I think last time we spoke, I was in China. Well, I'm now deep into Laos, in Luang Prabang to be precise (see map). We spent a couple of days in Luang Nam Tha, hired motorbikes (Anna's told me I'll be in loads of trouble if I tell you that it was all her idea...) and set off into the National Park. It was gorgeous jungle, tiny local villages - we went up a dirt path for 4km to arrive at one where we may well have been the first Westerners that the children had ever seen...
Then we took the 4 hour bus to Houai Xai. The bus, unlike the bikes, didn't survive, breaking down after just an hour. Local mechanics and a clueless looking driver staredd, perplexed at the leaking oil, which I'm sure they see on a daily bassi, trying to plug the leak with loo roll. Obviously, after 90 minutes waiting ont eh side of the road, it didn't look like we were going anywhere fast and we flagged down some old boy in a pick-up truck who took us, two Americans and five locals the rest of the way.
Houai Xai's a dump, the kind of place you only want to (and mercifully only need to) spend one night. It's the border crossing to Thailand and the departure point for boats down the Mekong. We were taking the latter, and soon became acquainted with 'Lao time' as we left four hours late - with a boat full of whisky-swilling, smelly French circus-performer wannabes.
While I'd be cautious of ever recommending the slowboat to anyone travelling to Luang Prabang because you can't choose the other passengers/ reason with the Lao crew, the views are great and it's a brilliant way to arrive in Luang Prabang. That's where we are now, and it seems great - colonial architecture and laid-back cool.
Tomorrow, we're heading off on a two-day trek/ kayaking adventure. We'll trek for 5/6 hours tomorrow, stay with a Hmong family in their village up in the hills, and then kayak back the following day. Yes, it's all safe.Trouble is, they're two-person kayaks, so we'll have to decide who's the captain.
I think we all know that I am. Right?
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