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Published: March 22nd 2005
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Lao Airlines, Chiang Mai
Benny and Clayton on the airstrip at Chiang Mai airport. We stood right behind the propellers when they started it up and got blasted with hot air. At least they worked. Our flight on Lao Airlines was delayed, but only for 40 minutes which is to be expected I guess as the two major Thai airlines run the airports. The Chiang Mai airport is actually much nicer in my opinion than the airport in Bangkok. Clayton almost got us sent home trying to bring contraband onto the airplane in his carry on bag. He seems to think that we are going to need his leatherman knife in Laos (I don't plan on hacking my way through the jungle!). You never know with Clayton, we might end up in the jungle yet. It turns out he had to go back through and check his bag which really wasn't so bad because our flight was the only one into Luang Phrabang and by the time we got through the Visa on Arrival line it was there waiting for us. Getting a Visa into Laos is very simple by the way. All we needed was 3100 baht, our passport, and one passport picture...no questions asked.
The information desk at the airport set us up with a very nice guesthouse, whish seems to be the accomadations of choice here. We are staying at Jaliya Guesthous
Clayton and the Monkey
Clayton is feeding the monkey a piece of the Dragon fruit we had for breakfast. pretty much in the center of Luang Phrabang. The old city is fairly small and can be walked in about 15 minutes. The locals I have asked say the population is growing but still only 3000 people. I have a feeling they are speaking of the city proper but it does spread out quite a bit so there are more than that, especially if you count the tourists. Luang Phrabang is our favorite place yet, in fact we all agree we would not have minded skippin Chiang Mai and definitly Bangkok and come straight here.
We learned quickly that what we should have brought with us is a calculator and kib, the Laotian currency. We brought Baht but that is difficult to figure prices and especially to figure if we are getting correct change. We sorted that out today however, exchanging baht for kib does not cost anything. we thought that things would be much cheaper here than Thailand but they aren't really. The accomadations might be, but food and travel is pretty close to the same. We pay 12 American dollars a night. The guest house is clean and convenient and we even have a pet deer and
Mekong River
Kris and Clayton at the pier on the Mekong River. The boats in the background are similar to the one we hired. monkey, two monkies if you count Benny. We only have two beds so Clayton gets his own, he being a married man and all, and I have to share one with the monkey. Its really not that bad it is a big bed and I am the one who snores anyways.
This morning, Wednesday, we went out on the river and hired ourselves a boat to take us to the Pak Ou caves. The ride to the caves was upstream and took about 2 hours. The weather was cool and there was a nice breeze. There seems to always be a haze here but the air smells clean. The caves contained thousands of Buddha images, most of them discarded because of age or disrepair in the upper cave. The lower cave was larger and contained images that the royalty commissioned prior to 1975. Our driver was named Noi. It seems that if you buy your ticket at the pier there is a Lao society that arranges for drivers. It cost us $12 there and back and we got our own boat. On the way back we got a nice surprise. Noi's village was on our route back and he
Noi's Village Temple
Benny, Kris, Noi, and the village kids. Everyone in the village got a kick out of having their picture taken. invited us to stop there. We got to tour the village and meet his family and talk with his neigbors. Clayton made a very keen observation. In Thailand they were surprised that we spoke Thai, in Laos they are happy that we speak it. Noi's father told us he was glad that we spoke Lao. Of course they are all disappointed that Clayton is already married, and Brooke, I promise that Benny and I have been warding off all the women. Mostly they are interested in Hollywood (Benny), and I have been offered few Lao daughters already as well. We decided the best method to deal with these situations is to tell them that their daughters are too pretty for me and that if they want we will give them Benny but it will cost them a lot of kib because he is a Hollywood actor. So far so good, we are all still single, except for Clayton of course who still only has one wife as long as she will have him back.
We got lost on the way to climb the temple on the hill, Phu Si, but finally got there just after the sunset which we
CRASHED!
It was Clayton's turn for a power map while Benny and I planned. He's doing a great job eh? couldn't see anyways because of the haze and clouds. It seems everyone is burning there trash today or something, smoke is heavy in the air. The view is still nice and we will get up early tomorrow and try again, this time for the sunrise.
We ate at the night market and had a deliciouis dinner of spring rolls, fried rice, fried noodles, and vegetable, watermelon, and the ever popular....Fanta (not Kris's favorite). Oh I forgot to mention that last night we ate dinner at a Lao restaurant and made friends with the owner. He and I are the same age, actually both born on the 9th, me just one month earlier. We chatted for a long time and I think he gave us a great deal on the food, even though it was a little pricey anyways it was good. The night market food was better.
Last thing before we came to the internet cafe which there are many of here and cheap, about 60 cents for a half hour, Clayton bought Brooke a surprise and I helped the salesman convince Clayton he needed more than jsut one. Tomorrow is our last day here and I really think we'd like to stay longer if we could.....Brooke? Just kidding we are coming home.
Tomorrow we are flying to Vientiane the capital of Laos, also by Lao hour so hopefully we will make it close to on time and safely. Our last flight was great and they served really good food too for an hour long flight. Here are some Luang Phrabang pictures...hope you enjoy them.
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anonymous
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What crazy boys!
Sounds like you are having a wonderful time! I am loving the journal and pictures. This is GREAT! Love, Mom - Momma Jones