. We explored a wat or two, spent an afternoon at a waterfall, but our time was mostly consumed by eating, shopping, and wandering by the Mighty Mekong River!
Life's rough when you Live on Vacation.

Part I: NOVOTEL

Two shoestring travelers transformed upon landing in Laos. Poshie 1 and Poshie 2 emerged. For those of you who aren't familiar with such terms...a poshie lives the good life, enjoys luxury, the finer things. Poshies don't stay in common guesthouses on the common backpacker circuit with common backpacker types. They prefer more pampered environs... and in Vientiane it doesn't get more poshie than the NOVOTEL HOTEL.

When at the Novotel, one doesn't have to haggle for the price of the room or ask "Fan or Air Con?" or inquire if the rate includes hot water. No need to hike the many stairs to view a room, it isn't necessary to feel the mattress, look it over for bugs and check to be sure the bathroom is equipped with toilet paper, and if we're really lucky, soap! You see, poshies have connections, poshies know people. And luckily for these poshies, we new MS. GINA!

Upon entering the Novotel (deja vu), we immediately asked to see Ms. Gina, whom Jij had met on his first visit to Laos with his parents. While we waited for her to see us (Ms. Gina is a busy lady), the bell hop treated us to a refreshing glass of cold water. (He would later top this feat with a fancy glass of lemonade, complete with floating lime.) Ms. Gina emerged down the hall and was very happy to see us, demonstrated by her giddy gallop to hug us hello. We then enjoyed the comfort of the posh lobby as we conversed with Gina, catching up as poshies do. With lemonades empty, we moved on to our first buffet experience. Gina treated us to the amazing spread and afterwards, with our posh bellies filled, we headed to our room for some well earned rest.

The ROOM: Carpeted (nothing in Asia is carpeted), teak furniture, down comforter, soothing sage green walls. All the western conveniences, really. espn, marble counters, bathtub, sewing kit, shower cap, talcum powder to boot (all those things a commoner might never use, but who knows when a poshie may need to sew her skirt or powder his bum). An oasis in the arid landscape of Asian accommodation.

Each time we came and left, the doormen opened both doors. Poshies can't be bothered with such menial tasks. Poshies are always greeted with a wai (hands placed prayerfully together, usually around eye level, transitioning into a bow), a sabidee (good day), and a smile.

A big thanks to Ms. Gina for allowing us to enter the poshie lifestyle. Gina, it was great to see you and hear your stories. Kop Jai lai lai lai lai.

LAOS: Part II

Jana and Ginger

We hate waiting, even in the relative luxury of our room at the Novotel. Call us impatient. We sometimes are.
"What time is it now?"
"What time did we agree to meet?"
"What do we do if they don't show?"
The imagination runs wild when you're just sitting. Waiting.

Phone rings and our hearts leap. They're here.

We descend the stairs to the lobby where we greet our friends, who've been graciously introduced to the poshie life with lemonades.

Jana and Ginger, our teacher friends and hosts in Bangkok, on holiday from The American School, are here. Here in Vientiane, at the Novotel, ready to embark on a week in Laos. And so it began...

After traveling for so long, just the two of us (Bill Withers) we had adopted, honed if you will, a successful strategy with which to approach the traveling game. We were now faced with the challenge of integrating two more people and their respective trael styles into this strategy. This challenge turned out to be no challenge at all, as the merger proved to be more than seamless (if there is such a thing).

True, we each had very individual goals:

Ginger was there for the shopping, envious of the countless woven goods she'd seen other travelers return from Lao with. She was determined to go home the opposite of empty handed.

Jana really wanted to practice speaking her Thai, despite the fact that Lao people don't speak Thai; they speak Lao. Never mind. She also wanted to learn the fine art of not getting ripped off at markets in Southeast Asia.

Jij was hungry and just wanted something to eat.

And Claire, well, Claire simply wanted to enjoy being in Laos (how appropriately Buddhist of her).

These individual goals, instead of hindering the group seemed to somehow make the group stronger, resulting in some unspoken group goals; exploring the natural beauty of the countryside, enjoying the unnatural kindness of the lovely Lao people, Laughing a bit too much, buying even more in the markets and drinking Beer Laos more still.

Claire and I have worked with a great many groups and all groups form a sort of group identity characterized by its best moments. Our identity was best characterized by our nightly progressive dinners, sampling the best of as many restaurants as we could find; Our River adventure, kayaking, caving, and especially rope swinging ("It's just water.") in Vang Vieng; Our night out on the "town" with Jai Dee, featuring special guest Martin, an upper-middle-class man's Jack Johnson; sharing everything: food, water, cameras, batteries, laundry detergent, tuk tuks, menthol nasal inhalers; and best of all, TEAM SHOPPING (I pity the old Lao lady that has to haggle with not one, not two, but four of the likes of us. They were no match for the "One Dollar" opener.)

But every team also encounters its hardships, and we were not immune. Had it not been for Ginger's bold leadership, we we may not have made it out of that Vang Vieng cave alive. At the Organic Farm Cafe, we had a run-in with an obnoxious woman (from America, of all places. imagine that...)who Claire astutely described as "a piece of work" (to her face). Worst of all, Jana's bike was stolen from the outside of a temple in Luang Prabang. And, in a country with no insurance, she was responsible for replacing it. Mai chok dee (Bad Luck). Such a setback could have been fatal to lesser travellers. But not us. In fact, Jana was able to delicately negotiate a very fair deal for all parties involved. Everyone was happy.

And so it was, our time in Laos with our travel buddies Jana and Ginger. We love Lao and loved having friends to share it with...

BESTEST EvER: SARAH HALE!!!

And now...

The Best and Worst of People who Posted Comments on the Blog!

Best Scotch guzzlin, RV drivin, "Life is good" sayin, corporate business consultin, human jukebox:
Stuart Shepley, founder, CEO and Employee of the Month at the Shepley Group. "A SucceSSful buSineSS needs alot of S's. Stuart Shepley has at least 2..."
Best Cousin who's like a little sister: Melissa
Best Little Sister Jij never had: Emily Holbrock
Worst Little Sister Jij did have: Gregory Holbrock
Worst Older Brother: Matt Price (I'm older than him. AND, we're not even related. Doesn't get much worse than that.)
Best ARTech student not in the Blue Advisory: Alliya Lovestrand
Best adventure seekin, child mendin, Lasagna bakin mama: Mary Jo De Grandi
Best late postin, smack talkin, closet Bengals fan: David Shepley
Best human being: "Happy" Grant Buntje
Best spiritual being: "Funny" Jacky McFahdtime

Thanks so much for posting on the blog. We love hearing from you all!
We're in Laos now, and as Stuart Shepley of the Shepley Group would say, Life is Good!

Take Care...