Jobsworth

As I thought, obtaining my press pass, despite having an email letter from the Laos authorities confirming approval of my accreditation, was a complete hassle. I'm afraid Laos has embraced officialdom and jobsworth mentality in earnest and after completing more forms, handing over more portrait photographs and deciding whether I was a journalist or photographer, as I couldn't be both, I was officially handed my press pass and media booklet about an hour and half after arriving. It took so long that I missed the Cambodian football team's first training session at the army stadium, but no-one knew where it was anyway, so I'll have to try and get to the afternoon session at the television stadium, though again, no-one at the media center could tell me its location! Yes it's going to be that type of two weeks. I must say that the people from the national sports committee were very friendly and helpful and took me to the media center, some 5kms out of town, before I met the official brick-wall. Anyhow, I have my press pass (they put photographer on the pass, after I asked to be classed as journalist), I need some lunch and then I need to uncover the whereabouts of the tv stadium. It's anyone's guess where it is. More later.