Lao - the south....

Abstract:

1000 Islands, Lao.. The Mekong

From Vientiane took bus to Savannaket, onto Pakse where we hired a motorbike to go to Champasak (Wat Phu), Elephant riding, and Tat Fan waterfall, then further south to Don Det Island.

Nitty Gritty:

We joined the express bus from Vientaine bus paying 15000Kip extra for the privilege, but the bus crawled at 40 mph for most of the journey and only got a move on when the driver realised we were being lapped by the standard service.. well that and the chance his passengers may rise up and seize control of the controls...

Ten hours later we arrived at Savanaket an old colonial town on the Mekong with lots of charming crumbling French buildings, after a bit of a battle with the Tuk Tuk drivers we managed to get transport by marching off in the direction of town, a tactic that usually works but carries the risk if its too far of the drivers just laughing at you... We were upset to find out the Hotel we fancied the 'Auberge de Paradis', an atmospheric place starred in our guide had turned into the Thai embassy who certainly didn't fancy putting up two deshevelled travellers... I suppose the town functions only as a border post to Thailand across the river so it makes sence..

Cute girls at Mr Tho's Guest house Don Det

We got up extra early and caught the bus to Pakse (got the local charabang after our experiences of the day before..) it was fun three to a seat bags of grain, chickens etc, actually after five hours the fun starts to wear thin, but this was still more enjoyable than the go slow express... We arrived in Pakse in time to get the pick up/bus to Champasak but had to get to the South Station, we duely hired a Tuk Tuk, who drove slowly the took us to the wrong place and said he could take us. When I realised (Graham) that he had done this and done it deliberatly so we would miss our bus, for the first time I found myself having to control my temper. We gave him half the fare and marched into town.

Elephant after dismounting

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we decided to rent a motorbike and explore by ourselves, sporting snazzy red peeky helmets off we went. (actually graham had to drive round the block twice whilst he remembered how to ride a motor bike). We took the ferry over the Mekong to the anchient city (village?) of Champasak, where a khmer temple Wat Phu (a world heratage site) is situated, on a hill side with lots of ruins of temples, very atmospheric... after a long relaxed lucnch we heaed off to Tat Fan waterfall on the Bolivan Plateau, this is where all the gorgeous coffee from Lao (try it) is grown, yum, again best enjoyed with condensed milk! The waterfall was spectacular and we yearned for more time so we could trek down to it, I nearly did it the quick way after slipping trying to get a good photo...

Monks labouring in Monestry Savanaket

The following day we went off on our trusty Honda to a village where they still have working elephants, we arrived and asked the head man to take us for a ride.... actually, after our tuk tuk experience that was risky, so since he didn't speak English we showed him the convienient picture in our 'pointy book' with someone riding an elephant, I was concerned Rach may have shown him the Camel but after a while (we watched an elephant drag a log across the schoolyard whilst we were waiting) our elephant (a 45 yearold female) arrived and after some manovering we were on our way up a hill, for a view more Africa than Asia, a jungle with a clearing with a herd of buffalo and elephants!

Relaxing by the Mekong, Lao

After a very enjoyable day (and a curry in town at the Jasmin - yum), the next day we were off again to Si Phan Don, specifically Don Det, these are sandy island in the Mekong at its widest part where one can rent a bamboo hut and do nothing but watch the river go by, it was our cheapest accomodation so far (25p each), and very relaxing, o much so that we met am Australian girl who had forgotten to leave (3 years and counting).

We needed all the relaxation possible in preparation for what was to come...