4 THOUSAND ISLANDS LAOS

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So its week 4 now, the one month anniversary. We left Phnom Penn heading for Laos, a brand new country and another fresh stamp in the passport.

We stopped over for a night in Kratie, to avoid a hefty 12 hour journey and instead split it in to two 6 hour journeys. Kratie is a small town situated on the Mekong, about 200km north of Phnom Penn (total guesstimation there!). As soon as we departed the bus a posse of tuk tuk drivers greeted us like old pals ´´Hello my friend! I take you to my guest house – cheap cheap for you sir!‘ Ryan gives me a look of despair and says ´Ah im really not in the fucking mood for this‘. A quick cigarette break gives us the willpower to push on and try out one of the drivers guest houses. For $5 between us it was reaonable so we threw our bags down and hopped on a moped for a drive around town. This time it was a half manual bike, no fully automatic this time. It took a bit of getting used to but we got it in the end. We stopped off and had a look around the market, which was like almost all other markets we have been to in Cambodia – loud, busy and vibrant.

After having some lunch at a street stall we sat down by the Mekong, watching the sunset and listening to Jack Johnson through the sketchy speakers. It was special. Once the sun had set we ate dinner at the guesthouse.

We were sitting out the front, eating our bacon melts (we deserved them, it had been a long ride on the bus) and were joined by what can only be described as a 45 year old Cambodian Alan Carr and his ladyboy. He taught us how to play Cambodian poker which is ridiculously easy and requires zero skill. Meanwhile the ladyboy just sat there purring over myself and Ryan. If he/she thought that we were going to provide this evenings entertainment, he/she had the wrong idea.

After winning most of the games of Cambodian poker and having our palms read by the Alan Carr of Kratie we got out of there as quick as possible. An early night was needed so we turned in .

It was an intresting journey to the border, 10 people in a 7 seater minivan for 3 hours. 4 people in the front! Luckily Ryan pulled the short straw and had to sit in the middle between myself and a Cambodian gent who had obviously been a few days without a shower. I had the window seat – lovely jubbly! Another bus change (thank God) and 3 more hours.

We got to the border and grabbed a bite to eat. It was here that we met an Icelandic couple by the names of Andri and Snædis. They too were heading to Don Det, one of the main islands of the 4000 that sit on the Mekong in this area of Laos. We all jumped into yet another minivan and then caught the connecting boat over to Don Det.

Don Det is literally a small island in the middle of the Mekong that has riverside bungalows, bars, beer and lovely food. It’s such a small island that all of the locals are either family or friends. Due to our budgeting we found cheap bungalows on the sunset side and Andri and Snædis grabbed the one next door. We hit the high street (hardly a high street, ´main strip´ would be more appropriate) and found the reggae bar. It also sat over the Mekong and had a plank that went out over it too, roughly 3 metres high. Sure enough this provided plenty of entertainment over the course of the four days we were there. After being egged into trying out a dive by an Australian ´ah just let gravity take ya mate´ and ending up with some serious slap bruising on my thighs we headed back for showers. I spotted some lovely little filly laying on one of the beaches opposite our bank of the river and dove in to make conversation. She told me about cheaper accommodation further on up the road, so like true budgeters we moved on down there the next day.

The nightlife there is chilled, with no nightclubs and most bars usually closing by 11. So most pharang (foreigners to Asian people ) headed down to the small beach, started a fire and busted the guitar out. If only the guitarist hadn’t been Spanish we would have been able to join in with the singing. The walk back to the bungalow was ten times more entertaining though. I was walking back one night and saw something HUGE silhouetted in the dark on the pathway. Water buffalo. As you do.

On the third day we decided to head over to Don Kon, another small island connected to Don Det by the rockiest bridge EVER. We hired some bikes (I went economical and spent only 8,000LAK and Ryan got one for 10,000) and started on our way. Don Kon has a large and attractive waterfall which explained away the 20,000 kip charge at the bridge. It was here that disaster struck. My bike chain fell off. Simple enough, I put it back on. However, the bike would have none of it and every time I put it back on within 10 metres it was back off again. Obviously this proved to be very frustrating, but I could tell Ryan was reaping the rewards of not being such a tight wad and paying a bit extra for his bike. So once again like a true lad he let me hold on to back whilst he rode, taking turns every couple or so kilometres. Also, some Laos gent who thought he was quite the joker sent us the wrong way and we ended up going to the other end of the island for no reason. With two working bikes it would have been quite funny but I wasn’t in the mood for that particular joke.

Eventually we arrive at the waterfall but both of us are pissed about the situation which takes a bit of the glamour away. However, the waterfall was impressive. We were hoping for something to jump into and cool off with but a dive into this pool would have resulted in certain death so it wasn’t to be.

Last night, our last night on the island, consisted of us buying a fair bit of Laos Laos (wicked stuff) and playing shithead with Andri, Snædis and two Austrian ladies from the next bungalow along. After we head to the Reggae bar for more Laos Laos with Mr T and Cambodian Jamie. I head back at about 1 and at 2 o´clock Ryan returns. He is SMASHED to say the least and after failing to light a fag or sit on the hammock (he fell off), and with me crying with laughter, I tuck him into bed and make sure he is all good. It was the least I could do after the whole bike palava!
Today we left Don Det with some great memories and are now heading to Tahket in Central Laos. We were told about a road trip called ´The Loop’ and on a spur of the moment decision we are going to do it with Andri and Snædis. A 300km loop on a moped stopping off at remote villages and some of the biggest caves in the world.

I write this now using Andri´s laptop on board a full 60 man bus to Tahket with only 5 hours left of the journey….might grab some Laos Laos to make this more exciting!

4 day road trip…lets be having you!!
Big love people

P.S I know it´s now Tuesday, the blog was going to be up for Monday but the bus broke down in the middle of nowhere and made us 4 hours late. Turning up in Thakek at 12.30am and finding a guesthouse was easier than we thought it was going to be. But here it is, blog no.4...only a day late!

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Comments

[Tom Edgar]

You make my days sunny!!!
Well jo it is once again a plesure to read your blog, your days are very much like mine all you gotta replace the words sun/sunny/sun-set with the word rain/rain and more rain..!!! the words don det ect, with the word Herne Bay/canterbury(even the bus ride sounds the same???And any refrence to young Ladies with old ladies...!!and vola you have my week.!! Glad to see a member of boyband J.T.Green havin fun on his solo tour??!!!! Tom.