Advertisement
Day 42-April 16th: We landed in Luang Prabang at dusk, and I asked if I could buddy up w/ Libby to share accommodation, since she was also traveling solo. This is the best way to travel on a budget, so I always look for other solo travelers or people who would seem willing to take on a solo traveler to share expenses. Libby and I walked through town with Rachel and Jeff (Aussies), Blake (MA guy), and the 3 Bangkok residents: Alex (Aussie) and Nathalie and Chelsea (TX gals). We found a guesthouse together called Tanoy Guesthouse. The 3 Bangkok folks were next door, so it was down to the other 5 of us at Tanoy. The proprietor of the Tanoy was a kind Laotian woman and thankfully she had a room for 5 people - balcony and bathroom included! It was lovely.
We checked in and put our stuff down and went down the road for dinner. We ate at a local noodle shop restaurant, then walked around the night market and shopped for souvenirs. We went for drinks down the road from the guesthouse, along the Mekong. Libby had been hanging out with a group of Irish lads on the boat ride, and she wanted to meet up with them. They were at a local backpacker favorite called Hive. I was game, so she and I said goodnight to the others and went off to find Hive and the lads. Luang Prabang isn't very big, but we walked for quite a while before we found Hive. It turns out it's on the backside of Mt. Phousi - the big hill in town - and we just went the wrong way or something. Finally we found the bar, but they were closing! At 11PM! Everything shuts down early in Laos... or so we thought. We saw everyone milling about outside the bar, and they were negotiating with a tuk tuk driver who was to take them to the nightclub in town. Aha!
Next thing you know, me and Libby and the 5 Irish boys and 4 Irish lasses that they had met were all off to the "after-hours club" in Luang Prabang. Who knew? We arrived at the Laos dance club and chatted and hung out and danced and had a great time! Then that place closed down. At 12:30 AM. So we were off again, this time to the bowling alley. We got there and had to wait a bit for a lane to open up. Turns out this is a very popular place to be in the wee hours! We bowled for a while - I won the game with 117! - and then the bowling alley closed down at 3 AM. Oh my! Next stop: the Irish lads' guesthouse for more late-night partying and trying to stay awake as long as possible. We all made it to the guesthouse, but the Irish gals only stayed for a short while then took off for their hotel.
So it was down to me and Libby and the 4 Irish guys. They were all trying to stay awake til 6 AM, when the Buddhist monks come walking through town to collect offerings from people along the roadsides. I guess this is a daily ritual procession and many locals and tourists participate. We made it til dawn and went out to the roadside to participate in the tradition. Libby and I and Paddy and Michael sat there with rice and bananas just purchased and when the monks walked by, we gave them each a little bit of food. Dozens of monks walked by, saffron robes and covered bowls and heads bowed, it was quite a sight to see! I'm glad I was awake for this!
After sitting by the road and handing food to the monks, we then went back to the guys' guesthouse to try and sleep for a little bit. We only slept maybe an hour, we woke up around 8 AM. We ate breakfast with the Irish guys before they left. They were on a whirlwind tour of SE Asia and had to be off to the next place at 9 AM that morning. Finally, Libby and I walked back across town to our guesthouse, exhausted and ready for some serious sleep!
Day 43-April 17th: Libby and I saw our roommates near the Tanoy, they were just eating breakfast and ready for a walk around town. We were ready for bed! We slept from about 10 AM til about 1 PM. We woke up in time to join the others for a trip to a nearby famous waterfall called Khouang Sy Waterfall. It's a place where many tourists and locals go, it's about 45 minutes away by songthaew. There were 10 of us: Rachel, Jeff, Blake, Libby, me, Alex, and the 4 Irish gals: Linda, Sarah, Deidre, Katrina.
The falls were amazing! We hiked a short distance to the first small waterfall. Along the way we passed a bear sanctuary and tiger rescue place. The bears were out - so adorable! - but the tiger was not out. They are kept in a fenced-in area of course! After swimming in the smaller waterfall pool, we walked up to the main falls. The high falls were fantastic! You can climb up the hill on one side and actually walk across the falls at one of the high parts. Scary but exciting! Most of the group stayed down at the bottom of the falls, chatting and snacking. But Libby, Rachel, Blake and I walked up the the high point and walked across the falls. Very cool! Then we went swimming in the pool that has formed up high from the initial waterfall. It was so fun and refreshing and the water was an amazing green-blue color! If you make it to Luang Prabang, take some time to check out this waterfall!
After swimming and enjoying the waterfall fun, we all went back to town. I went to use the internet for a bit, then joined my roommates for dinner at the restaurant down by the river where we had had drinks the night before. I was VERY tired and went right to bed after our late dinner. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow, I need a full night's sleep!
Day 44-April 18th: I got up this morning and walked around town on my own. I was scheduled to leave in the afternoon with Alex and Nathalie and Chelsea and the Irish gals, we were all heading to Vang Vieng next. So I did the tourist/sight-seeing thing all morning. I walked along the riverfront road, taking in the views of the Mekong and then curving around to the other river in town. I visited Wat Xieng Thong, a popular, interesting Wat demonstrating Laos architecture. Next I strolled over to Mt. Phousi and climbed to the top. It was hot but I wanted to get to the top for the panoramic views of the town. It was awesome! There are many Buddha statues and even a grotto/cave place on the hill. I am glad I made the sweaty climb to the top.
I walked back to the guesthouse and grabbed my stuff and met up w/ the others who were on the 1 PM mini-bus to Vang Vieng. My roommates at the Tanoy were going to spend another day in Luang Prabang before heading to Vang Vieng, so I said goodbye to them, in case we didn't meet up again in the next town. There is a tendency for all backpackers to follow a certain path, with minimal variation, so odds were pretty good that we'd meet up again, but just in case, we said goodbye. Then the 8 of us were off on our journey.
It was a beautiful, scenic drive through the hills of northern Laos. It was also VERY curvy and winding, up and over hills and back down again. Not for the faint of heart! We passed through hill-tribe villages and got slowed up by cattle crossing the road and watched the slash and burn on the hillsides and slept along the way. We arrived in Vang Vieng around 6 or 7 PM and checked into a guesthouse in town. The Irish wanted a place along the river, so they went off to find something more expensive, while the other 4 of us stayed at the first place we found.
We met up at a local Lao restaurant for dinner. Then Alex and the Americans went home and I headed out for drinks w/ the 4 Irish. We went to Jaidee's bar for drinks and shakes and I had some yummy WineLao (as opposed to the BeerLao everyone typically drinks in Laos). I finally went to bed around 2 AM, after stopping at a street vendor for a delicious banana/chocolate pancake. I love those pancakes they make! And I love that the street vendors are open late at night!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.169s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 9; qc: 45; dbt: 0.1389s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Adrienne
non-member comment
YAY Shopping!
And shopping at night! I think internet shopping is pretty great, but only b/c the stores aren't open late at night. Guess I'm just in the wrong country! Tee hee! And ya gotta love the irish (as one of them, i'm a bit partial)...always up for a drink...sounds like they keep your schedule, zabe! and such a competitive bowler - sheesh! note to self: order much beer when bowling with Zabe but don't drink any...might have a fighting chance...