Luang Nam Tha

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I left LPB on Saturday morning bound for the remotish town of Luang Nam Tha. This is a popular first night stop for those travellers who have crossed the border from China. I found a gorgeous guest house to stay in: clean, free drinking water and internet all for about $4 per night. Luang Nam Tha is well known for its spectacular natural environment and there are loads of trekking opps. I found a 2 day 1 night option and spent Sunday bush bashing through muddy dirt tracks. Quite the adventure. We all came out worse for wear with mud stained clothing, bruises and grazes from sliding down the track. We all agreed it was much more fun than a simple afternoon walk due to the mud and constant rains. Of course in the vllage there were no showers so we all took a riverbath to clean up. We had to stop at brushing our teeth in the river but our guides happily cleaned there teeth. The highligh of the day was a traditional lunch. On top of the hill in amongst the trees our guides spread oput a table of banana leaves. They made sppons from the leaves as well. We ate soup which was cooked in a bamboo tube with water buffalo meat and bamboo shoot soup. The buffalo was delish! That meal will stay with me for a long time.

On Monday we spent the day kayaking down the Nam Tha River. It was a very enjoyable day. We were all chilled out until we heard Alan give a shout and swear. A river snake had somehow managed to stow away in his kayak. It took some effort getting the little guy out, he was obviously enjoying the ride!

I have had enough of being wet and so today I am staying inside where i can be cosy and dry. The wet season has reached here with intensity and there are many heavy showers every day. Tomorrow I need to find my way to Ban Donchai where I begn my Gibbon Experience on the 10th June. That goes for 3 days and then I have to high tail it across the border into Thailand before my visa expires. The Gibbon Experience is something I wanted o do ever since I heard about it. It will be the most expensive thing I have done so I am hoping it lives up to expectations. I will live in a tree house, hike to a waterfall and fly around from platform to platform on a flying fox. I'm sure it will be an experience to remember. I'll keep you posted.

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Photos

Buffalo meat
This was delish!

TREKTASTIC
Those socks really elongate my legs don't you think???

Bamboo soup
Cooking the soup in a tube of bamboo

Filthy Feet
Group shot taken as we celebrated making it back in one piece

Bath time
Our guide brushes his teeth while taking a dip

Bedroom
Our beds in our village hut. Very cosy

Village life
Homestay village shot

Riverside lunch
Our guides chose this small island for our lunchtime stop. We just whipped everything out of there banana leaf wrapping as the rain lashed over us. It was a fast lunch but it was funny to eat in the rain. Good time

Final farwell
Group shot just before we clamber into the tuk tuk for the wet and muddy 2 hour ride home.

Village time
A far cry from video games and TV