A word from ashley

Hi team.

Until now Brian has been doing all of the writing for the blog which was kind of the idea. I have a nice floral printed journal with all of my thoughts in my back pack. Since we've had a few requests for some feedback from me however, I have decided to share some details on the daily life I have experienced on the road.

The fist topic I would like to address is the critters. Bugs, leeches, lizards, flies, moths, ants and cockroaches are a part of my new life, whether in my own bed, or fried and sold as snacks on the side of the road. For the first month, I had a very difficult time sleeping due to at least one new critter sharing the room with us. I had horrible dreams of things crawling on my body and in my hair. It's not just me either. Brian woke me one night telling me loudly to move because there was either raw food or a rat in the bed. It took a good five minutes to understand that he was talking in his sleep. Still, it was obviously on both of our minds. I have officially slept with a lizard above our bed, shared a shower with a spider so big it made noise when it moved, found ants under my pillow, and gone to the bathroom while having a stare down with a cockroach who couldn't find his way back into the wall. Not to mention one time while shopping I felt a tickle in my pants only to find a small bug four hours later in my underwear. On a rough hike, I thought I was doing a great job of leech patrol until we stopped and I adjusted the tongue of my shoe to see at least 15 small leaches retract into my sock!!! I immediately pulled off my shoes and socks while tons of leaches squirmed inside my socks and on my feet. I literally freaked out. I have reconciled my feelings toward all of these critters in a dream where I found a giant cockroach to be beautiful. Since then, I have been sleeping much better, understanding that if the little bare-foot girls running around on the street can handle these creepy crawlers, so can I.

Another part of my daily routine that has taken a surprisingly long time to get used to is the toilet situation. By toilet I mean a bowl that looks like a toilet sunk into the ground. There are grips for your feet on either side and you have to squat. Try doing this after a few beers. It is rare to see a "western" toilet, and though at home I would never even dream of sitting on a public toilet, if I find one with a seat here, I cherish it and sit as though I've been walking for days. For the first two weeks of traveling I consistently peed all over my feet until I realized I was facing the wrong way. In order to flush you have to dip a bucket into a bigger bucket filled with water and then poor the water into this toilet-esque hole. If you prefer, you can use a gun that shoots out water, which is set up next to the toilet, much like the ones in western kitchens, to rinse your backside. Toilet paper is not big here so I have made a habit of not leaving the guest house without it. Where you can find toilet paper, interestingly enough, is on the table of any restaurant as it is used for napkins.

The food here is wonderful. Thai food in my opinion is better that Laos food, though you can find baguettes anywhere in Laos for very cheap. I have searched high and low for chocolate treats here and have found absolutely nothing. The chocolate used for baking is crap, and it makes me sad to think that no one in Thailand or Laos has probably ever tasted real chocolate cake. Unlike all of the horror stories I have heard about eating vegetables and anything other than rice, I have had very few problems. I can't say the same for Brian, but neither of us have been truly ill yet (knock on wood).

Transportation is always an adventure. It seems the most popular way of getting around for families is on scooters. I have seen families of five all crowd onto one scooter. Baby in the front, dad driving, two kids behind him and mom riding side-saddle on the back holding whatever cargo they are carrying with them or an umbrella to shield them from the sun. It was quite a sight at first. Many people also bring along their dogs resting the hind legs on the seat and the front legs on the steering wheel.

Animals run wild here and the dogs have a much different style of living than western dogs. They roam the street freely and barely even notice humans. They are totally in their own world. It seems that many people have pets as a way to keep the floors clean. In the few houses we have been in, people use a short woven table to eat around, and as a catch-all for any unwanted food scraps. For instance, if we are eating fish, you wipe the bones off your hands on to this little table. Otherwise you can throw it on the floor for the dog or cat. It's equally unsanitary and convenient. Again though, you just kind of get used to it.

As for anything else, I find myself less and less surprised as the days go by. It's very nice to live out of a back-pack for awhile. Getting ready is easy when you don't have to consider a hair dryer or make-up, unless it's a very special occasion that warrants some mascara. When we first arrived I wanted to buy everything from the markets and spend tons of money on jewlery. Fortunatly I didn't, and that desire to have everything has slowly subsided as I've realized I have to carry anything I decide to purchase for the next few months. Everyday I feel more settled and excited to see what the new place we have found ourselves in has to offer. So far every new destination has brought a new perspective on the way people live, and communicate and I am excited to bring that home as it weighs nothing.