Penultimate

It is the morning of my last full day in SE Asia. I am back in Luang Prabang, where everything is easy. It's not Lao, and it's not Europe. It is a synthesized version of a colonial Lao that no longer exists, and a safe tourist village.

One can fly into LP from Bangkok, spend a week in very expensive spa resorts, and then fly on to Chiang Mai. This constitutes having "done" Laos.

I have to do my part. I have a half million kip burning a hole in my pocket. No, really. Kip are worthless outside of Laos. It is wallpaper money. You cannot exchange it outside of Laos and you cannot spend it outside of Laos.

So I am going on a little shipping spree. Very little, actually, because 400,000 kip is about $ 50. But I suppose, even in LP's well-healed environs, I can find a little prezzie for myself.