Yes. I know it is not your fault. Its just that I thought we would have the house to sell when we are older... Now we will be poor when we are old. That is not something nice to look forward to. I will have thirty years to think about how poor I will be when I am old.
And me! Not only you! I used to have a house and in three months I will not. Jeez, woman listen to yourself... I, I, I, poor me. What about me? Its my house you will be eating for the next ten years, dont forget that. Dont be so bloody selfish.
But you can go home and the government will take care of you, my government will not take care of me. I will be working until the day I die. It is something that I have wanted to talk to you about for a long time, because it worries me.
Did you think of that when you were playing cards all day?
And they were fighting again already. Both seemed to realise it at the same time, because they both fell silent. Craig pretended to read the label on the beer bottle and Lek looked around the walls. The waitress bringing the food broke the awkward silence, giving them a chance to try again.
One more beer, please, said Craig. How is the food, Lek?
Do you want to try? It is alright. Not so hot as I like. A bit boring.
Craig took the proffered spoonful of curry and rice in his mouth.
Its OK. Not as hot as you like, I know, but it is all right for me. Maybe they make it like that here because of all the foreign visitors.
What about all the Thai foreigners? Dont we count? I have heard before that Lao food is not as hot as Thai food, now I know that it is true.
Craig thought that it would be hard for any countrys food to be hotter than Thailands, but he judged it prudent not to say so at that juncture in time.
After the meal, they walked up and down the Waterfront for a few hours. Lek bought a parasol to shield her skin from the sun and then they went back to the hotel for a rest.
Lek lay on the bed, watched TV, dozed and pretended to be dozing, while Craig checked his web sites, answered his emails and wrote an article on travelling to Laos for his web site on Thailand. She didnt want to talk lest it led to more squabbling, especially since they had had such a pleasant walk along the bank of the Mekong.
It seemed to her that everything that she had done had been for nothing. Nearly twenty years before, she had gone to work in Pattaya because the bank was threatening to foreclose on the farm, due to a loan that her father had taken out on it, but now that she needed money, where was the farm to help her?
She had worked in the sex tourism industry for ten years and actually saved money for her daughters education, but she had squandered it playing cards. Well, not all of it, but most. Her friend Goong had left her a lot of money, but now it was all gone and with nothing to show for it.
She had relied on Craig to save her and to be fair to him, he was doing, and always had done his best, but they were still broke and now he was having to sell their pension fund ten years early. Again through no fault of his own, but it did now mean that they always would be hard up.
Nothing that she had hoped for and dreamed about was going to come about, except that Soom would go to university and sit the exams. It was something, but it was only a small fraction of what she had wanted. The books were right, it was all Maya. Hopes and dreams were all illusion. There was nothing you could do to change your future. Nothing helped except your behaviour towards others. People got what they deserved, they got their Karma. The rest was all smoke and mirrors Maya.
What had she achieved? She wanted to cry, but it was beneath her dignity. Not many people and certainly not many things could make her cry.
Not any more, not after ten years in Pattaya.
She looked at Craigs back. Eight years older. Eight years of slaving over a machine working on a medium that would cease to exist if there were no electricity. She couldnt even remember how many web sites he had now. There was something sad about that. She ought to know what her husband was working so hard at, but it was all pointless too since it was not paying for their lifestyle, which was not lavish by any Western standards. She would never have the jet-set lifestyle that she had thought having a foreign husband ensured.
She had been so stupid and if it wasnt for Soom, she would happily be dead. Her mother could take care of Soom, as she always had and if she faked an accidental death, her life assurance would pay Soom a million baht, which would see her through university and buy her a good job.
That was something else that Craig didnt know about yet. It was one of those embarrassing things that Thais only discussed with Thais. They were ashamed to admit them to foreigners. Corruption. No matter how well Soom did at university, she would never get a very good job if she didnt have the money to buy her one.
And they didnt have any money and they didnt have any reserves or a pension pot. Soom would discover bitter disillusionment early in life, when she realised that university had ensured her an office job, but not a good one. There were several glass ceilings that only money could smash and they didnt have any and never would have.
She was too old to go back to work and earn good money now, but in five or ten years, she would have no chance at all of working in Pattaya. If she were going, she would have to go now or forever hold her peace. Could she rely on Craig to get her out of this awful situation? She would truly be happy to go to sleep now and not wake up again.
Craig woke Lek up at seven oclock as it was getting dark outside.
Whats the matter? Why are you waking me up? Oh! I forgot. Were in Laos. What time is it?
Seven. There are a lot of people walking around outside. Shall we go out and have a look? Are you hungry?
Yes, OK. Ill just brush my teeth. Five minutes.
OK, Lek. Say, dont you think we should get some Lao money, some Kip? We paid in Baht this afternoon, but I think they just round everything up when you pay in Baht. Lets get five thousand Bahts worth and see how it goes. I can pay for the hotel by credit card. I dont know about the visa. What do you think?
He could hear her gargling in the toilet. When she came into the room, he asked what she thought of the plan.
I couldnt hear a word of what you were saying! I only heard blub, blub, blub, blub, blub. You knew I was brushing my teeth, why were you talking to me? What did you say?
He told her again.
Yes, OK. We can get some Kip. You have very many Kip for one Baht, I think. You want to get now, tonight?
Sure, as soon as possible, eh? Do you have my new Lloyds ATM card? The green one they sent me last month?
Yes. She rummaged in her bag and handed it to him.
And the PIN you know the number security.
I dont have. You not give to me. You have.
Craig wanted to blame Lek, but he couldnt remember having given it to her. She might be right, but that made the card useless.
Oh, shit. We cannot take money from the UK bank. Do you have your card?
No. I not take any gold or cards with me, I think it is not safe in Laos, because I do not know here.
Right... so we cannot get any money from the banks and we are on holiday in Laos. Great! Im not blaming you... I am just saying. I am thinking aloud. How much money do you have?
No. I not take any gold or cards with me, I think it is not safe in Laos, because I do not know here.
Right... so we cannot get any money from the banks and we are on holiday in Laos. Great! Im not blaming you... I am just saying. I am thinking aloud. How much money do you have?
Thai money?
What else? Do you have any Chinese?
Lek was already counting out some notes. A little more than seven thousand Baht.
OK, the visa costs nineteen hundred, I believe, so we have money to last for now, but we either have to go home early or.... This is bloody daft, eh? Who goes abroad with no money, eh? Only us! Come on, lets go out. We can change a thousand Baht and enjoy ourselves. We can deal with it all tomorrow. Are you ready? Come on then, my dear.
They turned left out of the hotel and walked the three hundred yards to the bureau de change that they had spotted earlier in the day. The exchange rate was two hundred and fifty-one Kip to the Baht and Lek was as delighted as a child at Christmas to be given a quarter of a million Kip for her one thousand Baht note.
She felt very rich and very superior, which were sensations that she was not accustomed to.
Look at all this money, Craig! Look!
Yes, Lek, its a thousand Baht in Kip. The numbers dont matter, it is the value that counts.
But she wasnt listening again, just counting the notes over and over.
Where do you want to eat, dear? asked Craig.
Oh, we can eat anywhere with this sort of money, she replied. How about that open-air restaurant on the pavement near the hotel? The food looked very nice and they had the big prawns that you like.
So, they walked back towards the hotel and sat at an empty table in the restaurant area. When the waiter came, Craig ordered two beer Laos, ice and a glass. When that had arrived, Lek went with the waiter to select the food that she wanted cooked for them.
Lek was in her element, but Craig was feeling rather stupid for not having checked his ATM cards.
The food that Lek picked was fit for a king. They had a dozen huge prawns, a large, steamed, pink river fish, spare ribs, salad and shellfish. Just as they were struggling to get to the end of it all, Craig ordered another round of beer. The waiter looked at his watch and said:
It is nine o clock. We close now. Everything in Vientiane close now, but you can have one more, if you are quick. You must finish before I clean everything away... OK?
Craig agreed. Lek and Craig stared at each other.
Surely, the capital city of Laos doesnt close at nine thirty, Lek?
That is what he said. Look around you. Lights are going out, people are going home.
Lek spoke to the waiter when he returned with the beers and the bill. He confirmed that the city did indeed close at nine thirty by order of the government. Lek was not all that bothered, because she normally went to bed at nine thirty anyway, but she was shocked when she saw the bill of a hundred and eight-five thousand Kip.
They rose at seven thirty, showered and went down for breakfast. There were both Thai and European styles, so they were both happy with that. Then they went back to the room, picked up their paperwork for the visa and went back down. Another surprise awaited them- they needed sixty thousand Kip to get to the embassy and back in a broken-down, tuk-tuk motorbike taxi, so they had to change another thousand Baht. Lek was not so impressed with the two hundred and fifty thousand Kip she collected after seeing how fast it could run through her fingers.
At the Thai embassy, Craig collected his form, filled it in, stuck his two photos on it and waited for his number to be called. When it was, he went up to the counter. The immigration official looked over his document quickly and said:
Marriage certificate.
Craig called for Lek, who came running, as she hated to keep officials waiting. They talked. Lek looked in her bag. Then said something and the official said:
Next! A man tried to take Craigs place at the counter.
Hey! Stop pushing! Wait your bloody turn! Excuse me, what is the problem with my application?
Your wife no have marriage certificate and no have house book. I cannot gib you non-immigrant O visa. Next!
No, wait! So what can I do about it?
You can go back and get all your papers I need. Next!
But that will take a day or more...
Not my problem. I must see papers. You not have papers. What can I do? Next!
Isnt there anything I can do? How about if I change my application for a two-month tourist visa?
No can do, I know what you want now already. I cannot do that. Next!
This is crazy!
Send your wife home get. You can go too or wait here in Vientiane, now please go. Next!
Craig turned to glare at the man who was hovering behind him. He backed off a little.
OK, I can accept fax of papers this one time, because I see you have long visa before. Now go. Next!
Craig bumped the next guy in the queue as he exited the line.
Isnt it bloody marvellous? Why do I need to prove Im married to get that visa. Your ID has your name Williams on it; your passport has bloody Williams in it. Its not a very common name in Thailand, is it? Do they think I searched Thailand for a Thai woman called Williams so I could get a ninety-day visa instead of a sixty-day one? Jesus! That makes me so angry. Well, now we are stuck here. Tomorrow is Friday, so if we hand the forms in then, we wont get them back until Monday. OK, back to the hotel.
And we dont have any money! Shit, shit, shit, shit, sodding shit!
Back in their room, Lek phoned her mother to go into their house to get the documents and fax them to their hotel. Her mother was pretty worried about taking on such a hi-tech venture, but she assured Lek that she would get it done with someones help. Meanwhile, Craig Skyped his friend in Barry, Blond Billy, and asked him to lend them £300 for a week or so. Billy agreed to wire the money care of the hotel.
The money actually arrived before the paperwork from Thailand, but they eventually had everything they needed and Lek went back to the bureau de change with $420 to exchange some of it for a million Kip. Holding a million Kip had as much effect on her as two hundred and fifty thousand had the day before.
In the afternoon, they went for a walk along the Mekong again and then back to the hotel. It was really too hot to do much and there didnt seem much to do anyway.
In the evening, they ate at a different, but similar outdoor restaurant and the bill at nine thirty was about the same. Lek concluded that Vientiane was a lot more expensive than Bangkok and if she could have gone home the next day she would have, but there was still the visa to get.
The visa application went smoothly enough, although the transaction could not be completed in one day. It has to be applied for on one day and collected the following business day, which meant staying until Monday. They both reckoned that they would have had enough of Vientiane by then to make going back home no hardship.
Lao people were friendly enough and Vientiane was easier for Westerners that most Thai cities including most areas of Bangkok, but there was so little to do and it was so expensive.