Arriving in Luang Prabang

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Woke up at 4 again to bloody cockerals! Had my breakfast of omelette sandwich and ridicously strong, tar-like 'brack coffee'.

We left Pakbeng at 8am so we could visit a few places along the way before we arrived in Luang Prabang. It was freezing on the boat but thankfully the sun came out at 10 and it was the normal tshirt and shorts affair. (We later found out that Laos is all like that, possibly because of the mountains. It would be freezing till about 10 or 11 then get freezing again at night). We stopped at a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. Everyone was selling the same types of scarfs, even the children. Its pretty hard to choose one and say no to the rest. It seemed like a nice little self-sufficient village but I really felt lucky we're not like that back home.

Continued down the Mekong for a few more hours until we got to a cave with buddhas inside. It didn't look anything special so I saved my money and stayed on the boat. Was glad to here the Italians said it wasn't worth it!

We then carried down the river for 20mins and en route the captain said he wanted more money to stop at the whisky distillery despite us paying for it initially. We all told him where to stick it. The ones that did pay extra to see it said it was only a village with one woman with bottles of Lao whisky. Not quite the Remy Martin distillery in France but hey.

We arrived in Luang Prabang about 5.30 and found a fairly decent place with the other Brits. Unfortunately we drew the short straw because naturally we wanted the 1 twin room and not the doubles! It was stifling hot and smelt like someone had vomited up stilton cheese. But hey, better than last night so this was home for our stay in the town.

Luang Prabang is a really nice city and deserving of it being classed a World Hertitage Site. Laos was once a French colony and I could certainly recognise the influences on the architecture. There is also a few french style cafes and menus.

We went for dinner with the other Brits and walked through a nice little night market all the way down the main street. I was disappointed my 'Fried Pork and sour tomato sauce' turned out to be plain sliced sausage and sliced tomato! Had a laugh though as someone ordered a 'mixed entry' and another ordered a 'pouf salad'.

Went to a bar for a beer. Almost everywhere offers a free shot of Lao-Lao whisky and i'm not surprised - its so foul they can't get rid of the stuff. We read about the country in the menu...as you do.

Apparently the bars all shut at 11.30 because the government has placed a curfew stating that all people must be in their registered place of sleeping by midnight. It was quite odd walking back to the guest house at 11.30 and seeing the once bustling night market streets now like a ghost town. I wasn't sure yet if this curfew was so strict elsewhere in Laos or indeed what happens if you stay out.

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Comments

[Mainey]

You should've all run to the end of the boat in one go, it could've flipped over!