Off I went to the airport, again with Made (finally learned how to spell his name!). Re- assigned flights seem to be working ok for the moment.
At Singapore Airport they have transit hotels. These are basically prison / hall of residence cells – although prison would not have CNN and Fox Movies – which you can rent for 6 or 12 hours between flights. Bathrooms at the end of the hall. Sounded like a very good idea except that people kept coming and going all night and I thought I could take my suitcase with me, only to discover it had gone straight on to Luang Prabang. Ah well, not the first time I had worn the same clothes for 2 days straight.
Some random thoughts on Bali.
There were lots of traditional things going on that I didn’t manage to photograph – rice harvesting, ducks in the paddy fields, drying rice by the side of the road, decorating the local temples for local festivals, election posters, children in red or batik (Thursdays and festivals only) uniforms, ladies riding sidesaddle on the back of a moped with a pile of loaded baskets on their head etc etc. I have found a couple on the Internet for you.
Not only is Bali and very devout and traditional society, they appear to have festivals about every other day. Although people are mainly Hindu, there is a good deal of Buddhism , Animism and traditional Chinese mixed in. Apparently, there is an Indonesian law that specifies a religion as being monotheistic, having rules, a holy book and a prophet. The priests in Bali managed to get round this to allow their way of life to carry on.
So, after my cell in Singapore, I came to Luang Prabang in Laos. I only got here a little while ago so no details yet. Luckily my suitcase arrived as well! Unfortunately, I did not pay proper attention to the rules – or I did but forgot. You need to buy a visa at the airport and you need to bring a photo with you. No photo – paid $1 US. Cost of visa $30 US or Singapore. Didn’t have any of this so the man, hanging on to my passport, sent me off to the atm. This was outside the front door of the airport – feel their security may be a bit laxer than ours. They also have a currency that doesn’t travel – you can only get it in the country.
This is my room in the hotel, just across the road from the Mekong.
The Retirement Travels 
I certainly begin to see why Bali is such a favourite with tourists and honeymooners and more power to the elbows of the Balinese for being able to retain the place of their faith/s within an increasingly commercial environment. Good to see that you’re not missing Laos after all. I think my nerves would have been shredded by now with all the travel tweaks.
That’s a very elegant room – interesting shower arrangement – I tend to find that the wet curtains wrap themselves around my ankles in those sorts of situations. Have fun.
LikeLike
Love the duck photo…… crispy duck yum yum, ate it last weekend!
Enjoy Laos!
xx
LikeLike