My world walk blog - Laos # 8 - Thank you Laos

Now I'm at the Laos/Vietnam border in the village of Nam Phao. I was caught by surprise as there is no hotel here. I could have found a field and pitched my tent. But hey crap, it's always raining at night and the fields are muddy and flooded.

Thanks to the nice immigration officers who are allowing me to sleep in a waiting area. I was a day ahead of my plan to arrive at the border. I allowed that day because of the possibility of bad weather and in the end, it wasn't too bad. I had to give an arrival date for my Vietnam visa. I hate the 'when will you' question but sometimes I have to transit through 'Whenistan' and confirm as the two most frequent questions in the other world seem to me to be... 'When and what time will you..'  lol

 So, it's just as well that I took my rest day back in Lak Sao and not here as I initially planned. I couldn't have crossed early either as my visa for Vietnam doesn't kick in until tomorrow.

 I'm not sure what the man with the rifle was doing on the road

Just like every other day people gave me a great welcome to just about every village. 

Thank you, Laos for a lovely time and lots of smiles. Here are the photos from today's 32-kilometre walk from Lak Sao.

Sitting at the border I got talking to a Laos environmental engineer who spoke decent English. He asked me why I'm doing this world walk. He though that perhaps I was looking for publicity for myself.  I explained about the cancer awareness message... I get many interview requests and turn most down. I wilk only do them if they can promote my message. Many people also ask me why I rarely feature in my photos.I say my world walk is not about me its about my messages and the people I meet. Perhaps you have to go back a hundred pictures to find one of me. Thats the way I want it. I dont do the ego thing, After breaking four world records in my competitive career I set out to run around the world and called that 50,000 km expedition 'the world jog.com ' Not many serious runners want to be called a  jogger. To me it was a bit of tongue in cheek and hoping that the average  Sunday  runners would be able to relate and join me. 

Back here at the border: But then he wanted to know a bit more about 'the why' so I said to him to take a look at today's Facebook posting, or any other day

That's why. This is not a collage of my eighteen days in the country.this is just today and there are many photos that didn't make the cut as Facebook only allows thirty photos per post. Yes, I left many more out. This surely, is the best way to see the world. I have a video of my comprehensive world walk route embedded in my mind. It was the same on my world run. From village to village and because I'm travelling in a slow mode of transport people view me in a non-threatening manner and reach out to me. They are curious, just look at their faces in the photos and especially the children. I'm curious too. This is the best fun anyone can have with their clothes on, believe me

 It's almost as if every day is my birthday, I'm so thankful and grateful to be able to do this..And people listen to my early cancer screening message which I translate on Google Translate. 

There are so many people in the western world who are too busy and with so much money and no time for anything. I have all of the time in the world and little money. I never think of looking at the time of day when I take my phone out, or when I'm on my rest breaks, it's crazy! Time doesn't rule me. Who is happiest I asked.. I think he understood..

Even Buddhist monks who have dedicated their lives to a life of minimalist existence are ruled by the clock. They get up at five, bathe, collect food from their village folk and are back for breakfast at seven.