One of the ways to cross Laos is on a ‘slow boat’ cruising down the Mekong. This was one of the most relaxing transits I have done. Rolling down the river with the beautiful scenery was gorgeous. Like I have said before, in Asia, the journeys are half the fun.
Cruisin’.
We jumped on the boat after crossing the border into Houay Xai. The border crossing was easy enough. An air-conditioned bus from Chang Mai to Chiang Rai, a public bus from Chiang Rai to the border, a tuk tuk to border control, from the Thai side to the Laos side and then a tuk tuk into town. Actually, now that I write it down it seems much more complex than that. As I mentioned in my last entry, in Asia, it is about both the journey and the destination. Riding on the public bus was fun. it was not air conditioned, but the back door was left open for the breeze. which led to a lot of hilarious movement from my hair. Once in the town there was only time for dinner, some local honey whisky and bed. On night two we stopped in the town of Pak Beng overnight for a similar evening, although we were able to watch the sunset over the Mekong from the Wat on the hill while listening to the chants of the novice monks. A perfect Laos moment.
Sunset over The Mekong.
The boat was long and filled with old car seats, we were warned to balance out the boat and not move around too much as we could tip the whole thing over. The Captain was a young man in his early 20s but the real show-stopper was his wife. 7 months pregnant and still steering the boat into it’s moorings, cooking us amazing lunches all while being utterly beautiful. Her cooking was actually amazing. We got delicious stir-fries, curries, noodles, chicken wings, spring rolls, soups and grilled fish over two lunches. These were pretty close to being some of the best food I have had while I have been away.
Our trusty vessel.
The Mekong itself is wide and rapid. Small villages dot the lush jungle-covered mountains that soar on its banks. An occasional golden stupa will pop out from the greenery too. But the best part is how peaceful it all is. People cruise past on their boats every now and again, but no-one is in too much of a hurry. We were able to stop in on two of those villages on our way down the river. On both days we arrived to give the community members gifts of things they had requested from our tour company. I’m all for giving back, but people were hiding things you had already given them so they could get more and a woman who helped me down a sand dune to get back to the boat demanded money for helping me. I know I do not understand the poverty they face every day and this behaviour makes perfect sense; but it disappointed me and also made me feel a whole new level of guilt of being, as a man in my tour so aptly put it “A big colonial bastard”. At day one’s village the people were tentative about us. The kids stared in horror and it was only a game of throwing a ball around that loosened them up. On day two we went to a Hmong village. This ethnic group has suffered a lot of persecution and some Hmong even live a life on the run after the Vietnam (or American, or secret war). I think the Hmong were more used to visitors, as they said thank you and had a few local girls ready with handicrafts to sell to us. At the Hmong village we brought some school supplies and hygiene products for the children, then we taught the kids some classic western dances (including the Chicken Dance and Macarena) and played a crazy free-for-all soccer game with them. It was actually fantastic. They have such a fun energy.
School kids in the Hmong village.
We also visited the Pak Ou caves which are limestone caves that sit on the edge of the Mekong. Here, local people have donated thousands of Buddha images that sit inside the two tiered cave. On the bottom level there are about 4000 Buddhas. You can light incense and sit quietly with the images in a very serene environment. After a climb up some very steep, high and slippery stairs, you hit a dark cave where you use a torch to see 3000 more. This was a nice detour, but not the most exciting
cave I’ve ever been to.
Some of the thousands.
After arriving in Laung Prabang, the final destination (and my next entry), I was actually quite sad to leave my car seat and say goodbye to the captain and his lovely wife. The boat was one of the best ways I could have imagined to see the untouched jungle beauty of Laos.
Ali's adventure 