Huay Xai, LaosJuly 23, 2007
N 20°16.589
E 100°24.645
We continued our journey west towards Thailand via a slow boat on the Mekong River. We knew the boat was going to be slow when we departed at 8:50 AM, but we weren’t expecting the ride to take nine hours. Lucky for us, we were at the boat early, and able to get one of the twelve cushioned seats instead of parking our bum on a wooden bench for the entire journey.
We boarded the simple passenger boat, number 44, at the end of the dock in Pak Beng. We climbed down a set of stairs and balanced ourselves as we walked, with our packs, along an unsteady, 12” wide, plank to the vessel. The blue boat with a basic tin roof measured nine feet wide and fifty feet long. The hard, wooden bench seats were three feet long and perpendicular to the sides of the boat. We managed our way to the rear of the boat and immediately claimed our semi-reclining cushioned seats. Straw mats were thrown about the vessel, allowing passengers to take a break from their seats and lie down, or maybe even mediate.
The cruise along the Mekong didn’t disappoint us one bit. The passengers were able to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views along the river as our driver dodged huge stalks of bamboo, tree
branches, logs and other debris floating on the surface of the mud colored river. Corn terraced the countryside next to the river in abundance.
We stopped at several remote villages along the way to let passengers off. The small villages didn’t even have docks to accommodate the large boat, so the passengers would jump out near a clear patch along the shoreline and summon family from the village to retrieve them.
After a good nine hour cruise we finally landed in Huay Xai, grabbed our bags and headed to the first guesthouse we could find. We were both ready for a hot shower, food and a cold beer.
Laos overall has been a rewarding segment of our trip. The countryside is spotted with tourists here and there, but not like in Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand. Experiencing the untapped beauty in a scenic, serene setting is like nothing we have experienced.
The countryside is as beautiful as Nepal or New Zealand, but the fact that we were able to enjoy it nearly by ourselves was an unforeseen bonus. It was amazing to sit in a small little village, only accessible by boat, where running water, electricity, gas ranges and the internet and do not exist. The rustic bungalows had their charm, but the experience of the landscape made the lack of amenities completely worth it. In fact, a few days without internet access were actually refreshing!
Laos was definitely the cheapest country we’ve visited so far, where we averaged under $5 per night for a room (when you don’t have to pay for electricity it is a lot cheaper!), and around $15 a day for food.
The food, however, was not our favorite in Southeast Asia. In fact, I think I will be fine if I never have stir fried rice or stir friend noodles every again in my life. We did enjoy the sticky rice and
enjoyed eating the food with our hands. Our best meal was probably the dinner we shared with Roger’s family in Ban Na. Kim and Em are excellent cooks and they really prepared a special meal for us that night.
The few words of Lao we did learn—"Hello", "Thank You" and "Thank You Very Much"—will be forgotten tomorrow as we head into Thailand and brush up on our Thai. At least we know we can order food!
Sawatdii Thailand!
E 100°24.645
We continued our journey west towards Thailand via a slow boat on the Mekong River. We knew the boat was going to be slow when we departed at 8:50 AM, but we weren’t expecting the ride to take nine hours. Lucky for us, we were at the boat early, and able to get one of the twelve cushioned seats instead of parking our bum on a wooden bench for the entire journey.
We boarded the simple passenger boat, number 44, at the end of the dock in Pak Beng. We climbed down a set of stairs and balanced ourselves as we walked, with our packs, along an unsteady, 12” wide, plank to the vessel. The blue boat with a basic tin roof measured nine feet wide and fifty feet long. The hard, wooden bench seats were three feet long and perpendicular to the sides of the boat. We managed our way to the rear of the boat and immediately claimed our semi-reclining cushioned seats. Straw mats were thrown about the vessel, allowing passengers to take a break from their seats and lie down, or maybe even mediate.
The cruise along the Mekong didn’t disappoint us one bit. The passengers were able to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views along the river as our driver dodged huge stalks of bamboo, tree
branches, logs and other debris floating on the surface of the mud colored river. Corn terraced the countryside next to the river in abundance.We stopped at several remote villages along the way to let passengers off. The small villages didn’t even have docks to accommodate the large boat, so the passengers would jump out near a clear patch along the shoreline and summon family from the village to retrieve them.
After a good nine hour cruise we finally landed in Huay Xai, grabbed our bags and headed to the first guesthouse we could find. We were both ready for a hot shower, food and a cold beer.
Laos overall has been a rewarding segment of our trip. The countryside is spotted with tourists here and there, but not like in Vietnam, Cambodia or Thailand. Experiencing the untapped beauty in a scenic, serene setting is like nothing we have experienced.
The countryside is as beautiful as Nepal or New Zealand, but the fact that we were able to enjoy it nearly by ourselves was an unforeseen bonus. It was amazing to sit in a small little village, only accessible by boat, where running water, electricity, gas ranges and the internet and do not exist. The rustic bungalows had their charm, but the experience of the landscape made the lack of amenities completely worth it. In fact, a few days without internet access were actually refreshing!
Laos was definitely the cheapest country we’ve visited so far, where we averaged under $5 per night for a room (when you don’t have to pay for electricity it is a lot cheaper!), and around $15 a day for food.
The food, however, was not our favorite in Southeast Asia. In fact, I think I will be fine if I never have stir fried rice or stir friend noodles every again in my life. We did enjoy the sticky rice and
enjoyed eating the food with our hands. Our best meal was probably the dinner we shared with Roger’s family in Ban Na. Kim and Em are excellent cooks and they really prepared a special meal for us that night.The few words of Lao we did learn—"Hello", "Thank You" and "Thank You Very Much"—will be forgotten tomorrow as we head into Thailand and brush up on our Thai. At least we know we can order food!
Sawatdii Thailand!
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