Narrow escape

 My subscription to Lao Telecom has expired and new new account with Unitel does not work, so I am writing this in an Internet cafe with the result that  it will be a rather abbreviated edition.

It was to have featured a major rant against all sorts of things arising from the failure of the Water Company to connect me, but that may have to wait for another day. Just let me say that the days of the LetterfromLaos may be numbered. I cannot live without water, in a house that stinks because I can only only flush the toilet every 2 days, so I have moved out. Do not be surprised in a few weeks time to get a LetterfromWestWittering or more likely, LetterfromChiangMai, or even LetterfromMeltonMowbray. (How is it that a county as anonymous as Leicester can produce 2 of the world's greatest cheeses, a great pork pie and Jonathon Agnew ?).

No photos though today, for the same reason as before, I have loaned my camera to Khamphone, my Hmong  friend.On this occasion he needed it for photos of of a family wedding, to which I was invited. However, the event started at 8am and was scheduled to last until 11pm, being split between the groom's and the bride's villages. I would have liked to have attended the Ceremony, but both villages are a long way from town and it would have been difficult, as well as maybe rude, to try to leave after just an hour or two. I felt that 15 hours  might just try my patience a little. Indeed when I came  to think of it, I could think of nothing that I would want to do for 15 hours.

Although Kamphone has not recovered his camera, his laptop, which was stolen at the same time has been restored to him and the culprit identified. They were stolen by a member of another minority tribe living in the Hmong village who clearly stole them to obtain money to fuel his drug addiction. (The lap top was too old to have any saleable value.) However, having been caught he now has to settle with Khamphone or go to jail. The settlement figure has been fixed  ( I am not sure how) at 2 million kip  (about $220) and 3 chicken !
If I understood things correctly, there will be a ceremony at which the chicken will be killed and eaten, and in which the culprit will attend and participate. Whether I shall be invited I am unsure, and if I am my acceptance will be dependent on the anticipated length of the event.
Given that Hmong New Year is 6 December, I suspect that my camera will be required again for that; unless the felon has paid the compensation by then. Hmong New Year is followed by Khamoune New Year, then our own Happy New Year, then Chinese New year and eventually Lao New Year.

But here is the Narrow Escape.....
Having written the above I have just taken a call from Kamphone to say that the wedding started, but was not completed. The party was moving between the 2 villages when a the mini bus containing guests, lost control on a mountain track and plunged 100 metres down the mountain. Nobody killed, but lots of  broken, limbs, ribs and other injuries.

Nd ere is this week's sob story. In fact, its an update on an earlier one. Do you recall the lad whose school fees were doubled? Well, he has solved his immediate financial problems by taking on 2 more jobs. This is now his working day.5am clean and open shop..7am to 3.30pm sell tickets for boat trips. 4pm to 8.30 go to college, 8.30 to 1am work at Guest House. 1am to 5am....sleep. That is some commitment to education !

Not much  change in the weather, though it has toyed with rain the last 2 evenings, whilst never quite making it.This morning though it was much cooler again...long sleeve shirt time for a while.

When I was last home the goat was still not in evidence..maybe she too is protesting against the incompetence  and venality of the Water Company? Nor have I had any other run-ins with representatives of the animal kingdom to report,

It  is so much quieter living in town than in my village !  No barking dongs, a solitary cockerel and no motor bikes and tuk tuks gunning their engines at 5.am. I was/ due to go off on a 7.30 am boat trip, but overslept and literally missed the boat. There is no chance of doing the same in my home village
 I hope I am not repeating myself if I say that  about 6 weeks ago the Government banned cockfighting, in "all but the most remote areas". This is not an animal welfare issue, but to protect spectators from the dangers of avian flu. It seems that folk in remote areas are either not affected by avian flu or are deemed to be expendable. Somehow I cannot see this edict being effectively enforced in any areas, remote or not.