Laos at last
Trip Start
Sep 07, 2004
1
28
53
Trip End
Aug 15, 2005
Luang Prabang,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Saturday, January 29, 2005
The next morning we were up early and duly putting our trust in our guesthouse owner as we handed our passports over for her to get our visa's for Laos. Leaving Thailand was no problem, however when we reached the other side of the river and arrived into Laos we had to wait a while to get our passports back and whilst I was queuing to get some cash changed, Liz was given our 2 passports back and we checked through immigration
Dusk on way to Luang Prabang
. Not thinking there would be any more problems I left to organise our Tuk Tuk to take us to catch the slow boat to Pakbeng whilst Liz took my place to get some cash changed. Before we could get a tuk tuk we had to fill in our details for our tickets for the slow boat. I filled mine in OK but as I had to look for Liz's passport number I realised that one of us had been given the wrong passport. Now I know I may have aged a bit but not to any knowledge of mine have I had a sex change and originated from Wales. I was now Margeret somebody, aged 50 from Cwmbran. As you can imagine I was a little worried about how our travels might go on from here, I dashed back down to immigration in a frantic search for Margaret and to find my own passport - just a little worrying I can tell you! Fortunately within 20 mins I had located Margaret and my passport was still with immigration control so panic over.Whilst we were waiting for the boat to leave some frinds Steve and Kerrie who we met on the trek in Chiang Mai got on board so we spent the journey sat next to them. The next 7 hours were spent cruising down the Mekong on our way for our first port of call Pakbeng. The scenery was amazing with jungle and mountains on either side and occassionally passing stilted villages just tucked away into the jungle. As the boat had left about 3 hours late by the time we were nearing Pakbeng it was getting dark and everyone aboard was really ready to get on dry land
Laos village by the Mekong river
. Then around a bend in the river we saw lights and realised we were there. It was at this point that the driver cut the engine to slow down but when he tried to restart them to guide us into the river bank the engines would not start so we just floated on by. Two of the Lao's lads who were on board had to jump off and swim to the side to try and tether us up to stop us being at the mercy of the Mekong. Eventually with us under control, 2 other boats came to our rescue and towed us back upstream and got us to Pakbeng. Our little adventures for the day did not end here, Liz and Kerrie went of to get a guest house whilst Steve and I helped unload all the bags. As our boat was in between 2 others we need to get a train of people to pass the bags out and up to the top of the hill. Whilst passing bags from one to one I saw mine and Liz's bag go past but when we got to the top Liz's had disappeared. More frantic worrying broke out as at the top of the hill there were lots of kids carrying the backpackers bags to various guesthouses. Liz, I must say held herself together pretty well and apart from a few choice words cursing some Laos guy for knicking her bag she was pretty calm. As each backpacker got the top we were checking their bags but no one seemed to have Liz's. After deciding to leave mine, Steve and Kerries bag at our guesthouse we had geared ourselves up for an evening of checking each guesthouse for Liz's bag when for some reason I decided to check by the boat again and found some little Laos kid with Liz's bag
Mekong and Hills
. He had taken it thinking he was helping someone and it was not until they got to their guesthouse that they realised he had the wrong one and he had brought it back. Liz's faith in Laos people immediately returned and we went for something to drink, eat and a fag even though we were meant to be giving up.The next day was an early start for the 7 hour boat to journey to Luang Prabang, again the scenery was beautiful and this time we were on a lot comfier boat so the day passed a whole lot more quickly. Along the way we visted some caves with thousands of little Buddha statues in and arrived in Luang Prabang about 5.30pm.
We have spent today mooching around Luang Prabang and it is incredibly relaxed with a French influence and I have not had a fag. Catch up soon.
