Luang Prabang, Laos - June 20, 2013

Yesterday, I spoke too soon. This morning, I awoke to the sound of rain pounding against the tin roof of my guest house. I couldn't wait to get dressed and bolt out on the balcony to enjoy the refreshing liquid falling from the sky, bringing with it a noticeable drop in the temperature. For the next three hours, the rain came down non stop.

One of my best purchases for this trip was a good umbrella, so the weather didn't at all slow me down. I headed out in the down pour to partake of one of my favorite meals, and one of the most popular dishes in Laos, soup.

The Laotians seem to eat soup at all times of the day. When a diner orders it, he or she is given a huge bowl filled with thick noodles and some kind of meat, often chicken or pork. Then, a plate of vegetables is placed in front of the diner. In this case, I was given bean sprouts, some kind of green beans, and a mound of fresh mint leaves and fresh basil. The diner then throws the vegetables into the soup and spices the soup in the manner that he or she likes. It's quite filling, delicious, and nutritious.

After breakfast, I spent the day touring Luang Prabang, which is nestled on the banks of the Mekong. The city is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage, in part because of the number of temples here and also, I think, because of the French colonial architecture.

Tonight, I am headed to a popular night market. I just can't get enough of markets. Tomorrow, I think I am traveling south to Vang Vieng. There is just so much to see and so little time. I hope to relax for three or four days in Vang Vieng because there are a lot of water activities and caves, which, as you all know, is my passion.

The Laotian people are wonderful, but the other day, I got a reminder that travelers can't get too enamored by the surroundings and become careless. During the two-day boat ride when we spent the night in the village, a woman I met left about $100 dollars and her i-phone next to her first-floor window. When she returned later in the evening, someone had reached through the security bars and taken it. Fortunately, she had her passport and credit cards on her person.

Before my summer trip each year, my father often reminds me that even though I've traveled overseas for decades I need to be careful. The incident this week was a good reminder to me. It's annoying having to carry around my valuables in my sweaty money belt, but the alternative is far worse.

By the way, Joanie, thanks for the mosquito sheets. They really come in handy when I want to put some repellent on and don't have soap and water to rinse my hands afterward.

My two-part mantra in Southeast Asia has become if it is exposed cover it, which means sunscreen and insect repellent. For the first week or two, I had gotten lax with the repellent until I met a teacher in northern Thailand who told me that malaria does happen in the north, and I needed to lather up.

The other part of the mantra is if it's empty fill it, which means eating enough food, and more importantly, drinking enough water. Back in Nicaragua, I learned the hard way the dangers of dehydration.

I got so dehydrated traveling that I literally couldn't get out of bed, so the owner of the hotel where I was staying bought me some orange juice, and I drank it until I worked up enough energy to get back to my guest home in Guatemala. I'm trying to make sure that never happens again, but some days I feel like my kidneys are going to float.

That's enough for one night.

I hope all is well back in the United States. Everything is great here. Be patient with my posts because I often have to write them rather quickly in internet cafes.