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ABOUT THIS BLOG

In the summer of 2009, Nicolas Rapp decided to take a break from his Art Director job at The Associated Press to attempt a one-year overland travel around the world in a 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser. He was back in New York in February 2011 after traveling 15 months and 37,000 miles.

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  • Saying good-bye to southeast Asia…and to many friends

    Posted on December 20th, 2010 Nicolas No comments
    Around Vang Vieng, Laos.

    Around Vang Vieng, Laos.

    It’s a two-day drive from Luang Prabang to Vientiane. The weather is pretty bad, and it still takes me few days to get rid of my cold. I am driving across mountains, most of the time above 3,000 feet. There’s a heavy fog that forces me to drive slowly. Northern Laos is decidedly spectacular, and I am glad I didn’t miss that.

    Can’t see much with this fog. Can’t drive faster than 20 miles an hour.

    Can’t see much with this fog. Can’t drive faster than 20 miles an hour.

    I stop for the night in Vang Vieng, an area famous for the limestone cliffs surrounding the city. The night I spend there marks the last night I am sick, and when I wake up in the morning, I am in great shape and ready to fight. Vang Vieng is a strange place. Westerners stop here for few days not only for the incredible landscapes, but also because drugs are easily available. Not my scene.

    Arriving north of Vang Vieng. Spectacular landscapes reward the traveler.

    Arriving north of Vang Vieng. Spectacular landscapes reward the traveler.

    My cold is better, but not my back. For some reason, the country seems to have the worst mattresses I saw during my journey. Don’t take me wrong, I am OK with hard mattresses. But seriously, harder than concrete? What kind of technology do they use to produce it? This will remain a mystery.

    Laos’s kids are always welcoming and excited to see travelers.

    Laos’s kids are always welcoming and excited to see travelers.

    I arrive in Vientiane the following day and as I am now feeling better, I locate a place to camp along the Mekong River. I am glad I went to bed early, principally because a military battalion wakes me up at six in the morning. They dont let me alone until the tent is packed. What can you do? Some days are like that. I fix myself some coffee and go check in a guest house for the following night (Phorntip guesthouse, US$8, recommended). I do know that officials are still not wild about foreigners roaming around like I do, and they prefer us to be registered in hotels…

    Camping on the banks of the Mekong River in Vientiane.

    Camping on the banks of the Mekong River in Vientiane.

    “That Dam”, one of Vientiane’s oldest Buddhist stupas.

    “That Dam”, one of Vientiane’s oldest Buddhist stupas.

    Vientiane is the kind of capital I love. Small with 200,000 inhabitants, it is exactly as big as Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. For some reason, Laos is not a big sex tourism destination, and I hope it will remain this way, as Vientiane is quite innocent compared to other capitals in the region. This apart, I found the city a little bit less interesting than Phnom Penh, with its charming streets lined with French bistros…
    At the guesthouse I meet again with the two crazy French girls I crossed path with in Phongsaly. They are on their way down to Bangkok where they are supposed to catch a flight to Myanmar. We spend the evening together and have a great pizza that reconciles me with the city. (Swedish Pizza & Baking House, best pizza I had since ??)

    Sandrine and Valerie trying to figure out the route.

    Sandrine and Valerie trying to figure out the route.

    In the morning we meet again for breakfast. They attempt to buy train tickets for Bangkok, but are told that the train is full. They have to be back in Bangkok in two days time, otherwise they will miss their flight. Few hours later I am rearranging the load in the truck so I can drive these two crazy Frenchies.
    We leave at noon and pass the Thailand border without problems as nobody on either side seem to be interested by who we are and what we carry. Unfortunately, few miles later, during a stop to get lunch I notice that there’s something wrong with the vehicle.

    My truck is tired, very tired. Unlike Valerie playing ping-pong with one of the mechanics.

    My truck is tired, very tired. Unlike Valerie playing ping-pong with one of the mechanics.

    For some reasons, probably involving the crazy ride up to Phongsaly, three of the right front wheel bolts broke. The wheel is now just holding by three remaining bolts. Incredibly, the problem is solved quickly as we find a shop swiftly enough. I can’t believe the chap has all the parts I need here, but he does. After two hours pit-stop, we are back on the highway.

    Preparing tea for breakfast in a Khon Kaen street. Gipsies?

    Preparing tea for breakfast in a Khon Kaen street. Gipsies?

    We stop to spend the night in Khon Kaen an unremarkable town in eastern Thailand. The road leading there didn’t have much appeal either, and I am glad I have some company to keep me awake.

    Wat Arun, along the river. Taking the boat is a convenient way of moving around in Bangkok.

    Wat Arun, along the river. Taking the boat is a convenient way of moving around in Bangkok.

    We arrive on Thursday night in Bangkok, where the girls give me a quick tour of the Banglamphu area. They have to be at the airport very early in the morning and we don’t stay out late. I am pretty tired as well, as we drove 500 miles in the last two days in a pretty hot weather.

    A shopkeeper in a market of the Chinatown section of Bangkok.

    A shopkeeper in a market of the Chinatown section of Bangkok.

    But there’s not much rest for me neither the following day, as my time is filled with engagements with shipping companies and other customs brokers. It turns out I should be able to stuff my container in the beginning of the week, and the truck should be in Los Angeles around the end of January. Perfect.

    The amulets market. People with dangerous professions come here to buy an item to protect them.

    The amulets market. People with dangerous professions come here to buy an item to protect them.

    The Reclining Buddha in Wat Pho.

    The Reclining Buddha in Wat Pho.

    Regrettably there is soon enough another obstacle. The Chinese embassy doesn’t grant visas to French citizens without a return ticket. I decide to postpone the resolution of this matter until Monday. Anyway there’s not much I can do during the week-end.
    In the meantime I visit the western part of the city and spend time in restaurants, in an effort to take advantage of the Thai way of cooking before I am gone for good. I find myself alone in the city after many weeks of gathering with a lot of people. Vikas, Kathryn, Philip, Valerie, Sandrine… After such a long time alone on the road as I was crossing Africa or the Middle East, it has been a lot of human contacts lately. It is probably a good training for me before being back in the U.S. where my social life will start again. At least I know that I am still a normal human being… Or almost normal…

    Dipping lotus buds in water for luck, before seeing the Emerald Buddha.

    Dipping lotus buds in water for luck, before seeing the Emerald Buddha.

    When I have time, I begin to organize my bags since I will have to continue the trip without the truck. I will soon be in much colder places and will have to be ready. The temperature in Seoul, South Korea, is only in the 30’s so I have to dig clothes I didn’t use since Peru, which are located deep in the trunk.

    Painting restoration in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok.

    Painting restoration in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok.

    The next step will be to switch from southeast to northeast Asia. Apart from the wintry climate, another challenge will be to return in more costly areas where I will not be able to get inexpensive hotel rooms as I do here. Also, without my camping gear, I will have to eat out constantly. Regardless, it’s exciting to be on the move again, soon to discover new horizons.

    Wat Phra Kaew. Disneyland?

    Wat Phra Kaew. Disneyland?