Davidd: I wasn’t able to take photos for my usual “What’s in my bag” posts, but I figured it’d be more meaningful to do that at the end of the journey so I can enumerate how each item fared. Just to give you a clue, I don’t lug a 50 kilo backpack. At the airport, I learned that my backpack just weighs 6.5kilos It’s still safe as a carry-on luggage (as it’s supposed to be), but I just had too many liquids in it to be allowed. Plus, that leaves me with less things to mind on board, since I already have my camera and my laptop in my messenger bag.

When I go out, I leave my laptop inside my room. In Siem Reap, where I had daily housekeeping, I usually leave it inside one of the drawers, unlocked. It was still there when I got back. The following two guesthouse don’t have housekeeping, and my things were pretty much intact when I get back from a day of exploring. My current guesthouse do have housekeeping, but i requested not to have it, since I’m leaving tomorrow anyway.

I hardly ever talk to anybody, save for the hostel/guesthouse staff. Oh, I’ve also moved from dorms to private rooms, since I had my camera and laptop to take into consideration.

When you’re staying in these inexpensive hostels… it sounds like you actually have private rooms each time. Is this actually the case? And for seven dollars?

How much “stuff” are you carrying with you? Are all your belongings, and toys, and cameras, and computers, all in a backpack? I’ll have to check earlier posts to see if you posted your packing list. I want to see a photo of your bags. Ideally, I’d like to see a photo of you in “traveling mode,” loaded down with all your gear as you head to or from the bus station or airport.

What do you do with your things during the day when you’re out exploring? Do you leave your belongings, including your computer, in the hostel? Or do you carry everything with you all the time?

Do you talk to many American or European travelers? Are they managing to travel as inexpensively as you? I know that Europeans are big on the backpacking thing, so I imagine some of them know how to travel on a shoestring budget. My experience hob-nobbing with “globe trekkers” is limited to seeing a few, and being sort of disgusted by them, as they all hung out together in a trendy “back-packers bar” in Barcelona, swilling over-priced beer and paying more money than I would have to go on a “pub crawl” to other over-priced bars. What percentage of backpackers do you think are actually doing it “on the cheap,” and how many are spoiled rich kids with plenty of money, doing the travel thing as a lark, with no genuine need to pinch pennies?

Also, it doesn’t look like it’d be a whole lot of fun having to always carry around a fifty pound backpack.

Nevertheless… I am envious beyond words that you are able to travel like this, to find such bargains, to have such an interesting time, and that you’re sharing it all with us in such creative write-ups. Let me clarify, this is “envy” in a good way — I’m delighted for you, I’m learning a lot, I’m so so very happy you’re doing this; I just wish I had my act together enough, and that my situation were currently a little different, so that I might do something as bold, daring, and adventurous.

You still have most of the trip ahead of you! Yay! Stay safe, and thanks for letting us tag along, even if it’s only in a virtual sense.

And yeah… photo of your entire “travel kit” would be much appreciated!

I jumped from Dong’s blog.

Otherwise you can always take the bus going back to Bangkok, hope in at around 6PM and sleep all the way. By dawn, you should be in Bangkok…

I remember the “epic” journey we had a year ago…

Manila to Bangkok
Bangkok to Siem Reap
Siem Reap to Bangkok
Bangkok to Vientiane
Vientiane to Bangkok
Bangkok to Manila (FINALLY!!)

It was a great experience… Managed to squeeze tiny Vientiane in the journey at the very last minute!!

Enjoy Vientiane, there is a very nice scandinavian bakery along one of the main roads perpendicular to the river, one of my favorite eating joint there. Also, try eating at Sticky Finger, I just love their Blue Cheese Burger