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Published: August 29th 2009
Hello from Laos
The Kuang Xi Waterfalls just outside of Luang Prabang. A good place for an afterrnoon as you get to swim in three natural pools and there are some bears to admire on the way in.
Sadly, the tiger is no more, apparently he drowned during the rains. So Terry is still to see a living Tiger.
Photo coutesy of Fi,So here we are about to leave Australia for the third time and tomorrow set off to Quito, getting ready to learn Spanish and how to sway hips to those amazing rhythms. Many thanks to everyone for your comments and updates from home, which are all so well received.
Laos
We left home seventeen months ago but in our blog we’re still back in November and deep in Asia and at last about to get on a boat to Luang Prabang. Travelling by boat beats the bus any time.
Slow Boat down the Mekong River
The boat trip takes two days, with an overnight stay in the small village of Pak Beng. The boats are pretty rudimentary and fitted with wooden benches for seats, hence the hasty purchase of cushions. There are fast boats but they’re little more than canoes fitted with massive engines which zoom down the river at great speed and noise, bumping hard against every small wave. They didn’t look like fun to us and apparently there are nasty and sometimes fatal accidents in them every year.
It was early morning and we’d
On a Slow Boat Down Mekong River
The slow boats used to be the only way of transporting cargo/produce between villages but now there’s sufficient income from tourists that the boats are kitted with wooden benches. We’d heard that the benches are very hard hence Fi and I had no hesitation in buying cushions, Terry of course didn’t bother so thankfully we got some soft seats. arrived with several other bus loads at the river bank, all crowding into the many small boats waiting to take us over the river to the Laos border control.
Since leaving Central Asia border crossings have been a piece of cake and happy to report that Laos was no different. One queue for visas, then simply shuffle along to the next queue for immigration. It’s all surrounded in an inevitable mild confusion generated by language barriers but all pretty efficient.
So there we were all visa stamped and official and the wait began. Nine o clock, turned to ten which turned to eleven o clock. We were clearly waiting for more people to arrive but no one knew how many. Eventually we were given the “Go” and off we rushed to our boat.
Imagine our delight when we clambered aboard to find four sets of padded airline seats in the front section of the boat. Our bums were on those seats before you could say “ Who wants my cushion”! The benches really were pretty grim and even worse some people were hustled to the back of the boat where they had to settle down for eight
Laos On Slow Boat Down Mekong
The boats make occasional stops at various villages en route. Once stopped, teams of children jump on and try and sell stuff to the travellers. But they have to be quick as the boat won't wait and if they don't get off they have a long walk back from the next stop.
Photo coutesy of Fi. hours with a hot, noisy diesel engine.
Feeling very thankful we settled into our luxury seats and enjoyed the lovely scenery floating by and mused on the result of the US election. It would be two days before we’d find out who’d won. In a world of internet and email its not often you feel this remote.
Overnight Stay at Pak Beng
The rumours and tales about Pak Beng are numerous and mostly of the “beware of the rats which will chew through your back pack” type. But we found quite a sweet little village and even a selection of places to eat lining the street between our stopping place and guest house. We had a very clean room, with our own (cold water) shower for 75,000 Kip (about £5) for a double room. Electricity was from a generator at the guest house and stopped at 10pm but we think that there are plans for both a road and a mains electricity supply to reach Pak Beng in the near future.
Terry had been feeling a little off colour for the last few days so the absence of filth and rats
On Slow Boat Down Mekong
Our boat was full and initially a little tense, but beers were sold and soon a party atmosphere broke out as we motored down the Mighty Mekong. With nothing to do but gaze at the jungles of Laos slip gently by was a definite bonus. Next morning it transpired that we may have been lucky as some people were full of tales of rats, mosquitoes and all sorts of dreadfulness. Sometimes these tales get exaggerated, who knows, but a good tip for anyone travelling this route is that when you arrive at Pak Beng turn right to seek a room. The horror stories all came from those who went left.
Next day it was a different boat with more padded seats. We’d taken no chances and got aboard really early to bag ours and happily the second day passed much the same as the first; all just so relaxing.
Luang Prabang
Travellers' in the UK have voted Luang Prabang as their favourite destination in the world and its easy to see why. All white linen napkins and colonial architecture; it was a little like Hampstead but with a strong French accent and you could even imagine young men sitting outside cafes, sipping strong black coffee whilst reading Du Monde. So welcome after our recent travels through India and SE Asia.
The young men, however, mostly walk around in the brightly orange attire
Boarding the boat at Pak Beng
The rains had only just finished so the river was high and the gang plank fairly perilous.
No body fell in and we were soon awy again. of Buddhist monks which adds a charming visual touch. Luang has its own airport and is becoming a bit of a “resort” town but lovely all the same. Hopefully the controls imposed by its UNESCO status will prevent it from becoming a Costa-del-Laos.
Its stuffed full of temples (called Wats) and the streets are lined with frangipani trees. Even better it was covered with the bluest of skies. We’d intended to trek into the mountains for a couple of days but with Terry still recovering and the opportunity to enjoy this lovely town we stayed put, whilst the erstwhile Fi set off with a companion she met on the boat. Her tales on her return sounded wonderful, but so were the meals and sights we’d seen by staying put.
As we wandered around the town centre we often bump into fellow “boat people” which all just added to a sense of community and belonging that we hadn’t felt for so many months.
The Laos people are something special. They have to be the gentlest and politest race we’ll ever meet and always ready with a smile. It was extraordinary, even in a place as over exposed as
On Slow Boat Down Mekong
Over the two days the scenery is ever changing but always lovely. LP and a real treat. To be able to walk around markets and browse without the usual endless harassment was a joy. In fact unlike most of SE Asia its a place not to bargain too hard, we’d heard that they will sell at a loss rather than disappoint; it’s probably an apocryphal tale but we could almost believe it. Even better Fi had some space in her bag to take home my shopping. What a star!
Vang Vieng
So after five calm and relaxing days we jumped on a tourist bus and headed south. As ever, the bus was full but there was just enough space to accommodate a few more locals on plastic stools in the aisle. Health and Safety are two words we haven’t heard since leaving Europe and frankly haven’t missed them much.
The journey was meant to take four or five hours, which isn’t so bad when you have the stunning mountain scenery for entertainment. After about three hours we stopped at a roadside “café” for refreshment, a curry being included in the price of the bus ticket. A café over the road was showing Dr Who,
Luang Prabang Street Scene
Uncle Ho and his North Vietnam Army, made their trails between North and South Vietnam on Laos territory. Hence it was dragged unknowingly into the Vietnam war; this tiny country has dubious accolade of being the most bombed country in the world. Its been quoted that Laos was hit by a B52 bomb load every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day every day between 64 to 73. More ordnance landed on Laos than was dropped during WWII and the majority of villagers had no idea who was bombing them or why.
It wasn’t until 2005 that the USA recognised Laos for normal trade relations but perversely Laos has received more financial support from the USA than in all the time it was a French protectorate. It’s a strange world.
dubbed in Laos and all was fine.
After an hour we were getting concerned about moving on as we had yet to book somewhere to stay. The temperature rose and still we waited. It eventually transpired that our bus had some mechanical problems and they weren’t sure it would reach Vang Vieng so we were waiting for a second bus to arrive. This was our third bus breakdown since leaving home and was becoming boringly familiar.
A bus eventually arrived and amidst much confusion it was realised that it was too small, so half the bags were transferred back and both buses set off. Eventually three tired travellers arrived in Vang Vieng, in the dark, and after a heated moment tracking down our bags it only took a short walk (across a disused airfield previously used by the CIA in their unofficial war in these parts) to find a place to stay and to sleep.
Vang Vieng is the sleaziest of towns but it’s a convenient stop over on route to Vientiane and it’s also Tubing Town!
The next day, under a beautiful blue sky, was spent Tubing (aka gently floating down the river whilst seated
Luang Prabang Monks Morning Alms Round
I couldn’t help wondering, however, if all the monks were all genuine or a communist government intervention to keep the tourists happy? Especially the daily early morning alms round, when all the monks walk the street to beg for their day’s food, it makes for a splendid spectacle but is it real? in an inflated inner tyre), it was my first tubing experience and proved a rather good way to spend a day.
Comfortably seated (bum in cool water) and floating gently past Karst Mountain tops and jungle. Kaleidoscopes of butterflies sported around and dragon flies occasionally settled on us. What can you say? Ohh yes for the first mile or so there were also bars every few hundred yards, selling beer and offering free bananas and free goes on enormous water chutes or zip wires over the river. Of course we rose to the challenge but sadly I don’t think Terry’s shoulder has recovered yet. It was a remarkable experience.
And the next day saw us off to Vientiane.
Vientiane
With some sunburn and happy memories of tubing we headed off to Vientiane, the capital of Laos (or more properly the Laos People’s Democratic Republic a single party socialist republic since gaining independence in 1954.) The journey was trouble free and we were quickly booked in and off exploring the streets.
It proved to be a charming city, just on the cusp of becoming a major tourist town. The French influence
Luang Prabang Night Market.
Every evening a main street is closed off to traffic for a night market. Of course, it sells all the same stuff as the day market but the atmsophere is very different.
Fiona had a half empty bag and a willingness to carry Christine's shopping back to the UK, so at last I was free to buy some long admired Tat. is very strong and it was pleasant strolling along avenues lined with slightly faded colonial architecture, interspersed with ancient Buddhist temples.
We’d arrived in time for the last night of a fourteen day religious festival at the Wat That Luang, Laos’s national icon. So later that evening saw us zooming rather precariously in an open Tuk-Tuk to the temple, along with thousands of others. The streets were thronging with Tuk Tuks, bearing tourists and locals alike, all attempting to get there first and race back for the next fare. It gave a strong feeling of togetherness and excitement and set a comfortable back drop for the evening.
We’ve already remarked on the gentleness of the Laotian people but their politeness was exemplified at the festival. Amidst the chaos of so many people we all had to be searched, but somehow it was done calmly. The lady searching me simply approached, put her hands together and gave a slight head bow saying “so sorry I must search you now”.
There must have been a million people crowding in and around the temple, but not a person was chanting religious mantra; no there was pop corn and candy floss,
Luang Prabang: Wat Xieng Thong
LP is stuffed full of Wats ( aka temples) all adding a particular charm. fete stalls, a stage on what appeared to be a beauty contest going on and the loudest of music. That was before all the fireworks started. But even in such a throng Fi was never in danger of getting separated from us as Terry and I stood at least head and shoulders above (Fi and) the locals!
Xieng Khuan: The Buddha Park.
Next day and we were off to the Buddha Park, about an hour’s bus journey outside of the city. We found the bus station and found the right bus and thought how lucky as we just squeezed on. But of course there was room for a few more and fifteen minutes later, when even the locals were complaining that the bus was full, we finally set off, hanging on to the straps for dear life as I couldn’t quite straighten my legs and trying not to notice the heat.
Thankfully the bus thinned out as the road surface worsened and we arrived safely at the Buddha Park, which is an oddity hard to describe. About two hundred Hindu and Buddhist statues have been crammed into a small park alongside the
Vang Vieng
Vang Vieng has to be one of the worst towns imaginable. Seedy bars and restaurants showing endless repeats of Friends. Ugh. But it is surrounded by beautiful Karst mountains, provides a welcome break on the long bus journey between LP and Ventiane and its also Tubing Town Mekong. They look like religious antiquities but in fact were created in the 1950’s by a chap who later fled to Thailand during 1975 Laos revolution. It’s all very amusing and it was quite cheering to see again the Hindu figures that had become so familiar when in India.
And so after a meal, which for Fi must have involved chicken and cashews, we were early to bed in readiness for a crack of dawn flight to Siem Reap and the wondrous temples of Angkor.
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Christine
non-member comment
Wonderful pics and story
Wat (ha ha...) fab pics. Looking forward to Angkor Wat installment , though I suspect you will be busy imbibing your next new culture for some time to come ...