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Published: December 3rd 2008
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Malaria tablets can give you some weird dreams but after a lack of sleep, drunken nights and a 2-day trek. The dreams got weirder.
It is like I’m 15 again. Most of them I can’t remember and wake up the next day or the middle of the night and say “What the hell was that all about”. There are some nightmares too. But there’s that one girl who always turns up. She’s a hottie! Who looks a bit like that girl in the latest Batman movie but not her. What’s really annoying is that one of the dreams (that I can partly remember) is that we meet up and head back to her place. Next thing, we are waking up the next morning and that actress from the movie Misery is the mother asking what I would like for breakfast. “What the hell is that all about?” Its like a PG Movie, I didn’t even get to see the goodies. I’m 27 and having PG rated dreams!! These Malaria tablets are some warped out stuff.
So… Anyway… Why am I taking these tablets? Well I’ve hit Laos one of SE Asia’s last gems. Most people who enter Laos’s head
in from Thailand’s north via a 2-day slow boat along the Mekong River. Again full of tourists but it doesn’t matter. The two-day float is a great backpacking tradition.
Very few people will ever have a bad word to summarise this trip. It’s an adventure! How could you say a bad word when you start off wondering how torturous the next 2 days are going to be? You don’t know anyone - accept possibly a few people who you saw briefly somewhere else. Than in the end you have a group of friends that you’ll hang out with for the next few days in Luang Prabang, the final destination.
When we docked in Luang Prabang I knew that this is the beginning of ‘The Journey Pt4’. The change of tone, the blood pressure dropped - The calm nature of the hawkers when we walked through the night market trying to find our accommodation. There was air here and it was fresh. Everything was better: the food, the accommodation, the silk and other materials (not that I bought any) and the cost.
The boat trip really is a great introduction into Laos from the hectic pace of Thailand.
Laos is a reclining chair. The boat days were spent playing cards, sitting there not talking, talking, standing up, going to the toilet for something to do. Holding out on a drink because you don’t want to start too early… Than think stuff it by mid afternoon. The first day was fine but the second was a tight squeeze with the two boats that left the first day reducing to one boat. Actually maybe if you ask the people sitting up against the motor about the trip, they might have a different opinion.
Laos is a Buddhist country and before they were independent they were under French control and Luang Prabang has a great mix of both these influences. UNESCO listed so the small city has been financed to keep it that way. The guesthouses just outside the night market have kept their French architecture. Two other travellers and I lucked out with some cheap quality accommodation. Up they’re with the best beds in all my travels.
There does seem to be two markets that Luang Prabang target. The tour group crowd suited to the north of town and the backpacker near the night market and over the
hill near the bars.
The hill called Phu Si is easily one of the world’s dumbest sunsets. The Mekong River down below. Luang Prabang in the foreground covered in lush forests and hills and valleys. Dotted with white houses and Buddhist temples. Than there’s a telegraph pole right where the sun sets (I don’t think there is any electricity up there. If so it doesn’t get used) and it’s a limited space so everyone that spends their first day in Luang Prabang are usually up there. Instead it’s just a swarm of hands with cameras in the air.
The bar area is only occupied from 9-11pm. Prior to that there is a small alleyway off the night market where for 20000 kip ($3.50) you can get a massive barbequed fish or chicken. It is up there with one of the best meals I have had for a long time. One visit is not enough and that is per sitting. Beer Lao is put on hold to fit more food in. And that says something considering Beer Lao is the best SE Asian beer. But once the food has settled it’s a walk to the bars with a stopover
with some traditional French influenced pastries. (My mouth is watering typing this.)
Bars in Laos by law have to close by midnight. So strategically they have positioned a 10-pin bowling complex near the bus stop so all the drunken tourists can still drink but are nowhere near anyone to disturb the tranquil setting.
The complex has got another world feeling walking in. 8 lanes of drunken bowling. No shoes needed so the fall over rate was quite hilarious. There is a video of me needing to spare to win. The first bowl I put down 1 pin. The second you can see for yourself.
When morning comes, the first thing done is to go to one of the ladies selling baguettes, that is followed by a fruit shake, all for the price of $2.70. The baguettes are so good that I started a Baguette-o-Metre. The plan is to average at the least 1 per day.
During the days its quite hot but the nights were pretty cold and so the risk of Malaria is not that high. I think I’ve received a handful of bites in 2 weeks so if I wanted to I could have stopped
taking them. But geez, for the chance to see that girl again I continued and would continue my love affair with Laos as well.
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thedribbleman
Drew Prineas
Apologies
Unfortunately the internet in Laos is slow so I was unable to publish the video of my bowl for the win. But bare with me it will feature shortly.