Big Fat Wad ... laaarveley

Went to get some kip ... the currency of Laos (what is going on ... are these lot making it up?). Now there are 13,000 kip to the pound (due to low confidence caused by ridiculously named currency). Fair enough ... no problem, just means that the price tags are longer than the products ... except on bananas of course. Ah, but, the biggest denomination that they have is a 5000 kip note.

"200 pounds of kip sir ... certainly ... would you like that in inches or centimetres?"

Suddenly my confidence in my oh-so-secret-skin-coloured-money-belt hidden under my shirt began to fade. I looked like I had instantaneously put on about 4 kilos ... all in a rectanglular strangly note sized beer belly kind of way. Had to carry a money counter just to by a packet of chewing gum.

Sun downers by the somewhat drying river, turning golden and silhouetting the fishermen standing on their boats. A cloud of mozies audibly liking their lips (... well ... proboscises anyway).

We had a massage ... it had been a long day. The girl was visibly impressed by my knee 'nam scar.