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On the second day we find a room in a cheaper guesthouse which I share with Rosie, an energetic and animated English red-headed rose. The delights of a cheap buffet don't last long as I receive my first taste of food poisoning. The 10m dash from my room to the bathroom that I need to make regularly is just ever so slightly too long. Luckily after watching Morgan suffer, I stocked up on anti-vomiting and diarrhoea pills that sort me out. After a full 24hrs of sleep and sipping on water I am up and about. I miss watching the Monks on their daily 6am collection of food offerings but Nicki kindly snaps a few shots for me. While in Laung Prabang we also visit the obligatory and very chilled Utopia bar, where you can drink cocktails and play volley ball. Some of the others continue onto the bowling alley to shoot some lanes and drink ridiculously cheap (and bad)local rice whisky called Lao, Lao - I refrain and make a full recovery.
We climb Phu Si temple, visit the Royal Palace Museum, speak English with Monks at the library and attend Michael's English Class. Michael has been living in Luang Prabang for 4 years teaching English for free, living on donations from friends and family back home. He has fully donated himself to the cause through setting up a small orphanage, teaching English at several schools and creating the SMILE project (www.smileproject.us). This is a really meaningful project that is worth checking out. Many of the students in Luang Prabang - monks and novices - come from very poor families who live in the countryside and are unable to educate or feed all their children. Numerous young boys come to Luang Prabang in hope of being admitted to a temple as a novice, so they can get food and a greater opportunity for education. It is fascinating meeting these highly intelligent and dedicated young men, and to get a small insight into their lives as young novices. This is the cultural experience I've been looking for.
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