Overdue tales of Slow Boats...
Yup, I am finally getting around to posting again! I won't be catching up or even nearly doing so, but at least I can get a small start...
Anyway, after the 6 hour minibus ride to Chiang Kong in a minibus with 8 israeli's, one Canadian and me, we arrived at Chiang Kong where we stayed the night in fairly simple, yet sufficient accomodations (a double bed in a room to myself and bathrooms/toilets a short, but chilly walk away). The next morning it was up at 7:30 to grab a bite for breakfast before getting in a minibus to head to Thai immigration for an stamp, then to the jetty to get on a (long-tail) boat to cross the Mekong. After crossing it was a quick line to get through Laos immigration (in Thailand and Laos they pronounce it "Lao" without the S as we think we know it) and to change money ($50 in Laos kip is a stack about a half inch thick given that their largest bill is a $2 bill and at that place they didn't even have those!). Afterward it was a walk up from the waterfront to the main street to wait for the pickup that would take us to the slow boat to fill up. I noticed that the town/city was wired for electricity, but not to more modern standards with all the cables and connections strung up seemingly haphazard and all the connections laid bare to the elements.
About 20 minutes later, the pickup finally filled up and it was maybe a 10 minute ride to the waterfront where we would get on our slow boats (after waiting for 45 minutes for our passports to be surrendered and "checked by the police"). We then were given our passports back and boarded the boat. So I board the boat among the early group and grab a luxury wooden bench (one with a pillow for the bum) and a dutch couple I had met while waiting grabbed the one behind me. Anyway we wait and people board, I am joined in my spot of luxury buy Guy a guy from Liverpool who was doing some traveling after having tought English in Japan. We then invite a few girls to have the seat ahead of us (and move our daypacks which were taking the bench). They were all friends who met in Vietnam (after having interned for a semester there) - two of them from Finland and one from Germany. We finally get going about 11 and spend the next 6 hours cruising down the Mekong River which turned out to be a very pleasant, scenic cruise even if it was cramped quarters and rough on the bum. Along the way, we have a pleasant time and Guy, myself and the 3 girls hit it off pretty well and decide to stay at the same place when we get to our midway stop at a small tourist trap called Pak Beng. We get off the boat and after dealing with the touts end up at a small riverside guesthouse with minimal, but cheap (Guy and I split a twin room for about $1.5 each) facilities. After throwing our bags in the room and arguing about the price (they tried to triple the price but we called them on it as we had plenty of witnesses), we sat down to get a beer and a bite to eat with a nice view of the river. We had not even ordered a beer before one of the staff produced a bag of pot and tried to sell us some pot or opium. Not quite the same as Thailand, Malaysia, or Indonesia where severe penalties (such as death) are enforced - what laws exist are not enforced in many parts of Laos. Since he is also taking orders for beers and food we order up some beer and later some food before retiring.
The next day was similar to the first with about 6 hours on a boat, arriving in Luang Prabang at about 4. We then walk around trying to find a guest house before letting a guy on a motorbike direct us to his. His place turned out to be a fairly nice (for Laos guesthouses) and fairly cheap ($3 for a room with no bath/$6 for a room with a private bath). The folks running the guesthouse were very nice and the atmosphere of the place kept us there for the rest of our time in Luang Prabang...
We spent the next days visiting temples, bicycling around the city, shopping and going to see the falls about an hour away (the waterfalls are the daytrip that every tout in the city is trying to get you to go to, but they are one of the most beautiful waterfalls you will ever see and get to swim/play in so are well worth the $4 or $5 to go!). Our visit there was truly pleasant - the Laos people turned out to be mostly very nice, of very modest means yet fairly happy/content, and inspiring. Many spoke English surprisingly well, even a friendly monk we met at Phu Si temple on the hill in the middle of town. The younger generations in Laos are very keen to learn/speak English as it is seen as a route to better jobs.
Anyway, that is a good start...a post after a long silence...I'll post more soon...
Anyway, after the 6 hour minibus ride to Chiang Kong in a minibus with 8 israeli's, one Canadian and me, we arrived at Chiang Kong where we stayed the night in fairly simple, yet sufficient accomodations (a double bed in a room to myself and bathrooms/toilets a short, but chilly walk away). The next morning it was up at 7:30 to grab a bite for breakfast before getting in a minibus to head to Thai immigration for an stamp, then to the jetty to get on a (long-tail) boat to cross the Mekong. After crossing it was a quick line to get through Laos immigration (in Thailand and Laos they pronounce it "Lao" without the S as we think we know it) and to change money ($50 in Laos kip is a stack about a half inch thick given that their largest bill is a $2 bill and at that place they didn't even have those!). Afterward it was a walk up from the waterfront to the main street to wait for the pickup that would take us to the slow boat to fill up. I noticed that the town/city was wired for electricity, but not to more modern standards with all the cables and connections strung up seemingly haphazard and all the connections laid bare to the elements.
About 20 minutes later, the pickup finally filled up and it was maybe a 10 minute ride to the waterfront where we would get on our slow boats (after waiting for 45 minutes for our passports to be surrendered and "checked by the police"). We then were given our passports back and boarded the boat. So I board the boat among the early group and grab a luxury wooden bench (one with a pillow for the bum) and a dutch couple I had met while waiting grabbed the one behind me. Anyway we wait and people board, I am joined in my spot of luxury buy Guy a guy from Liverpool who was doing some traveling after having tought English in Japan. We then invite a few girls to have the seat ahead of us (and move our daypacks which were taking the bench). They were all friends who met in Vietnam (after having interned for a semester there) - two of them from Finland and one from Germany. We finally get going about 11 and spend the next 6 hours cruising down the Mekong River which turned out to be a very pleasant, scenic cruise even if it was cramped quarters and rough on the bum. Along the way, we have a pleasant time and Guy, myself and the 3 girls hit it off pretty well and decide to stay at the same place when we get to our midway stop at a small tourist trap called Pak Beng. We get off the boat and after dealing with the touts end up at a small riverside guesthouse with minimal, but cheap (Guy and I split a twin room for about $1.5 each) facilities. After throwing our bags in the room and arguing about the price (they tried to triple the price but we called them on it as we had plenty of witnesses), we sat down to get a beer and a bite to eat with a nice view of the river. We had not even ordered a beer before one of the staff produced a bag of pot and tried to sell us some pot or opium. Not quite the same as Thailand, Malaysia, or Indonesia where severe penalties (such as death) are enforced - what laws exist are not enforced in many parts of Laos. Since he is also taking orders for beers and food we order up some beer and later some food before retiring.
The next day was similar to the first with about 6 hours on a boat, arriving in Luang Prabang at about 4. We then walk around trying to find a guest house before letting a guy on a motorbike direct us to his. His place turned out to be a fairly nice (for Laos guesthouses) and fairly cheap ($3 for a room with no bath/$6 for a room with a private bath). The folks running the guesthouse were very nice and the atmosphere of the place kept us there for the rest of our time in Luang Prabang...
We spent the next days visiting temples, bicycling around the city, shopping and going to see the falls about an hour away (the waterfalls are the daytrip that every tout in the city is trying to get you to go to, but they are one of the most beautiful waterfalls you will ever see and get to swim/play in so are well worth the $4 or $5 to go!). Our visit there was truly pleasant - the Laos people turned out to be mostly very nice, of very modest means yet fairly happy/content, and inspiring. Many spoke English surprisingly well, even a friendly monk we met at Phu Si temple on the hill in the middle of town. The younger generations in Laos are very keen to learn/speak English as it is seen as a route to better jobs.
Anyway, that is a good start...a post after a long silence...I'll post more soon...