Comments on: Unicycling through Laos

Unicycling through Laos

dmd — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 14:16:07 -0800

In January 2006, nineteen people unicycled through Laos, juggling cameras and notebooks in their oh-so-steady hands.

By: 327.ca

327.ca — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 14:54:48 -0800

This is good. Thanks, dmd.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:12:02 -0800

Wow, what fun!

By: rongorongo

rongorongo — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:19:40 -0800

If you have the temerity to travel to a country where the camera on your hip costs enough to feed an average family for a year then you have a sort of karmic duty to be at least as fascinating to those you meet as they are to you. It sounds like these guys qualify admirably in that respect. My memory of Laos is of a country where most forms of transport are so bone-shakingly slow and uncomfortable that a unicycle would qualify as somewhat pampered. Great link - thanks for that.

By: dreamsign

dreamsign — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:35:47 -0800

Having seen much footage of decked-out mountain bikers in some of third world countries, I don't share the apparent amusement of the participants in the bewildered reactions of villagers. Maybe it's because I'm a uni enthusiast, too, but this seemed entirely in a better spirit. Thanks for this.

By: furtive

furtive — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:55:53 -0800

I've never met kinder or more laid back people than those that I met in Laos. I hear the PDR stands for Pretty Darn Relaxed.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 15:59:35 -0800

Some of the photos are charming or amusing glimpses into daily life there.

By: Malor

Malor — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 17:41:18 -0800

A friend of mine married a Laotian woman, and I was exposed a bit to a large immigrant culture in California. They are _very_ nice people. And they all desperately wanted to Be American and not be Laotian anymore. It made me so sad. It felt like they were blind to their own cultural strengths and seduced by the flash, glitter, and essential hollowness of a lot of American culture. And that was years and years ago, well before the modern nastiness. I kept telling my friend that he needed to raise his daughter bilingual, but I don't think he did. (we fell out of touch) Such a shame.

By: johnny novak

johnny novak — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 00:36:17 -0800

I got shot at in Laos. Otherwise, it was very nice.