Talking Location with author R D Stevens – Laos

13th March 2018

#TalkingLocationWith…..R D Stevens, author of The Journal set in South East Asia. Here the author focusses on Laos.

When I first had the idea for my debut novel The Journal, I wanted to create a story that revolved around a young protagonist searching for meaning on the cusp of adulthood. I thought that it would be interesting to try to frame this story in the context of someone going on a literal search. I decided upon the idea of a young man searching for his sister who had gone AWOL in another country. When I considered the setting for the story, I wanted to authentically represent a part of the world in which the protagonist would instantly feel out of place and yet, at the same time, experience the wonder and amazement that the world can offer.

Around ten years ago, I spent two years travelling and working my way around the world. I was in my early twenties and it was an experience that I will never forget. Travelling on a shoe string budget, I began in Europe, travelled across Russia and China, moved down through South East Asia and into India before going across to Australia and New Zealand and, finally, into South America. I kept journals whilst I was away and had been waiting for the chance to use them ever since I had returned to the UK.

In beginning my novel, I instinctively felt that South East Asia would be the perfect setting for the story. There is such a rich depth of variety, colours, tastes, sounds and experiences in South East Asia that I felt it would be the ideal place to throw my protagonist, Ethan, in at the deep end. On my travels, I spent over six months in South East Asia and visited Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia and The Philippines. I wanted Ethan’s journey, and introduction to the backpacking world, to begin in a busy, bustling capital city and then take him out to some of the beautiful countryside and stunning beaches that are on offer.

I decided that Phnom Penh in Cambodia would be the place to start, with the horrors of the Killing Fields and S-21 prison camp offering a stark contrast to the party lifestyle of the backpacker scene in the old Lakeside area of Boeung Kak (which I believe has since sadly been landfilled by property developers). I knew his time in South East Asia, as he traced his sister’s footsteps, would be brief and decided that the climax of the story would fit the excitement and anticipation of a Full Moon Party on Ko Pha Ngan. Opting for Ethan’s journey to begin in Cambodia, and end in Thailand, I wanted him to experience Laos as a counterpoint in between. These places can offer visceral experiences in which the beauty, awe and corruption of the world are never too far away, but they are also very culturally different, and I wanted to ensure that came through in the narrative.

One experience which features at a significant point in the novel is that of the ‘Loop’. The ‘Loop’ is a three to four day motorcycle ride around the countryside of southern Laos. It was something that two friends and I decided to do having received a recommendation from another traveller whilst in Vientiane, and it was a real adventure. Including this in the novel offered me a chance to write about some of my favourite places in Laos, whilst at the same time offering Ethan an excellent chance to take on something that would help him develop as a character.

It can sometimes be difficult to find things to do as a tourist which are not crowded with other people. However, the ‘Loop’ certainly offers just enough risk and challenge that it is not flooded with others. I thoroughly recommend taking up the challenge if you are thinking about travelling in Laos. The ‘Loop’ begins and ends in Thakhek and spans approximately 470km. It can be done in three days, but I would recommend taking four and making the most of the journey and surroundings. The scenery changes from wide gravel tracks and clouds of orange dust, to towering limestone karsts, rice fields, tiny villages on stilts and mile upon mile of beautiful, open scenery. There are guesthouses and homestays at various places along the route and a motorcycle rental place in Thakhek will provide you with a basic map pointing out places of interest along the way. One place that you must visit is Konglor Cave. It is a 7.5 km long cave that you can travel through via narrow, seed-shaped boats. Inside the cave, there are small sections of rapids and others where the river is so shallow you get out and push. Its domed shaped roof, collection of stalagmites and eerie, cool quiet give it a somewhat otherworldly feel as you silently glide through.

Thinking of the adage ‘write what you know’, in setting Ethan’s search for his sister in South East Asia, I was able to draw from my experiences as a backpacker in the region. In ‘The Journal’, the setting acts as a character in its own right, always present throughout Ethan’s journey and always pressing him to do more and challenge himself to address the questions that he faces. As any experience of a different culture and lifestyle should, my travels challenged me to consider many aspects of the world around me. For me, this became a challenge to turn my travels into a story, and I recommend others to take up that challenge too.

Thank you so much to R D Stevens for sharing such amazing insights into Laos and sharing such great photos with us. You can follow him on Twitter and of course you can buy his book from your preferred bookseller through the TripFiction Database.

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