Action In Relaxation

Dear Jane (America),


I’m breaking up with you because I have a new woman in my life, her name is Asia…


I am totally kidding and still do love you America(ns), but if Laos were a girl she’d be one of those secretly beautiful ones like the movie……….thinking………. “She’s All That” (one of those really cheesy Freddy Prince Jr. movies where he’s this stud who transforms the nerd girl into the prom queen) Anyway! Laos is Asia’s best-kept secret beauty and I would’ve never ever ever thought of visiting it (except I just did, and I’m glad I did).


I think Laos is still off our American radars as a travel destination because:


1. It is still developing and totally not a part of our first world yet


2. It doesn’t have any major natural resources that we’ve found a way to exploit (Totally Kidding about the exploit part, I’m all for industry specialization/trade creating wealth/all other global-economization-omics-etrics-ology)


3. MOST IMPORTANTLY, it is a very humble/mellow place that doesn’t boast of it’s beauty and potential tourist attractions.


To elaborate on #3, this is seen in it’s happy and laidback people, who may be selling something at the local night-market but don’t hound tourists with “You Buy! Cheap Price! etc.”, but rather sit there content and greet any interested parties with a smile and a hello “Sapaidi”; as well as in the scenery which is beautiful and tranquil but also seemingly humble with careening rivers, perfectly green and peacefully maintained rice paddies, even the egotistical cragged limestone cliffs of Vang Vieng are softened by unique and dense vegitation. Ok, I’m starting to sound like a tour book full of run-on sentences here so I’m going to get on with the happenings….


The 5 of us (Tai Lai Lai, LBJ, Swoops, iMatt, and Biceps) immigrated from Thailand to Laos via longboat over the Mekong River. From there we caught a 2 day slow-boat that stopped in Pak Beng overnight to the town of Laung Prebang. We bussed from LP to Vang Vieng and then later bussed to Laos capital Vientiene. Highlight reel:


 I found bullets that are Apple icons, iMatt would love this! (if the bullet points don’t show up right, you’re obviously not on a Mac so get hip and buy one now, after saving up for a couple years)


 Boat Trip: Playing guitar on the roof of the boat, being told to get down, acting like we didn’t understand and having our disciplinary take a group photo of us


 Pak Beng: Going to bed at 10pm when all the town’s power (that runs on generators) is shut off


 Laung Prebang: The cruiser bikes with a banana seat over the back tire and pegs. Pegs rock!


 Vang Vieng: Two-way tie, 1a.Water Cave! and 1b.Swiss Family Robinson meets Cabo spring break Swim Bars with mud-pit volleyball, 30 ft water swings, sketchy waterslides, loud music, and the ability to simply tube (or kayak) down river if you want to leave


 Vientiene: Bowling at the LBC (Laos Bowling Club); FYI: Laos people love their recreation and are often seen playing hardcore badminton (seriously, like indoor arenas for badminton serious), bowling, volleyball, and extra difficult small ball giant table billiards.


For those of you who were lazily and improperly diagnosed with ADD, and should probably just have a little more patience, the pictures are FINALLY here.


Remember, we love you all and are just as jealous of aspects of your American life as these experiences may make you (weird sentence, good luck diagramming this one).


Until next blast,


Ty, Jay, Dubs, , & Benny


Ps. I love lists (can’t you tell). Realized I can’t even journal, even though many people have recommended it for this trip, so I’ve made a bunch of lists instead. I mean really lists are much more efficient, effective, visually pleasing, reader friendly, and convey a message to a much more broad audience. Go Lists


Pps. I’m kinda feisty in this email; probably because I had a full night’s sleep last night and am writing this from a full size bed next to a giant window, instead of on a crammed/sweaty/sickening buss ride. I hope I didn’t offend anyone too bad with my crass and immature and super-awesome humor.

Text-based Travel Mates,


Indonesia part 2, so much to write about…All I can write to (re)introduce this place is…wow, this country really has a place in my heart/mind/future.


After the boat trip, us “Colorado Boyz” returned with the rest of the STN crew to Kuta Beach, Bali. Kuta is the biggest tourist town in Bali and amidst the chaos of scooters, surfers, tourists, and American restaurant chains (Pizza Hut, Hard Rock Café, McDonalds), Kuta felt like home. This homeliness was largely based on the relationships with local people that were built through consistent interaction including: morning fruit purchases of Mangosteen and Passionfruit (Pudu and Pudri), surf hoots and hollers followed by soccer kickaround sessions, bizaar/fun/loving/smartass comments to local vendors, and chickenfighting/airplane/jungle gym/wrestle sessions with local rascalmonkey kids. Kuta highlights include:


* Circus on The Beach night that included a 5 level human pyramid that consequently inspired a $5, 1.5 hour, full body massage


* STN banquet with local cuisine, friendly guests, and Balinese dancers how loved to pose for 2+ hours of photos with kooky surfer tourists


* Day trip to Ubud monkey temple, where Kevin “young hercules” Sweeny got his bag of 30 Bananas snatched by a 2.5 foot tall 35 pound toothy snarly gremlin (a mere 2 minutes after purchasing them outside the temple) to which he responded in pure fear and prancing excitement


* Incredible 5 star, $8 dinners at TJ’s Mexican food and The Balcony where favorite dishes were sampled, loved, shared, and repeated following nights…Chili’s eat your heart out (and then charge me $15).


* Scooter chaos: picture thousands of people playing a game of transportation charades, who have just pulled the action card of “fish swimming through a tunnel”


You have now earned the right to look at our pictures from Kuta, thanks for reading!

From Kuta, 8 of us stragglers stayed in Bali while our friends returned to Hawaii, Sweden, Bangladesh, California, and Florida. We decided to take our show on the road and head to Uluwatu (30 minutes south of Kuta), soon to be known as Paradise or Shangri-La or El Dorado or Nirvana or Heaven (depending on your religion/ethinic background/cultural upbringing/sensitivity level). All of you who weren’t completely offended and are actually still reading, Uluwatu is indescribable, it is __________.


We stayed at a homestay called Thomas’ that fed us meals of our choosing and gave us a temporary palace (without a/c, or warm water) overlooking completely transparent water, 3 world-class surf breaks (Uluwatu, Pedang Pedang, and Bingin), and a local laidback vibe where worries (and Blackberries) have never existed. At night, this view lost nothing with an unadultured night sky mirrored by hundreds of gleaming fishing boats, and our lovely addition of night-time festivites that included: a guitar and water jug jam session, freestyle battle, freestyle game of “Sit Down!”, and of course the game of Farkle.


That should be enough to introduce these photos, please enjoy (if you don’t you should probably go to the doctor)


Colorado Island Boyz,
Tyler, Ryan, and Jason