Moonbase Luang Prabang

Speed

Sabaidee,
Time to get to Luang Prabang. "Sod it!", I thought. Let's get the speed boat. I do like a bit of adventure after all. I paid and committed myself then went for breakfast. Met a couple who had come up on it day before and they said it was the only way to travel. Then went to the pier and saw Rudy, a German living in Thailand with friends in Luang Prabang, who said he'd done this trip 50 times and there was nothing to worry about.

There has been many stories of the boat hitting submerged rocks and flipping and rumours that westerners were not going to be allowed on them. Rudy told me the drivers knew the river and therefore where all the rocks were. The issue was fallen trees from the wet season that had become stuck under the currents.

That said, we still get issued with helmets.

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here
Speed boat 6: me, Simon, Rudy, Dan, Nancy, Scott

Well, what a hoot. Of course we were apprehensive at first and donned the helmets as asked but how easy was that? I'd recommend it to anyone*. You've got more chance contracting Deep Vein Throbosis so I would say take as little hand luggage as possible as there isn't much room in the cramped seats. And this is where I have to doff my hat to Dan who gave up his front seat, and leg room resting on the backpacks, at half way for me. Cheers!

Video
Watch the speed boat here

After halfway, we were helmet-less which made for a better journey. The only incident was near the end when we went over someone else's wake and Scott's helmet flew off and out of the boat. We even had a race.

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here

• but I'm not responsible should anything happen

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is a lovely peaceful town. Buses and trucks are banned, there is a curfew at 11.30pm so all bars close and it has an old french colonial feel to it. There are food stalls everywhere. My favourite being chicken on a stick. A good bit of BBQ'd chicken for about 10000Kip (66p).

In the mornings around 5.30 the monks from the nearby wats walk round town accepting food gifts from the townsfolk (and tourists) in a ceremony called "Receiving the Alms". Mostly rice, this is what they eat for the rest of the day, so I'm told. It's an orangey sight to see, spoilt a bit by the odd tourist getting to close for photos (haven't they heard of zoom?). When I was there it was a coachload of Americans but could very easily have been French, English or German next time. There are photos in nearby restaurants with text underneath saying: Please Dont Do This (and they look like americans too). At the end of the day though, the fault lies with the tour guide on the coach as they should be telling them what to do and not to do.

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here

I met up with Jean and Dee again and no sooner as I got there we were off on a spectacular, if not up and down and windy, road to Vang Vieng. The scenery is amazing, on a par with NZ south island perhaps crossed with Thailand.

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here

5 Days Later

BOING!!
After Vang Vieng, I came back here, a few cuts and bruises more to add to my gibbon cable burn on my right arm (more on Vang Vieng in another chapter). I came up with Paul, Jayne, Natasha and Ben (who I met on motorbike back in CR). We went to the Kuang Si waterfalls which are absolutely amazing. We hiked up to the top but didn't see much. There are bears too in a rescue centre which are lovely and there was supposed to be a tiger too but.. RIP Phet, May 2008 :o(

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here

Jude who works there told me there is a similar rescue centre in Cambodia which I should visit. They rescue more animals so will pop along there next month. Paul, Ben and I thought we'd help out the local Red Cross and so went there for a massage and steam bath. That night after food and drinks we went bowling. It's hard to imagine a town like this having a 10-pin bowling alley and it is a tad surreal. It's the full electronic one. I think it also has a niche market because this lies just outside of the town curfew and can serve drinks till 3am: at 11pm it suddenly gets hammered. Bumped into Rachel and Alison from tubing here getting hammered :o)

The following day after saying goodbye to the others, I went to the Museum closed today) then went to the Heritage Centre (closed - see website for info) then tried to find the Kids Library to help but couldn't (map crap). At least I found the Big Brother books where you can help out proof reading english documents for them (they never had any). But I did stumble across a wicked Indian restaurant (Nishi).

--see bigger, better, brighter photos: here

There is a night market here which is fantastic and I wish I had a bigger bag. There is also the Phou Si temple which is set on a hill which is what the town is based around. Sunset up here is stunning and would be better minus the many many coachloads of tourists. Ah well. I'm one of them I suppose.

And then it was time for me to head up north to Muang Ngoi Nua..

3 Days Later

BOING!!
Back in Luang Prabang. It's Halloween.

I bumped into Ben yet again.. he's back after smashing into a minibus coming the other way. Scary stuff. At least he's ok. No idea how he's ok though after hitting it almost head on.. he must be some kind of cybernetic machine.

I didn't fancy doing too much so went to the a Khob Chai bar and watched Stephen King's IT (most bars had Halloween themes). IT? More like SHIT. What a waste of 2 and half hours of my life. The owner agreed, apologised, gave me a beer and gave me the DVD to smash up so it would never darken his TV again.

The following day I just mooched around, popped into the museum (open today), wandered round the local village and then nipped into a travel agent and found out that all flights are booked from Vientien to Pakse so will fly from here on 8 Nov down to Pakse. Then watched United just beat plucky Hull. Bumped into Ben, his mate Nick, Rachel and Alison again after the final whistle.

2 Days Later

BOING!!
Back again after learning how to be a mahout and ride elephants. And some more charity work helping out the Red Cross. Well wouldn't you know it, I bumped into them lot again. It seems that none of us can escape Luang Prabang. So we had one final night out (possibly) at the bowling. I was rubbish. First two balls went straight down the gutter and I was on my arse. Alcohol affected.

Luang Prabang 4: Rachel, Alison, me, Ben

I managed to get up early so booked a bus immediately and left eastwards for the Plain of Jars..

2 Days Later

BOING!!
Once more I'm here but I'm feeling rather delicate. May possibly have a bug. I've been sweating one minute then chilly the next and hardly getting any sleep. Also hallucinating in bed and I haven't had any mushrooms. It's so annoying, I'd rather have the shits than no sleep. Lack of sleep knackers up the next day. Will take it easy, rehydrate and have some comfort food and hope I'm ok before I fly down to Pakse tomorrow. Think I'll help out at the Red Cross once more to see if the herbal steam bath can get any toxins out of me.

I normally love to play devil's advocate but I have to side with the majority here. This really is an amazing country. The scenery, as said, is beautiful, the people are wonderful, the food is fantastic and the life... well.. well chilled. Whereas in Thailand the rule is to hassle and ask you to buy something, here it's the exception. Here, the kids don't ask you for anything when you walk, tuk-tuk or kayak by, they just wave and say "sabaidee" (hello) with a huge smile on their face.
It's ace.

It seems like here in Luang Prabang everyone has found the best guest house. Well for what it's worth, the best place I stayed during these visits was Villa Aphay, Tel: 20 5671519 sks99@yahoo.com, perfectly positioned round the corner from and inbetween Lao Lao Garden (the usual evening drinkerie), L'Etranger Tea and Books and the Laos Red Cross (massage and steam bath). Best local food is at any of the street stalls. Best western comfort food was the tapas and pizza at the Hive. Best indian was Nishi and best breakfast was at Cafe Croissant.

Tatty bye.
Steve / Suggs x