Archive for the ‘Laos’ Category

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Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng

Thursday, November 9th, 2006

Jeez, I managed to get out of Luang Prabang! It was hard, it has to be said, it was just such a relaxing chilled place. Even at the bus station I was feeling weird about leaving when I said goodbye to Jane in the tuk-tuk as her next stop was the Red Cross to find out about the volunteering I was keen to do. But hey, if it sounds good I can always go back. Time is passing too quickly to stay 🙁 I also tried to speak to the guy at the adventure tours place about potential opportunities last night, but fate decided it was his night off – the only time he hasn’t been there in the dozens of times I’ve walked past… but this generally sums up my Luang Prabang experience…chilling out and leaving everything until it had to be done.

I found even more places in the last few days that I had meant to check out for days – a really cool place called le’Cinema that has private rooms, with hundreds of DVDs you can pick and watch, and l’etranger book shop which we chilled in for hours yesterday, not even watching the world go by…and eating a damn fine ceasar salad baguette. Even at the night market I found the most tasty, yet sickly sweet coffee I’ve had for ages, AND I got it to takeaway! The Lao Coffee rocks. Even better when it’s served ‘Sabah style’ (a kickback to my Borneo days) with sweet condensed thick syrupy ‘milk’. I also went for a bit of a shopathon at the night market which was great, but has left me carrying even more shit with me – so much so the guys from the bus thought I was moving house.

Today I made the 7.5 hour public bus journey from Luang Prabang down to Vang Vieng. Despite not having taken any of the ‘VIP’ tourist buses yet I’m convinced the local buses are the best way to travel…take a bit longer as you stop off at some village dropping rice and stuff off, but far less tourists, and you manage to get a better glance at the places you pass through, rather than being surround by 60 tourists gazing out the window at 70km/h. And you meet cooler people. Usually.

Vang Vieng is home of some of the biggest limestone karsts in SE Asia, and I’ve got a decent room for $3, with a communal balcony out the back overlooking the river. Hopefully I’ll get some tubing down the river tomorrow, or a climb ($21!!) and get a better feel for the place. As usual my scenic expectations haven’t quite been matched yet, but I’ll give it time. I’m off out to post this blog entry, and avoid any happy pizzas, and see if this place is really as much of a backpackerville as it’s made out to be.

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Leaving Luang Prabang….erm, I think

Wednesday, November 8th, 2006

Jane chilling in l’etranger bookshop while I work out my tie is disappearing :

Jane and I on Phu Si hill, just before sunset :

Well I’ve finally decided to leave Luang Prabang! It’s not easy though. It’s been great hooking up with Jane (ex-Raleigh) here but as usual, it’s always too short. It’s been like having a mate come over and visit. Regular readers (ha, who am I kidding) will know I was keen to try and find out about volunteering with the Red Cross here and Jane is going to do that tomorrow…arrrggg! So I think I’m going to have to hand over the keys to what feels like my new (temporary ) home town to her, and seeth with jealousy over her updates.
Yes I could stay around for another week but I also looked at a calendar today, and as

I thought every time when thinking about a year out – deadlines suck! Need to finish my mini tour to get back to Thailand in mid Dec, and Vietnam in 3 weeks so hardly any time at all! So, sadly it’s time to start moving south to Vang Vieng, Vientiene, and hopefully down through souther Laos and ‘4000 Islands’ to cross into Cambodia…..

Sob, sob…. mind you though – could change plans tonight!!

l’etranger bookshop restaurant – the ultimate chill :

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Lost in Luang Prabang

Tuesday, November 7th, 2006

At least thats what it feels like. I was meant to collect my passport tonight with Vietnamese and Cambodian visas in it, however its delayed by a day because of holidays so I’m here for another night. Oh well, could be worse as this place is so chilling…maybe too much for me! Some people speak about feeling guilty when they don’t do anything if long term travelling – sod that! I love it!

Today was a late start though as I dragged (well, didn’t really have to) Jane to the Vietnam Bar last night. As we arrived we were told the place was closed as the police had been round, but after asking nicely we were served by the ‘barman’. Due to the circumstances there were only 6 of us in it but as I had a Raleigh Reunion going on with Jane, somehow my hand went into my pocket, brought out some cash and I had purchased a couple of small bottles of Thai Whiskey. That on top of the Lao Lao shots and several beers…well you can imagine. At least this time I made it back ok and was dropped off my the beer scooter (aka tuk tuk)…the last time I was in the Vietnam Bar last week I was dropped off somewhere a group of folk were staying, haggled with the tuk tuk driver as he was charging us too much…so he just hand signalled the direction of my accommodation. Here I was stumbling around unfamiliar familiar streets (yes I meant to type that – it was dark, my vision was poor ;->), trying to find the river – the most f*cking obvious thing in the whole town.

I saw a local wandering around so I went to ask him where my guesthouse was. By this time I had already seen another guesthouse I walked past in ‘the book’ (Lonely Planet), however I couldn’t seem to orientate myself. He pointed a few times, spoke to me in Laos. Much laughter and confusion later he signalled me to follow him down a side street, opened a wooden door, and took me around town on the back of his scooter. Although his English managed to point out every guesthouse we went past, he eventually realised I had one, took me to the river, and I navigated to my guesthouse.

I bumped into one of the tuk tuk crowd the following night. Apparently I was dropped off just round the corner and along the road from my guesthouse.

Here’s a cheesy pic of me and Jane in the Vietnam Bar last night.

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Back in Luang Prabang

Monday, November 6th, 2006

It’s been a long time since I had close contact with a female, but today I got all hot and sweaty with a local. I gently caressed her bottom with my foot while her face were in my private parts, and every so often we would glance at each other to check we were both still ok, her hands moving around my legs at various intervals.

Unfortunately it was because I was one of the last ones on the pick up back to Luang Prabang, so here was around 20 folk piled on a share taxi (converted pick up) back to Luang Prabang. I was hanging off the back standing up with some other guys, there were plenty of locals crammed in the back, and this lass was dangling from the rear of the pick up. I was standing up there for almost 4 hours, but it was the best place to see what we were passing through. Once my nervousness got over the fact that the van started leaning as we went around corners, the odd skid from the driver etc, it was a pretty good journey considering.

I’m back in Luang Prabang after a quick circuit around Phonsavan (Plane of Jars), Sam Neu, Vieng Xia, Nong Khiaw and Mon Neu. It almost feels like coming home, but I think I’ll be leaving on Wednesday morning after my passport comes back (hopefully) with Cambodian and Vietnam visas in it. Half the last few days (I think I left last Wednesday) have been spent on some form or transport or other. These included a pickup, full and empty buses, bikes, boats, and a fruit truck (we kinda missed the last share taxi back from the caves at Vieng Xai so had some negotiating to do. It was either pay the fruit truck guy and help ourselves to his oranges, whilst dangling off the back, or pay the guy who tried to rip us off – we had no choice and a great story).

Anyway, I’ll write more soon, but that’s all just now folks!

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Muang Ngoi Neua to Luang Prabang

Monday, November 6th, 2006

As you can imagine we were up for the first boat leaving at 9.30am, happy in the knowledge we’d catch a bus that connected with the boat in the morning – information gratefully received from the aussie couple involved in discussions the night before.

As we arrived around 10.30am we had a pretty mad dash to cross the bridge, rescue our luggage, settle our bill and dart back to grab a bus. As always seems to happen, when we were heading up the street from the boat a sawngthaew driver looked out at us and shouted ‘Udomxai’?. This was Angelica’s destination.

‘Can you wait until I get my luggage?’
’15 minutes’.

Deal was done, other travellers promising to wait for Angelica, and the Aussies doing the same for me on the way back to Nong Khiaw.

When I got back I was shouted over to my pickup which was jam packed and fully loaded, and Angelica’s was ready to go. I’ve never found out if she made it to Udomxai as her driver seemed to criss cross our path several times getting out of the two street town! I settled into my four hours of hanging off the back, as always the best way to see the place, and get a tan at the same time. This journey was a bit sketchy at first as you could see the tilt of the pickup as it rounded corners – you’re sheilded from that inside. The Aussies sounded concerned for me every time we stopped but I was happy as Larry (who is Larry in that saying anyway) having a whale of a time. Gladly the driver seemed to calm down after a few small screeches going through a town, and I had an interesting chat about teaching in Korea with a Canadian.

After trying a few places I ended up back at my Pathoumphone, the same accommodation as my previous visit to Luang Prabang, and felt like I was coming home!

I knew Jane, one of the Project Managers from Raleigh may have been in town around now so I dashed to an internet cafe to send a quick email incase she picked it up that day. An hour later I had a reply, and we were sorted to meet at my ‘just in case you are in town’ destination at 7pm. I bumped into her on the way into town, sorted her out at the same accommodation as me, and we headed out so I could show her this place I raved about, the night markets, the Lao Lao bar, and of course, another trip to the Vietnam Bar after hours.

This time the Vietnam Bar wasn’t as welcoming as they had just had a police visit. After a little pleasant negotiation I was allowed to carry on my celebrations with the 6 people effectively having an illegal lock-in. All of a sudden I seemed to get a bottle of Thai Whisky which was finished rather rapidly as my new found Dutch friends appeared to help themselves safe in the promise they’d buy the next one, and we had good chats with a few Irish lads. My first disagreement happened with the Dutch prick when he backtracked on his witnessed statment…so I bought another bottle!

A late night was had by all, but luckily this time a tuk tuk took us straigh back to the accommodation, bypassing the need to find a friendly local to give me a lift around town on his motorbike like the last Vietnam Bar outing……

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Muang Ngoi Neua

Sunday, November 5th, 2006

Probably my favourite picture of the whole trip – a small girl on the boat to Muang Ngoi Neua, capturing our interaction perfectly :

Despite getting up early considering our travelling, we took a while to have breakfast and stuff so didn’t get the boat until around 11am. Of course we chose to ignore the ticket seller that said there were no boats back after 2pm, I mean how do the locals get back?

We headed off on our own small trek as described in ‘The Book’, the Lonely Planet. We ended up walking past a small cave (didn’t stop – all caved out), rice harvesters, and ended up at the Hoy Bor village – obviously quite well visited as there were signs up along the trail, erected by a couple of enterprising locals. As it was still officially low season we were pleased to walk past only two others on the way, and only cross around 7 tourists in the village. Of course we prompted to eat and drink at the restaurant with no-one else in it, and a selection of food to match. The owners were very interested though and surrounded us, asking us to fill out the guestbook with praise for their place, and to try and coax some visitors in. The balloon trick was used when the kids came up, and before we knew it, Angelica and I had infalted the remainder of the balloon pack, and the village kids were dancing around with multi-coloured balloons lighting up the village. Mothers even came carrying small children asking for balloons for them. I also left one of my scotlandswildplaces.com postcards behind and pointed where it was on a map.

We had a fantastic time there, staying long enough to know we had sacked off any chance we had to get us back to Nong Khiaw for the night to reacquaint us with our luggage left behind, and the guesthouse owners who maybe wouldn’t even spot we weren’t back, but it was well worth it.

We got back to town just before darkness, had a quick glimpse to see if there were any boats. We had been offered a charter back when we got off earlier, but it would be $20. We rapidly decided that paying $20 for a boat was way too muchover paying $2 for accommodation twice. We secured another $2 accommodation of similar standard, but this time with a hammock on the balcony overlooking the river, and right next to the boat landing. Another night was spent discussing world history and german policymaking with three other complete strangers.

There had been signs for a Muang Ngoi Neua version of a full moon party a local had arranged to ‘help me with my school fees’. When we realised there was a $10 charge for the riverside bonfire and far more on offer ;-> we decided to stay and eat food, as did everyone else who had apparently signed up, as the organisers became our friends for a while. I had already made my mind up that despite paying two times for our accommodation, I had effectively saved $16 by not taking the boat back, and I was determined to drink as much of my saving as I could.

Of course this resulted in me convinced it was a great idea to don my iAudio MP3 player and my jacket and crashing out on the hammock, taking in the scenery with some ‘me time’. That was until I woke up at 1am with a few mosquito bites on my foot and decided I really should go to my real bed.

We caused quite a commotion in the village with the balloons :



Me in a paddy field en route to the village :

The main street of Muang Ngoi Neua – only accessible by boat, so no vehicles :

The view from my hammock :

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Sam Neua to Nong Khiaw journey pictures

Saturday, November 4th, 2006

I’ve muddled around a few pics, but here is the view from our accommodation in Nong Khiaw here :

Here is more commotion caused by balloons during a pit stop on the journey :

And there is a view as the bus rose out the valley from Sam Neua :

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Sam Neua to Nong Khiaw

Saturday, November 4th, 2006

Market vendor in Sam Neua :

The kid I made cry when pointing a lens :

The group all caught buses early in the morning – all the other guys heading to Vietnam, and Angelica headed to Nong Khiaw with me on her way to cross up into China. We visited the market briefly to see all kinds of fruit and vegetable for sale, and rapidly departed after I went for a cracking shot of a tiny kid at a stall, which instantly sent her to bawling and tears as the lens pointed at her. I did ask someone first so didn’t feel too bad, but luckily, Angelica’s trick she practised well in Vietnam and Cambodia got me through it – blowing up a balloon for the child, already rescued by her mother. As soon as westerners approach some of these kids they give you looks, so it had to be left next to the stall, but it was smiles all around as her mother picked it up for her. I’m going to use that tool in the future! (I’m writing this in Vientiene a couple of weeks later and have already secured two bags of balloons!). We also saw our ‘Orange truck guy’ who gave us a lift last night selling his goods, minus the ones we ate on route and the ten or so I nobbled at the end.

The eleven hour bus journey was great lasting 8am to 7pm, a good few hours longer than expected. We passed through superb terrain, rishing up through the morning clouds, passing through amazing villages and waving to the locals. Luckily the bus was half empty so we had loads of space to wonder around, open windows, take pictures and the rest. We listened to tunes, read books, chatted, and laughed as the kids closer to Nong Khiaw started to scream louder as the bus passed through their village, it’s pretty much a lifeline here. Again, we were the only tourists on the bus. I was given a South East Asia phrasebook (thanks Angelica – note to self – use it more!!).

The villages were real rural Laos. This was another journey I wished I was undertaking by motorbike. I would have stopped more, but travelled faster, probably balancing it out. Under or next to several houses in the villages, they were dying material and weaving, and going about their daily lives, drying chillies and other foods on the woven roofs.

We got to Nong Khiaw in the dark, and glad we did. It’s weird how it’s different strokes for different folks as I was told I could maybe miss this place out if heading to Vang Vieng. Angelica and I were a smiling walking across the bridge as the mountains around us were lit by the strong moonlight. We settled for the second accommodation we looked at (Pha Noi guest house (I think!) right next to the end of the bridge with the restaurant the first thing you see) and shared the $2 charge for our bamboo hut looking towards the river (albeit beside the main bridge over the river), and settled in for some well deserved food and beers. The accommodation was nothing more than a bamboo shack with fan and balcony, but nothing more or less than we required.

I had made it almost back to Luang Prabang in record time, only a few days elapsed since I left, and now only a few hours north of the place. I had been thinking about heading north with an Irish lass Claire, and a couple of Scottish blokes she was travelling with. I wandered if they had now passed through and went to Luang Nam Tha, or to the Gibbon Experience, but was glad I had opted for the trip I did, and glad I never went back to Luang Prabang. As happens in trips like this, who walked up the steps, but Claire. They had moved north and were taken in by the quietness of Nong Khiaw and had stayed a few days, opting for a day trek to village and a waterfall which she was buzzing about, and a cycle along the main road which ended up with them playing cards with local kids by the riverside. After a quick catch up Angelica and I headed to speak to the guide they used, at 9.45pm!

We spent 45 minutes with the poor guy discussing options for our next day, and haggling hard (they got their day for $15 but ours,a bit more complicated, with only two of us was going to be $25). We debated over a beer and decided we’d do it ourselves. When we went back, the price dropped to $15, but we stuck with it, returning again to say we wouldn’t be there at 7am to tell him whether we’d go or not. It was a shame as the guy was super friendly. If you go there, head to the turn off for Sunset Guest House (on the East end of the bridge), and directly opposite there on the main road is a yellow sign for a tour guide – pop your head in.

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Sam Neua and Vieng Xai Caves

Friday, November 3rd, 2006

Me arriving in a chilly Sam Neua after the overnight bus journey :

Unloading the bus at Sam Neua :

In our drowsy states, we caught a share taxi (Sawngthaew) to Vieng Xai. As you’ll know I catch these everywhere. The world translates to ‘two rows’ describing the the rows of seats laid in the back of the pickups – typically old Toyotas with a metal cage on the back making the seats, roof, particularly the roofrack, used to transport all sorts around Laos, and a small standing area off the back.

We got there a bit late so had to arrange specific tour for us, and hire pushbikes to move around in a short space of time.

The main cave here is Tham Than Souphanouvong where the ‘Red Prince’ of the same name used to hide during the Indochina War. Army officers and others used to meet and stay here, sheltered from the bombing around the area. We got told a load of historical information from the guide, but I won’t pretend to remember it all. Apparently there are around 102 caves in the area there’s been a bit of confusion whether they were a military secret or tourist attraction until recently (i.e. within the last 15 years).

Although there is less history attached to this site, we all found it more interesting than the Plain of Jars. Whether it was worth two days on a bus is up to you, but most of this group were continuing to Vietnam, and the border is very close to here. Vieng Xai is a picturesque wee place though, surrounding by limestone cliffs with a small lake in the middle.

By this point in travelling, the journey becomes as much of the trip as the destination to be honest. Just to back this up we had another adventure! The tour guide assured us if we missed the last sawngthaew back to Vieng Xai we could share a lift back with him for the same cost as he was teaching English in Sam Neua. Unfortunately the class had been cancelled that night and there was a $15 taxi waiting for us. You pay around $20 for a half day trip so we were clearly being taken advantage of a bit, but hey we weren’t going to let that stop us.

Angelica sprinted on the back of his moto to the bus lot, but we had missed it. We bodyswerved the taxi and walked up there, ready for some hard negotiations with locals. We asked around and people who said they’d take us, then decided not to after speaking to the original driver. Eventually we stopped an orange truck…now this wasn’t an orange coloured truck, it was was a truckload of oranges. He agreed to take us for $6 as he was heading that way. The original driver intervened so we said we’d give him $10. The original driver was trying to intervene again so we told him to back off – “He get’s money, we pay a fair rate and don’t get ripped off, everyone’s a winner”.

By this time, half the people around the bus lot were watching. We knew we were sitting ducks as we had no transport. A local guy got off his moto and asked what was going in, found out the situation, spoke to them in Laos, and confirmed the price we were willing to pay the truck driver.

Thanks to that guy, we boarded the truck and said bye to the guy trying to take advantage of us. I thanked the local who seemed very keen to speak to tourists and ensure they enjoyed their visit to Laos, so I told him he was very kind and thanked asked him not to let the locals get more into the rip off mentality sometimes witness in other SE Asian countries.

(All aboard the orange truck 🙂

The truck driver was great. Both parties were happy with the resolution, and so much so he invited us to help ourselves to the oranges in the back – 4 of us inside after the oranges were pushed back, and myself and Owen perched on the back. We got some funny looks from the locals and plenty of waves and smiles.

The perfect way to travel.

A view from one of the caves :

Me on the crap bikes we had to hire (ok we could have paid more and got a mountain bike) :

One of the cave tunnels :

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Plain of Jars

Thursday, November 2nd, 2006

I spent today going on a tour that cost myself and another girl $18, and the two other girls in the van $6, and I didn’t even see the town I wanted to see where they have houses built using old bombs etc. I wasn’t willing to pay the extra $15 he wanted so am splitting town on the overnight bus tonight…heading to another ‘beautiful scenic’ area, but ready to be disappointed. I had it out with him about him ripping us off, but he had his money so I’ll just go away and bitch about him. Anyway, short post as it feels like I need an elbow to push this keyboard down….oh yeh, and in my ‘No Holds Barred’ SE Asia guide…Phonsavan has nothing as a town.

Plain of Jars :

Lao Lao brewing from sticky rice….knock ya out! :

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