Vacation Visas and Vaccinations

As  usual, I start my blog before I have left.  This time I am still in the initial planning stages but so looking forward to travelling to SE Asia and celebrating Bianca and Michael's wedding in early January in Luang Prabang, Laos.   I was hoping to rent my home out to some wonderful people that would look after it with TLC, but despite the fact that I have virtually packed it all up no wonder person has materialised to assume the role of caretaker .  Archie is going to stay with cousins and so is in training mode for that. I have my BnB virtually booked up until the week before I leave so it will be a quick pack and storing of the rest of my worldly goods before the flight out.  

In the meantime, I have embarked on a sewing marathon, determined to not be stuck in my beige travel gear for the whole time but trying to design a wardrobe that will fulfil the needs of the weather and still be of the right colours to detract the flying insects that I do not want to be attacked by.  Final vaccinations next week before I start my courses of vitamins and antibiotics, again, to prevent bites from the little blighters.  Of course, the wedding outfit is on the sewing list and as I haven't sewn for many years am practising hard before I get to that important item.

Hoping to keep  my plans fluid  I am trying to not commit to too much but just play it by ear.  So far I arrive into Ho Chi Minh City where I spend a few days and then have a few days to work my way up part of the Mekong, through Siem Reap to Bangkok where I meet Bianca for a few days RandR.

From there I move on to Nong Khai on the Laos,Thailand border where I will be based for two weeks  teaching English to novice monks in the Goseiykett Temple School in the village of Ban Pako on the banks of the Mekong, Thailand side.

Teaching finished I head for Luang Prabang doing wedding stuff and then get the opportunity to wander and maybe hang out at the training school or go and help at Sunshine School in Vientiane.  

Christmas will see a return to Vietnam, this time to Hanoi where we will celebrate Christmas with Michael's family, after which I will do some touring around Hanoi before heading back to Vientiane for a certain person's birthday and the hens and the bucks nights.  From there we head to Luang Prabang for the wedding.  And that is the thing I am most looking forward to.

Wedding over! Off to South Thailand where I am teaching English to young children on a Moslem island.  About as close to my Moslem fascination that I will get this trip.

From there I board another big bird in the sky headed for home.