So many people living life from day
to day and at the same time so much
extreme poverty and hidden corrup-
tion. Many farmers only producing
food for their own consumption, peo-
ple living in wooden huts without elec-
tricity or running water and yet prices
seem to be higher than in India, Nepal
or Vietnam.
We couldn't help but wonder, where
does the money go? Billions of dollars
are being invested into a high-speed
train connecting South East Asia, and
yet we strongly question how this in
any way will benefit the ones highest
in need. Meanwhile, Chinese involve-
ment takes away many opportunities
to grow, shipping away what they can.
Economic colonisation, or destruc-
tion, what's in a name? It's sad! For
me Laos is a country showing how
so-called development is not meant
to be. Development looks more like
self-destruction, yet this country has
so much to offer. Being a landlocked
country probably doesn't make it any
easier, and yes, according to many
economic measures Laos is a growing
country, but let's be honest, I think we
all know who really benefits from it
and it aren't the common people, rath-
er the opposite.
Travelling, a brutality forcing you to
question the reality behind the news
you hear, a beauty showing you what
TRAVERSE 98
this world has to offer, an adventure
throwing you from one experience to
another, a self-discovery making you
wonder about your own values and
norms and an addiction making you
never wanting to stop.