My Birthday on the Plain of Jars

Today is my birthday and I got to celebrate it on the Plain of Jars, Phonesavanh, Laos,
The Plain of Jars is this amazing 2-3000 year old archeological site in North eastern Laos. It is a place I have wanted to get to for many years.
I am feeling so blessed today to be here.
The journey here was certainly not easy. The roads are a lot worse than I thought they would be in this part of Laos.
But aside from too many twists and turns, an aching back, sore butt, wind-whipped skin, I feel great to be alive and completing one more turn around the sun.

Reflecting today, I realise I have made some progress in the clarity that I seek in myself as a person, father, friend, son, boss, brother and world citizen.
Being solo on this trip- without any of my comforts of home- friends, family, cat, house- I get to really check in with Jeff. I realized that, heh, I like me.I am alright. I am a good person who really gives a shit about things. I am a great ambassador for us Americans out in the world. Sure, I make my share of mistakes and I am certainly one who benefit from a bit of humility but overall I think my contribution to this planet and the people that surround me is really positive.
I feel so blessed with what the gods and goddesses have offered me in this life. A life so full of abundance.
I am so grateful for the amazing friends and family I have in my life.
I hope to continue on the journey of life- making those who touch me that I, too, touch in a special way.
I really want to focus my life on making the world a better place. Being here in such an undeveloped country really makes you understand what we have and what others don't have.
Overall, I feel good about where I am and where I am going in my life and those that surround me are the juice that makes me who I am.
I truly give thanks for the gifts that I have and if you are reading this right now you are one of my greatest gifts.
Love to all,
Sabai dee
Jeff

Ok off to drink some lau lau with some Aussie friends.

Some random photos

One of the cutest kids ever at his mothers street side restaurant

Hmoung hill tribe women
Tasty, tasty bar be que available everywhere














Prayers are a daily part of most peoples routine.
Been making it a part of mine too.

What they say about Laos.

A beautiful saying I have read about Laos is:

The Vietnamese plant the rice
The Cambodians watch the rice grow
The Laotians listen to it grow

I think I am discovering that about Lao. The people here are extremely soft, gentle, quiet and friendly and with a bow will make sure you are alright.
I am still in Luang Prabang as I have once again found a place very difficult to leave.

The town is set on a peninusula between 2 rivers the Mekong and the Kham. Essentially a jungle setting along river banks.
The vibe here is uber-laid back with great food and great surrounding areas.
The morning markets are a feast to your senses selling everything from fish and chicken to roasted rats and water buffalo bile. Some things are hard to imagine what the hell they do with it but who am I but a farang(foreigner) trying to grasp another culture. I am trying to remain open to trying things I would normally not try and the water buffalo jerkey was actually quite tasty.

One of the unique features of Luang Prabang is the town closes up by midnight and you are expected to be in your place that you are registered ie. your guesthouse by midnight. Basically, they have a curfew for everyone. In some ways, I am OK with that as it keeps the quietness of the town intact and reduces the party atmosphere that would be happening considering that tall beers cost 1 dollar and cocktails are 2 dollars so drinking is really cheap here.


Went out of town to this fabulous waterfall about 36 km away.
It was awesome and in the areas that you could go swimming to cooling water washed away all the road grime I have been acuumulating.

Took an all day Cooking School class given by a highly respected restaurant.
We first went to the market and learned alot about the offerings available there.
We then headed to the cooking school set up in a garden along the riverside.
We cooked 5 dishes along with sticky rice and it was fabulous. I will have a dinner party when I get back and make these dishes. Really great stuff!!
I will be leaving LP in a few days and begin heading northeast towards the Plain of Jars- this amazing ancient plateau that has these huge stone containers strewn around for reasons lost in time. It is an area that was hard hit by the secret war America waged against the Laotians unbeknownst to the American people. It's a place that has facinated me for many years.
More to come.
Thanks for checking out my blog and for the great comments. Keep em coming.

Blessings,
Jeff

Wow Lao!

After a bit of delay in finally getting to Laos (pronounced Lao here) I have finally arrived and haved dropped back at least 30 years from where Thailand is and maybe a whole millennium as well.
Talk about laid back. This place may define it.
I am currently in Luang Probang the fabulous Northern Lao city along the Mekong River. Formerly a French colonial town, it is beautiful beyond description. Really unlike any place I have been before. It's like the French Quarter in New Orleans meets Hanoi with less traffic and more coconut trees. Hard to describe really.
Walking the streets at night or at dawn is a surreal experience.
Today I was awoken by the sounds of roosters crowing. I jumped out of the bed of my guest house so that I could see the town as it awakens in the early light and fog.
I knew there was the daily ritual of monks walking thru the town and people giving their alms to them. What I didn't know was where it happened and as it turns out it happened right down the street from where I was staying. Pretty convenient in my book.
I bought some banana's and cookies from this little old lady (who actually overcharged me- her karma will pay some day- overcharging for monk alms, sheesh!) and placed them in the monks alms bowls.
Another great way to start a day.
I will be off the bike for a few days to break things up and stay in this town.
Once I have my fill of Luang Prabang I will be heading north into the Northern states of Laos.
Since I was a week delayed in getting here, I was hoping to meet up with my friends Laura and Michael. As it turns out we got to see each other for a total of 5 minutes at the airport as they were heading to Hanoi and I was arriving from Thailand. It was short but sweet. They seem to be having a great time and are on their way for more adventure in Viet Nam. Go L and M!
Ok, I need to go chill out with a Beerlao as it's getting warm and I need to relax after a big day walking the streets of Luang Prabang.

Life on the Road

Tha Ton Thailand

Today I rode about 230 Kms which is about the most I will probably do in any one day. I left at 9 am and got to my destination around 4 pm with a stop for lunch and site seeing at these amazing caves near Chiang Doa.

There is a road mantra that I am living by:

They drive opposite here in Thailand
Slow down into the turn accelerate out of the turn
Stay far left of the center (politically as well as the road)
Keep the rubber part down.

Unlike driving in Viet Nam or India where it is a video game and you are the target, the Thai drivers are a bit better although sometimes I feel as though the center line is only for esthetics. They don't seem to notice which side of the road they are on until there is an oncoming vehicle ( Like ME!) and then they will slowly move over to their lane.
At first I was concerned but now that is just how it is and I put that into my way of driving- giving lots of space and being ever vigilant.

I think driving will be easier in Laos as there are so few cars but the way people drive in Asia is quite something to behold.

So far my only mishap was when I went to avoid a snake crossing the road and in slamming on my brakes I laid the bike on it's side. No damage to me the bike or the snake.
Also the answer to why did the chicken cross the road? It was to mess with the motorcyclists.
I learned something from all the years driving to Burningman. Like they say in the survival guide between Reno and Gerlach, if you see a rabbit crossing the road aim for it!
Chickens crossing the road I am aiming for you.......( I would love the video if I ever do hit one)
More miles ahead....
Send me your comments, I appreciate them.

J

Obama is already working his magic.

Last night in Pai at my final gig in town, I was billed as the headliner. "Jeffrey from San Francisco" introduced as Je Flea. Loved it. Anyway had a packed house with lots of Thais, Euros, and a couple of Americans. I was wearing my Obama T-shirt and periodically I would stand up and toast to Obama. Everyone in the place raised their glasses and yelled "Obama!".
I was blown away and did it every couple of tunes much to the delight of everyone.
Obama is grabbing the worlds attention in a very powerful and positive way.

Today as I left Pai midway to Tha Ton I was stopped at a police roadblock (that I heard could be a bit tricky). The Thai cop comes up to me and the bike, askes for my passport, which I do not have beacuse I had to leave it with the motorcycle rental place. I hand him my international drivers license and a photo copy of my passport. He motions to move over to this holding area. SHIT! So I move me and the bike there and he starts asking me questions of what is in my bags, where have I been, where am I going. A minute later the head cop comes over to see what is going on. He see's my Obama sticker on my guitar case. He mentions the word Obama and I say Obama and give a thumbs up amd a big smile. He smiles back at me and says something in Thai to the other cop who then says that I can leave, tips his cap and off I go.

Obama magic is already happening!!

A Truly Perfect Day

Sunday. A Perfect Day.

I woke at dawn because of a once a year celebration in Mae Hong Son.

One thousand Buddhist monks all parading down a 3 week closed off section of downtown with hundreds of worshippers placing alms in their bowls.
A 1000 monks!


Its hard to not have a great day when you start off with a 1000 monks giving you prayers. Breakfast of Champions!

Next event in my amazing day:

I head off on a wild goose chase to visit a Long Neck Karen Hill Tribe using a map that was written in Thai using ancient measuring techniques long lost in our generation. In other words, the map didn't work. But I trusted.
I followed my instincts and at every crossroad or T intersection I would go with what seemed right. Finally, after an hour or so and I am at this point big time lost and at another T I see this small Thai lady squatting on the side of the road and she points to her neck and points to go up this rutted dirt path. I interpreted that she meant to see the people with the Long necks go that way. On the other hand, she could have meant if you go that way you will break you neck. Both seem plausible.
Well me being me and determined to see the long neck Karen village off I went dirt biking with all my gear and sure enough I finally made it to the Karen village. Thank you squatting lady.
Wow! A whole village of long neck women who choose to place these metal rings around their necks starting as young girls and continue adding to them as they grow older.



Lots of conjecture as to why they originally did this but theories range from preventing tigers from carryinbg them off to making them less attractive to other tribes men to it simply being a stylie thing to do. Your guess is as good as mine.

Next event. I got to take that ride of 1864 turns back towards Pai where I would spend the night before the final push to the Golden Triangle.
I get into Pai and set up with the top Thai massuse for an hour and a half full on real deal Thai massage. I didn't know my body could get into those shapes and didn't know the sound of my kneecaps cracking. It felt great!

Head into town and run into a couple of musicians who I knew and wham! get offered 2 more gigs on Monday. Ok. I will stay till Tuesday and then I am out of here. (he says feebly) No really. Laos is calling and it's hard to get good opium here ;^)

So recap on my perfect day:

1000 monks morning into Karen Long Neck village into the 1864 turn higway into Pai into Thai Massage from the master into getting 2 gigs into a late night jam session.
I don't know if life could be much better. Well maybe a little lovin' but other than that.

Sending blessings.