Six day trip to Laos - day 2pt2

Six day trip to Laos - day 2pt2

The Mekong River is majestic.
It flows through China, Burma/Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia

and Vietnam where it forms the Mekong Delta.

For eight hours in the slow boat, we float through glorious natural forest which rises endlessly up the hillsides from the river, undulating green natural beauty that blends eventually into huge mountain ranges on the horizon. Astounding beauty on a scale that is not easy to capture in photos, but here are a few of my best attempts.

Occasionally, mountains close to the river come into view.

and there are beaches

We see goats

 and lions

very occasionally, another boat

actually, the lions may have been cows

We neither see nor hear birds. Apparently, the locals have eaten them all.

Apart from other boats on the river and small landing points for local people to get on and off the boats, the only signs of humanity are a village and a few isolated dwellings

and children

Here, a class of school-children appear to be having a lesson on the beach

In England, we have what we call houseboats on our canals and rivers.

Here, they have real houseboats

Early evening and we are nearing Luang Prabang

maneuvering towards the busy quay

And off we all get. Our wonderful experience of the slow boat down the Mekong is over. Loved it.

We have to climb a very steep slope and steps up from the quay. At the top there is a hut. The only building in sight. We are clearly well outside Luang Prabang. Inside the hut is a man at a desk. 

Outside is a gaggle of tuk-tuks. I buy a ticket from the man for a tuk-tuk ride into the town. 

Other passengers are milling about wondering what to do, so I am able to climb into the first tuk-tuk to leave, sharing it with a Danish couple who have been here before.

The tuk-tuk is actually a motor bike with a cattle wagon attached.

And it does its job brilliantly, the driver goes out of his way to find the Villa Luang Sokxay which I have booked for four nights.

I am hungry. Only had water, a bag of nuts, and a shared bag of crisps from my bag, plus a salty pot noodle from the snack bar on the boat. I was too slow to get filled rolls, the lady had sold out.

So after checking in, straight out to the nearest restaurant. Mistake. Have to wait ages for a lukewarm can't remember what. Never mind, the room and bathroom are clean and there's a proper toilet.

Sorry its a bit long today, but it was a very special day. Best wishes to you all, John