Saved the Best for Last

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Laos is one of the few places on the tourist route but still has the feel of old world Asia left. It was exactly the escape I needed from the smog, motorist and people-filled metropolis of Bangkok. It reminded me that I am a small-town girl at heart.

What is there to see and do in Luang Prabang? Well, there really isn’t much by way of tourist attractions that wow. It’s the unique experience of small town life in Asia coupled with the beautiful countryside that make the trip memorable and special.

In Laos, I saw the cutest Hmong children (no more than 3 or 4 years old) running along the road with straw baskets larger than them balanced on their backs; a duck and her chics hurried along behind. I saw the sunrise from a Buddhist temple overlooking the town. I witnessed the time-honored tradition of over 100 monks in saffron robes collecting their alms from worshippers along the side of the road at 5:30 AM.

I experienced the beauty of nature and the kindness of fellow humans, stranger or not. I went for a leisurely paced bike ride along the Mekong River while watching fisherman cast their nets. I swam beneath beautiful waterfall that cascaded into aqua pools still unsoiled from human debris. I swung from a tree-hung rope into the cool waters and laughed like a child again. Other local children smiled and laughed back at me; their innocence about the dangerous world beyond let them do so without any fear or hesitation.

I suppose I’ve been in Bangkok for too long. Small-town life is quite impressive and quirky to me. For example, rather surprisingly, I left my bicycle unattended for 3 hours, and it was still there when I returned. Then my girlfriend and I ran into the visa officer at the airport twice in our 3-day stay in Luang Prabang. Each time, he greeted or stopped to chat with us. And perhaps best, and most amusing of all, was the fact that we had to pay an extra dollar for our visas to cover that immigration officer’s “over time” because we arrived during the weekend. We found that hilarious

Already I miss Luang Prabang. It is one of those few mystical places that have modern comforts yet seem relatively untouched by time. My guess is that if I return one day, it will seem nothing more than that.

Tomorrow I am on my way back to the Americas. I’m glad I saved the best for last.

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Comments

[mataho]

Happy trails!
Thank you for the insightful and entertaining travel commentary over the past year+. Your blog is one of the few (out of a zillion) that is truly worth reading. Best of luck to you in all of your future adventures. mataho in BKK

[liz]

i want to go!
oh my god laos sounds awesome... but you are coming home tomorrow!!! YAY!!! call me!!! 513-255-1461