14th of November, 2024.
Hitchhiking in Laos: Xeno to Vientiane
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a migraine crises. And sometimes I think why. Some people even say it’s placebo. Isn’t everything then? But I do believe that a more balanced mind, and heart, can keep away illness, and act as a natural immunization barrier.
When Z. stops his car, I can see that he’s a bit doubtful if he should take me with him to Vientiane or not. I feel he’s just a bit afraid. But in the end, he overcome his fear and takes me. Yes! I can’t believe that even after all this delay, and the fact that it’s already middle afternoon, I’ll make it to the capital of Laos tonight!
Z. is a nice man, who lives in Savanakent, and is going to Vientiane for a meeting tomorrow. His wife is already there, and they will meet up. He loves living in Savanakent, and he says it’s a beautiful place, located in a beautiful region.
I am starving. At some point, we stop in those food stand by the road, where people grill many different things. Out of anything he could’ve bought, and I could’ve eaten, he decides for the grilled bananas, simple and plain grilled bananas. I start eating them, and already half way through I feel my head becoming weird. How is that possible? Since when grilled bananas are a trigger for migraine?
This day they are, and soon enough I am feeling miserable. Oh, it’s the worse feeling ever! It’s not only that my head feels like exploding, but my stomach is also a mess! It feels like a want to vomit, but nothing comes out. At least there’s no stomach pain, so I know it’s not food poison, but the migraine is so strong, that the pain from my head confuses all the other parts of my body, and makes me want to puck.
Poor Z. doesn’t know what he can do. Luckily he can speak English so I explain to him that all I need is to cover my eyes and try to get some sleep. I already tided up a tight string around my head, a scarf actually, and I know it will help. At some point, Z. stops at a friend’s house and he tells me that if I drink water with the psyllium husk (which he has in his car), it will help me. For what I understand, he drinks that when he is hungry, just so he doesn’t need to eat. I think some people do that as part of a diet too. Well, I don’t feel like eating, so perhaps this could help me to not be empty stomach.
A bit further away, he buys me some of those antacid pills for stomach, the same ones Kuba had given me back in Vietnam. I take two of them, but I still feel like throwing up.
We arrive outside Vientiane near 20.00 hours. It was actually a really fast journey. Luckily, before getting sick, I showed Z. where I needed to get out, so he wakes me up when we are there. It’s a highway which leads to Luang Prabang, and it’s right outside Vientiane, but I am surprised in how busy it is, just as if we were right at the centre of the city.
Luckily I am feeling much better. Almost 100%. I sit down outside only for a moment, and get the courage to start walking, looking for a family who can accept to help me, and have me as a guest for tonight. While this moment is happening, a car arrives right near where I am standing. A man with a baby comes out of the car, and they start bringing things inside. Something tells me I must ask him for help, so I do it.
This is one of those moments you can’t really explain. Out of all the place which Z. could drop me off, out of all the time in this 24 hours day, it had to be here and now, so I could see, meet and ask this family for help. Phan is the father with the baby, and is with him who I talk first. He has a great English, and immediately he says I can stay. He strikes me as a very sweet and kind man. I then meet his wife, also a very carrying woman, and their baby girl, about two years old, is adorable! This is their temporary house, which works also as Phang and his brother’s shop. He is a computer engineer but also works doing some beautiful art, printing golden patterns in glass, which people have for doors, murals or paintings on the wall. Many temples do that. And right now he is also helping his brother at Lao Art Museum, to be open soon this year. Phang shows me some photos of their work and it’s absolutely gorgeous!
They invite me for dinner and I explain that even though I am hungry, I might not be able to eat much, because of my recent bad time. But so it happens that the hot pot which his wife prepares is so delicious that, even though is quite spicy, I eat a lot! Well, not as much I would probably eat if I was in a normal condition, but still. We have mushrooms, tofu, sausages, many vegetables, and also some noodles and sweet potatoes! It’s all good!
Phang and I talked a lot about many different things, while he’s looking after his daughter, who is very active. He looks like a very present and carrying father.
Around 22.00 hours I go to sleep. I stay in the couch which is large and comfortable.
Next morning, even though I get up early, I wait until them all are awake. Phang’s wife first goes to the temple, and I wait until she comes back. We all have a delicious breakfast together again, and then Phang offers to take me a bit outside town, to a good intersection. They both are so kind and generous that I cannot believe how lucky I am. I take my time to tell them how grateful I am for their help and all the good things I hope for them.
I get to the intersection a bit later than I was hoping for, at least in order to make all the way to Luang Prabang. It’s a bit after 10 a.m. but I hope everything will be OK.
10 Years Around the World 