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Published: December 26th 2006
An unplanned hello from Chiang Mai!
Having a bit of a nightmare getting to Malaysia. Decided to take a slow boat from Luang Prabang to the Thai border, and then on the Chiang Mai where I had booked a flight to Malaysia. As for the boat - when I mean slow I mean SLOWWW - takes 2 days!! Very scenic trip though, endless green mountains, rocky cliffs and little villages along the Mekong River. The boat is an old long cargo boat, so we had to sit on hard wooden benches for 2 days - bum was in pain! But was quite fun - met lots of people and got through 2 great books,(including The Kite runner - amaaaazing!).
After 9 hours the first day, we spent the night in a little village called Pak Beng - nothing there really, just ate and slept (in a horrible room with no electricity, no running water and RATS running around on the roof - gross).
The next day was supposed to take 8 hours, but took 9 and a half....was panicking because we arrived on the Lao side of the river, literally opposite the Thai border, but were too late
- the border had shut already. Crap crap crap. Meant I would miss my flight the next day to Malaysia (which I had paid loads of money for).
So had to spend ANOTHER night in yet another random town - Huay Xai. Then up early the next day to take a little boat across the river to Thailand, and then a bus to Chiang Mai, which was supposed to take 6, but took 7 - arghhhh!!
FINALLY got to Chiang Mai and rushed to buy another flight for the next day. But couldn't book because it was under 24 hours until departure. Crap crap crap. So spent an evening in Chiang Mai with some friends I'd made on the boat - went to a fab food night market where I had soooo many dishes of food, and wandered around the city. Was quite nice, but such a shock to be in a big lit up city with traffic, after being in calm peaceful Laos.
Sooo am now finally at the airport, managed to buy a stand by flight and, after having yet more stress as I was 2kgs overweight and having had my lovely Swiss penknife confiscated,
am waiting to board the plane for Kuala Lumpur after FOUR days of trying to get there. Sighhhh, that's the traveller's life.....
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