I have been in Laos less than 24 hours and already i am in love with this place...It truly is, as my guidebook said, "a breath of fresh air". Perhaps it is just escaping the madness and mayhem that is Bangkok but I think regardless of where I've come from I'd find this place magical...
I'm in Vienteinne, the capitol of Laos. It lays in the central south of the country, about 20 minutes from the border of Thailand, in order to arrive here - you must cross "Friendship Bridge" which I find so appropriate, being that these people are so incredibly welcoming and friendly...did I mention this place is also cheap as chips?? well, it is. That is a nice welcome as well (given that I have pretty much blown my budget out of the water).
The city is lush and green because it is on the Mekong River, and as I write the sun is beginning to set, casting that dusky haze over everything, making it that much more beautiful. There are loads of vendors across the street, all busying about in their pointy straw hats selling fruit, fishes, and other asian delicacies whose names I cannot spell or pronounce. This city was once colonized by the French and, like Siem Reap and Phnom Phenh in Cambodia, the influence is not hard to find. Tiny French bistros line the riverfront complete with outdoor "cafe style" seating...much of the architecture includes French style facades and those adorable balconies that are so, so... jene ce pais...men ride around on bicycles with carts full of baguettes attached to them, and if that wasn't enough - there is even an Arch de Triumph here as well! I am already in love with the place. Bangkok can definately wear a person thin...
I arrived on an overnight bus from Bangkok - yes, that is approximately 15 hours of travel by bus. Unfortunately for literary licenses sake, there were no goats, chickens, or even locals aboard - it was strait "farang" (tourists) complete with air-con and semi reclining seats. Nothing interesting there. Upon arrival, I hired a "tuk tuk" driver which is a standard mode of transportation here. They are basically motorbikes that have been "souped up" with bigger engines and are attached to a 2 wheel cart with a little roof and open sides and back, which is where up to 4 passengers sit. They are fun as hell to drive around them - but frightening at the same time, as they seem able to go at mock speeds and weave through traffic (Bangkok is traffic HELL, thankfully there is none here).
I was exhausted, to say the least, but I decided to give the town a whirl anyway. I started down the little streets, strolling up one and down another until I had to find respite from the heat - which, by the way, was just short of unbearable. I sat down to have a drink and put my nose in my guidebook looking for things to do. What tickled my fancy?? An herbal steam bath...yes, that is right, ironic as it sounds that is what I opted for (it sounded so appealing and just so Laos). So I started on my way.
This place was so adorable. It was a wooden stilted building that was open on all sides. Various sizes of hanging plants lined the edges and the slight derelict condition of the place made it all the more charming. Upon ascending the stairs, there is a room where there are wooden cabinets to put your things as well as cushioned benches and a table where detoxifying tea is being served to the mileu of dripping individuals fresh out of the room. To the left is the modest steam room (the only walled-in room) and the entire front area contains 6 beds where you can get a traditional massage. I thew on my sarong and went in...
The room was not as aromatic as I expected, but fragrant still and very small (fit 4-5). Hot coals at our feet generate the steam and a slight smell of lemongrass is in the air. It is lovely and somehow refreshing, even on a record hot day. I went back downstairs and doused myself with the bucket shower provided (sarong and all), had a cup of tea, and went in again. Sigh. Then I got a lovely full body - massage (one hour - 3 dollars...I am not kidding) by a girl who could not have been more than 13.
After my detoxifying stint at the sauna, I ran into 3 monks who were very curious about me; where I was from, where I had been...etc. and I chatted with them for about 1/2 hour. I was slightly caught off-gaurd by their openness, as they are usually pretty discreet, and I was careful to try to remember all the things NOT to do, namely: touch them. A woman touching a monk in any way shape or form is tantamount to dirtying his purity. They wanted to look at my necklace, and all of us were careful not to accidently make contact. Finally, I took some pictures of them, and tried to excuse myself.
Then they hit on me.
Yep, 3 monks actually hit on me. It was hysterical. They told me it was "woman's day" - that I was beautiful, and could they be my husband? I chuckled and just waved goodbye, not sure what kind of karma I acquired for unknowingly seducing 3 monks.
Anyway - that was my day and I feel like a million bucks. I am so, so, incredibly happy to be here, and I just cannot wait for what lies ahead.
For now, I'll settle for the sunset over the Mekong.
The objective of expatriate pay programs is to ensure that employee spending power and standard of living is maintained irrespective of global location. How to achieve this has been an issue many organizations spend considerable time on.
Exchange rates are volatile as they are based on short-term factors and are subject to substantial distortions from speculative movements, economic outlook and government interventions. In the short term, exchange rates, even when averaged over a period of time such as a year, are not a good measure of the comparative value of a salary in relation to its comparative international purchasing power. In the short to medium term at least, apparent changes in the comparative level of remuneration between one country and another may be principally a function of changes in the exchange rate.
A far better measure is salary purchasing power parity (SPPP) which is the amount of salary that equalizes the purchasing power of different currencies given the relative cost of the same basket of goods (cost of living) at the exchange rate versus one US Dollar. This means that a given salary, when converted into different currencies at the SPPP rates, will buy the same basket of goods and services in all countries.
The basket of goods and services used in SPPP calculations is derived on an International basis and includes certain items often excluded from expatriate cost of living data (most notably housing costs), however any or all of the 13 basket groups can be included or excluded from a calculation. SPPP's provide a reasonably good picture of the differences in standards of living for individual's resident and paid in different countries.
Internationally comparable data is crucial to forming sustainable expatriate pay policies and monitoring progress. Market exchange rates give misleading comparisons because they do not reflect salary purchasing power differences. Salary Purchasing Power Parities account for price differences between countries and so measure real quantities.
The ongoing impact of the credit crisis, slowing global economies, falling house prices, global stock market and exchange rate volatility, together with the US dollar and Euro strengthening against most currencies are all factors contributing to a major change in relative salary purchasing power, which can be seen from the global cost of living rankings as at January 2009.
London has already dropped from the most expensive place for expats to live to now rank 6th. New York has dropped to 50th but is now expected to begin to climb back up the ranking as the global recession impacts other parts of the world. Tokyo has reclaimed the title of the most expensive place in the world for expats in terms of salary purchasing power relative to all other international locations.
The salary purchasing power parity rank comprises cost of living indexes for each of 276 global locations. The indexes are calculated using the prices for specific quantities of the same goods and services in each location, based on expatriate spending patterns across 13 broad categories (Basket Groups).
The latest salary purchasing power parity ranking, together with the overall cost of living index, sourced from www.xpatulator.com as at January 2009 is as follows:
Rank Location (Overall Cost of Living Index New York=100)
1.Japan, Tokyo (126.03) 2.Norway, Oslo (123.74) 3.Denmark, Copenhagen (121.11) 4.Switzerland, Geneva (119.59) 5.Brazil, Brasilia (118.53) 6.United Kingdom, London (118.23) 7.Greenland, Nuuk (117.14) 8.Switzerland, Zurich (116.18) 9.Hungary, Budapest (114.36) 10.Russia, Moscow (113.41) 11.Nigeria, Lagos (112.69) 12.Ireland, Dublin (112.65) 13.New Caledonia, Noumea (112.43) 14.France, Paris (112.38) 15.Chad, N'Djamena (111.3) 16.Italy, Milan (111.19) 17.Cameroon, Douala (111.06) 18.Liechtenstein, Vaduz (110.89) 19.San Marino, San Marino (110.78) 20.Monaco, Monaco (109.83) 21.Czech Republic, Prague (109.81) 22.Austria, Vienna (109.68) 23.Slovakia, Bratislava (109.31) 24.Isle of Man, Douglas (108.97) 25.Poland, Warsaw (107.63) 26.Bermuda, Hamilton (107.53) 27.Italy, Rome (107.29) 28.Finland, Helsinki (107.07) 29.Australia, Sydney (106.52) 30.USA, San Francisco Calif (104.53) 31.Cote D'Ivoire, Abidjan (104.4) 32.Venezuela, Caracas (104.02) 33.China, Hong Kong (103.43) 34.United Arab Emirates, Dubai (103.36) 35.Croatia, Zagreb (103.29) 36.Angola, Luanda (103.27) 37.Belgium, Brussels (103.19) 38.Netherlands, Amsterdam (102.33) 39.Jersey, Saint Helier (102.24) 40.Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby (102.22) 41.Korea Republic of, Seoul (101.94) 42.Iceland, Reykjavík (101.66) 43.Ukraine, Kiev (101.2) 44.Guernsey, St Peter Port (100.68) 45.Qatar, Doha (100.64) 46.Central African Republic, Bangui (100.58) 47.Spain, Madrid (100.26) 48.USA, San Jose Calif (100.13) 49.Falkland Islands, Stanley (100) 50.USA, New York NY (100) 51.Sweden, Stockholm (99.76) 52.USA, Boston Mass (99.63) 53.Cameroon, Yaounde (98.84) 54.Mali, Bamako (98.74) 55.Benin, Cotonou (98.6) 56.Germany, Berlin (98.18) 57.Micronesia, Palikir (97.98) 58.Gabon, Libreville (97.77) 59.Canada, Toronto (97.39) 60.Germany, Bonn (96.38) 61.Vatican City, Vatican City (96.23) 62.Australia, Melbourne (95.88) 63.Australia, Canberra (95.88) 64.Estonia, Tallinn (95.08) 65.Turkey, Ankara (94.87) 66.Singapore, Singapore (94.6) 67.Guinea-Bissau, Bissau (94.24) 68.USA, Los Angeles Calif (93.93) 69.Palau, Melekeok (93.85) 70.Luxembourg, Luxembourg (93.77) 71.Canada, Vancouver (93.48) 72.Portugal, Lisbon (92.84) 73.Australia, Perth (92.82) 74.Germany, Frankfurt (92.81) 75.Azerbaijan, Baku (92.76) 76.Gibraltar, Gibraltar (92.33) 77.Comores, Moroni (92.04) 78.USA, Washington DC (91.8) 79.USA, Philadelphia Pa (91.49) 80.Nauru, Yaren (91.16) 81.Kazakhstan, Almaty (90.99) 82.Bahrain, Manama (90.82) 83.USA, San Diego Calif (90.7) 84.Bahamas, Nassau (90.63) 85.Togo, Lome (90.11) 86.Taiwan, Taipei (90.07) 87.Haiti, Port-au-Prince (90) 88.Senegal, Dakar (89.57) 89.Saint Helena, Jamestown (89.26) 90.USA, Baltimore Md (89.25) 91.United Kingdom, Glasgow (88.88) 92.Djibouti, Djibouti (88.45) 93.Niger, Niamey (88.38) 94.Zambia, Lusaka (88.36) 95.USA, Seattle Wash (88.3) 96.Andorra, Andorra la Vella (88.13) 97.Vietnam, Hanoi (88.03) 98.Tonga, Nuku'Alofa (87.34) 99.Gambia, Banjul (87.23) 100.United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi (87.16) 101.Cayman Islands, George Town (86.81) 102.Sudan, Khartoum (86.64) 103.Greece, Athens (86.59) 104.Barbados, Bridgetown (86.5) 105.USA, Portland Ore (86.1) 106.Sierra Leone, Freetown (85.92) 107.Equatorial Guinea, Malabo (85.89) 108.USA, Chicago Ill (85.73) 109.Romania, Bucharest (85.55) 110.USA, Miami Fla (85.54) 111.Marshall Islands, Majuro (85.41) 112.Cyprus, Nicosia (85.26) 113.Malta, Velletta (84.99) 114.Moldova, Chisinau (84.89) 115.Ghana, Accra (84.89) 116.United Kingdom, Birmingham (84.76) 117.Canada, Montreal (84.37) 118.Algeria, Algiers (84.01) 119.Israel, Jerusalem (83.82) 120.Australia, Brisbane (83.29) 121.Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou (82.92) 122.Lebanon, Beirut (82.74) 123.Jordan, Amman (82.41) 124.Guinea, Conakry (82.16) 125.Jamaica, Kingston (82.11) 126.Philippines, Manila (82.07) 127.Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi (82.03) 128.Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa (81.84) 129.Seychelles, Victoria (81.78) 130.Indonesia, Jakarta (81.76) 131.USA, Las Vegas Nev (81.75) 132.Lithuania, Vilnius (81.67) 133.Vanuatu, Port Vila (81.35) 134.Grenada, Saint George's (81.23) 135.Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain (81.13) 136.Mozambique, Maputo (80.82) 137.New Zealand, Auckland (80.71) 138.Samoa, Apia (80.64) 139.Congo, Brazzaville (80.14) 140.Armenia, Yerevan (80.13) 141.Albania, Tirana (80.1) 142.Martinique, Fort-de-France (80.09) 143.Latvia, Riga (79.92) 144.Thailand, Bangkok (79.86) 145.Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome (79.79) 146.USA, Denver Colo (79.74) 147.China, Beijing (79.73) 148.Fiji, Suva (78.99) 149.Slovenia, Ljubljana (78.85) 150.Canada, Ottawa (78.82) 151.Tuvalu, Funafuti (78.78) 152.Myanmar, Yangon (78.51) 153.Puerto Rico, San Juan (78.49) 154.Kenya, Nairobi (78.4) 155.USA, Phoenix Ariz (78.26) 156.Mauritius, Port Louis (78.25) 157.Madagascar, Antananarivo (78.24) 158.USA, Tampa Fla (78.22) 159.Serbia, Belgrade (78.13) 160.Kiribati, South Tarawa (78.06) 161.Guam, Hagatna (77.8) 162.Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan (77.72) 163.Uruguay, Montevideo (77.41) 164.Colombia, Bogota (77.23) 165.USA, Atlanta GA (76.99) 166.Morocco, Rabat (76.93) 167.USA, Milwaukee Wis (76.77) 168.Paraguay, Asuncion (76.49) 169.Mexico, Mexico City (76.13) 170.USA, Columbus Ohio (76.06) 171.India, Mumbai (76.04) 172.Tanzania, Dar es Salaam (76) 173.Solomon Islands, Honiara (75.93) 174.USA, Cleveland Ohio (75.84) 175.USA, Detroit Mich (75.74) 176.Liberia, Monrovia (75.63) 177.USA, Austin Tex (75.57) 178.USA, Dallas Tex (75.47) 179.USA, Jacksonville Fla (75.47) 180.Australia, Adelaide (75.39) 181.Kuwait, Kuwait City (75.22) 182.Bulgaria, Sofia (75.14) 183.Saudi Arabia, Riyadh (75.08) 184.USA, Pittsburgh Penn (74.54) 185.Timor-Leste, Dili (74.29) 186.Iran, Tehran (74.24) 187.USA, Indianapolis Ind (74.13) 188.USA, Fort Worth Tex (73.64) 189.Somalia, Mogadishu (73.49) 190.Maldives, Male (73.48) 191.USA, Charlotte NC (73.47) 192.USA, Houston Tex (73.36) 193.Chile, Santiago (73.01) 194.Mauritania, Nouakchott (72.99) 195.Botswana, Gaberone (72.86) 196.Cape Verde, Praia (72.81) 197.USA, El Paso Tex (72.61) 198.Uganda, Kampala (72.25) 199.Afghanistan, Kabul (72.13) 200.Antigua and Barbuda, Saint John's (72.04) 201.USA, St Louis MO (71.93) 202.Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (71.82) 203.Peru, Lima (71.7) 204.Korea Democratic Republic of, Pyongyang (71.62) 205.Kosovo, Pristina (71.55) 206.India, New Delhi (71.4) 207.Belarus, Minsk (71.28) 208.Malawi, Lilongwe (71.24) 209.Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre (71.07) 210.USA, Memphis Tenn (71.02) 211.India, Chennai (70.76) 212.Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek (70.29) 213.Burundi, Bujumbura (70.07) 214.Macedonia, Skopje (70.02) 215.USA, San Antonio Tex (70.02) 216.Guatemala, Guatemala City (69.74) 217.Honduras, Tegucigalpa (69.57) 218.Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown (69.5) 219.Canada, Calgary (69.46) 220.India, Calcutta (69.31) 221.India, Hyderabad (68.85) 222.Dominica, Roseau (68.79) 223.Rwanda, Kigali (68.75) 224.Panama, Panama City (68.58) 225.Guyana, Georgetown (68.58) 226.China, Shanghai (68.48) 227.Syria, Damascus (67.99) 228.Montenegro, Podgorica (67.75) 229.Laos, Vientiane (67.43) 230.Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (66.87) 231.Cuba, Havana (66.61) 232.Belize, Belmopan (66.33) 233.Nicaragua, Managua (65.89) 234.Nepal, Kathmandu (65.67) 235.Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo (64.93) 236.Tunisia, Tunis (64.87) 237.Suriname, Paramaribo (64.75) 238.India, Bangalore (64.56) 239.South Africa, Johannesburg (64.51) 240.Costa Rica, San Jose (64.47) 241.Egypt, Cairo (64.18) 242.El Salvador, San Salvador (63.34) 243.Swaziland, Mbabane (63.11) 244.Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar (62.85) 245.South Africa, Pretoria (62.71) 246.Oman, Muscat (61.61) 247.Saint Lucia, Castries (61.2) 248.Pakistan, Lahore (59.48) 249.Tajikistan, Dushanbe (59.25) 250.South Africa, Cape Town (58.99) 251.Namibia, Windhoek (58.89) 252.Sri Lanka, Colombo (58.51) 253.Pakistan, Islamabad (58.33) 254.Iraq, Baghdad (58.25) 255.Pakistan, Karachi (57.72) 256.Lesotho, Maseru (57.49) 257.Argentina, Buenos Aires (57.46) 258.Bangladesh, Dhaka (57.03) 259.Bhutan, Thimphu (56.78) 260.Bolivia, La Paz (56.66) 261.China, Macao (56.41) 262.South Africa, Durban (56.07) 263.Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo (54.35) 264.Ecuador, Quito (53.83) 265.Uzbekistan, Tashkent (53.03) 266.Libya, Tripoli (52.74) 267.China, Shenzhen (51.65) 268.Eritrea, Asmara (50.72) 269.China, Dalian (50.54) 270.China, Wuhan (49.93) 271.China, Guangzhou (47.28) 272.Cambodia, Phnom Penh (45.65) 273.Yemen, Sanaa (45.6) 274.Turkmenistan, Ashgabat (38.77) 275.China, Tianjin (29.5) 276.Zimbabwe, Harare (17.12)
About the Author
Steven Coleman runs the Xpatulator.com website that provides cost of living information for 276 global cities including cost of living index, hardship index, cost of living calculator used when moving to a foreign city or relocating on an international assignment to a global destination. The calculator uses a customisable cost of living index, hardship index, exchange rate and assignment salary to calculate an equivalent expat PPP salary.
Best Photos near Vientiane, Laos - Incl. The Great Sacred Stupa Of Vientiane, Pha That Luang
