Down the Mekong to Luang Prabang

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Houay Xai, Pak Beng, Luang Prabang
Jason & Kirstyn O After an amazing time on the Gibbon experience we had to come back down to Earth (excuse the pun) and spent a day in Houay Xai, mainly because Kirstyn had to continue her tour of South East Asias hospitals!

Our original plan was for Kirstyn to cross back over to Thailand and get the shot there, but the border official made life difficult and insisted on keeping her passport or otherwise stamping out and paying to get back in! Luckily some local "falang" who we had seen about earlier and who spoke Lao were at the border and Kirstyn decided to ask for help. They found the whole situation quite amusing (asked Kirstyn how many people she had bitten!) but they directed us to the local hospital which ended up being pretty good (shot three done).

We found out later that one of the guys was the founder of the Gibbon experience. Ended the day with a lovely herbal sauna. The following day we boarded the slow boat for Luang Prabang down the picturesque Mekong river.

The slow boat down the Mekong River was a great experience. Spent the two days with about 70 other foreigners aboard a big wooden boat. Played cards and drank Beer Lao (although Jason a bit shy due to some belly troubles...luckily there was a toilet on the boat) to pass the time. The trip was very scenic and helped to alleviate the pain in our bums from the hard wooden seats!

Arrived in Luang Prabang with a group of travellers and managed to cram 11 people in a tiny Tuk Tuk with packs loaded on top! A great sight to see but we forgot to take photos....oops! Went out late that night .....lots of drinks and even found the local ten pin bowls which is open to 3am! The local pubs shut at 12:00 but they come around at 11:30 and pour your drinks into takeaway cups as the local police tend to crack down hard on them if anyone is left on the premises after twelve. The ten pin bowling alley was one of the most bizarre places we have been yet but lots of fun!

Spent two days in Luang Prabang. The first day a bit of a rest day then on the next day visited a local waterfall...very beautiful! Luang Prabang is a very pretty little city with evidence of French colonisation everywhere. The local play Petanque (Bocce) by the Mekong!

Only spent a few days here before heading off to Muang Ngoi Neua..............

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Photos

Sunset on the Mekong
End of Day 1 of slow boat trip, lovely scenery, very sore butts

Early morning mist - Pak Beng
Day 2 start

Pitt Stop
We pulled in at this gorgeous little beach to wait for the wind to die down