Good Morning Laos

Trip Start Feb 05, 2008
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Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Monday, March 10, 2008

What a crazy-ass whirlwind of travel and adventure the next couple of weeks brought.  Amid tales of a new outbreak of avian flu in the area, I got on my bus to Muang Sing.  I hadn't even planned to go there.  It was Tony, my Auzzie buddy who told me about it and it's highly recommended by Lonely Planet for its trekking.  I wanted to do something adventurous and I wanted to get off the beaten track to northern Laos.  And Tony didn't even come!  Admittedly I was a little uneasy about the bird flu thing but it was the first I'd heard of it so I wasn't overly worried.  I decided I'd just watch for sick chickens and people.  Really, everybody knows what someone sick with avian influenza looks like.
 
The 'ordinary' bus bumps and weaves its way for about two hours down a 'sealed' road, occasionally bouncing over a heave in the road severe enough to throw me up off my seat On the way to Muang Sing
On the way to Muang Sing
 .  We pass through a check point where a man wearing a primitive surgical mask sprays the bus with an odorless liquid from a hose.   Maybe this bird flu thing really is serious.  Then we hit a police checkpoint.  Usually the cops disregard the falang but this time the three of us must produce passports.  No probs.  Oddly, Muang Sing's bus terminal is located about a km from the town's centre.  The then necessary tuk-tuk was only 2000 kip (22 cents). 
 
Muang Sing is a quiet little town located about 11 kms from the Chinese border.  The only reason I'm here is to do a trek.  And celebrate my 48th birthday.  And see bird flu up close.  What could be better?  The trekking in this area is supposed to be awesome. 
 
The guesthouse is cheap.  Five dollars, with a hot shower and a good bed.  I want to do a two day trek.  That's enough.  There are three trekking agencies in town, all owned by the same people.  One has two spots open on a three day trek.  Another has a two day trek open and so far I'm the only one on the list.  Apart from the two girls on the bus and the six people booked on the three day trek, I have only seen a couple of other tourists.  Later I see the two girls from the bus, Ruth from Isreal and Mariana from Argentina, and it turns out they too are interested in a two day trek.  We must commit by 5:00 p.m.  It's 3:00 now.  Either I get a trek booked or head back to Luang Namtha empty handed and dejected.  It is my birthday in two days so that would not do.  When I return to the office at five, they are not there.  Buddy agrees to stay and at about 5:20 the girls show up and we are good to go.  No one knows it's my birthday the day after tomorrow and I'm not sure whether to tell them.      
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