Laos

Day 1 (25th May)

The first part of the journey was OK until about 1am, when I woke up to a commotion and realised that locals were boarding the already full bus! They lay down in the isles, and so I had some sweaty old mean practically on top of me, and Zoey had boxes piled on top of her! She got very angry and they were removed but it was horrendous. We arrived at the border just before 7am, but weren't told anything - it just looked like we'd stopped for another break in the middle of the mountains (we were very high up and remote).

The border

Bleary eyed and a little chilly (though in retrospect I preferred this to what was to come!) We walked to find the border. It was an ok process; we handed our passports to Vietnamese immigration, paid $1 and waited to be stamped out. We then walked for a while to the Laos immigration office (it was a long hike!) and filled in forms, waited again, paid $35 dollars and...done!! 

Crossing into Laos

Then we got back on the bus and set off down through the mountains. A few minutes in we realised we'd left someone behind but the bus didn't stop! But overall the border crossing was OK -  no scams and the bus picked us up on the other side, so the scaremongering of the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide's was unnecessary!! But god, the onward journey was hell. Utter hell. Windy roads through mountainous forest and sparsely populated countryside; the whole pop of Laos is the same as in Hanoi, Vietnam!! Around 6 million. Crazy. People were being sick, I was sweaty and cramped and it smelled rank and I was close to tears when we finally stopped at a service station where they tried to rip us off because we didn't have Kip, only dollars. Happily though we arrived sooner than expected at 4pm - only a 20 hour journey...we got in a shared taxi with some other travellers who were on our bus and headed into town. It took ages because some girls realised they had been sold a fake ticket for their onward ticket to Vientiane. We were dropped at a hostel that we picked out from the Lonely Planet, and the room was disgusting. So we trekked around trying to find a clean and cheap place - everywhere had raised their prices and renovated. We are staying in Sabayde (which means hello in Laos). And its cheap but again on the top floor and the steps are lethal. After showering we headed out to explore. Walked along the promenade by the Mekong (the french influence is very obvious here) and looked at the market - no one hassled us to buy anything! Then we had dinner at a restaurant on the riverfront - sticky rice which came in a wicker basket and you roll into balls, a whole barbecued fish with salty skin and stuffed with lemongrass, and papaya salad (really spicy!) We basically chose from looking at the bbq and asking the french man by us what he was eating because it looked so good! Then we got a beer Lao in a bar above a supermarket that sells traveler weary foods such as chocolate and peanut butter and cheese!! 

Sticky rice!!

The washing line in my room. Who needs a man?

Day 2 (26th May)

We got up and had breakfast at the Scandinavian bakery - a godsend, with free wifi. I had a cinnamon and raisin bagel and free coffee refill! We sorted out our plans for Chiang Mai so we know we are doing: emailed cooking class, a hostel and sorted a 1 day trek with them. We both felt excited about the days ahead. Then after we had decided what to do in terms of sightseeing, we went and booked the bus to Luang Prabang - we chose overnight sitting as we couldn't face another sleeper. Then we wandered to see the kings temple (where the benches were amusingly sponsored by Lux and Knorr!), the royal palace (just from the outside) and Wat Sisaket temple which had amazing cloisters with a plethora of Buddha, and inside the temple there were tiny Buddhas set in hundreds of little arches in the wall.

Inside Wat Sisaket

The murals looked hand painted and worn - because they were not real stucco (painted onto wet plaster) and so hadn't lasted. I liked this - it looked human. Then we saw the Arc de Triomphe and went back to our hostel to wait for Tee-the diamond merchant. He turned up in a very swanky car with automatic sliding doors and was a lot younger than I expected. We were driven to a very nice restaurant where he ordered us a multitude of specialities, but we started with freshly squeezed orange juice. Chatted about how he did IT in Oxford, and toyed with the idea of staying their but believes you always want to go back to your home country. He got into trading in precious stones through knowing the right people. Rarely get scammed because its a very tight circle of people and if you don't know them you don't trust them. The food then came...and kept coming! Individual bowls of steaming veg soup (with broccoli and mushrooms in!!) And wicker caskets of sticky rice, a spicy green bean salad with pork scratchings (?!), mini bbq'd sausages with hoemade salsa, grilled fish, lao salad (lots of greens) ground beef salad, papaya salad. So good! And more orange juices came. I had a bit of a funny turn after wed finished - felt like I may faint and was rather embarrassingly plied with water courtesy of the posh waitress. Then pudding - thick creamy coconut milk soup with these chewy coloured balls floating in it - so yum - and sticky mango rice. Mmmm. 

A feat courtesy of Tee

Mango sticky rice. So yum

He then drove us to this hidden monastery whose name translates as 'forest temple' because we wanted to have a massage and do meditation. When we arrived, we walked into a working monastery with monks doing DIY and there didn't seem to be a spa place!! After following many signs, we made it to a treehouse-looking hut, where lots of westerners seemed to have better luck finding it than us. I didn't go for the sauna given my previous faint episode, and instead waited for Zoey. She didn't last long and came out very sweaty and said it smelled of smoke - the stem was made by burning wood. We both then had traditional Lao massages, after listening to the rather podgy lady who runs it flirting with two fit blonde english guys! The massage was good for the price (like 3 dollars!) The lack of oil, and the fact I stayed fully clothed meant it wasn't as relaxing as it could have been, but I liked the technique of pressing and pushing rather than rubbing - it was effective and felt good until it got a bit vigorous!! I wasn't such a fan of being clicked and crunched though!! Then we walked over to the temple where meditation was being held, and both took our places on little cushions. We were briefly talked through sitting meditation - basically breath in and out saying 'budd-oh' and let your thoughts pass - don't dwell on them, just acknowledge them and let go. I have to admit I had a little panic as I thought I can't do this for 90 mins! But I tried my best, and found I got very relaxed (and nearly nodded off!) The heat was uncomfortable though. Then a gong was rung - a pleasant surprise because I didn't have to keep going. We then did walking meditation - I found this easier, but initially didn't know quite how to go about focusing my attention on just walking. I found if I thought about my feet, and felt the ground through them, heel to toe, then I had something to focus on. Sitting mediation after was a bit disastrous - no concentration left!! 

Meditation

Afterwards we met 2 guys - from Australia and UK - who were travelling around SE Asia looking for how to best use a pool of money they had been entrusted for charity. We went to a bar with them in a tuk tuk (which got lost). They had 2 ideas - 1) to build a database listing all the charities in a country and what they are doing, to improve coordination 2) to build a database which volunteers can look at, and can be matched to a charity, to lessen inefficent use of volunteers and them having to pay thousands. They didn't seem to be clear which though. We debated about volunteers and whether unskilled young volunteers are good. One of them was so judgmental and against them, saying they were redundant. We disagreed as we have both done it, and from Zoeys experience organising volunteering, no charity has ever turned around and said we didn't need those volunteers. The problem is making it more efficient - anyone who wants to volunteer should be able to, and should be encouraged if they are young. What needs to be done is properly matching a person to a cause/organisation/role to make sure they are of the best use, and that they don't feel exploited. The Aussie guy was very open, but the UK guy wasn't and he annoyed me a little as its such strong opinions that can cause the problems in the first place, and he didn't seem to get that the database would be used to make unskilled young volunteers useful, not 'redundant'. Anyway, Zoey and I had our G&T's courtesy of them, and then had to go to meet Tee as he had invited us to his Indian friends house to have chicken burgers and meet his wife and 8 month daughter. But he had to cancel at the last minute as he daughter was ill :( so we just went to the bar above the supermarket to use wifi and chill.

Signposts in the middle of Vientiane. Thailand is so close

Day 3 (27th May)

Started our day at the Scandinavian Bakery again. I had a piece of apple crumble slice and coffee again. We then went to the national museum and it was good - had a narrative and a range of artefacts, pictures and paintings. It was, again, anti French (when narrating the colonial period) and anti American (when narrating the attack against communism in the late 90's). I use the word narrating here, because it was the communist governments view of history and was told from a very biased and subjective viewpoint. We skiiped through the present day Lao exhibition, as it went on forever, was mainly picture after picture, and was clearly a communist narrative. We went to the Arc de Triomphe - the national monument modelled on that of Paris. It is, however, unfinished, and on the plaque is described as a 'concrete monster' - (strange to be so self-derogatory about a national monument!!). I thought it was quite stunning though, and we went up and got some great views from the top. We were both so knackered though from the heat, and were walking so slowly! We briefly looked around the 'Morning market'; a very tranquil experience, with no hassling and no urges to buy a thing! Were a little shopped out, and are glad we have been buying things as we go because it means now we don't have to worry. We then stopped for lunch by the river at a little makeshift restaurant. Had grilled fish and papaya salad. 

Lunch

Zoeys fish had eggs in which was a bit gross! I felt really faint again after - it was so so hot, we just about made it to the supermarket and my arms and face started to feel really tight and as if I was being squeezed inside. I lay down on the floor and it passed, after I calmed down. We decided to just go to the bakery and sit there until our Skype 'appointments'. I got a fresh fruit salad, and the banana in it did me good. We had to go back to our hostel to collect our bags, and thought we had time to use their downstairs shower...but ironically our tuk tuk came 30mins early to take us to the bus station!! After going round in circles picking people up (we could have had that shower!!) we got to the bus station and the only mishap was my coke exploding! The bus was fine - not full, and we had bought filled bagels for supper and got one of the white steamed buns that we love just before getting on. Went to sleep pretty pronto because the lights went out and I lost my torch on the last ordeal of a bus journey (though at the time it was the least of my worries!!). But kept waking up, as the bus stopped a few times and also the road was so primitive and bumpy. Several times I thought the coach may tip over!! Our driver drove very slowly - walking speed at some points-which was a relief. The drive at sunrise into Luang Prabang was spectacular - with views of vast tracts of forest shrouded in mist and early light. 

Early morning panorama coming into Laos

We arrived about 6am, got a shared taxi to Bhoupa guesthouse, and woke up the disgruntled old man to ask for a room! It was a pleasant surprise - own bathroom and no stairs!! And 60,000 (about $4 each) and hot water. Yay! After showering, we found a bakery and I had a hot english muffin with butter and jam and english tea :) then we set about sorting our journey to Thailand via the Mekong river...it was stressful because it takes 3 days - 2 days on the boat, and then 1 morning for the bus from the border. It was also more expensive than expected - 280,000 for the boat and 120,000 for the bus - so 400,000 ($50) for the whole thing. We changed our plan and decided we should get the bus all the way as it only takes 1 night (leaving at 7:30pm and including ferry across Mekong and pickup in a minivan the other side of the border and transport to Chiang Mai). But this itself cost $40, and then we wouldn't see the Mekong at all properly. So we asked about tours to the Pakao caves which includes a boat down the Mekong, and this was $50. This was all adding up and getting a bit contrived...I didn't really want to see caves, but did want to see the Mekong. I suddenly had an idea - what if we didn't go to the caves, but left Luang Prabang a day early to go on the boat to Thailand? That way we'd get there in time, see the Mekong and fulfill our original plan, save money, and see more of Laos rather than getting on a bus and arriving in Thailand earlier, or spending more money to while away an extra day in Luang Prabang (its an expensive place to be because all there is to really do is trek and do excursions and they are pricey.) We settled for that idea and booked it. Then we got on with sightseeing! Its a very small town up in the mountains, and although it was cool when we arrived, was very hot by now 10am. 

Beautiful Luang Prabeng

The sound of the crickets in the forest above the royal palace was deafening - almost as loud as screaming! It was easy to navigate - there is one main street lined with tour agencies, massage places, cafes and hostels and the river runs parallel to this street. We got an amazing mango and pineapple fruit smoothie and walked in a loop and visited 2 monasteries: Wat Saen, which houses two longboats that are used in the annual boat race festival and where we saw a young monk climbing a tree to pick mangoes! and Wat Xiang Thong, which was built in 1560 by King Setthathilat. I had to wear Zoeys raincoat to cover my shoulders, and got so sweaty! 

A typical Laos temple

We walked back along the river, and were approached by a tuk tuk driver who announced 'I am a bored man' and chatted to us and tried to get us to ride with him. We then posted postcards, and had lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Mekong. We had Laos salad - cucumber, lettuce, tomato, egg, peanuts and pork in an amazing dressing, and fried bamboo spring rolls. So yum.

Lunch by the river

The view from our restaurant of the Mekong

Then we had a massage (in a place opposite and owned by the same restaurant). We chose a full body, 1hr, oil massage. It was a cross between the 2 massages that we had in Thailand and in Vientiane. I liked the combination of pressing and pushing and also massaging, but without the clicking and crunching of our 2nd massage. We were more relaxed as we just wore a towel, it was quieter and oil was used. It cost 43,000 (about $5) and included a free smoothie after. We then went back to the hostel and I crashed out for half an hour. Rejuvinated, we went to the night market for supper and browsing. It had all been set up rapidly whilst we were in our hostel, and it was a very pleasant calm experience with no hassling! I spotted a buffet - fill a plate for 10,000 (just over $1) and we dived in! I satsfied my fresh spring roll craving, and it was all veggie, with pumpkin, bamboo, tofu, noodles, pasta (yay!) and amazing salad and vegetables. We later found some more buffets, that included whole fish and meat, but I like our one because those were rammed and there was almost 2 much choice for 1 plate! Ours let us have seconds too. 

The buffet. Bargain!!

We then got some desert - little bags of cocunut milk with rice in for 3,000 (less than 50 cents), except mine didn't have rice, just little jelly balls and banana and I was disappointed! So I got some sticky rice and banana in a banana leaf to make up for it for 1,000 kip (about 12 cents!) We got a good nights sleep, except I ended up sleeping horizontally across the foot of the bed much to Zoeys surprise - she thought there was an intruder in the room! Turns out wed both been dreaming about difficult sleeping places (I was trying to negotiated sleeping on a pavement in the dark!).

Day 4 (28th May): cruising the Mekong river day 1

So we got up so early today to see the monks receive alms. Got a good nights sleep though, despite dreaming that I had to find a place to sleep on a dark pavement, and waking up at 1am spread horizontally across the foot of the bed with a confused Zoey trying to understand the situation! I apparently hit her, wok her up and she thought there was an intruder! Anyway, it was light when we went outside, and there were tourists waiting for the monks already. A minibus of Japanese tourists arrived, bought bananas, sticky rice and biscuits from the vendors capitalising on the event, and took their places on cushions wearing sashes. The monks emerged from their respective temples and paraded in a long line holding their alms bowls. Each person sitting down put a spoon of rice and a selection of other things into each monks bowl. Their faces were totally expressionless and didn't betray a thing - were they envious of what the person in front got? Annoyed about being up early? I wonder what they've been taught to think and how to react? I also swear I saw one monk look very disgruntled about what was put in his bowl!! There were also some street children sitting by makeshift bins for banana skins etc - but the monks didn't seem to be eating anything. But the fact they were sitting there with their hands together in respect of the monks made me realise how revered monks are in this society. 

Monks receiving alms at 5:30am

After watching fascinated, especially one particular line that walked back to their monastery with the mountains as a backdrop and it was picturesque, we went to a cafe (our fave Scandinavian bakery that was in Vientiane!) and I had the most amazing giant Viennese biscuits sandwiched with jam and dipped in chocolate. Perfect with coffee (and refills!) Also bought a peanut butter and jam baguette because it a combo I've always wanted to try and they were selling them freshly made! We paid for our room (the old man insisted on talking to us in french to try and trick us into paying more, but we were having none of it!!) And then walked to the boat jetty. It was a motley collection waiting to get on - lots of locals and a monk in a woolly hat!! 

A monk wearing a woolly hat??!!

We got on the boat - a long canal type boat, with 2 rows of 2 seats that looked like they'd been lifted from a minibus! It was comfy and spacious and we were both very excited to go! We had already bought our ticket but you could buy it at the landing pier for cheaper (no commission). It was good to arrive before 8 because you could get on the boat early and the boat left on time - 8:30am. It was such a beautiful journey. Although 9 hours in the end, I could have looked out of the window the whole time. I read and wrote my journal, and the boat wasn't full so I was able to spread out over several seats and be by the widow. We just drifted past mountains clad in forest (or not in some cases because of deforestation) and occasionally you could spot one or two wooden huts, with a canoe moored on the river, or maybe a cluster making up a village. It was hard to tell how these people made a living. We saw a few people out in canoes with nets, fishing. I saw I few up in the mountains, perhaps having cut a tree. There were little shelters in patches that had been cleared - for crops? Occasionally we saw some goats,cattle or water buffalo. But it all felt so secret and remote and I loved being able to speculate. There were lots of footprints down to the river, but no sign of people (except the odd few semi-clothed children). It was cool, with a steady breeze blowing through the window and really was a captivating journey. The only downside was not knowing when we would arrive. It was 6pm when we got to Pakbeng, and we were supposed to have arrived about 1hr earlier. I wouldn't have minded if we had been given an idea of when wed get there, but as usual - nothing! It was frustrating because you could see nothing (Pakbeng is the first town for 9 hours) and this was a little disheartening! I got out of the boat a little too eagerly, and fell out of the boat and nearly hurt myself badly. A lady was advertising a hostel that was in the Rough Guide, so we went there ...a false march up a steep hill was a bit startling! It was a tiny room, but cheap. We then went to use wifi in a cafe where we got BeerLao, and then got dinner - water buffalo and pumpkin (which was actually courgette!) veg in coconut curry, and sticky rice. We had too much rice, so asked the waiter to take it and mix it with coconut milk and mango for pudding. He did, but it took aaaages and came out different to expected - he'd cooked the rice in condensed milk so it was hot and gooey, and added chopped stewed mango. It was good, though I was wanting the bog standard cold version of mango sticky rice, but at least there was a reason for it taking ages! It worked out more expensive than we've been used to, but hey - still only £4 (which is extravagant!!).

Views of the Mekong from our boat

Day 5 (29th May): Cruising the Mekong day 2

Day 2 of floating up the Mekong on our last leg (Pakbeng-Houyaxi) started a little bewilderingly. We couldn't find an office to buy tickets, so had to negotiated with the captain on the boat. We needed to buy breakfast and lunch, and he insisted we leave our bags we him and that we didn't have much time. We kept our bags and made a hasty round of the stalls, grabbing tuna baguettes, mango's, bananas and water. It was fine in the end - the same travelers who were on our boat yday showed up (with tickets...) and we were sold our ticket on tje boat, and didn't have to pay commission. Win. If it hadn't worked out though, as Zoey calmly said, we could have just slipped them a bit extra and it wouldve been fine! We waited around a while before leaving (ahem mr captain!!) and locals boarded - including a woman with a drip who looked very very ill :( I think she may have been headed for hospital. The boat was different to yesterday: we had wide varnished wooden benches with tables and cushions - it was very cosy and an elegant boat. 

Note the earplugs on the table. The lady was soooo annoying

The weather was also different - it rained occasionally! Luckily there were transparent rain covers that were pulled down and it added to the cosiness! When the rain stopped the covers came up and there was a pleasant breeze as we meandered down the river. The captain really was skilled at negotiating strong currents and rocks, and I was so glad we hadn't chosen to go by speedboat. They were like motorized canoes that went by in a blurr of spray and the passengers were wearing crash helmets. My guide book says there are frequent crashes and you need earplugs. The landscape changed quite a lot from yesterday. It became flatter with fewer sheer tree clad mountains, and there were clearly  crops being cultivated. There were also more tiny settlements, and moored canoes were still a common site, as were people collecting nets that had been left attached to bamboo rods to catch fish. The only annoyance was this German lady who struck up conversation with an English man and spoke in a grating, shrill American accent. It wasn't really a conversation - more of a lecture and she was so self confident and sure of herself! Anyway, I passed the time by reading and writing in my journal, and eating our picnic. The baguette brad wasn't as good as yesterday - the French influence on its quality obviously missed Pakbeng! Peeling a very ripe mango was worth it, but definitely an effort, and the mini bananas that are so popular here made perfect snacks when boredom crept in. They are really sweet and chewy and I wish we had them in England! We arrived at 6 again, later than advertised when we bought the ticket and again trying to guess where we'd pull in was frustrating! It was easier this time because Houyaxi is a port town, and opposite the Thai border town of Chiang Kong, so the emergence of roads and large boats were a clue. We had spied out a hotel using the tiny section on Houyaxi in my guidebook, and we had to go there because we'd emailed the travel agent to tell them to pick us up from there in the morning. However, with no map, only knowing the river ran south to north and that we needed to go south, it was a little difficult (and hot) finding it. But we did in the end, and it was a bargain, although the room was a little pink and frilly! The man knew which travel agent we were with and assured us it would all be OK...we just decided wed have to go with it! Went out and got a beerLao in a bar that sold loads of different flavoured whiskies - including honey, strawberry, kiwi, and jack fruit. Then got dinner - and ran into German woman and her entourage again. She definitely dislikes us (I think she heard us complaining loudly about her voice!) but the man came over and asked us about booking transport to Chiang Mai. Satisfying! We got BBQ sausage (and ketchup!!) Sticky rice, papaya salad and chicken with mango (which was a little disappointing - no mango, just veg and cashews and so spicy!).