Elephants, treks and lots of sweat!

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Hello!

Long time without updates!

On Friday the 3rd we wandered around Luang Prabang town in the morning, saw the national museum/palace (which houses the only portrait of the late king who was sent off to a re-education camp and never seen again), and then in the afternoon got a tuk tuk to the Kwang Sei waterfall. Witnessed the only anger between Laos that we've seen so far, with a guy getting irritated with the one we'd agreed to go with, and shouting at him, making it impossible for us to leave for a while. But he eventually gave up and we went with the original guy. It was quite funny, with Emma telling him to 'shhss' and him smiling and saying 'yes yes shsssh' and then continuing to shout.

The waterfall was very impressive. There are pools down at the bottom which you can swim in (and try not to get washed away). Then we followed it up and were rewarded with the sight of the huge crashing waterfall with spray flying off it. Amazingly beautiful.

In the evening we got trapped by a guy in his 60s who had clearly taken far too many drugs in his day, tediously speaking at us over dinner. So after we'd escaped, we rewarded ourselves with massages. How luxurious!

On Saturday we had an early start to the Elephant Village! Hoorah! This has been set up to house rescued elephants (sad stories, but at least these ones are now being looked after), and they earn their keep by taking tourists around and letting us learn to be Mahouts. What a wonderful experience!! We initially had a little ride on one, learning how to 'speak' to them (basically commands in Lao!), and how to climb up onto them. You climb up on their right leg, holding onto their ears, and swing your leg over onto them. Pretty scary! After we'd had our 'training', we paired up (me, Emma, and a couple) and had a ride around, sitting on a seat on their back for a while, and then having a go driving them. Of course, Emma and I had the elephant that liked throwing mud all over herself/us! We then each got allocated an elephant (and a Mahout) and went off riding on them which was extremely fun, but fairly frightening, especially when it goes down slopes and decides to eat branches.

After that, the elephants went off to relax in the jungle for the rest of the day and we got the boat up the Nam Khan river to Tad Se waterfall. Smaller, but with clearer water and better for swimming in, and extremely refreshing! We splashed around for a while, went under it, gave our backs more massages with the beating water, and swang off a rope swing into it.

Got the boat back to the Elephant village for dinner looking over the river at the mountains, and then went back to the lodge where we were staying, played some cards and went to bed at some ridiculously early hour. Despite which, neither of us got any sleep due to the suffocating heat and lack of air-con.

We got up at 5.30, bleary eyed, to go and bath our elephants. I really wasn't too happy getting back up on an elephant with so little sleep, but quickly remembered what to do - i.e. hold on tight with your legs so you don't fall off!! We took them off down to the river to bath them, which was probably the highlight. My elephant was of course the one that liked diving, and kept ducking her head under the water. I managed to keep a grip until finally, she went so far in I was thrown off, into the Nam Ou, much to everyone's amusement. Managed to get back on without being trampled by anyone, and stood up on her! So much fun!

Once the elephanting was over, we changed, had breakfast, and then I went off on a trek with my guide Pan (Emma was meant to come with me but her sunburnt legs prevented her). It was a beautiful trek, going through a few villages (Khmu and Mung), passing paddi fields, crossing little streams. But hard work in the heat. Saw some very cute children who were all very taken with seeing the pictures on my camera!

Finally we finished, passing through a little village and got the boat back to the Elephant Village, and from there a truck back to Luang Prabang. I don't think I've ever been so happy to have a shower! Covered in mud from elephanting and the Nam Ou river, and sweat from trekking! Found Emma and we went to a nice cafe/bar place called Utopia overlooking the river, then for dinner.

And then finally Monday (yesterday). We got up fairly early to get the minivan (or vinivan) up to Nong Khiaw. Unfortunately there were two obnoxious couples who were angry that they hadn't been provided a van with aircon (we haven't had aircon in any, but with the windows open it's fine!) and they had demanded we get another van. So after picking up another two couples, we went to the bus station, changed vans, and finally drove away, only to discover there was still no aircon. They started shouting and demanding they be taken back to the bus station, but at this point I shouted out 'NO' and we finally proceeded on our way to Nong Khiaw.

Yet more stunning scenary. We had a toilet stop and saw some cabinets filled with delicious (err) maggots and grasshoppers. Yuck! It was only about three hours to Nong Khiaw, and luckily both obnoxious couples continued to Muang Noi.

We loaded our rucksacks onto our backs and walked through the very long town in the sweltering midday heat. Finally found the river and the guest houses on the other side. We are staying in a very plush one. More expensive than we should be paying but it's worth it. I'm particularly delighted by the five tiny kittens here. Last night I was sitting with two of them fast asleep on my lap. Rachel Heaven!! Ahhhhhh. I can hear them squeaking as I type 😊

We had a wander yesterday and got laughed at a bit by the locals (they don't get many tourists). They are a bit less friendly here, it seems, although of course lots are still ridiculously friendly (such as the policeman whose job it is to sit at the start of the trail into our lodge).

Today I got up early and went for a hike up the mountain behind our lodge. Very steep and sweaty work in this heat, but worth it for the views at the top.

And here we are.

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[Ruth Hendrick]

Photos
Really looking forward to seeing them.