A few days after entering in Laos, my camera (Panasonic Lumix G3) stopped working: the power on/off switch does not react anymore. Laos is quite a bad place for such an issue: I did not find any distributor of a current and affordable µ4/3 camera in Vientiane! And a repair shop on a dusty street does not give me much confidence…
On one side, I am frustrated not to be able to click picture anymore: Laos is such a photogenic country with stunning landscapes and smiling people! One the other side, I am learning how to travel without camera: it is nice to go around without any camera bag! Many sights were taken already; I just have to find the proper shots on the Internet… I am finishing my journey in Laos now, and though about going to Bangkok to get my camera repaired or find a new one. They told me per Emali they need 7 to 45 days, depending if they have the parts. The newer model, the G5, is overpriced in Thailand so it is not an option. And my Canon DSLR is sleeping at home: I hope I can get it somehow…
Update in Cambodia: Panasonic opened a Service Center in Phnom Phen in 2012. I brought my camera there, but a few days after, they told me they have to change the PCB and might need up to 45 days to wait for the part from Singapore. So I got it back and send it back to Panasonic Germany on the 5th of March, where it is still under warranty.