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Published: March 29th 2007
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On a boat to Laos
The journey from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang turned out to be a three-day affair. After the quiet days of Chiang Mai, hanging out with Sam and Nick, lounging by their pool and enjoying their five-star accommodation facilities, it was a shock to be herded onto a rickety old boat with a hundred other startled travellers; not to mention the pig-in-a-bag (see the photo).
The boat wasn’t dangerous in terms of sinking, or exploding (that we knew of) but it had church pews as seats and legroom that makes Jet Star look first class. That would all have been fine, but eight hours cruising down the Mekong with minimal sleep and food and we were beginning to think we were headed for a gulag.
Regardless of the drama, it was a fun boat ride because of all the other backpackers. It was all taken in good humour and with lots of Beer Lao for company.
After a pretty effortless border crossing on the first day (after a five hour bus trip at high speed overtaking on blind corners), we bunked at Huay Xai in fairly limited accommodation. The dusty roads were like something out of
a Western movie, but in hindsight, it was a quaint little village. We had a ‘guide’ as part of the ‘tour’ ticket, he was a self-confessed Mr Information, but turned out to be a genuine Mr Misinformation. The only truth he told us in an hour lecture was how to say hello: Sabadee.
That night, a strange little ritual saw monks climb to the top of a massively high series of steps to the Wot, which would have been quite an experience, although being woken at 3.45am to beating drums and cymbals can disturb sleeping patterns, it might have been a passing dream, if it didn’t go on for thirty minutes.
Day two of our ‘tour’ was a seven-hour boat ride past local fishermen and farmers with their beach cows. We didn’t see much of the beautiful landscape for the smoke pollution created by village ‘slash and burn’.
That night was spent in Pak Beng, much like Huay Xai but a hell of a lot more marijuana and opium for sale. It was at Pak Beng that we found the Lao people to be very friendly, and, unlike the Thais, genuine. Communism was immediately apparent, as their approach to business
Water vendors
Young water vendors fight their way onto our already crammed boat selling everything you don't need! was refreshingly passive.
After a third day on the boat (about eight hours) we finally made Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a tourist destination. Not ‘spoiled’ by tourism, but well on the way. The architecture and paved streets are a blessing compared to just about everywhere else we’ve been in SE Asia, but the markets are geared up for backpackers and other travellers, and so are the people, which is a bit of a shame. The Laos speak much better English, or are more prepared to speak English than the Thais, but they have a funny way of making foreigners feel welcome.
At the time we found the people of Luang Prabang to be indifferent to our presence, but their livelihoods seemed to be controlled by foreigners, but as a communist country, I don’t think this is the case. Communism can have a pervasive effect of local people’s attitudes. They don’t seem to compete with each other, rather collude to fix prices. Which tends to make everything more expensive than if they were competing for business.
We spent a few days in Luang Prabang, hanging out with some of the people we met on the boat:
Donna, Neil, Joe, John, Hakan, Rachel, Ceri, Nima and Erik. Joe is an Aussie guy from Perth, Hakan is Swedish, Nima are Erik are Americans, and the rest are Brits.
We all took a ride out to the waterfall about thirty ks away. Note on the pics our flat tyre.
It was our understanding that as the monks are up at 5am each day, banging drums and ringing bells for alms, they would do as they are supposed to do and not so much as look at women. Not so - Ceri innocently found that Luang Prabang monks are into sex and are curious about what girls like!
Vang Vieng
People go to Vang Vieng to get stoned and go tubing. We just went tubing. The river was down somewhat, so the pace of the water was a slow trickle, but with stop off points all along the river with flying foxes and rope swings, not to mention cold beers, it was a good day. Though, it would be better with some rapids.
See Andrea swinging like a monkey, and disturbing the local people.
Based on what we had heard from friends, it seems the days of the
fun and friendly Laos in the tourist areas is over. Perhaps it was because of the hoards of backpackers taking the same ‘tour’ from Chiang Mai, but some Laos we encountered at necessary tourist stops were just plain rude.
We left Vang Vieng earlier than many from the boat, but later found that the ‘Laos Police’ busted a group of seven with dope, and fined them each US$500. We had heard on arrival at Laos that their government is cracking down on drugs in Vang Vieng and the fine should be US$50!
Vientiane
We didn’t spend long enough in Vientiane; just a few days. There wasn’t a whole lot to do and it was pretty hot. We hung out at night with the guys from Luang Prabang except for Neema, John and Joe who were planning to head south to Si Phan Don’s ‘Four Thousand Islands’. Erik the mad American kept us entertained with his ‘no-boundaries’ approach to life; we’re all surprised he’s lived so long.
A concert was held on our last night there, with two bands: the first a Lao band playing garage-style music, followed by a French bohemian band. There, we met Dog Boy, an
absolutely crazy (but harmless) local boy. He walked around on hands and knees, snatching our bags, clothes and flipflops with his teeth and taking them away. The one thing that could stop him, Erik found, was to tickle him! Also at that concert was Thoey a local University student, who says Thai and Vietnamese people are rude to him because he’s Lao and is assumed to be poor. Thoey was also frustrated with the Communism in his country. (Please note: Thoey is not his actual name!!)
Laos didn’t really take our fancy. It had been built up too much and the negative effects of tourism have caused indifference in those people that see hoards of tourists. We might have gone down to Si Phan Don, but our patience for Lao transport had run out and we were ready to try something new: going overland from Vientiane to Cambodia, namely Siem Reap. Donna and Neil were heading that way and it was a good opportunity to see some of the north east of Thailand off the beaten track.
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Ant
non-member comment
loas
sounds like you guys had fun. loas was my favorite part of s.e.a I think tis has more to do with the crazy boat trip we did. We headed east on a 10 hr dusty bus ride after crossing... did you get the option to take the crazy speed boat that gets you to Luang Prabang in a day?I hope i didnt talk loas up too much, i still have the fondest memories of that place...sounds like youl have some friends here when you arrive. Im so jelouse id love to be there with you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! enjoy c u in a month... Ant