Dear friends and family --
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| Mekong River sunset - Luang Prabang --click to enlarge-- |
I’m sitting on my balcony overlooking the Mekong River in Luang Prabang, in central/north Laos. The old French quarter where I’m staying is very quiet, with hardly any traffic and more western tourists on the streets than locals. After two days of activity here I have another large album of photos waiting to be shared. But first I haven’t finished writing about Hanoi--there’s a fascinating story I wish to share. Please allow for the set-up . . .
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| Halong Bay - Gulf of Tonkin |
As an artist I take photos and write stories. There are places I go where there is nothing worth writing about and/or no interesting pictures to take--Vietnam was the total opposite. Last week as I sat on the bus for three hours between Hanoi and Halong Bay my entire “being” as an artist, photographer and writer was stimulated beyond measure. I wanted to stop at least one hundred times both ways to take photos. Vietnam is one huge photo op luring me back.
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| Face on a large limestone sculpture Vietnam |
Vietnam is a beautiful exotic dragon woman. I could take pictures of her for hours, touch every part of her body, write dangerous stories about her and allow myself to be seduced—by my alluring mistress. I doubt if I could live with her. Chiang Mai, on the other hand, is the good wife. I could marry her and settle down (except in the current hot smokey season.) In her bedroom I would write the stories of my mistress, without distraction. Right now my thoughts are about my returning in ten days to spend more time with my exciting new lover--Vietnam.
For the past two years I have been following the dictates of my Inner Voice and Inner Authority. The “voice” told me to sell my pottery business and leave Kauai, though I was quite reluctant. It took me on a 27,000 mile trip around the United States, telling me where to go and when to leave. It lead me to Thailand and on to Cambodia, Vietnam and now Laos. For the last two years I have been blessed and protected, and have learned to trust, yes rely on my Inner Voice, first questioning to make sure it’s not my ego, and then trusting the yes or no response of my Inner Authority.
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| Kuang Si One of many beautiful photos I took of waterfalls today in my coming Luang Prabang photo album |
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| The man in the green T-shirt took me across the Mekong River in the little blue boat this morning |
In Asia I have traveled by jets and a two engine plane, a train, boats, buses, vans, taxis, tuk-tuks, scooters, bicycles and on foot--always perfectly on time. Of course there are many other places I’ve wanted to go to while here, especially Mt. Kailash and Khawa Karpo, the Tibetan mountains I’ve written about in my novel Shambala. I haven’t made plans--I knew the time wasn’t right and I also don’t believe I’m physically fit to be romping around the Himalayas. In that regards, the next door opened--I am being guided back to the US, to Portland, Oregon and a personal trainer.
The “not the right time” regarding Tibet also had to do with a lack of serendipity. I’ve been wanting to meet a Tibetan adventurer who would help guide me to these far away places, possibly this coming fall. Since it’s central to my novel, Tibet is always on my mind. While in Vietnam I’ve entertained serious thoughts of renting a motor-scooter and driving from one end of the country to the other taking pictures. My original March tour plan was to Kathmandu--looking for the Tibet guide--but I would have missed meeting my mistress . . . and ironically, the Tibetan adventurer. Now here comes the point of the story . . .
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| Across the Mekong, village children |
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| Lake temple downtown Hanoi |
After a week in Hanoi I had hired a taxi to take me to the airport. It was to pick me up at my hotel at 4 p.m. I had a late lunch and walked around for some last minute sight-seeing. At three-thirty my hotel was less than five minutes away, down the street to the left. My Inner Voice told me to turn right and keep walking, away from the hotel. I walked for five minutes and then ten minutes--the voice telling me to keep going. Suddenly I came upon a very dirty motor-scooter literally blocking the sidewalk on which I was walking. A dust covered man was removing his pack. I couldn’t help but ask where he had come from. To my surprise he was the first and only American I had met in Vietnam, and he had just arrived from an eighteen day back-road photo trip on his scooter from Saigon to Hanoi. This was exactly what I was thinking about doing and I had wanted to talk to someone about it before I left Hanoi--and here he was--excited to tell me all about his adventure. When I mentioned that I’d like to tour Vietnam and also Tibet, he informed me that he was a Tibet/Himalayan tour guide based out of Kathmandu. He would love to guide me to Mt. Kailash or Khawa Karpo, the sacred mountains I write about in Shambala, whenever I’m ready. I smiled and headed back to my hotel--arriving at the perfect time. My luggage was loaded in the taxi and the hotel staff came out to say goodbye.
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| Monk at secluded temple across the Mekong from Luang Prabang |
Now think about this: in a city of 6.5 million people and with less than a ten minute possibility between the time that man got off his scooter and into his hotel, and considering I even opened my mouth to speak, and his willingness to respond, what are the odds against my ever meeting the one man who could guide me to scootering around Vietnam and trekking through the Himalayas? Coincidence? Not hardly. Now . . . it’s about time to bump into the perfect Literary Agent--and the ideal female traveling companion--and . . .
I have so much to write about, but I’m going to have to close this blog and send it off before it gets too long. Tomorrow I will be back in Chiang Mai, and will compile my photo albums. You will be able to go to my photo site at any time and chose the album you’d like to see. If you missed my first Angkor Wat or my Hanoi albums you can see them by clicking on this link:
With my love as always, David Dakan Allison
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| Hanoi Musuem of Art Larger than life Buddha I took this picture before the guard said "No photo" |
1 comment:
Very cool about the encounter with the Tibetan guide. I look forward to reading about your future travels to the roof of the world.
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