To Luang Namtha - a trek sandwich - part ii) - the filling

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I was really excited to go trek, my first proper one since travelling (which I guess was a surprising statistic in itself). I knew what to bring, that they'd be four others and that we'd be going (picture a wooden map with little wooden props) this way into the jungle, with lots of ups and downs, a village visit here and a camp about here (quite central in the conservation area). And the next day, more through the jungle and out to rice fields and to meet the River Tha the next afternoon.

At the office early the next morning I met our main guide Pron and my trekking companions - a couple from France and a couple from the US.

We set off by tuk tuk, picking up our assistant guide Mr Sok on the way, and arrived at a Lanten village, a Laos ethnic minority, as the starting path to the national conservation protected area. It was a little strange walking through the village early in the morning, they were more used to it than us of course. There was a miscellaneous shop (a newsagents if you will) similar to those in town, and bamboo thatched (I really liked the pattern) homes that were more intricate than the town's. There were ever more chickens and people nodding mornings to us and exchanging sabaidees. As we walked up, Pron pointed us to different patches of land growing different crops; explaining some of the processes and uses. And further up there were whole new villages of morning-fogged spiderwebs that looked really cool, I couldn't take my eyes off them.

The air was so fresh. And as we started up the jungle paths we quickly met people coming down carrying baskets on their back, stacks of bamboo sticks and plastic packages of goods - these came from villages higher up and were on their way to town, so they must have set off dead early.

The scenery was spectacular. As before, my pictures can tell more than my words. I loved the ups which wiggled into more turns and tree stacks either side. It was so dense but also so varied, so that individual trunks, branches or leaves would stick out and be noticed. Huge banana leaf canopies, or wide birches that shot up above the rest in sight, creepers winding above overhead, or sets of bamboo like pens jutting out of their too small pen holders. One particularly stunning spot was after a long ascent and opening out was firstly a crop field, with plants labelled with sticks wrapped with Chinese scrawled paper, and a lonely bamboo hut in the centre. Then behind, there were the stretched up and out hands of forested mountain peaks, where a cloud highway cut right through them. It seemed we were above the clouds, above the white dusty road in the sky over there. Whilst a valley opened up in the distance to the left, and on the top point of the horizon-meeting triangle I could just make out what looked like lights and a few scattered buildings.

I really liked the walking sections where you focused only on the next two steps or so. Looking down (or up) at your feet, along muddy crevices, over tree trunks and up indented, foot-made steps in narrow, damp, lush hill paths. Then you would look up and take in the surroundings in again.

I had daydreamed of sticky rice a few paths back, so when we hit a flat area for lunch and the parcels of sticky rice were thrown out and caught I was really excited! I found myself often watching Mr Sok's use of tools and his resourcefulness, the way he sliced open bamboo shoots so smoothly and quickly to make string to attach sleeping bags to backpacks, or how he carved a walking stick for Michelle in seconds. And for our first meal he scampered away and came back with a pile of huge banana leaves for a floor table, where the leaf wrapped parcels of herb pastes, cabbage salad and pork dishes would be squeezed on. It was so delicious. I can imagine it now, just perfect trekking food or indeed for an evening city meal.



In the afternoon we got to Namkoy village, which as part of the itinerary we'd stay a while in. Walking down the dense hills and suddenly hearing the river, then seeing buildings and lives played out in this remote opening in the forest was quite something. I imagined that if you flew overhead in a helicopter, that it would be a small thumbprint in the expansive jungle coated hills.


I found the experience a little strange, I could even stretch that to say that I didn't really like it. The villagers were kind and open in showing us their home and daily life, where not too many years ago the village life was totally isolated. But we were the tourist visitors and it was a rehearsed routine of setting out locally made bags & bracelets for us, and for us to then move between and have the reign to inspect the different points in the town (the weaver's home, the new school, the average family home here). I suppose it's a little strange for human meetings to be framed like this, did the villagers mind us stopping by and nosing around? It just seemed imbalanced and unnatural. I hoped these group visits were not dreaded by the locals. What was good about Green Discovery is that they put a large share of the fee to the villages.



The weaving was by a very watchable contraption and made the local custom clothes of white shin socks and loose indigo shorts and long buttoned top. An outfit I'd certainly give a go at pulling off. It was incredibly interesting to see a once fully self sufficient community, and way of life here, within this jungled hill opening beside this river(Nam) Tha branch. I wouldn't have had chance to see this without such a tour. Laos opened up and created routes through this area in the late 90s, and Pron explained they are opening up new areas across the country soon as well. The village also speak their own dialect, though Pron and Mr Sok still spoke easily with locals to pick up a number of beers and the locally produced mosquito nets for us tonight.



I later asked Pron more questions and understood that the villagers were of Chinese origin, coming to Laos 200-300 years ago, and settling in this particular spot around 40yrs ago. That if the village needed it, some would walk down to Luang Namtha town once a week for supplies, maybe salt, or medicines; and sell surplus things. The village now had a shared motorbike which was used to move along a new road by a stretch of nearby fields, if a group can push the bike up a hilly path first. Otherwise the community had been completely remote and they grew, made and used what they had on their land. In more recent years there had been investment from China, providing modest water and power infrastructure as well as some of the small roads around the region (homes now had electric sockets and 2 large satellites could be spotted). The village now trade directly with Chinese companies with their raw materials.

Some little things I noticed here -


• A large, dusty pile of BeerLao behind some of the houses
• A bulbous pig literally hoovering up all on it's path, and a small piglet dedicatedly copying her
• An Ian brown lookalike who swaggered by in a really cool jacket
• The young girl who was resisting being washed by her mum continuously running away, her mum finally got her under the cold water and they both laughed
• A clothes line were I spotted evidence of the odd sock syndrome

• Various animal skull heads lined up in one home, I always seem to notice these. Here I saw bird skulls too, which was new
• A pet monkey tied to one bannister and being teased by a kid
• The crowd of water buffalo sat behind one home, I turned and nearly jumped!
• A game of free kicks being played, where the young keeper looked over proud after one awesome save
• Mr Sok trying on the glasses of an older lady who was sewing and then acting up in them making her laugh
• A mischievous toddler in a bomber jacket being marched home by mum





Back on the road, this was a nice walk along the river. It was muddier here, flatter (Phewf) and so calming to have the clear water running beside us. After an hour or two along the river we made it to our camp. It looked a treat! Open bamboo huts to sleep, spots to gather wood and make fire and the river out in front of us. We all ate pumpkin soup, delicious curry paste and soft rice, and drank beer, as shots of Pron's Lao whiskey were going around (I stood my ground and just had the two!). Sitting by the fire with the group was so good, we all happened upon our own prodding sticks and would in turn move a bunch of logs or shift the bamboo pipes further in. Chattering away. Other times quiet, as we enjoyed the flames. The heat was strong on our faces as the night chill came in.



It was a fantastic night sleep! A bamboo slack and a Winnie the Pooh roll mat were a great base and I slept so well in my sleeping bag. Waking up feeling fresh for the day ahead.



I didn't believe Pron when he said the walk on the second day was even more beautiful, but I think he was maybe right. Today we walked up streams, moving between rocks or through the dry season's shallower muddy bog rather than flowing water. We also walked through a bamboo forest, arched over and around us, it was really cool. Plus a spot for Beautiful Wee #4! Winding down the path of bamboo slalems, an outward view of lush green layers sloping down.



You had to take care up the stream, I myself had a grand slip between two turned over tree trunks, but this was fun itself..finding the best next step. And sharing rocks with the lush overgrowth. It was quite enjoyable doing the trek with 2 couples as I could walk for ages on my own or wander within the pair points in our single file line wherever I kind of wanted! I could easily day dream or listen to music and not need to talk. But when we did chat along the way (mostly at our short stops as the walk was hard going!) we had easy laughs and engaging chat. They had all done a far share of travelling before so it was another chance to ask questions and hear about other places. Walking upfront with Pron for the last stretch, we talked about lots of different things: family, hopes, love, and he curiously and thoughtfully asked me plenty of questions about sexuality, acceptance in the UK and gender which was interesting conversation that I enjoyed as we now walked out the dense and into open rice fields!




It was then onto local long boats over the river (which looked so inviting for a swim, with the sweat and the high from the ground covered). We were then met by a van to take us back to town. It had gone far too quick, I didn't want the walking or the scenery or the day to end, but it had been a fantastic two day adventure.



Van nap time!

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