We started off as a group of nine: myself, Julia and Marie (Germany, met in Pai), Sam and Gabriel (Austrians, met on slow boat), Vi (france, met on slow boat), Dina (Holand, met on slow boat) her friend Pam (Seattle USA, met once I got off the slow boat).
Vi was determined to find a recommended guesthouse. This was very trying after having 2 long days on the boat, a rat in the night and then arriving in a new country with a new language and no idea where on the map the boat had stopped so therefore no clue where we were. Finally we convinced her to allow us to find a new guesthouse as it was now dark. We were able to get a guesthouse for 6 of us and a discount becuase of this and then Pam and Dina stayed next door. What a mammoth effort!
The next day we went to the local waterfall. Cant remember what its called , thank goodness for my diary but I dont have it with me now. Yet again, quite an ordeal. Had a scamming tuk-tuk driver. Agreed to take 9 of us for 25000 kip each but then put 6 in his friends tu-tuk and told him to go as the rest of us were trying to get in. So they left and he then tried to tell us that now because there were only 3 of us he would have to charge us less or find more people. Fury struck his eyes as we said no way but then we agreed to help find others however soon realised this wouldn't work as he was yelling abusively at people through the window "You go waterfall now". Finally he stopped and we got out Vi gave him a hell of a french mouth full and then we spied another taxi driver who was laughing so we explained the story and he thought it was quite amuzing. So he agreed to take us for 25 00kip and we would help him find other people. He was very nice so we were more than happy to help him and within about 30 minutes we ended up with 6 more people all at once. See good calmer comes to those who wait because then he did it for 20 000kip each for us.
The waterfall was beautiful with cristal clear water that got an aqua shade as you looked across the water. There were many tiers to the waterfall. It was not that hot a day so I didn't go swimming as the water was freezing. There was a great swing over the water and the Laos people crazily plunged off into the water, oh and many other farang (foreigners). It was a successful day in the end and just another travel story.
Other adventures in Luang Prabang included a trip over the Mekong to some other temples with Pam. Here we made good friends with some young Monks and Novice Monks. Then we hired bikes to travel around the city and again we met some more monks.
Had a night drinking 8000kip (about $1.50) bottle of whiskey mixed with coke (about $1.50 for a big bottle; go figure??).
Vi left very quickly, one of those goodbyes "I might see you tonight or I might go". We also bid farwell to Julia and Marie as they head quickly to Vientianne to meet Julias brother.
Our Travels then took us out to Nong Khiew, about a three hour trip in the back of a truck that was packed with people. This was a beautiful place. Very traditional village, with little estern influence. No internet or phone and only had electricity during the hours of 6pm to 10pm. We went to some local caves that acted as home the government officials during the Second Indochina War (vietnam). The Lonely Planet says it was home for the local people but once in N.K the locals told us that it was for gov officials. The caves were sign posted with the names of the cave areas, eg banking room, amunition holding sandpit and art quarters. This was an interesting experience as some small children befriended us. They loved having their photo taken and trying on our sunglasses and showing through the caves. However once we finished the first cave they nicely asked "you pay money?". We told them that no we weren't going to pay them money because they came with us to be friends. 2 caves later they again asked for money. This time we told them that if they came with us back to the village we'd buy them lunch. As we passed through one of the villages on the way they again asked for money. This time an old woman passed us by and the children obviously told that we wouldn't pay, she said something to us in a harsh Laos tone and then the kids left. I guess she got cross at us for not wanting to pay. Oh well.
Its funny here, either the people want you to be in their town as tourists or some wished that you would take your money and leave. I guess who can blame them considering that American, white men dropped more tones of bombs on Laos than there is people during the Vietnam War. And after I travelled down into the sth of Laos I could really see what tourism had done to the culture and traditional ways of many of the villages. Either the village didn't exist anymore or it was turned into a neon light centre that looked like Las Vegas in Laos, AkA Vang Vieng; the tubbing capital of the tourist route and therefore the villages that has turned into an American Phrat Party!!!!! No thanks.
Anyway from Nong Khiew we travelled back to Luang Prabang for a night after saying goodbye to Pam and Dina. This was a sad goodbye as I'd made great friends with them in such a short time.
From here, we stupidly went to vang Vieng expecting to stay for 2 nights. The trip there was breath taking with scenery that a photo could never capture the beauty of. Mountains towered above the valleys and villages some how sat beside the road without sliding down the very steep terrain. The villages were extremely poor although the tourist and local buses roared past their door step a couple of times a day, no one ever stopped their and so these villages missed any additional tourist money. We couldn't even see how they grew food as the hillside was far to steep for planting crops or simple household vegetables. We were bewildered at the thought of how they survived in their dusty bamboo houses.
As I said already, Vang Vieng was a waste of time. We arrived and then left the next day. Although we did have time to travel out to a cave. This was a beautiful experience. Sophie (french girl we picked up in Nong Khiew) and I were able to walk out of the village, through rice fields, past pumpkin crops that were shadowed by the towering mountains, carefully we bypassed some Buffalo (that didn't raise an eyebrow at us) and then over a bamboo bridge. The cave was lovely but not breath taking until we got to the indoor pool. You couldn't even see the waters edge except for the ripple the guide made in the water. You could see deep into the water and could have easily walked into the water before nyou realise that your feet were wet.
So that was a wonderful experience to have had in Vang Vieng so now at least I have one good thing to say about the place.
From here we ventured down to Vientianne. Stopped there for about an hour. Its just a city really. Not much to see or do.
We then loaded onto an overnight bus to Pakse in the south of Laos. This was a experience. 2 people squashed into a single bed sized sleeping compartment that you couldn't sit up in. So it was bed time at 8:30pm that night. Thankfully I was travelling with Sophie as my room partner so I didn't have to share with a complete stranger.
We arrived early in Pakse and had decided that we would head directly to Si Phan Don (4000 islands) as we were desperately in need of the quiet side of Laos again that we so dreadfully missed since leaving Nong Khiew. We bid Sophie farwell and our group of 8 was now down to 3. Sam, Gabriel and Me.
Si Phan Don was an amazing array of islands dotted randomly within the confines of the Mekong River. We stayed on an Island called DonDet. It was just what the doctor ordered. Small, local and not too many tourists (however I think there is always more than you like). We found a bamboo bungalow for 30000 kip a night that over looked the Mekong. We did very little here. Slept, swang in the hamocks, read and swam. Surprisingly the water was extremely clean but I think that even if it had been a little dicoloured we still would have swam. The heat was overwhelming and you were sweating even before you got out of the shower.
We went on a day trip to the Pearl of the Mekong Waterfal, where the water from the Mekong cascades over the 5m drop on its way into Cambodia. Quite spectactular.
We also went on a BBQ tour that allowed us to visit a very traditional village and have traditional Laos food cooked over a farm picnic type BBQ. Chilren watched from afar as we ate. There was more than enough food so we gave some to the children. At first they were reluctant to eat the food but once we turned our backs it was all in. A lovely sight to see but so sad a the same time.
We left Don Det on Thursday 26th March and head to Pakse via the Wat Phou at Champasak. Champasak is a town of great beauty that has been enabled due to a large amount of money being there during the french governments rule over Laos. The houses are of amazing french architecture and huge and there was actuall grassed lawns around the houses. Very rare to see in Thailand or Laos.
Wat Phou is of the same period as Cambodias Ankor Wat and was built about the 12th century. The rock carving in the temples just blew me away. There was a long staircase up to the temple that was lined with Frangipani trees. I've never seen frangipani trees so old. It was a very hot day so the temple climb was tiring and we were definitely ready for the aircon of the minibus (Dont ask how we scored this minibus with aircon, it was quite an ordeal but well worth it)
Arrived in Pakse to be dropped off at our guesthouse, which was at the VIP bus station (yet another part of the ordeal) so we very quickly made our way into Pakse and found a decent place to stay near the centre of town. Here we said goodbye to Gabriel and wished him luck that he would be able to return to the island since he ended up having to pay for his return trip to Don Det although the day when we booked the trip it had been "all" inclusive. Yes again part of the ordeal.
So now it was just Sam and I. Sam left by bus the next day and I stayed to fly to Siem Reap the day after.
Although this was my first time alone in a very long time, I still managed to meet Joe and Mike (USA) who then shouted me dinner as I'd almost run out of Kip but was flying out the next day. But they didn't just shout me dinner they shouted me pizza thats 40 000 kip a pizza. What a score.
From Pakse, the 8 is now down to 1 and I headed to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
