leaving Luang :-(

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Im just after a terrific feed of fish on a stick ($2)and vegies(50p), woked, on the side of the road.yummmmy! and of course the mandatory beer lao, which is lovely I might add! Unfortunatly wanted to part with all my cash on route to the internet because of al the lovely stuff. I did part with a bit but all for things for me! Nobody is getting anything, sorry!
So why did the chicken cross the road? Well that does apply here, however so too does the cow, the pig, the dog, the cat, the buffalo, the duck, the turkey, the goat, and even the rabbit. And the answer? To get to someones plate -all bar the cat because cats are kinda holy, something unusual about a cat resembling a pregnant woman late at night in years gone by -so we don’t eat cats. But all the rest, definately. Well I think the only rabbit was someones pet so maybe not, but they eat anything. So apparently you don’t eat your own dog, but you normally eat your neighbours. On the pick up/bus we rode the other day, there was also some kind of rodent, kinda like a large rat crossed with a guineapig. He was on his way to Luang Prabang like us, although I daresay, he didny purchase the ticket willingly. His feet were bound and he squirmed around for the hours awaiting his fate. the buffalo is real good -chewy strongish beef.
So since the last time I nattered online we made our decision and remained in Loas. We decided to go to a village Muang Neua -kinda north east -the shortest distance on a bus the tour operator reccomended.. A spur of the moment thing. We hoped on a 4 hour bus to a village- Muang Kiaw-and then an hourish baot up the mekng to the village -only accessible by water. We got our hut for $2 -a bed and mosy net, shared toilet etc. twas the finest. The toilet unfortunatly had to be shared with a very large, about the size of a saucer, brown spider. He positioned himself nicely, as near to the loo as possible - just where your head might be. Other than that, a kinda trough with water and a saucepan to peg it over yourself -we chose to bath in the river.
The electircity lasted from 6ish to 10. the food was lovely and cheap. Again I delighted in testing the chocolate pancakes. We met some nice peole and just alowed the evening to slip away, without beer, cos of the spur of the moment decision thing we didn’t go to the ATM before we left! So next day, we went walking for a couple of hours to the caves, which were deadly. We even managed a swim in the middle of one cave in the dark.
The people in the village were fairy cut off from the outside world. We may have heard one tv and possibly a phone but they were exptremly few and far between. A lot of the people just kinda sit round their shops or resturants all day and head into the river to wash themselves, their cloths or have a swim. Lots of the youngsters would be out in the morning wearing nothing just splashing round in the water. There were a good many people in the river, fishing on our boat trip. They have nets or baskets or some have goggles and a net in their had and seem to just stand in the water all day, just coming up for air between fish catches. Its funny, on the bus all along the way, just normal villages and then after a boat trip, theres a backpacker village, for trekking and relaxing, and they still -no tvs and all- have pringles and oreos in all the shops. I think a lot of the folk there maybe innocent to theh goings on in the outside world, and they all look innocent and wide eyed for it, how bad.
So we spent two nights. It was nice, so relaxing, so many baby chicks and ducks everywhere too (yes im eating last months but anyway). Kinda like a little place in the back of beyond, tourists but unspoiled.
So we returned to luang on our pick up, with bags of corn, yams, possibly sugar cane, dead birds, our friend the ratpig loads of other stuff in fertiliser bags(notr fertiliser) and a couple of crates of live chickens on the roof for good measure. One of the poor divils kept crowing for a while. Probably his last words as someone pointed out. Along with other squished farangs (what the call forigners here) we returned to a luang with no power. So, we waited in the dark, the night market was by candle light -so quaint. We waited and waited and waited, for the power for the ATM. No joy! Or perhaps joy-cos we stayed for another night. So today we went back to the waterfall, this time, climbing to the top! Or really dragging our legs like lead baloons, panting and loosing gallons in perspiration, we just made it. It was pretty spectular. I managed to jump into the waterfall and have a swim. Unbelievable view. Unfortunatly, the lion we came to see still remained as illusive as ever, and slept truough our visit! Shit! So maybe all the better, its just one female who lookes to have worn a fair path from fence walking, so possibly it may have been a depressing sight.
So with all the nice things, I’m surorised the ATM is still allowing us to visit, but sure it seems craxy when you withdraw 700,000 kip ($70) which wouldn’t last that long. Actually, we had to withdraw lots of 2,000,000 dong in vietnam (16,000= $1 ish)
And I cant stop buying the food either! It’s a first for me. Just buying a whole fish on a stick, raosted with lemon grass. And so good. With a kinda buffet vegetable stand, where you filll a bowl with noodles, swee potatoe, all kinds of peas, carrots, spinach, rice and the heat it in the wok. And even better using chopsticks and drinking a beer laos.
I forgot, the last night we were here, there was a miny storm, a gust of wind followed by a complete power outage, a few shouts and torches, lights back on and like a swarm of bees landed, the whole place -all the vendors and people buying just upd and packed things and ran like lunatics. Children tied on to their backs, packed up the bags and mats they lay everything on, grab stools or whatever and hop on a moped or run. Hysteria! We hid in a pub (which was plating U2 electrical storm as we entered!) while the rain came crashing down. They were like ants , flying round the place and scattering to all corners of the road until they were out of sight in 10 minutes or so. It all cleared in half hour or so. And the heat was back- just in time to make us crave another beer. Twas a fun night, met some nice people and drank nice beer and the locals tried to teach us Laos- nothing exciting - just to say do u love me or I love u or laugh. I think perhaps there english was best reading the menu - I think it wud have been best to learn the words forn extra chocolate on my pancake but no, they couldn’t manage and we had to spend the night asking people did they love us because that’s all we could remember afer whiskey and beer. Anyhows, we really are leaving laos tomorrow, I think. That should be a song -leaving laos! Were sad but more to seee! Changmai is our next target. It takes 2 days on a slow boat -a night in a guest house inbetween and a 6 hour bus journey. Ahhhh.
So that’s that.

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