Life on the Mekong, Day 1

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After freezing to death last night (our lodge had wimpy blankets and no insulation), we were up early for breakfast and for the boat. First we took a boat across the river, putting us into Laos territory; since we hadn't cleared customs yet, we weren't officially in Laos. We stood around for a long time, watching hordes of people cross the river, climb a steep hill, and then go stand in long lines in the customs building. I was so happy to be part of a tour group so I could stand in the more spacious street. After a long time, our passports magically appeared from the hands of our tour guide. We passed by a station that could have been a vegetable stand, showed our new visas, and we were in!

We took another van to a restaurant to wait for another ninety minutes (until noon or so). Finally, we were on the boat for our journey! It wasn't as cramped as I'd been expecting, based on stories I'd heard. We sat in the back, behind the engine; it was loud but warm. After a while people started filtering out to the small deck behind the boat for drinking and smoking. Others drifted up to the front of the boat for better views and less noise. I just stayed put and happily chatted with other passengers. After letting some locals off, I migrated forward to enjoy the views. Since it was later in the day, it was warmer. I can't believe how many photos I took!

Eventually we docked at 530pm. My group checked into our warm hotel and then found an Indian restaurant. Colin and I found a bar after that to relax and people watch. We ran into a lot of people from our boat, and made plans to meet the next morning so we'd all be on the same boat again. Then, off to bed, knowing we had to be up early again.

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Photos

Who's Hungry?
Back of the boat we finally traveled on.