Whew! We
just returned from a three week whorl-wind tour of Thailand, Cambodia, and
Laos. What an adventure – definitely a trip of a lifetime! The last couple of
days have been spent mentally processing everything we saw and did (not to mention
the plethora of photos), and recovering from some serious jet-lag.
 |
| Fresh Produce at a Thai Market |
This trip
was centered on cultural immersion and we were fortunate to be able to spend much
of our time in some decidedly non-touristy areas. Along the way we met many interesting
people and saw parts of the country that few get to see – we were sometimes the
only foreigners around, which drew many stares from the locals. These
experiences were among the highlights of the trip. And yes, there was even a
little fishing to be had (sorry, no fly fishing – just slinging bait with the
locals):
One evening
we went for dinner at a floating restaurant on the Mekong River in southern Laos.
The kitchen staff provided me with some fish scraps to use as bait and after
getting the OK from the proprietor, a line was cast right from our dinner table
and the waiting ensued. As the sun set over the river, bathing everything in a
spectacular red glow, dinner was served and a several beers were consumed. I
have to admit that the local food provided a delectable distraction, and a few
small nibbles (from the fish) went unanswered or unnoticed.
 |
| Sun-set on the Mighty Mekong River |
It wasn’t
until after dark that one of the cooks let me in on their secret bait, a ball
of kaaw niew (sticky rice). I was a little skeptical at first (and didn’t think
it would hold together in the water) but was assured that I was not being
played – they had apparently caught a few small fish on sticky rice a few weeks
prior. Well, it wasn’t long before I started to get a few more nibbles. After
missing several fish, and only a few minutes before we had to leave, I decided to
try a different strategy on the next bite.
I felt a
slight tug, gave some slack, and after a suitable pause tightened the line. I
was into a good fish and as I worked it closer to the restaurant lights it took
off on a blistering run out towards the middle of the river. Several minutes
and a number of good runs later the fish was a few feet out when it peeled more
line and dove for cover under the restaurant. Undaunted, I reached the rod over
the railing and down to keep the line clear of any obstructions hiding in the
murky water. The fish made a few more runs under the restaurant before I finally
got it under control.
It was at
this point that I got a good look at the fish and realized hoisting it up and
over the railing was not an option. After a few seconds of chatter and
scrambling one of the cooks came out with a small net (obviously too small and
not designed for landing fish) and jumped over the railing and down onto the
pontoon to assist. We somehow managed to squeeze the fish into the net and it
was hoisted onboard to much fanfare and applause from staff and patrons. I am
not sure on the exact species (the Mekong holds over 200 species of fish) but it
was some sort of carp – and a good sized one. The staff all said it was the
biggest fish they had seen or caught in that area for quite some time.
A few days
later, while cycling around Don Det we ran into an Aussie, and while chatting with
him we told the tale of the restaurant fish. When the story was done he
remarked “That’s just legend mate”. And after thinking about it a little more I
realized he was right – that evening will likely be talked about by the
restaurant staff for years to come; the day the farang (foreigner) caught the
big one right from their restaurant while eating his dinner.
 |
| The Fish Market in Ubon Ratchathani |
Going from
temperatures in the mid to high 30’s, to today’s balmy -25 with a -40 wind
chill is a big shock to the system. So it’s back to reality for me – and my thoughts
are turning to fly tying for the coming summer.
