8 days before my 10 day meditation retreat - Pictures from Laos

Here is a video of some of my pcitures of Laos.  I have no more space on my blog for pics, so this will have to be the alternative.

8 days before my 10 day meditation retreat, I can’t wait to live that experience.  I am sure it will be so rewarding and somewhat life changing.  We should be a fair amount of people, together everyday, in complete silence.  Group meditation, walking mediation, group yoga class, and time alone in our little hut from what I get from the website.  A mini bamboo mat for sleeping and a wooden pillow, I thing this is the part I am most worried about.  I mean, I have slept on hard mats in my travels, without a pillow, (the pillows were simple to big for me, would rather not use any) and I was fine.  But a mini layer of bamboo on a wooden floor with just a neck type support in would, that can’t be comfortable, even when you are really tired.  But hey, it is all about challenging my limits, and ten days is not that long.  I have seen people sleeping on the street in India, on concrete, without a pillow or a blanket, so I will just have to think of them for courage.  Plus I am choosing this and I know I will go back to a comfortable bed after that, so I can’t complain.  It will also be 10 days without any contact with the outside world, not allowed to read, write or anything else.  Yet I can’t wait to be there, I can’t wait to live this experience, I’m really looking forward to it!

On the bus ride to Luang Prabang I have met a French couple, Joseph and Lucie, two beautiful people, traveling for six months to celebrate there wedding.  The got married after 6 years of being together, they met in China and they decided to travel from France to China as a wedding vacation.  We diner together last night and tonight, two interesting people, I enjoyed our conversations and their company.  They were all excited tonight because they are leaving for China, by bus tomorrow morning.  Back to where they have met, back to visit a part of there past, they lived there for 2 years and they speak the language, so I can relate.

We went to a really typical Laos restaurant tonight, near the river, out of the city, so quite, so nice, I loved it.  We had a Laos fondu, which is both a grill and a fondu pot at the same time, so you grill the meat and you boil the vegetables and the noodles.  It was beautiful, good and fun.  I am so lucky, thank you life for all these beautiful moments and people!

Today I took a mini van to Vang Vieng, 5 hours of a mini seat, in small spiraling roads, hot weather, and a bit of motion sickness.  Never had that in a bus, or hadn’t had that in a car since I was really young, but today was a bit difficult.  We were 4 out of 13 feeling sick, but it is ok, I`m loving Vang Vieng.

Have an amazing day everyone!

Metta!

Charles