Monday, August 20, 2007

Luang Prabang (Aug 20-21)



After a short plane ride to Luang Prabang it was time to explore northern Laos. After my friend Brian and I woke up on the first morning we decided it would be pertinent to get all the tourist crap out of the way in one day. I consulted a travel agent who convinced us to sign up for the Buddhist cave exploration and waterfall one-day package. Sounded like a good deal to me!



I have to admit that I have, (on occasion,) been led astray while travelling and gotten ripped off since I'm willing to always give the benefit of the doubt. This was one of those occasions. For two hours I was scheduled to "explore" two caves that are about as big as your average backyard. The Lonely Planet guide book claims this is an interesting site because there are broken Buddha images that date all the way back to the 3rd century. The Lonely Planet guide book is full of shit. Who the hell wants to spend an hour in a van getting dragged out to the middle of nowhere and then having to pay a ferryman an extra $2 to cart across a river and stare at some broken pieces of wood for another bloody two hours? To top it off, all the way along the path up to the second cave are little children trying to get you to buy a live bird off them. These little birds come in cages that our about the size of your average camera case, the idea being that upon purchasing the bird you let it free and it's supposed to be all mystical. Let me see if I've got this straight. The Buddha religion that believes in love, peace and respect for all living things condones trapping wild animals in tiny cages just so some tourist MIGHT feel better about themselves for letting it go at an unspecified date in the future? Something wasn't right here and I think it was me standing in that stupid cave.



Thankfully the afternoon went much better. All around the Luang Prabang area there are massive waterfalls that for about a dollar a day you are free to explore at your leisure. And wouldn't you know it? Guess who was on my van ride out to Kouang Si? My friends Emily and Paloma that I met in Vietnam!



'Twas a happy reunion!



The waterfalls are beautiful, the water actually cascades down through several pools and you can do everything from just hiking around to rope swings!



Of course the girls we were with preferred to rub mud and clay all over themselves. "No, no" they said. "You don't understand! If this were a spa back home we'd be paying hundreds of dollars!" Hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.



After we swam around for awhile we decided to make the climb up to the top of the waterfall.



The hike was pretty intense, especially since we were all wearing flip flops and forgot that when you mix together dirt and water you get mud. And mud is slippery. And waterfalls aren't usually located around sites that are really flat. Okay, so we didn't think this one through all that carefully!



We were rewarded with a spectacular view at the top however!



This is a view of the first tier of the waterfall from the very top.



I forget how it started but we were making fun of this stupid sign that said "Danger No Entry" that was right over top of the falls and I think Brian dared me to get a picture next to it.



Some of you might think this was stupid, childish, dangerous and immature. But just for once please try and look at it from my perspective...........I was DARED!!!!



On the way down we found a really cool plateau and stopped for a few photo ops.



Ooooohhhhhhh!!........



AAAaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!..........



Having had an excellent day, in the end we decided to climb up to the top of Mount Phusi where a Wat provides a view of the entire city.



On the way to the night market, we spotted a crowd and curiosity got the best of us so we wandered over. Turns out Botchi Ball is HUGE in Laos, it's no Koob or anything but hey anything that bridges the cultural divide is okay by me! Especially since the game's pretty easy to get right away!



This is a picture of the night market. To be honest it kind of freaked me out! After Vietnam and Cambodia I was pretty used to being manhandled bordering on assault by the locals who would do just about anything to get you to pay attention to their stall. It was so quiet here you could actually here crickets!



Brian and I.



After a couple of buckets at one of the local bars, we realized that the city was about to shut down. Weird as it may seem, most bars in SEA close around midnight with the exception being nightclubs, bowling alley's and those bars that can afford to pay off the cops. Since none of the bars could afford the ticket and we didn't feel like going clubbing that really left only one option!



The girls were a little tired but they still managed a few sets!



That's nice..............



On the way home from the bowling alley there wasn't enough room for all of us in the Tuk-Tuk so a few of us opted to ride on the roof.



"Tuk-tuk" surfing is now a major sport that is taking over norther Laos. Define stupid: Standing up on a vehicle that couldn't possibly pass even the most basic safety standards as it's travelling in excess of 50km's an hour while wasted. Smart move Will.......smart move. Love you mommy! ; ) xo

Lao, 4000 islands (Aug 17-20)




AAAAaahahhhhhhhh.......Laos! I arrived in the southern end of the country in a little town called Pakse with not a white person in site and only a loose plan of what to do! As it turns out, Lao airlines really IS as sketchy as the "Lonely Planet" guide book describes it..........which is why I only flew this airline three times during my stay in the country. I think the pilot had turret's syndrome as the landing felt like we hit several herds of cattle. Are planes supposed to rotate when they hit the tarmac?



I'd heard from a friend that the 4000 islands are amazing so I went to the airport and asked around. The airport guy told me (as he was picking out an incredibly large booger) that I was in luck! A local bus was just leaving!! What an asshole. I shared my seat with a live chicken and a man who really seemed to enjoy touching my thigh while talking to me in a language he knew I couldn't possibly understand.




Destination.......where the hell Christ am I? I asked around and told one of the locals that I wanted to go to Don Det island. He looked at me like I just asked him to sell me his mother for some buttons. Finally I went down to the water and made some hand gestures and used body language to get my point across!



I looked towards the horizon.......and started to think that maybe this wasn't such a hot idea after all.....




But off I went, fingers crossed!




And arrived in paradise!!! I'm not kidding this was the BEST and most relaxing place I have been so far in my travels!! When I got ashore I walked up the road until I found Mama Tannon's Guest House. I was greeted by a women who sort of reminded me of that crazy bag lady in "The Simpsons." You know, the one who's always screaming and covered with cats? Except this woman had a whole wad of quat in her teeth which sprayed all over me when she yelled at me in Lao and then laughed hysterically before walking away. Luckily her daughter came up and told me that they were all full but if I was okay sleeping on a hammock they would let me stay free of charge. I'm pretty low-maintenance so I accepted.



Two days later my new friends and I decided that smoking pot and eating all day was becoming a lifestyle instead of a habit so we rented bikes to get some exercise.



Our plan was to bike to a nearby island and check out the waterfall. The only thing connecting our island with the one beside it is an abandoned set of railroad tracks. These are the only lines the French ever laid in the entire country!



You remember Alvin, Simon and Theodore?



Sadly, our Niagara falls fantasies left a lot to be desired.



One of the girls dared me to go swimming in the filthy Mekong River and being the show-off that I am I promptly geared down and started to wade in.



I got about three steps before I tripped, stubbed my toe, and fell face first onto the sharp rocks covered with six inches of water.



Everyone else found this hysterical.



My battle with the raging rapids had left me quite peckish so we all mounted our faithful metal stallions and set off to find a place that made really good fruit milkshakes. We found one and I had strawberry.



When we got back to Mama's that afternoon we were quite exhausted so we took a much deserved break.



Is this the life or what?



Even the cats are tired from a day of nothing!



The gang.



At around six o'clock or so everyone on the northern part of the island, (all 30 of us or so,) would get up, stretch, and mosey on over to the Sunset Bar to watch........well.......to watch the sunset of course! Is this a picture of southern Laos?



Or Muskoka lake? You decide.



This guys is a hoot! Say hello to the baker. He moved here two years ago and never left.



At the end of each day, the baker packs whatever he hasn't sold into the back of his bike and peddles around the island looking for kids with the munchies. Is this place great or is this place great?



You make your own fun on the island. Seriously guys.....paddle!



Mama Tannon, you saucy minx!



Dinner time!



Woah hold on a sec! It's been almost an hour since we were last in a hammock.



You have to negotiate your way into one first though.



The next morning we got up bright and early to go fishing!



And look at the monster I reeled in! A few more of those and I can fill a can of sardines!



We stopped for lunch at one of the local guesthouse where knife safety takes a backseat to a good time.



Fresh fish caught right out of the Mekong that morning, steamed in a banana leaf with scrambled egg! (Drool!)



This is the main street. There's probably about 20 "buildings" in the whole area!



Sunset time again.



Okay nature..........impress me.



Well done.



Let's see what to do, what to do??......



I loved this place. One morning I woke up and just decided to pack my things and go because I knew that if I didn't get moving I'd never leave this place!