Sketching on my fantastic experience in Laos. The best way to remember travels is to draw it!

Sketching in a bar

with a view over the Nam Ou River (“rice bowl river”) in Laos

Last spring I went to Laos, now one year later I feel extremely lucky to have made the trip to Asia just like we planed it to go. My favorite part of the 14 weeks must be the river trips in Laos.

They where nothing like I had imagined, we were on a low cost budget and most often went by the boats and the buses like the locals. That meant sometimes sitting in the boat for 7 hours without toilets and so on. We came from Luang Prabang and took a boat from Nong Khiaw to Muang khua. This route along the river is one of the most picturesque in Laos.

Here I am in Muang Khua a village in the northeast of Laos, near the border to Vietnam. In the middle of the day people are having a good time in this bar.

I am looking around and wondering what to sketch? The most interesting here today is a Dog. I must admit I have problems walking past them here. But, I do love dogs. The thing is, before we came here, we had to get vaccinated for rabies. The doctor was telling us the scary stories and told us how to know if the dog was sick and what to do if we where unlucky. 

In South-Eastern Asia dogs, hens and cats are often found walking around in the streets. It is fascinating to see that the dogs let the hens walk around. If you don’t like loose dogs you will find it hard to come here.

 

Tips on what can go in your sketchbook when traveling

• Find something  where you eat or are having something to drink. It can be a battle a glass, a carafe  the tea or coffee mug, your food and if the cake is beautiful make a quick sketch.
• People you see, bus station for example is perfect, people are standing, waiting.
• Animals, birds. There are pigeons all over the world (I believe.)
• You can write down a glossary of new words if the language is new to you.
• Tickets from museums, trains, buses. Receipts for nice meals.
• A map of where you are and the things to see there. (In Paris= Eiffel tower)

There are so many things to draw. The best way to remember things is to draw it!

After we had been traveling for 4 weeks I found that the sketchbooks I brought for the trip, were way too small. I needed to get one where I felt more free. On a trip like this paper back is the best. I like this sketchbook for the paper and size.

 

Nam Ou River boat trip is on of my best travel experience in South-Eastern Asia. There where so many things happening and the nature was amazing. The trip from Nong Khaw to Muang Khua was a one-day adventure I’ll never forget. But that is for later.

 

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If you like this and want to know more about watercolor and art, I am holding some painting retreats in Vence on the Cote dÀzure in France in Mai and October 2021 and you can take my online class on drawing faces.

 

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