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Published: June 15th 2007
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From Kratie we got a minivan to the boardertown Stung Treng. There we had to wait for hours. The reason was to wait for the next bus they said. After two hours we got on a ferry to travel over the Mekong. Still in Cambodia, just five minutes away. And then more waiting. This was very strange as our driver was there and his car was there and to me there was no reason to wait. Well, there was one reason. If you don't get to the Laos boarder by 16 you will have to pay 2 dollars because it's overtime for the people working there. So it's really a big conspiracy. Well, 2 dollars isn't much but I don't like officials being criminals, even though all politicians all over the world are.
Anyway, we got through the boarder ok, thinking of that the previous day we had travelled on the back of a pickup it was a quite good ride. We got to a small village in southern Laos where we were supposed to get on a boat to one of the four thousand island called Don Det. It was us and an Australian older couple that didn't
enjoy the travels as much as us. They were pissed off because they didn't think they had been treated properly. And now they were asked to pay more to get on the ferry, even though their ticket said it was for the island. They refused and it became a waiting game. Who could hold out the most. The Australians won and we got to the island.
The island was small and very very slow. Many places we had to wait until the chef could come and make food for us. But that seem to be the Laos way. I think it's because they don't really care about money. It is very different from anywhere. In Thailand and Vietnam people try to fool you out of any money you might have, in Cambodia everything is corrupt. And in the middle there is this little country almost forgotten which is relaxation countryfied.
Laos people are content. A friend we met in Sihanoukville spent six months teaching English in Laos and she asked the people where they would go if they could go anywhere in the world. The answer she got was "I like Lao". Fair play to them. If you
are used to this country I guess any other would compare as bad.
The first day on the island we walked around it, it was hot but not unbearable. When darkness came we had electricity for three hours. No fan or aircon at night so we slept with open windows to get some cool air.
The following day we spent in hammocks reading and sleeping.
The next day we rented bikes and went to the next island called Don Khon. The French built a railway between the islands when they were there many years ago and it's actually the only railway in Laos. Not that it is there any more but the bridge is. We cycled over it and saw a big waterfall of the Mekong before we found a small pool to swim in. Occationally fishes nibbled our feet, probably catfish. Then we went to the south tip of the island along the old railway-road. It was quite a long way and a lot of stones on the road so I left my bike under a tree and walked. You can supposedly see rare Irraway dolphins there, only about 50 left in the world. We didn't
see any and didn't want to hire a boat to see them so it was back for us.
We left the next day to Pakse. Since my watch had a bad battery it was about 15 minutes slow and we almost missed the boat. It had left and was 25 metres out when I got to the sandpatch called pier. Fortunatly they got back to pick us up.
Pakse is the most southern city in Laos. We were a bit worried that there wouldn't be an ATM there. In that case we would be in big trouble. We didn't have much cash and wanted to do things around the city but would have to leave if we couldn't get money. Thankfully they had built one last year and I became a millionaire (in kip, about 9000 for a dollar).
The next day we rented a motorbike to go waterfall hunting at the Bolaven Plateau. It was great, I saw several really really beautiful waterfalls. One of them had a fall of 110 metres and I decided to get to the bottom of it. A third down I changed my mind, it was slippery, very steep and a
50 metres fall right down. Not safe enough and combined with a fear of hights. To be honest, just looking at the fall from the top made me a bit dizzy.
It was getting a bit chilly and I wore all the clothes that I brought. We spent the night at a small guesthouse and headed back the next day. Since it's all at a small altitude it's not warm and on the ride home we went through a monsun rain and thunder storm. Definatly an experience.
We got back at the minute we rented the bike the day before which was good otherwise we would have to pay for an extra day.
A meal of the best Italian food in southern Laos and then on a bus north to Savannakhet. 230 km took 6 hours and with a big pizza in my stomach it was a bit of a struggle.
That was yesterday. Today we have booked an ecotrip to a tribe close to the city and will go there tomorrow, do a bit of trekking and spent the night in the village. It is quite expensive, 45 dollars, but Amie really wants to do
it. I come along because I don't have anything else to do. I don't really fancy living with a tribe, it does not interest me. The nature will be cool though.
The Laos is a funny people in a way, I don't think there is any violence here. They really don't like to lose face which it the worst you can do. To lose face you are loud or angry or in anyway can't control yourself. If getting into a problem situation they kind of look away and hopes for the bad thing to go away. I have seen this when angry tourist have raised their voice to Lao people and they look like they want to be somewhere else.
And they are so happy, when riding the motorbike everyone was waving and saying Saba-di, which means hi.
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