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Published: September 3rd 2006
Huay Xai
Main StreetAfter finding out that we weren’t booked onto the Gibbon experience, we basically had to sit tight and hope that we could capitalise on somebody else’s misfortune. We were told to come back and check on the evening of the 26th. The night before was spent stewing over the whole situation and by lunchtime on the 26th we had all pretty much come to terms with the fact that we couldn’t do it.
I decided to kill some time by having a wander round Huay Xai to see if there was anything that took my interest. I stumbled across a temple called Wat Jom Khao Manilat. This temple is set at the top of a large hill overlooking the town. It is accessible via a large ‘naga’ flanked staircase. The temple itself is very nice and probably one of the better looking temples that I have seen throughout Laos. The walls and ceilings are covered in brightly coloured paintings making for a very interesting visit. Unfortunately the visit only lasted around half an hour and then I was back to wishing the time away.
Huay Xai as a place, I have to say is not great. There are
no real attractions, the internet is crap and expensive and generally there is bollocks all to do. Also, because it is a border town and for most tourists this is the first part of Laos they visit, the restaurant owners and shop keepers all work on 9,000 kip to the dollar, as opposed to 10,000 kip that we have encountered everywhere else in Laos. This is totally out of character for the Lao people. Up until Huay Xai we found them to be the most honest and friendly people in South East Asia. We came to the conclusion that the town is a bit too close to Thailand and the Thai ways have rubbed off on them!
Bored and generally pissed off with waiting around, we decided to buy a bottle of ‘Smooth and Mellon’ and drown our sorrows on the balcony. After a few hours of drunken laughing and singing, it got to 6pm and we started thinking about going to the office to confirm our sorrows. Just as we were about to leave, the receptionist from the Gibbon Experience walked up the stairs of our guesthouse with a grin on her face - YEEEESSSS!!!!!! Being so prepared
Huay Xai 2
General Houses for rejection, when she told us that we would be going we were more shocked than anything else. This quickly turned into panic at the fact that we were totally unprepared! We all spent the evening running around like headless chickens packing our bags, buying mosquito spray, shoes with decent grip and anything else we needed for our jungle expedition the following day.
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Anne&Rose&Hannah&Josh&Simon
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Hello
hhhhhhhvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - Message from Hannah! Hello Pete We are all at Mums just been to the Anchor this afternoon - special request from Hannah as she wanted to spend the day at the pub!! She must take after you. So pleased you were able to go on the Gibbon Experience in the end. Sounds like you're still having the time of your life. We miss you lots x x x x kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbuuuuuanouuuwwwwww - another message from Hannah! We all love you lots xxx from Mummy xxxx xxxxxx from Hannah and Josh x