Vientiane: The Quiet Capital

Brazil and Latvia have been added to the "Nationalities I've Met" page, bringing the total to 45!

Before I begin, I'd also like to drop some big news. As you may or may not know, my Kickstarter has been a smashing success. In eleven days, the project will be over, and this website's name will be changed to...The Traveling Tramp. Currently, the site address remains luckybuddha.weebly.com - however, in about two weeks' time, the URL will be changed to travelingtramp.com

It's my great pleasure to announce this overhaul, which will include (but not limited to) a brand new site logo. Thank you guys! Oh, and check out the Kickstarter link if you so choose :)

I took a VIP sleeper bus to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Although I left Don Det, my love affair with the island is far from over. I will return to that beautiful place someday; mark my words in digital ink.

I must admit, nothing about the prospect of visiting Vientiane excited me. I only came here to get a Vietnamese visa, as Vietnam requires a visa in advance (the only Southeast Asian country with that distinction). That said, I kind of dig the city. It's by far the quietest and least hectic capital city I've been to, a nice change from bustling Bangkok and Phnom Penh (God, I hate that place).

This morning I walked around for a good half hour or so, trying to find the local gym. Being Sunday, it ended up being closed. Oh well. At least my guesthouse is pretty cool. The owner allows people to graffiti the walls. The only catch: he must pre-approve the artist, by first seeing some sample artwork. This brings a major upside; every wall painting is gorgeous! I've been to many hippie hostels with graffitied walls. However, this one has the most consistent high quality work I've seen! 

Anyhow, my 90-day travel mark is coming on fast. Get ready for another monthly spending breakdown! (Hint: I spent even less than the month before)