Waterfall
Trip Start
Jan 02, 2008
1
51
75
Trip End
Jun 17, 2008
Luang Prabang,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Went on a day trip to Kouang Si Waterfall with Richard and Ed. It's about 30km from Luang Prabang, so we got a tuck-tuck there, which we shared with a group of people and made friends with a British couple, Emily and Richard. The waterfall is huge and surrounded by forest. It's very picturesque. There are several different levels of the waterfall, so we scrambled up the muddy path to the top, stopping for a swim in the clear-blue, icy cold pools. Best level was half way up, where we swam under the waterfall into a little cave, so that we were surrounded by the crashing water.
Luang Prabang has a curfew. Everywhere must stop serving alcohol and is shut down by midnight. Except there is one little loop hole in this rule...a bowling alley is able to stay open and serve alcohol 24 hours. So this is where I ended up with a huge group of backpackers. Lao Lao (spirit, 50% alcohol, made from sticky rice, disgusting, but dirt cheap or free at most bars...really not a good thing!). I'm blaming this for how appalling my bowling was. I have never played so badly in my life. I practically missed every shot (and I'm not exaggerating...I wish I was!). The night ended when James, a slightly hyperactive Aussie, dived down the bowling alley into the pins. Was very funny, but maybe he took it a little too far by doing it again on someone else's lane. Not surprisingly we were kicked out. Got back to hotel and the gate was locked (or so we thought...think we could have actually just opened it!). We jumped over the fence. Richard went first and broke the fence and then landed in a plant pot and smashed it. I almost wet myself laughing so much.
Following day was insanely hot. So we hired bikes! Had arranged to meet a group of backpackers to do abit of sightseeing, but the whole day turned into a bit of a mission. The heat really didn't help. Searched for ages to find a bike to hire. Finally succeeded, but we needed passport as deposit and it took ages to persuade them to accept my driving license and cash. Then discovered the bikes had no brakes. Tried to explain the problem to the girl renting them, but she knew there were no brakes and didn't seem to think it was a problem. We took them anyway and just used our feet to stop and got slightly scared everytime we reached a hill. Started our sightseeing and then realized that most of us had forgotten to bring anything to cover our shoulders. Had to go back to guesthouse. Everyone sweating so much in the ridiculous heat. Finally got to temple (Wat Xiang Thong) and it was actually worth all the effort. Also cycling around the city we got to see a lot more than if we'd been walking. We went to see a photography exhibition of monks and then the boys went for a swim in the river. I was going to join them until I saw the water. It was mud, but the locals seemed to love it. Ended the hot day by going out for dinner with a group of friends. Richard, Ed and Marina decided to have a barbecue and almost died from the heat of the coal fire. Overall it was just a very hot day!
Comments
Visiting Thailand.
Sawadeekrup, greetings from Chiangrai, a city close to L.P by boat along the Mekong river. Any plans to hop into this place?