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Published: February 5th 2008
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I left the familiarity of Pai at 10 O'clock last night. Sad to say goodbye to my new found friends I had met on my trek earlier i the week I left in high spitits. This did not last for long however. Earlier I had enjoyed a free meal at a Thai cooking school with a little Sam Sung (Thai rum) for good luck. I took a sleeping pill half an hour befoer leaving. This was a big mistake. I had thought I would be well sorted for my journey, with my eye mask, pillow, ear plugs and sleeping pills..oh no. The road turned 90 degree corners or more for over an hour. I thought I had hit jackpot with the back two seats, oh how wrong can a person be! I was constantly flung from side to side and felt really tired, and incredibly nausious. I had to get the minibus to stop and run for a toilet. Luckily we passed a police checkpoint and I managed to find one in time. I was weak and shaking, with D & V. When I got back to the bus the driver let me sit at the front and another passenger gave
me a pill for upset stomach. It turns out that sleeping pills, alcohol, back seats and bends are not a good combination! I fell asleep and dreamt I was arriving at mum and dads house, really strange. I awoke disorientated at 4.30 at a hostel called Boom House in the border town of Chiang Kong. After two hours sleep in a 50B room and a swift breakfast I headed off for the crossing of the river and my arrival in Laos.
The border checkpoint was just a building with windows to hand your passport through from the outside. I saw some guards but none of themm actually checked my passport to see if i had a valid visa. I wonder if anyone ever just walks through or goes further down the mekong and crosses illegally there.
The road from the border was designed to be a bridge to Thailand but the bridge was never made. The road is wide and incredibly immaculate. I dont remember passing a single vehicle in the whole 3.5 hour journey! So funny..all that work, cutting the road out of the hills and landscape for no traffic. I think it was done by the chinese.
Not a lot going on in Luangnamtha apart from this road.
Of course there is the trekking, bike and moped hiring and food but not alot else. Along the roadside were lots of poor little shacks like the ones in the villages I saw. Most of them had massive satalite dishes attached to the side of the houses!!
The countryside is beautiful here with rolling hills and forests as far as the eye can see. As I have been ill since I got here I havent been able to explore, the ars drive on the the right so I will leave the moped riding for a bit.
Tips for travelling in Laos I have learnt so far!
1. Guesthouses and food prices off the main street are far cheaper.
2. Local food is very cheap but has strange animal parts in it..in the villages they breed dogs for food!
3. You will be looked at like a prostitute if you expose knees,shoulder or chest! Yesterday I had to walk to the market to get something and halfway there i noticed the very disapproving glares. I had a vest top and skirt above the knee. It was so hot...too hot to wear more. The local Laos women wear t-shirts or long sleeved fitted blouses and wrap around long skirts and jumpers.
Workin it for you guys!
My hasn't my hair grown! For them it is winter! It is as hot as the hottest english summer here.
4. People here use umbrellas instead of sunglasses..even when driving their motorbikes! So bring sunglasses because they dont seem to even know what they are!
5. Guesthouses shut really early here. I got locked out last night and had to wake up the landlord!
6. Keep all valuable things on you as the guesthouses have duplicate keys. My ipod has gone missing and I suspect it may have been stolen. I havee had many frustrating conversations through scype with a thai man where i stayed at the border who doesnt speak good english(the last place i saw my ipod) who says he gave it to my friend who i stayed with who is going to give it to me--i didnt have a friend staying with me..i dont think he understands..its so irritating and i am really gutted.
7. A guide book and phrase book are invaluable here as not many people speak english.
This place reminds me of a dodgy road in an american thiller. Not much going on with not many people around, and sinister at night. Where is everyone? There are ample amounts of guest houses but no atmosphere or much happening. There are treks but they are expensive. I am most definately leaving tommorrow for Muang Sing and then the Gibbon Experience in Bokeo.
Until then
Much love
Anna
The rambling writer.
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