Advertisement
Published: January 31st 2013
Edit Blog Post
I've been away for over a month now - crazy! It feels like absolutely ages to me but I'm sure to all you people at home its nothing.
After trekking we were in Chiang Mai for 2 days then set off to visit Pai which is about 3 hours north-west; met some nice people on the bus up there and ended up looking for hotels together, well I sat with the bags and Cec looked for hotels - cheeky I know!
I like Pai! We spent 3 nights there hanging out with the couple we met on the bus and the Dutch girls from the trek. We did a cookery course which was 6 courses and basically the teacher pre-measured all the food and we cooked it exactly like she said so I'm not exactly pro at Thai cooking now but I did get a recipe book so can attempt it when I'm back. Also rented bicycles one day and went to the Chinese village 4km out of Pai, it was all uphill and felt like 40km (shrivelled old prune strikes again) the village was nice but very fake Chinese with a mini fortress - bit weird. Left Pai
Market in Pai
I had a grasshopper! but could have stayed much longer it had a really great atmosphere!
After Pai we were back in Chiang Mai for a night and went to Miguels for Mexican - I had an excellent enchilada and was very tempted to have a second dinner but managed to resist 😊 the next morning we started our 3 day journey to Laos on the slow boat.
Slow Boat Day 1 - Minibus all day with a stop at Chiang Rai to see the White Temple which was pretty surreal but a nice change from all the other temples we've seen. We spent the night in the grossest hotel yet - rock solid beds and for some reason the whole place smelt like poop.
Day 2 - Minibus to the border to get our Laos visas sorted then on to the slow boat, We were on it from 12 til 6 in the evening so it lives up to its name 'Slow Boat' I had a cold so slept the whole time but I think there were nice views. Got to Pak Beng and stayed in a less grotty hotel then an early night ready for more slow boating
at 9am.
Day 3 - On the slow boat at 9am until 5pm Saw more of the view this time - The Mekong river is quite nice as it goes; then we finally made it to our destination - Luang Prabang yay! Bring on Laos.
So my first border crossing, second country and confusingly second currency; in Laos its Kip which is about 12,000 to £1 and I still can't get my head around it but that could just be because I'm simple. We spent a few days in Luang Prabang; saw the temple its apparently the best Laos and a world heritage sight but didn't look all that. We didnt actually see it properly as we were all inappropriately dressed and it cost moneys. Had a bit of a night out there too, bought booze and did predrinks at the hotel and taught our dutch buddies irish snap which was hilarious. Next was the bowling alley which is the only place open after 11pm and is surprisingly really fun. We also went to the waterfall one day; saw some bears, had a swim and as the geeky geographer I am I very much enjoyed the huge waterfall
Chiang Rai
The White Temple 😊
Next stop was Vang Vieng, the journey was 5 hours in a minibus being thrown around every time there was a corner or a pothole which is pretty much the whole route - I'm now bruised all over. We went out the night we arrived and there is limited entertainment so erevyone goes to Gary's Irish Bar then when that closes to The Moon Pub which is actually a dingy little club but the night was a good one.
Vang Vieng is the place known for tubing which is hiring a rubber ring and getting dropped up the river to float 4km back down. There used to be loads of bars along the way but it was so unsafe taht a few months back they all got closed so teh experience didn't live up to the hype that I'd heard before I left. Also we only made it 2km and gave up because of the cold. There are loads of places playing Friends all day long I felt like being at home and unemployed, spending a morning watching them over breakfast.
Headed to the capital Vientiane today and saw the replica Arc de Triumphe no pictures
Laos' Best Temple
Sucks to be Laos! though as the camera was dead oops!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.103s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 12; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0443s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb