Lost on Earth

I leave Luang Prabang in an hour for Chiang Mai, where I will visit the hospital to have some bloodwork done and then continue to Mae Hong Son. The last several days in this town have been difficult and great. I met some fantastic people, relaxed, and ate bread and butter. I also worried constantly about SaZing, missed Jordan, and felt guilty about said bread and butter.

On the whole, Laos is not as friendly as Thailand, and I am happy to leave this graceful city of con artists and cold shoulders for the friendly smiles and low-pressure atmosphere of Thailand again. Even as I rode my bike around at 5:30 a.m. this morning (some stoners were busy having a smoking-jam session outside my room at 4 a.m. and I decided to just leave), women were running after me in the street demanding that I buy goods from them, and yelling curses at me when I told them to back off.