I Bought the Hype and It was Worth Every Penny

You know those idiots that I was making fun of for riding cheesy bicycles, visiting over-sold waterfalls, and participating in every other form of tourist trap? Well it was finally our turn to be those guys and we loved it. Mariana and I grabbed a tuk-tuk to go see the stunning Kuang Si Waterfall and swim in its refreshing waters. We happily rode through all of Luang Prabang and its surrounding villages on bicycles fully equipped with baskets and bells that went “brrring-brrring” on the handlebars. We visited the famous night market to bargain for traditional souvenirs and t-shirts decorated with Lao lettering. We even visited a slew of ancient caves that were essentially just like the ancient caves in and around San Antonio (except that these caves were filled with images of Buddha). In essence, we were those idiots.

I always wonder what locals think about tourists as they continuously fall for the same traps. Their sense of superiority and cunning must be overwhelming as they easily attract the attention of unsuspecting visitors day after day. I would think it would get tiring to do the same old tour and listen to seemingly the same 21 year old tourist talk about how they “totally out-bargained this vendor for a badass BeerLao t-shirt”. But then I realized that they could care less. Our ability to spend outweighs any and all annoyances that may come with the mundane job of holding our hands as we visit local sights. In fact, I think they are mostly amused with our willingness to venture away from our homes and they are proud to show us their local treasures.

We have a Jack and we have a Janet, but we could still use a Chrissy or Mr. Furley if anyone is interested.