The most COSTLY dinner - 61,000/- !!!

Vientiane - Feb 12, 2008

Yes, can’t believe it?

I just had the most costliest dinner of my life :

61,000/-

No, i didn’t break-in into any bank or was i drugged.

…

Yet, it didn’t bankrupt me or empty my savings a/c ?
It wasn’t also expensive…

What? Costly but not expensive.

Yes, luckily the currency was a “Lao Kip”.

One Thai baht would provide 270 Kips !! And One US Dollar would provide 9100 Kips !!!!!

The heavily under-rated currency has a strange impact in several aspects :

1. US dollars and Thai bahts are more accepted and preferred.
2. In the confusion of huge numbers, all local people - drivers, shops, restaurants quote their own rates in Kips, Bahts and Dollars benefitting severally from own exchange rates which is inconsistent with large gaps.
3. If you had just exchanged money into Lao Kips then your wallet would be definitely overflowing and you will need more wallets!
4. All displays, banners, menu and lists of prices are not less than 4 digits.
5. So as i browse now, i will pay 5000 kips per hour.

Atleast anyone can be RICH with plentiful of notes in this part of the world !!