Philip Pullman - His dark Materials The orphan Lyra, the main character in "The Golden Compass", lives in a parallel world - very similar to ours - in which science, theology and magic are closely intertwined. When her best friend disappears, Lyra goes looking for him and uncovers a sinister conspiracy. …
The return – always the same. An ambivalent feeling. On the one hand, the joy of the pleasant aspects of coming home to a country where everything works. The comfortable life. Where you can drink water from the tap without the risk of moderate gastrointestinal illness. Where the power supply works reliably. And so does everything else. Does that sound like...
So now I'm at the center of the monster. The last day. Exhausting, exhausting, probably because of the bad air, the noise, the many people, the millions of cars. But it's still ok, I've always liked Bangkok. It's a crazy city, but despite all the craziness, there's something fascinating about it that's not easy to grasp. …
Today we're heading towards Bangkok, a long drive across Thailand. So an early start, again without breakfast. The Chinese hotel staff are obviously not prepared for early guests, and in any case there is nothing to be found anywhere that could resemble a breakfast room. Maybe there simply isn't one. Noodle soup at the bus station The taxi…
The kitchen is already in full swing early in the morning. It makes a pretty exotic impression, but the smells that rise to your nose from the cooking pots intensify the feeling of hunger and make you want to have a long breakfast ceremony. And actually - even if the picture below doesn't necessarily indicate any delicacies - everything is perfect. The hotel owner…
A strange day, like so many, and yet different again. It begins with the farewell to Don Khon, wistful as expected, especially the last journey between the islands, the view back to the village fills me with great melancholy. The bus ride north thoughtfully, in silence. Then reach...
Khonepapheng Waterfall is today's destination. A lot of time has passed since my last ride on a motorcycle. It must have been sometime in the 125s, on my Harley-Davidson. Yes, on a Harley-Davidson, but only one with XNUMX cc. In a single year, this special edition of the famous American dream was released on two...
It actually seems as if man's madness is endless... At least when he sets his mind to something. But more on that later. Today is dedicated to exercise to get my muscles, which are still completely stiff from yesterday's trip, in shape. As usual in Laos, the hotels also rent bikes, I decide...
They are always ideas that do not correspond to reality in any way. They generate the biggest surprises. Kilometer 18 is the name of the southern bus stop in Pakxe, although it is far to the east of the city. So the namesake was making a joke. Or what I think of the Laotians, who are not exactly known for absurd humor...
Today's destination is Pakxe, the gateway to the 4000 islands. After that there is nothing left, just water and thundering waterfalls. The Mekong and perhaps the last surviving Mekong dolphins. And then Cambodia. One of the destinations for the next trip... Garden chairs on the bus This morning I miss the Laotian beauties that met me yesterday...
The bus to Savannakhet starts at 7 sharp, so no breakfast, but a rush because the hotel manager won't let me leave until he has checked the room. He probably thinks I'm stealing his cheap bed suits. The streets are, unsurprisingly, even sleepier than during the day, i.e. dead quiet. No one to be seen. It's Sunday, so...
The heat has noticeably increased. An inherent process seems to reduce the mind and body to a reduced level of performance until they go into a kind of sleep mode, so to speak. Only cooler temperatures press the activation button again. The physiological effects of the heat on the body and mind can be felt early this morning. Today, once again,...
Who would have thought that in Vang Vieng, this notorious paradise for drug addicts and other addicts, you could go on excursions into a wonderful landscape. Today, for a change, I'm on a mountain bike, a pretty run-down machine. But surprisingly, driving becomes a pleasure despite bad roads. That my ass hurts in the evening...
The drive from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is breathtaking – and long and tiring. A good asphalt road connects Luang Prabang with Vang Vieng. It's not a good asphalt road. So much for the statement in Wikipedia (sometimes I wonder how the online dictionary gets its information). But bad roads make driving in a minibus just…
Luang Prabang is the capital of the province of the same name in the mountainous north and was originally the capital of the historic kingdom of Lan Xang and the French protectorate of Laos. It was the royal city until the monarchy was abolished in Laos in 1975. Today the city is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is one of the most important tourist destinations in the...
In the holy city you can meet monks everywhere. They cause a stir with their dark red robes, their shaved heads, their alert and mischievous expression on their faces. There is nothing ascetic to be discovered there, rather an unbroken joy of life. The Samaneras, on the other hand, dressed in lighter orange, are novices, the offspring, so to speak. However,...
Misty, gray morning. Sunday. No church bells, but birds chirping in the distance (or am I just imagining it?). The air smells as always, not actually like Sunday, but rather like TukTuk exhaust and kitchen smells in the back of the restaurant, where I'm eating a cinnamon bagel with butter and homemade (!) jam. Plus, of course, one of my beloved coffee mon...
So now I'm in the holiest of all cities in the country - Luang Prabang. And today I'm going to find out why that is... But the first thing you notice when you step outside in the morning is the fresh air. It smells of spices, of fresh bread, of the forest. Strange in a city that last night...
The day starts early, with chickens clucking, ducks chattering, and children's cheerful voices. Early morning coolness and humidity in the air. Slow, sluggish walk through the paths between the houses. The ticket office doesn't open until eight, so breakfast first, as it should be. Farewell conversations, always the same. You vow to stay in touch, but you know full well that...
Every house, every room has its stories. Deeply sad, wistful, heartbreaking, but also wonderful, heart-filling stories. Stories of happiness and loss. Of betrayal and friendship. You are our witnesses. It is part of our world and our lives that yin and yang always work, that life and death always belong together. That's the only consolation I...
The view from my window shows a cloudless, deep blue sky. A perfect omen for this special day. Because today the first stage of the Nam Ou river trip to Luang Prabang is on the program. Hopefully this will be exactly the crazy trip I'm hoping for. So wild whirlpools and rapids and waves and shallows. And …
A strange day. It begins with bad omens and once again shows where superstition gets its power. Something urges us to leave, and indeed: despite an hour before departure, the bus is packed. The young lady who has control of access to the bus cannot escape my charm attack...
I would have liked to travel further with the hobbits. But before the journey to Oudomxai I have to say goodbye again. In contrast to my new acquaintances, who all continue towards Luang Prabang, I take the bus to Oudomxai. The trip on the Nam Ou will remind me a little later, but much more spectacularly...
A minibus, crammed with numerous other travelers, sets off north at 10.00 a.m. sharp. The destination for the day is Chiang Khong, located on the Mekong. There we will switch to the Laotian side before the boat takes us towards Luang Prabang. Almost 300 kilometers to the northeast, through the plains of northern Thailand. How …
Unfortunately you can't really see the giant bird, at most you can just imagine it, but when you get in it quickly becomes clear what kind of colossus it is. After he has – finally – slowly made his way towards the departure path, there seems to be an obstacle, in any case we will soon be on our way again...