Just A Little Shit-Hole...

Oudomxay, Laos

July 20, 2007
N 20°41.289
E 102°59.193

We arrived in the dusty, hazy, town of Oudomxay, also spelt Udomxai, after our countryside visit. Dumped back into a larger city for Laos (Pop.: 80,000). Scooters, cars, piles of burning garbage, mangy dogs, and mud puddles lined the streets. The only redeeming quality of the town is that it’s surrounded by dark green mountains on all sides; unfortunately a perfect valley for the smog to come to rest.

I had a slight deja vu feeling as we walked down the muddy main street. Unfinished construction projects lined both sides of the street. Scattered about were rebar, bricks, gravel, and scaffolding, seemingly abandoned; surrounded by debris from the unfinished job and from the locals that have found a place to dump their trash. I’ve been here before, not to Oudomxay, but to neglected towns just like this in Vietnam, Nepal, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala… they all begin to look familiar. We lovingly call them our shit-holes.

We decided to stay two nights in this shit-hole to exchange money, update our blog, check email, and take a much needed break after a long travel day. We’ll be out of here tomorrow without a doubt.

Oudomxay will definitely end up on the towns to miss list on the South East Asia Wrap-Up. However, I’m sure we will look back fondly on this little town and smile; just like we have with all the others little shit-holes you’ll eventually stay in if you’re a traveler.