Slow boat, special delivery

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We had read a lot about the slow boat trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang and heard some great and bad stories so I knew our trip wouldnt be uneventful but I didn't expect it to merit it's own blog. Yet here we go...

Prior to the slow boat journey we crossed over into Laos by a large open canoe type boat from Chiang Khong, an hours songthaew and hitch hike from CS. Obtaining 30 day visas the other side then quickly visiting an atm for our Lao kip we then headed to the slow boat port just in time to meet everyone else piling in. I estimate about 100 on board, some on wooden bench seats, some on car seats, some on the floor. Day one on the boat would be around 6 hours travelling and the entertainment was everyone else getting drunk and singing in various different languages.

We arrived at Pakpeng around 6pm (me darting off to book a room whilst Math waited for our bags to come out of the hold), we ate nearby and had an early night...not much to do here, just an overnight stop off.

We were advised to arrive early the next morning which we did, finding seats with a table this time and waited for everyone else. Following yesterdays chaos and worried looks on the 'co-captain's' face as he asked the bigger men to move sides according to the lean of the boat, they obviously decided to lay on two boats for us today because once full (but not crowded) ours set off early.

9 hours travelling today so we agreed our staggered snack times to last the day. The boat is much more relaxed today and the space makes it much more comfortable but its raining so the stunning magestic scenery we coasted past yesterday has lost its edge slightly.

After our elevenses, i started to write my blog from the last few days. I omitted to mention but a little earlier the 'special delivery' had boarded at one of the local stops and was now in the open area towards the back of the boat, 2 seats away. Just as I got into the blog writing, the whole boat started to become aware of this delivery... an expectant mother with husband and sister. Waters broken, and setting up camp on the floor in the boat, this mother did look a little anxious but not very. We wondered if it could be possible that she might give birth within the 6 hours remaining on the boat. The lady had silent contractions and despite being very much in the eye line of many people on the boat was helped to keep private reasonably well. After some slightly audible shifting around we heard her baby cry and a round of applause was started. Delivery by sister, mother leaning against husband the baby girl had been delivered on the floor of the boat. We saw the chord being cut and the baby being wrapped up. We contributed to a whip round and estimate that the father was handed, with a hand shake, equivalent of 3 months wages (but very little to each of us). The family left the boat another hour later after mother had fed baby and one guy translated a 'thank you' message from them for well wishes and money. Another round of applause escorted them off the boat and we carried on down the river.

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Comments

[sandra]

special delivery or what !
What an experience - its like something you see in the documentaries ...

[Rosie]

Yep.....you don't get that on Minsterley Motors......An experience you will never forget. Bless the new little family!