Laos forum

sounds good... not the toilet part!

I'd be interested to see what changes happen there now they have mains power... big hotels maybe? Could lose that island charm don't you think?

Thanks

What a shame! I liked it the way it was! Generators turned off at 9 or 10, no fans at night! Still I think you call 24 hour electric progress - don't you????

I agree Mike, the sounds of the night and the light of the stars were amazing.

"What a shame! I liked it the way it was! Generators turned off at 9 or 10, no fans at night! Still I think you call 24 hour electric progress - don't you????"

My wife's village did not have electricity thirty years ago, nor did it have paved roads or running water. Nobody owned a motorbike (which are everywhere now) Topday all four are present in abundance. I asked my in-laws and some of the local people who were old enough to remember whether the village was better off now, or a better place to live before. They looked at me like I had a horn growing out of my forhead. Obviously it was better today. My wife said "That's a stupid question."

Yes, for the people living there, it's progress and mostly welcome. Sure, you get the occassional reactionary who would call life forty years ago (in the midst of the war with Vietnam) "the good ol days". But anyone with an ounce of sense knows better.

Would you rather have nothing to watch except the amazing stars every night, or be able to listen to your stereo, surf your internet, watch TV... would you rather have a modern clinic to send your sick kid, or a witch doctor?

The people living in these places are not exotic animals to be experienced. They are human like me and you. And like me and you, they want the quality of life better for their children and themselves. It's kind of normal.