SinhCity: Wiangchan or Winterfell?

It's cold. How the hell did that happen? Sure, I know I'm in the northern hemisphere and it's Christmas, but I'm also in a South East Asian country where I've been hot, sweaty, red-faced and exhausted for most of this year. This is an unexpected shock to the system.

Rugging up at Talat Sao

I don't think it will last long. I reckon in a couple of weeks the cardy will be back in the bottom of the wardrobe. Mind you, I've been saying it was just a brief cold snap for some time. No one belived me. Now I'm not sure that I even believe me.

Beanies and jackets are suddenly all over Vientiane

Today I wore my polar fleece. Who would have thought I'd need it in the lowlands? (Thanks Mum for insisting I bring it). I had imagined I might need it if I found myself on a dark cold night in a small thatched hut high on a mountain top hill tribe village. Not on my bike on the way to work.

On a cold winter's night, this guy has the BEST job

Socks with plastic shoes under my sinh. Classy.

My work comrades are freezing too. We are wearing socks with our plastic shoes under our sinhs, scarves against our aching throats, woolly winter coats that would be more at home on Mongolian plateaus and I have spotted a few beanies here and there in the corridors at work.

Syfong rugged up to clean up

The security guy who sits outside all day watching over staff motorbikes greets me with the ubiquitous "Cold? Cold? I'm cold". The other day he was jogging a small track around the motorbike shed and jumping around just trying to keep warm.

Security guy exercising to keep warm. That's his desk behind him.

Others on bikes and in the back of tuk tuks are rugged up to defy the laws of physics. How can they walk/carry/ride with all that fabric wrapped around them?

Sales of socks and jumpers are hot!

I've been warning future visitors to bring a jacket. The alternative is to have to buy what's available here. They may end up wearing clothes they would not normally be comfortable in.