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Published: December 29th 2006
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Well well well here we go again with another exciting blog from Rach and Rich.
We've been in Luang Prabang (North Laos) since 21st December now and are loving it. Many tales of debauchery to come but before we get to that...
We left Chiang Mai (Paulo, I'm sure you told us that Juliette was in Europe for December!) in a minivan and near as dammitt one book later we were in Xiang Chong, the Thai side of the Thailand Laos border.
We checked into our guest house and were informed of the time for dinner (7.30). After a few medicinal beers we were treated to our first thai buffet which was pretty good, especially as we had paid only 15 pounds for the while trip from Chaing Mai to Luang Prabang, including two days on the boat and breakfast lunch and diner.
After a pretty chilly, and rather uncomfotable night, because we were sleeping on some bits of plywoood, we finally crossed the border on 20th December and entered in to Laos culture with a few wierdos in tow (we fitted in quite well really even though we wern't drinking beer at 09.00 in the am).
Once on the slow boat we were prety damn glad to have the cusions we had bought at the guest house as we realised that we would havce to spend 7 hours the first and 9 hours the second day sitting on some bits wood wood that were approximately 20 inches long and six inches wide. I've not had a numb bottom like that before I can tell you.
After the first day of boating which was quite fun we stayed in quite a nice place in Pak Beng. It was quite an effort getting offf the boat down the four inch plank to the shore as demonsrated by one guy who slipped into the Mekong (got on the boat on day two with two black eyes and a dressing on his nose).
Day two the boating had lost its appeal slightly, however the driver did have to keep telling us to reposition ourselves due to the boat being close to sinking (luckily only on one side and not the one we were on).
We arrived in Luang Prabang happy but tired and after installing ourselves in our pretty sumptous guest house we walked along the
Pounding chillies into curry paste
Chang Mai - Rach's Green curry paste, Rich's is Massaman river road looking for a place to eat. Sad to say that I ended up having a burger (pretty good actually), Rach was slightly more refined and had a steak. This was , by the way, our first western meal in south east Asia (although good for the digestive tract we did fancy a change from curry and rice, noodles and rice, soup and rice or stir fry and rice, or just noodles).
On Christmas eve we went to the best restaurant in town called 'Le Elephant' courtesy of Rach. To say the we had far too many dry Martini's, Rum Sours and other assorted cocktails before eating would be an understatement so I won't.
Nonetheless we both (but especially me given previous performances) made it to the main course and after an impressive two and a half bottles of wine decided to order some champagne. Partly this was to avoid being outdone by the two very American and very lovely and very gay Californians (Brant and Darryl) who were on our shared table. As well as two Mexican girls Ena and Deni. It was them and definitely not us who were responsible for the suggestion of after
Rach with a BeerLao
Note: you cannot just ask for a "beer" it doesn't work, I've tried!
dinner drinks in a wine bar despite being after the curfew and obviously pretty slaughtered!
On Christmas morning (not mentionning what happened when we got back too our guest house the night before buit I'm sure you can guess as we were double parking long Island Ice teas in the wine bar) feeling a little jaded we made breakfast and then made ready to move hotels
!
We instantly feel at least marginally better when we checked into our 5 star hotel room and realised that we would be able to spend the next few nights watching tv having baths and visiting the hotel spa for massage treatment (get a coconut body scrub if you can they're great, and not in the way you think I mean Luca).
Having realised that we may have to come home early if we bought any more nice things, there are a lot in Laos particularly at the night market, we have checked oourselves into a very reasonable guest house although the pillows are alittle large (boo hoo).
Tomorrow we go to say good bye to the novice monk, Phod (pronounced 'Put'), who we have made friends with and have
been practising our English with before starting our two day Mahoout training course (that's elephant drivers school for those of you who are not wise to the ways of the jungle!).
As some of you may have noticed from the erratic writing style and bad jokes it is I, Rich, who have been blogging you up today and not Rach. Not because she is ill in bed with Malaria but because she has a small puppy asleep on her lap which appears to belong to this internet cafe.
One last thing before we let you go and look at some photos (thats if you made it this far). Thanks to all who sent us Christmas comments especially James and Paula; Tom Vandyke; Chris Croissant (who finally figured out that the messages appearing to tell him that we had done a blog entry were not junk mail); Andy & Jena; Lyndsay; Sue Allen; Clauds; Kate Griffiths and last but most impressively Richard Griffiths (despite the technical challenge).
Wising you all (and those of our other friends who were just too damn lazy) a very happy new year.
Congratulations to Paulo and Kate Proh on their house. I
hope there is a good spare room (rent free of course).
Toodle-oo
Rich and, by default poor girl, Rach.
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anonymous
non-member comment
Lovely...
Hotel, what a place to spend Christmas. Anyway I would just like you wish you both a happy new year and may a few more of your dreams come true in 2007. Take care Lyndsay