The guesthouse was depressing. As soon as I checked myself in, I decided to take a walk to the town. Since Pak Beng is a small town… the walk to town was a very short walk.
When I exit my guesthouse’s driveway I saw Lao Guy up ahead. He saw me too. Suddenly he was walking very slowly, probably waiting for me to catch up to him.
I met Lao Guy on the Slow Boat. He’s from Luang Namtha and it was his first time on the boat too. I didn’t talk to him on board. Everything I knew about him I got from the German girls and Anne. One time, I woke up from a nap and saw Lao Guy looking at me. He smiled. But I was too shy to smile back. So I checked if I was drooling instead…
The first thing Lao Guy asked me was “HAJHHSUAEIHS?” … No it wasn’t that but that was what it seemed like to me because he was speaking Lao. My answer was “Oh, sorry, I don’t speak Lao”. Caught him off guard for a moment and then he said “Oh I thought you’re Lao” … yeah, I get that a lot when I travel in SEA. Lucky me.
So Lao Guy and I walked to town. It was around 6pm and the sleepy town was beginning to come alive. We talked and I figured out that he’s a tourist guide working in Luang Namtha. He was checking out the slow boat to see if he could arrange new tours for his company. In Pak Beng, he was looking for the Red Market… I have no idea what that is. I haven’t researched it either. He probably said Night Market and I heard Red Market. Who knows.</p>
We parted ways when Lao Guy said he wanted to look for the market up the hill. By then I was already too hungry to even walk. So I told him I was going to check out what’s at the end of the road and we parted ways.
I end up hanging around a local drinking house, taking photos and videos of a drunk lady singing. But that’s another story to tell…
On my way back, I found the only Muslim Restaurant in Pak Beng. Hassan Indian Restaurant. Because I was tired, I ordered my food to go. Hearing this the owner of the restaurant, Hassan, asked me “Oh you are going to eat with your guy?”… I got confused, because I heard Guide instead of Guy… I said No, no, I don’t have a guide… and then he explained to me that he saw me with Lao Guy earlier. Then, things started to make sense to me. Ohhhhhh, that guy. He’s not MY GUY. I met him on the boat today. We were just walking to town together.
Hearing my reply, restaurant owner nodded his head. Seemingly satisfied with my answer.
But apparently, he didn’t believe a word I said! I opened my packed food that night and found two spoons, two garlic naan and enough rice to feed two very hungry person!
Hassan, you are kind man. But honestly, Lao Guy’s not my GUY. Even though he had the nicest smile and the sexiest dimples. But not my guy!
And Lao Guy, I did not eat your portion of the rice. But the garlic naans were delicious. Thank you.