Laos

The wind is blowing in your neck, your favorite road trip tunes are blasting in your ear and you pass one rice paddy after the other. You’re in the midst of a motorcycle loop somewhere in the countryside of Laos. Giving your bike that extra bit of speed, you realize these Asian bikes do not have any speed limitations. So you have a little fun…70, 80, 90 km’s an hour, oops that might have been a bit too much. Every now and again a beaten old truck passes you, honking because you’re one of the few tourists coming this way. Same goes for the kids living in the local villages, running to the side of the road and waving wildly. Waving back at them, you try to keep the bike straight. Why did they put the throttle on the right side of the steering wheel? That doesn’t matter though because you’re on one of the greatest motorcycle loops in Laos.

While going for Thai food yesterday, my friends and I were reminiscing on what we miss in Asia. The organized chaos, the diversity, the smiles and most importantly, the street food! I still remember my first visit to a street food market in Thailand like it was yesterday. It is overwhelming and hectic, but is there anything better than sitting down on one of those plastic stools and enjoying this amazing street food that is both delicious and super cheap? I knew immediately this was going to be my next blog post. Especially after seeing this photo this morning of my personal hero Anthony Bourdain and the American president in a little Hanoi street food diner. Hey, if it’s good enough for the president, it’s good enough for you. Not everyone is as excited about street food as I am, it can be quite scary when you arrive in Asia and it seems like everyone is making something on the corner of the street. Which food is safe and isn’t going to sentence you to the loo for most of the evening (food poisoning is violent!). Which food will taste the best? What if all the street stalls are making more of the same? What does it even say on the menu? How do I figure out how much it costs? The best pad thai I’ve had? On a corner in Koh tao. The best and most deliciously soft squid? On a beach in Cambodia. Tom yum goon I will always remember? Next to the road on the motorbike loop of Pakse, Laos. Eating so much we lost ability to walk? Definitely all around Malaysia! There is nothing that breaks my heart more than hearing somebody went to Singapore, where eating is the national hobby, and was afraid to eat in the hawker stalls. Therefore, I wanted to give you my 20 tips for eating street food in Asia without getting sick. I’ve tried and tested all of them and hope they will help you scope out your awesome next meal:

The Kuang Si falls in Luang Prabang are probably one of Laos most famous tourist attractions. Close to the cozy town of Luang Prabang, with its famous nightmarket and excellent food, you will find a cascade of clear water dropping down in front of your eyes. Everywhere you look in the town center, somebody will try to sell you a tour to this tourist destination. Well don’t. Wait until after lunchtime and then see which desperate tuc tuc drivers didn’t make a sale. These are the ones you will want to talk to because they have been unable to score money and are therefore still looking to make some money in the afternoon. You’ll find yourself in the power position to drive the small 30 kilometers from the town and back. Prepare yourself for a bumpy ride, but it is definitely worth it.