Laos is for Losers (who forget to wear sunscreen)

Who: VN Managing Editor Aurelia d’Andrea
What: Phase Two of a SE Asian holiday
Where: Vientiane, Laos, & Bangkok, Thailand
When: Early March
Why: Because I forgot to wear sunscreen

The Scoop: In issue #50, I penned a VegVacations piece on Cambodia wherein I cautioned VN readers to slather on the sunscreen should they visit this part of the world, since the equator is practically right there and the sun’s intensity matches its proximity. Well, I neglected my own advice on my most recent vacay with painful, potentially skin-cancer-causing results. Leaving Koh Chang earlier than anticipated meant I didn’t get to volunteer at the local animal shelter as hoped, but I did manage to squeeze in one day of awesome snorkeling before redirecting my focus northward.

VN columnist Caitlin Sandberg recently returned from Laos (look for her travel story in the May+June 2008 issue) and it sounded intriguing in a non-beachy sort of way. So, off I went by overnight train, from Bangkok to the Laos border and, ultimately, the capitol of Laos, Vientiane. Days were spent temple hopping on my single-speed bicycle, cruising the Laos countryside on the back of a motorbike, and discovering new and exciting food. My favorite restaurant was simply called “Vegetarian Food” and offered a killer all-you-can-eat lunch buffet (see plate #1 of 4 above). I’ve got loads of food recommendations for anyone traveling to Vientiane—email me if you want leads!

Back in Bangkok at an early hour, I sniffed out a street stall on a quiet alleyway for a yummy breakfast of unrecognizable grains and beans topped with hot soymilk and a side of Chinese donuts for dunking (see below). My final night in SE Asia was spent eating dinner not just once, but twice, since two new vegan restaurants have opened up in the Khao San Road area since my last visit. The newest is Ethos, and the Tom Ka—loaded with fresh vegetables and tofu in a spicy broth—comes highly recommended. The English guy who helps run the place is pretty nice, too.

Small World Syndrome

Who: VN Managing Editor Aurelia d’Andrea
What: Day two of a much-anticipated holiday
Where: On the way to Koh Chang, Eastern Thailand
When: March 2, 2008
Why: To relax, stuff my face with good food, and be warm for once

The Scoop: So, I’m on a bus in eastern Thailand, heading toward the island of Koh Chang, lured by the promise of snorkeling, tropical fruit salads and fried noodles, and an escape from San Francisco’s endless, blustery winter weather. We’re riding along, about an hour away from the ferry port, when the bus pulls over to pick up a new passenger. She climbs aboard, and the first thing I notice about her is the bright red Food Fight Grocery tote bag slung over her shoulder.

No way!

I introduced myself to the lovely miss Karen Zacconi, who turns out to be a fellow vegan from New York who’s been teaching English in Thailand for the last several months. When we met, she had seven weeks of travel left before her return home. Some folks have all the luck! She was taking the leisurely route to Chiang Mai, in the north of the country, where she intended to take vegetarian cooking classes at Mai Kadee’s, an independent chain that happens to be one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Bangkok. (Tom) Yum!

Karen and I bid adieu at the ferry terminal; she heading north, and I, south. I didn’t know it then, but I, too, would be heading north in a few days, thanks to a run in with Mr. Owie Burnie Sunshine. More about that later.