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Published: April 16th 2006
Nam Tha river
Which way do we goMe again.
Up early on Sunday morning to catch the boat out of Huay Xai, only to be greeted with a “No Boat today”, lucky I had nothing better to do so it was of to the local waterfalls to escape the heat of the day but not before yours truly made sure we had a boat organised for the next day.
Well the next day the boat was there and waiting for us, so Cleo, Babs, Anitita and myself jumped aboard for 11 hours of cruising and at times smashing our way through the rapids up stream on the Nam Tha river.
Now if you hire a boat you would think that only us 4 passengers will be aboard, but think again, no typical Laos style means spare room means more people so as we motored along the river the captain was more than happy to load more on as transport up the river is few and far between as the river is at it’s lowest.
It really was like stepping back in time, seeing how these small and very remote villages survive on the river. Most don’t have power or roads so the river is everything to them. The
Home brew
Laos best whiskey women are the back bone to this country they do all the work required to survive, clearing and burning the fields making them ready for the wet season to plant the next years crop of rice. Fetch the firewood, do all the cooking while the men do what most blocks like fishing and sitting around sleeping. well hey this really is something western women need to see and maybe realise how lucky they have got it.
Only twice was I and only me as these fellow passengers (Laos men) sat and watched, required to get out and help push old HMAS reliable through the very shallow sections. Lunch stop you beauty time for a swim and lunch, seaweed with catfish and more sticky rice was the flavour of the day and boy did it taste like yep you guessed it.
No sooner had the sun fallen behind the Mountains we arrived at Ban Khon Kham thinking we would be sleeping in a bamboo hut we were shown our room for the night, which surprised us all, was this 3 storey concrete villa Tiled floors with timber doors and pillars very nice, the captains house. After dinner the girls thought
The caves
Do you think they can see us? it would be a nice idea to go for a stroll through the village, not long into it we come across a home distillery making Lao Lao(rice wine) so we purchased some of this great stuff, 50cents for a bottle, I think they would label this as mentholated spirits if sold at home. We sat on the river bank and consumed the bottle of Lao Lao and with great regret as the next morning the girls were kicking me to get up out of bed for some wonderful breakfast which I ate none of, but we had a boat to catch so we could finish the trip and some how I was the only one feeling ill, between you and me I think the girls pretended to drink the whiskey. We only had 2 hrs of up river travelling due to the water levels being low. From here we would be travelling by mini van to Luang Nam Tha for about 1 hr. well no van but a Ute was waiting and this was the hardest 4 hrs and 55klm I have travelled yet, 15 people in the back with enough rations to supply an army and don’t forget the 10 chickens on the roof plus that bloody hangover. As more and more got on board we were slowly pushed out the back to the point I had to stand on the rear step.
Not much to say about Loung Nam Tha, its a good place to do eco friendly tours for walking and rafting which I did none of due to me trying to rest the broken toe.. You can notice it has a very close connection with China, rumour has it not so long in the distant future this area will be controlled by China. The farming needs are being destroyed by the demand from China to grow products that suit them and not the farmers eg. Rubber trees, which need 7 years before they will start to bring in a income. This countryside is not the best for farming with very steep mountains, how they clamber up and down all day everyday cutting and burning then planting is something that has to be seen to believe.
Thursday we all travelled to Muang Sing which is the last village before you get to the Chinese border, not a real lot to be done, actually we ordered some food which not the best and then hounded to buy some gifts of the Akka hill tribes people. Well I did purchase some great special goodies from them but they want be coming home.
That night it was good-bye drinks and dinner with a Sen Dutt (bbq), we all got a wet butt from the first mango rains arriving that night.
Friday 31st and time to say goodbye to Anita, thanks so much for the free room in Huay Xai, Cleo and her father specially for the free accommodation in Luang Nam Tha and drive out to Muang Sing, so bus to be caught and Babs I were off on a bus bound for Nong Khiaw. This leg of the journey would take us all day to arrive.
Nong Kwiaw village is set on the Nam Ou River with a very large bridge spanning the river. From our bungalow we look back over the river to the town, with 2 large mountain ranges on either side. Will spend a couple of days looking around, some caves to be inspected and then I will make my way on my own to Sam Neua.
The caves were located 2klm out of town, once you arrive it was a short walk to the entrance. The caves housed as safe bunker for the Generals and also the finance and money distribution centre during the bombardment. There are 2 large caves to be inspected. This place is so nice I think I will spend a few more days exploring the village. But not before saying goodbye too Babs, who was a great travel companion for the last 3 weeks.
Getting out of town was a little different to most, they say the bus will arrive sometime between 8pm and 11pm, no bus arrived so now it was time to find a bed for the short night that it would be. As I checked in what do I hear screaming down the road blowing its welcome horn-too late!! Missed it. The next night was going to involve endurance I thought, stayed at the restaurant until 12.30am and hey it finally arrived, not before I managed to get a little tippsy on some free Lao Lao. Communication breakdown is a beautiful thing, they told me earlier the trip would take about 8hrs, cool I thought sleep all the way. Well yes I woke up around 7am when the bus stopped only to be told we still have another 5hrs to go. Things really do move slow in Laos after 300klm and 13hrs on the road the bus arrived at Sam Neua. The Lonely Planet got this one wrong when saying it is picturesque; Nong Kwiaw still rates as the best in the North Laos
Have decided 1 month is just not enough time to see everything, so the south will have to wait until latter when I make my way to China after Thailand.
Well the big day tour out from Sam Neua to Vieng Xai started with me hiring a motorbike and riding 35klm to the Pathet Lao Caves. Thought these were natural caves but to my surprise they had all been man made, with the longest cave being 140mt., The caves them selves were very interesting, they were all made with explosives supplied by the north Vietnamese and concrete rooms finished out inside with everything from offices bedrooms and they also fitted out oxygen tank rooms to keep safe from the chemical bombs. Next I headed out to the Namnoua waterfalls and at which point I found out how cheap these Chinese bikes really are and not real reliable as my bike stopped out in the middle of no mans land meaning I had to wait for a ute to pass bye for a lift. Should have left the bike beside the road as the man who rented it, thought he had no obligation to paying me back for fixing his unreliable peace of shit. Karma mate that’s all I can say.
Well no time to spare and it was time to head to to Phonsavan to check the plain of jars. It’s a very busy little city with lot’s of new guest houses being built and roads and footpaths being updated. I think the mafia have some sort of control in this town as hiring motorbikes is not possible at all. If you want to see the 3 plain of jars sites you have to go on a tour. So for the first time I felt really out of place by having to share a mini van with 12 other tourists to do the tour. I quickly walked of on my own skipping the follow me call. The first thing you will notice is the fact that there are very few trees. The area looks like a dairy farm bar the cows. This is due to Agent Orange being dumped over the province. So thirty years latter not much grows, they have planted a few gum trees and pine trees, but even they struggle to deal with the toxic soil, the whole region is littered with bomb blast; they say not one village survived the US bombing raid in this area. And many thousands of uxo is still present today. Not even I was game to walk of the well-beaten track.
Well Monday the 10th and the Buddhist new year is coming on fast and I have some friends to meet back in Thailand so a quick trip back is on the cards, hang on! no such thing in Laos more like 12 hrs on the bus to the border.
Oh thanks to all the emails from everyone it’s nice to hear from you all. Sorry if I don’t replay straight away, email can be slow and expensive sometimes.
One more thing go the Tigers.
Livo.
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marion livingstone
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Happy Easter
Hi son great to hear from you you are having a great journey and much more to come it Easter here and we are having lovely weather, been down to Mandurah for Easter on my owned the girls came down and spend a day with me and went home the next day. Have not hear from Justin try sending your travelog to him but came back when dose Rachel arrived well must go kept safty and look after yourself love mum