Laidback Laos

We are writing this blog as we take a slow boat up the Mekong River as we close out the last leg of our quick journey through Laos.  It is pronounced with or without the “s” and either way is acceptable. 

Laos is very different from the other countries we have visited.  Traffic seems to follow some sort of rules.  They don’t honk their horns and they do have some courtesy.  There is also more wealth here than anticipated.  Service on the other hand has taken a big step back.  It’s as if you are putting them out of their way to take a food order or pay for something.  This is very different from the other Asian countries we have visited and hence the “Laidback” moniker.  The other thing about Laos is that it is even hotter than the other countries (not that we thought that was possible).  Daytime highs are averaging in the upper 30’s low 40’s and add on the humidity and it is like being in a greenhouse all the time.

The first stop had us landing in Vientiane, the nation’s capital of 240 000 people which is much smaller than the cities elsewhere.  We only spent a night here before leaving the following day for Vang Vieng.  This is their adventure area of the country.  It was here that we took a 5 hour tube down the Nam Song River.  The river is dotted with bars along the way which heave out a line and drag you in if you want.  Our entire group decided that this would be a good idea and jumped at the opportunity.  It was a lot of fun.  We had an opportunity to mix it up with some of the local children who were also in the water and splashing was the order of the day.  The water quality was not that good and we do have stories on that as well.

Stop three was in Luang Prabang.  Here we did and entire day tour through the area.  The morning had us climbing a waterfall in the rain.  This made for some interesting challenges.  After we made our way to the bear rescue centre.  It is here that the country of Laos takes all the bears (Moon Bears) they have confiscated from the poachers who are trying to take them to China or use them for various things and try and bring them back to health.  It is great that they are trying to do this.  The afternoon had us at an elephant rehabilitation centre.  The elephants have been rescued from work camps where they are worked and beaten to death.  We all got chances to ride them.  I (Dan) got an opportunity to ride one into the Mekong River and give her a bath.  I don’t know who got a bigger bath.  I now know what it is like to get sprayed by an elephant numerous times. 

We have then taken a slow boat up the Mekong River, a lot slower than we would have liked.  The boat kept breaking down and they have to stop to repair the engine.  On the second day the boat broke down twice before the engine caught fire and burned the drive belt leaving us stranded.   Their plan was to see if another boat came along and could take us the remaining 6 ½ hours to our destination.  After banging against the rocks on the side of the river for an hour and a half there was a public boat that stopped and had room for us.  Riding the public boat added to the adventure and there are more stories to tell then there is room here.  Highlights of the public boat trip are that it had to stop to fix its engine as it was also heating up, we had to make random stops literally in the middle of nowhere to let people off on the shore (there were no paths, no roads and no signs of civilization just forest) 

The reason for the two day boat adventure was a home stay stop mid-way through.  This was definitely an experience we will not soon forget.  The boat stopped just before sunset at this little remote village –the only way in or out was by boat.  We exited the boat to find out where we were staying for the night.  Lisa and I could not stay in the same house (even though we were married) because it would anger the spirits.  We could have stayed had we paid the spirits $600 and given then a chicken and a pig.  I guess even spirits have their price.  Needless to say we spent the night in two separate houses.  Keep in mind there is no electricity, which means no fans and it was hot –sweaty stinking hot.  I had the luxury of sleeping on Barney blanket.  The toilet facilities were also very basic.  There was no toilet paper and even if we had some we were not allowed to use it.  There was a bucket of water and you had to use your hand to clean.  We all held it until we got back on the boat the next morning.  Five o’clock didn’t come early enough for any of us.  Lisa had a rough go as the house she was in had a cooking fire going below her house which made it even warmer and very smoky.  She had to use her inhaler for the first time this trip. 

After arriving late because of all the boat breakdowns we had to race to the Thailand border as it closes at 8:00 pm.  We just made it otherwise we would have been a day behind.

Still having fun but getting a little tired.  We will be looking forward to a day break from travel to rest for a day before our next journey begins.

Laos Family Robinson  

Panoramic view from our Bungalow and the Limestone Mountains

Enjoying good company and great scenery in Vang Vieng (until the storm)

Daily rains and thunderstorms in Laos

Typical Laos Landscape

Moon (Asiatic Black) Bear rescued from poachers.  A bit smaller than our black bears.

Cool flowers

Getting ready to climb the edge of the waterfalls.

Crossing the river above the falls.

Feeding the elephants sugar cane (Elephants were rescued from a logging camp)

Enjoying an elephant ride along the river.

Dan getting on the elephant to take it for a bath (unfortunately
he go on backwards and had to turn around)

Heading into the Mekong River for a bath (both were equally wet coming out)
Dan got sprayed by the elephant numerous times (Yum, elephant boogers)

Lisa bathing one of the elephants with Dan on the elephant

Coming out of the river sort of clean.

Riding up the Mekong River

Our private tour boat before it broke down. 

Views along the river

Farms where they slash and burn the hills (rebuild their houses) and try
and plant a crop before the soil washes away

Freight traffic on the Mekong River

Wild Water Buffalo at the rivers edge

Local Fishermen and kids along the river

The village we stayed in.

Lisa's accommodations for the night.

Lisa's house (Dan's was a bit more sketch than this)

Local kids (no diapers needed here)

Locals playing a cross between soccer, volleyball and badminton
at the local school

Typical houses in the village (reed mat walls, bamboo stick floors covered
with reed mats and tin roofs

Leaving our broken boat.

Lisa and Dan tubing down the river