Nong Kiaow

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From Luang Prabang we headed further north, in to the uplands, to Nong Kiaow for a bit of tranquility before leaving Laos. Our driver was sane and the scenery still beautiful as we wound our way through the hills, past small villages, rice fields, plantation and forest and scrubby hillsides. We had some very chatty companions on our bus although we kept our noses in our books, being as sociable as ever, partly to avoid a real know-it-all, noisy brit (us obviously being much more sedate)! We pulled in to Nong Kiaow, a small village nestled on either side of the Nam Ou River at the feet of some impressive, towering hills, all rock and forest. We wandered over the bridge to the collection of guesthouses and found ourselves a little wooden bungalow, and figured we were going to like this place - shame we'd only have two nights.

We'd arrived in enough time to hunt out a one day trek for the next day, booking one through an outfit called Tiger Trail. Just before we'd gone in I'd mentioned to Rach how annoying it would have been if the noisy brit had booked in to the same guesthouse as us, then as we were asking about the treks who should pop in and ask if the price of the treks would be reduce if he could rustle up a big group to join in? Who do you think, dear reader...go on have a go. Rach found this quite funny, as my face fell, chin bouncing off my sandals. The guy left and I quickly explained to the tour guide we'd pay the full amount to ensure we had the guide just for ourselves, our last Laos adventure - a VIP tour he called it!

Panic over and next day sorted, we headed off to find one of the local caves which was meant to be very big and beautiful. We hadn't got far out of town when some local kids nabbed us and said they'd take us to the cave. Awesome (presumably for a fee)! They led us along a wee path, right through someones front garden (a dusty patch of ground outside a ramshackle little wooden hut with two lovely smiley old folk trying to keep their snarling dog in tow and away from us!), through a little stream, winding along the raised rims of rice terraces, up through chilli and aubergine plots, and then up a very steep slope through scrub and trees, Rach bravely struggling on in flip flops! It wasn't long on this journey when we thought the kids were possibly taking us to a lesser well known cave! Indeed, we finally got to a very narrow entrance to a cave, I went in with the kids, Rach staying well outside of the narrow space. And we half crawled, half walked, along a tunnel, the kids occasionally pointing to something or other, for about 30m or so. It certainly wasn't an amazing cave but was different...and then luckily (just as I was thinking "in theory, with 10 yr old guides and a cheap torch, this could go wrong....hmmm, whats that hole in the cave floor there...") the kids started to get a bit freaked out and said we had to go back. A steep clamber down, and then the request for payment as expected. They had been fun and had helped Rach (as they scampered up the steep slopes in flip flops!) so we gave them some cash....their facial expressions clearly showed that they did not think we were the most generous of clients! Never mind, we're tight and had been taken to the wrong cave! To make amends, that night we ate in the only restaurant in the village with no customers - the people were lovely and the food great...we were hoping the boulder would start rolling, other tourists would see us eating there which would make the restaurant look a bit more inviting, and more would come in. Maybe we just aren't that reassuring a sight...no one else came in. Feel bad for the owners - they did lovely cocktails and we had some great local food (including these sheets of dried river algae). (For info, if anyone's going, it was the empty restaurant in between the very busy Indian and the very busy riverside restaurant).

The next day we headed over to the tour office and met our guide for a one day trek to '100 steps waterfall'. It didn't start well - our guide promptly left us saying he had to take another tour. Our new guide, Home (presume it wasn't spelt like that), turned up with his dad who was the boat driver. The boat engine proceeded to cut out constantly for about 10 minutes (due to the cold!).....but then everything went very well and it was a stunning day. The boat took us for about an hour through beautiful scenery, a broad river with almost glass-like surface perfectly reflecting the surrounding mountains and forests. The mountains rose up dramatically from the river side and beyond fields and woodland. Every now and then the river banks were sculpted in to terraces and covered in sweetcorn, beans, lettuces, etc., the villagers making the most of the fertile silts. We then pulled in to a village, where Home's aunt and cousins lived. The village was all wooden, stilted houses, dogs and chickens everywhere, and was a hive of activity with people building, basket weaving, making boats, preparing veg, spinning cotton....surely this was a set up! It was amazing - Home chatted with his family and then some villagers who were wondering where the money from the tours went....they were worried the chief would blow it all! Home explained that the money could be paid in bulk so that the villagers could get together and decide how it could be spent. The villagers are paid to maintain the trail we use, and possibly for putting up with tourists' gawking!

On the way back from the waterfalls to the village we also saw these amazing, Heath Robinson hydroelectric contraptions - dams, wooden channels and bamboo pipes assembled to channel the river's energy to a propeller connected to a dynamo, incredibly flimsy wires then leading from these for a good long while, weaving through the trees, held in place by vines, back to the village where they can power a few light bulbs in the dry season - in the rainy season the water is too powerful and would rip apart their equipment. Seriously impressive (although the head high wires along the path were a bit worrying).

The trek (they always call these things treks...have to admit they are really just walks, or maybe hikes!) took us from the village through rice terraces, past water buffalo either wallowing in mud pits or wandering around covered head to toe in mud, the odd pig snuffling around and then in to the forest. We had a chance to chat with Home. His parents had lived in the village but one day his two brothers (then aged about 1 and 2) died within a day. This was obviously too much for them to handle and they had to move away from the village to Nong Kiaow where they proceeded to have 5 healthy kids including Home. They couldn't afford school for the kids, but Home (maybe the others too) was educated as a novice monk in Vientiane - his English was amazing! At 19 he decided not to carry on to become a 'full' monk, and also began to appreciate the beauty of Nong Kiaow, and hence headed back. He wanted to become a 'full' monk in the future, but first wanted to live and be a success in 'normal' life so that he had had the chance to fully experience it. He loved the way of life as a monk, the freedom from worries and responsibility of ownership and wealth, but more than that, loved the opportunity it gave to read and learn. His big fear was that he would fall in love, have a family and then not be able to abandon them to become a monk again (although he did hold some hope that if this did happen his wife may understand and allow him to piss off....now that would be understanding!).

After a short while we got to the bottom cascade of the '100 steps waterfall' - the trek took us straight up the cascades, mostly walking through the water along the surprisingly un-slippery rocks. Occasionally, where the cascades were too high or steep, we were diverted to a path alongside the river or up bamboo ladders. It was stunning - a series of cascades with the water passing over the series of rounded steps, through carved channels, in to deep pools gradually hollowed out by the water. And always with deep jungle surrounding us and forming a canopy over our heads, tall buttressed trees, bright green bananas and ferns, tangles of vines. Plus our feet got a serious washing! After over an hour going up the falls we got to the top and had a jungle picnic, with traditional, veggie food brought by Home, on a bamboo picnic table covered in a table cloth of bamboo leaves. From here we headed down a dirt path back down through the jungle and fields to the village where we helped Home and his dad pick up some fire wood and traditional herbs for their sauna back in Nong Kiaow! The reverse boat trip was just as beautiful, then after a quick shower to get rid off the worst of our very stinky grime, we headed to the sauna - a small wooden raised room, an old oil drum below with a bamboo tube leading in to the room, a fire under the drum heating the water with forest herbs and spices (leaves, twigs and barks of various types), filling the room with a potent steam. Rach took it all well, with decorum...I sweated more than I ever have in my life, it was like the 100 step waterfall all over again! Nice!

That night we went to the busy restaurant....we're not martyrs and there is only so many deserted meals we can have!

The next morning we'd managed to find a guy with a nice minivan who was doing the run back to Luang Prabang cheap - he must have dropped off a tour and just wanted to get some extra cash. Another nice, safe journey back for our last night in Laos (another great sunset and farewell to the Mekong), and then the next morning we head to the Luang Prabang airport, on to a wee plane with propellers and over the hills to Chiang Mae, Thailand. Overall thoughts on Laos? Despite having no real big hitters in terms of sights, the country is stunning and offered a very relaxed chance to get out in to some beautiful countryside and to see some fairly traditional village life, with really friendly, genuine people...sometimes almost too laid back! It also treated us very well for Christmas and New Year.

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Photos

Nong Khiaw
Mountains over the river

Nong Khiaw
Vegetable terraces

Nong Khiaw
Up the river

Nong Khiaw
On the boat

Nong Khiaw
Bamboo ladder up the 100 Step Waterfalls

Nong Khiaw
Walking up the cascades

Nong Khiaw
The falls again!

Nong Khiaw
Home made hydroelectric generator