That's Laos For Ya
Trip Start
Feb 05, 2008
1
22
70
Trip End
Ongoing
Nong Khiaw,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Thursday, March 13, 2008
So it was me, a young female Japanese tourist who knew a bit of english and our driver, a slick, young Rayban wearing dude sporting a big wad of kip that he loved to display frequently. He knew about six english words, one of which was 'sorry'
My bungalow in Nong Khiaw
. He was a careful driver and although the road was poor, the ride to Udomxai was smooth. I asked him to drop me at the bus terminal and he told me it would be better if I carried on with them to Pak Mong, two hours further up the road. It was on his way and closer to my destination, and he'd do it for only 30,000 kip. The price was certainly fair and after being reassured there would be plenty of buses to take me to my final desto for the day, I agreed. He took us to a great little restaurant where a delicious lunch cost less than a buck and then told us he'd return in a bit, our packs still in the van. The food was great. Best meal since arriving in Laos. Back in the van, we drove around town, stopping often and waiting for apparently nobody while he made frequent calls to what seemed to be the same person on one of his two cellphones. He never used the other phone but kept checking it. I think we were waiting for 'friend' and he had a package for him. After repeated 'sorry's' he eventually parked somewhere downtown and delivered the package. We left town about an hour behind schedule. 'Sorry' he said. I figured what the hell, it's likely I'd have been waiting for a bus at the terminal anyway and I wasn't even sure I'd get a bus to Nong Khiaw today.
On the way to Udomxai he made several stops
Boats on the Nam Ou River
. First to pick up a large stock of baby bamboo. 'Sorry' he said. Later we pulled around a corner and lady came running out carrying the carcus of a small mammal by the tail. I have no idea what it was. It was about the size of a cat. He stopped to have a look, said something and pulled away. 'Sorry' he said. A little later we came around another corner where there was a small line of ladies selling everything from bamboo shutes and vegetables and pelts and carcuses of animals of a type similar to what we'd seen earlier, some of which were mysteriously covered under rice bags and revealed only when he pulled up. This time, after a lengthy negotation, he bought what appeared to be a recently trapped animal. I wish I knew what they were. 'Sorry' he said. My copassenger and I surmized that the fellow had some 'business' to do along the way to Luang Prabang and called the travel agent to let her know that he was available to take some passengers. Found money for him. A little while later we were in Pak Mong. There's no bus terminal there. It's just a small hut with a table and a bench and a blackboard with stuff rubbed off--the bus times I'm guessing. The three men sitting there don't know when the next bus to Nong Khiaw, only 30 kms and about an hour's drive, goes. They don't know much of anything really. They have tuk-tuks and are available now. I told the driver if I'd known this, I'd have taken a bus from Udomxai
The Nam Ou
. He didn't say 'sorry'. Off he went and there I was standing at a junction in the road in 35 degree heat. What I do know is that I can take a tuk-tuk for 120,000 kip, 'Go now'. "That's too much" I say and sit down to wait for a bus. I wait. It's hot. I look around. This place is a dump. I don't see a guesthouse anywhere. Not the best place to get stuck and I have no idea when the next bus will arrive and they're not saying. It's about 4:00 p.m. now and it's hot. They've got you by the balls. About a half an hour passes and I pull four 20's from my pocket, approach the thief, er tuk-tuk driver and offer him 80,000 (exactly what I paid for the five hour ride in the comfortable minivan to get this far). He takes it right away. Damn! I paid too much. I stewed for a bit, cursing these asshole tuk-tuk drivers as I bounced down the narrow and rough road in the back of the tuk-tuk to my final desto before reminding myselft that it was only around 12 bucks and that a cab home from Whyte Ave home would have cost me more. 50 minutes later I was in beautiful and scenic Nong Khiaw.
It's a great little spot nestled in the cliffs of what is called Sleeping Princess Mountain. It's greener than anywhere I've been yet. Bungalows along the river are only about $7 a night
Another Gorgeous Sunset
. I offer the primping young Loation girl who watches too many Asian music videos 50,000 kip for the 60,000 kip room. I was the only one there this night so she took it. There are a few backpackers kicking about and the locals are pretty friendly. I'll stay the night and then in the morning catch a boat to Muang Ngoi, an even smaller village set in a reportedly more beautiful location accessible only by boat about an hour up the river. If it's as good as they say, I'll spend three nights. If not, I'll pop back here and hang around before heading to civilization in Luang Prabang. There's no internet here. Later in the guesthouse resto I meet Walter from Holland. He's going north as well and we agree to meet for breakfast before heading to the boat. We meet a couple of very friendly Vietnamese dudes who are motorcycling through Laos and they invite me to visit their motorcycle shop in the French Quarter in Hanoi when I'm there. Should be cool.
Five weeks on the road and no rain.
