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Published: June 21st 2005
Leaving Thailand
Small boat to take us across the Mekong into LaosHowdy all!
Didn't do alot in our last 3/4 days in Chang Mai. We did get ourselves organised
though and sent some unneeded (or so we thought!!) clothes off to our man
in Brisbane, cheers for that Dave !! Sent on monday 22nd and due to take
2 weeks.....we'll see!!!
On Tuesday we left Chang Mai and 5 hours in a minibus later we were in the
border town of Chang Khong. Guesthouse there was part of the total cost
(23 euro) of the trip to Luang Prebang in Laos. Basic accomodation in PJ
guesthouse with rock hard bed!!
Up early next morning, down to border and checked out of Thailand. Then
5 minutes by boat across the Mekong to check into Laos through their border.
Changed 100 euro in Laos money (called the kip), and got back 1.3million
kip.....ridiculous currency really !
Then after a bit of a wait we were setting sail on the Slow Boat (pictures
to follow). There were about 60-70 people onboard. 6 hours later (and some
Beer Lao's!!) we reached a small village called PakBang where we stopped
for the night. Stayed in Vanvisa guesthouse for 2 euro for the room, grand
Laos Kip
The local currency makes you feel like a king....this is 100 Euro worth !!! job.
Next day (Thursday) we were off again for 7.5 hours. Arrived into Luang
Prabang with a very sore arse from sitting on those wooden seats. Staying
here in a guesthouse called Rattana, 10 US$ per night. I'd definatly recommend
it to those of you coming this way in the future.
Friday it rained all day.....which was when we realised that sending our
raincoats, jumpers, trousers to Oz was a bad idea.....very cold !
Went for boozes in a place called Hive Bar....very hip indeed. All the gang
from the boat met up which was cool. Sadly there is an 11pm curfew in Laos
at the moment cause the Asean Summit is on and they want everyone on best
behaviour. This means last orders is at 10:15pm which is ridiculous.....as
if an Irish person needs 45 mins to drink their last beer or 2....!
There are cops driving around on motorbikes after 11pm shouting "Go Home"
at you.....crazy place indeed!!
Saturday the rained stopped so we went to see the Grand Palace in the morning,
very interesting and all that stuff.
In the afternoon we took a tuk-tuk ride to the Kuang Si Waterfall which
was spectacular.
The Slow Boat
All aboard for a 2 day trip down the Mekong to take us from the border to Luang Prabang THere is also a little caged habitat there where we got
to see a tiger and bears.
On the way back our driver took us to this Chinese market where they speak
no English, so the driver did the haggling for us and we got great bargains
on the fleeces and my new woolly hat!!
More beer when we got back of course.
Luang Prabang: Very nice place indeed. Quite unusual in that there is a
mountain/large hill in the middle of the town! Definatly worth climbing
up that to the montastry at the top, great view. Rent a bicycle for a day
and explore the old part of the town and cycle out of town a bit. Do a trip
to the waterfalls, we went to the Kuang Si Falls which are really nice.
Tomorrow we have booked a minibus to take us to Van Vieng so I'll check
in when we get there!!
Slán libh,
Phil
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