This year at KKU midterms fell over Christmas and New Year's so I had a nice long break. Last year, they taught on Christmas Day. It just seems weird. So I headed to Laos to meet up with a fellow PiAer who is working at a NGO in Vientiane (Elena), another NGO worker in Vientiane (Kat), and Elena's friend who was visiting from New York (Julia). We were all meeting in Pakse and we were doing a Southern Laos loop which is a little less touristy than Northern Laos.
I headed out early to take me time to get to Pakse. I stopped for a night on the Thai border town, Mukdahan. Isaan towns get a little prettier when they're on the river. The thing I remember most about this town is waking up in the morning had having some terrible diarrhea that lasted for wayyy too long. I don't know what it was but now I understand Traveler's Diarrhea. OH....MY....GOSH.
DEC. 22 So Elena, Kat and Julia and I meet up in Pakse, do some introductions and go to rent motorbikes for our motorbike tour of the Bolaven Plateau. I was the only experienced motorbike driver but everyone eventually got the hang of it--even if it took some close calls and a couple minor scraps at a gas station. It was weird for me because all of a sudden I was back on the right side of the road. I think it's' one of those things that you never forget though.
The first day we went to a place called Tad Lo. Our guesthouse was overlooking a river and a pretty waterfall. We stopped at another waterfall on the way but the whole day I was starting to feel un-stunnable. Everything is beautiful but it feels like nothing amazes me anymore. It's great and beautiful but I'm not going crazy over anything.
DEC. 23
Today we woke up to explore some of the other waterfalls in the Tad Lo area. There were some breathtaking parts today...but unfortunately I am still having some serious stomach issues that get in the way of pure enjoyment of the scenery.
We biked to this AMAZING waterfall that took us to the top of it where we could look down at the far drop. It was maybe three feet of water wide but it's the dry season. I'm curious to know if the whole area we were walking is actually filled with water in the rainy season-it probably is. We chilled out here for along time just looking at the view over the land. Then, as we were going back to the guesthouse these village boys were waving us over and told us they would show us a waterfall. We figured they would show us the same waterfall but from the bottom (so looking up at where we had been). These boys took us on a hike through their village, past the bathing children and adults, past the neatly rowed garden, up, down and over boulders and finally we stopped. We took pictures of the waterfall and the boys. The boys started showing off by doing some cliff jumping and adventurous Elena took a plunge as well. As the boys were walking us back they stopped and asked for some money. Here I thought they were just nice boys who were bored and wanted to show us something special. They charged a hefty sum but it was really just a little over a dollar.
But I was lucky enough to leave them a little present in the woods that refused to wait until we were back at the guesthouse. By this point, I am only eating bread and rice.
THE PHOTOS from Mukdahan to Tad LoSo we grabbed some lunch and headed to our next stop, Sekong. The ride is pretty and it's just freeing to be riding a motorbike. I can now understand the phenomenon of motorcycles. It is amazing and being here really makes me want to have one when I am older. Or even just a scooter! There was an amazing sunset in the plateau (at this point we are on the plateau) and the colors brightened the sky for a long time. And then full moon rose in front of us. WOW! It was spectacular. But then we were riding at night and the bugs were out in full force. Bugs in my eyes, hair, nose, mouth, ears, everywhere. So gross. Since we arrived in Sekong at night it was really hard to find where anything was. We had a hard time finding a place to eat dinner and when we stopped to ask some people where we could eat the drunk men started getting a little touchy feely--which is so abnormal for Laos just like it is in Thailand. It was really uncomfortable and it added to our overall feeling of not liking Sekong. We ate dinner, went to bed, got up the next morning and left right away. In that time, I finally succumbed to modern day medicine and took some traveler's diarrhea medicine. Thankfully Kat and Elena were more responbile than me and brought some with!
DEC. 24 The next day was supposed to be the roughest road leading to Paksong, with dirt roads and supposedly a road full of pot holes. The road was rough but so spectacular. The dirt road meant that every time a car or truck passed us they would form an intense dust cloud where sometimes we couldn't see in front of us. We stopped at some waterfalls on the way but nothing surpassed the beauty of just driving. There are just a few pictures of this drive because there's no way to capture it. But the views of green forested mountains is priceless. Add in a sunset and it's almost perfect.
At this point I am starting to feel so dirty. Wearing the same dirty clothes because I know I will get dirty the next day on the motorbike. Dust from the roads were slowly overtaking our skin and clothes!
TAD LO, SEKONG and PAKSONG DRIVE PICSDEC. 25 Christmas Day but doesn't feel like it in any way. There isn't Internet to call home but at least it's just Christmas Eve at home. Christmas is not Christmas when you're not with your family. In the morning we went to the Paksong market which was a perfect market size. We had fried bread and some Lao coffee for breakfast and then had some traditional Lao skirts (Sinh) made. Julia got a beautiful silk fabric and I got a more low-key cotton with stripes. We picked out the fabric, they took our measurements and made the skirt in about 30 minutes. We all had a great time exploring the market because it was so easy to navigate but still had everything you would need--but not 10 stands of the same thing which is usually what a market has! It was a good morning in the market and we were all sad to be leaving Paksong. There wasn't much more to do there but it'd be a nice place to live.
This was our last ride on our motorbikes as we were ending our loop and heading back to Pakse. In Pakse we had reserved a nice hotel to treat ourself on Christmas Day. The name is Champassak Palace and that says enough about it. It looked like a palace that belonged on top of a cake. Amazing! A splurge at $25 a night but well worth it just for a hot shower after the past days of feeling filthy.
We arrived back to Pakse and all of a sudden had to drive in traffic again! Luckily not for long. At night we tried to go out to celebrate with these guys we met but we couldn't find the club. So we went back to get a midnight Indian dinner and eat some Christmas cake I had found. Like so many other times in the trip, us 4 girls sat around, eating, sharing stories and just relaxing together.
Dec. 26 We said farewell to our motorbikes and our turquoise helmets to squish ourselves into a minibus to Champassak. Champassak is a tourist destination for a Khmer ruin named Wat Phu. Wat Phu is actually 10K outside of Champassak and we decided we were going to bicycle there. 10K in the afternoon heat is a pretty good work out but you feel so good when you see the other Asian tourists riding back in their AC vans! Not too many western tourists but mostly Thai and Japanese tour groups. The Thai tour group can be spotted anywhere because they are all wearing identifiable bright yellow hats. Oh Thailand. I was sorta excited to see some Thais again and excited I was able to know who was Thai and who wasn't. I remember the days when I would just say Asian. Well, there are huge differences between each country and each person's ethnic make up obviously.
A nice Khmer temple that is in need of some serious repair. We could see where the walls will collapse in the next few years. It is a UNESCO site so we saw some people repairing a part but a lot is needed. We bicycled back at sunset, which was breathtaking. The bike ride was nice because we got to see so many villages stretching from Champassak to Wat Phu. I like getting a feel for the life that people lead in these places where I'm just a tourist.
I took a nighttime walk with Elena where we tried to find a market but really ended up looking up at the bright stars that were so clear. So many stars.
PAKSONG, PAKSE, and WAT PHU PICSDec. 27-30
We headed down to our last stop today, Si Phan Don, or 4000 Islands. It's a point in the Mekong that has lots of little islands (or just river plants shooting up) but a few big islands where there are villages and inevitably guesthouses. It's right on the border with Cambodia so it's the end of Laos. We boarded on a minibus for the ride down there. We always get stared at, talked to in Lao and maybe some English. But this time was special. Julia got asked to be a woman's girlfriend who was especially touchy-feely. The same woman took her comb out of her hair and started brushing and braiding Elena's hair. It was hilarious and I don't think we were sad to see her get off in her village eventually. But it's better than being ignored! The hour and a half ride took three hours but we traveled like Lao's travel. No wonder traveling is an all day thing, you never know when you'll get somewhere.
We stayed on Don Khon and it was so much more beautiful than I expected. It was also the most touristy place we had been but it still does not compare at all to Thailand's touristy places. There are lots of guesthouses but the people who live there don't seem completely effected by it. People are still bathing in the river, carrying water from the river back to their houses, going to school, etc. It was so nice to lay in a hammock overlooking the Mekong and read a book. Watching fisherman go by in boats and sometimes jumping out to take out nets that were placed in the morning. I don't know how they swam though because the current was pretty strong.
We rented bicycles for a day and explored our island. There were some magnificent waterfalls and even went swimming and sunned on a beach! Each night we made sure to be in a good spot for the sunset. The colors were different every day. Then dinner and trying to be home before 9pm because that's when the electricity would turn off (the islands run on generators!).
One morning we got up before sunrise to travel down the river a bit to the Cambodian border where you can see Irrawaddy Dolpins. They are an endangered species that are thought to only live in this area. They are small dolphins that can live in fresh water and sea water. We were lucky enough to see a lot of them even though they were far away. They prefer the Cambodian border and we were told we could bribe someone so we could be closer but the opportunity never came up. It was so peaceful to be sitting on this rock in the middle of the Mekong watching the sunrise and people start their days. Kat left a couple of hours later to meet friends for New Year's in Hong Kong. Elena had another friend who met us so one gone and replaced by another, Rachel.
Our last night there we organized ourselves to see a waterfall on the mainland. The owner of our guesthouse took us but we think he only took us because there was a celebration going on that night and he wanted to drink with his buddies. He was obviously disappointed when he thought we'd want to stay at the waterfall for an hour and we were back in 15 minutes (it was nothing compared to what we had seen in the past few days). He then took us to a sunset spot and then dropped us off at a neighboring island that is much more touristy, Don Dhet. All of a sudden, so many foreigners. Every restaurant was packed! It was fun and we met a few interesting people but there is always a disconnect when you live somewhere and when you are just traveling through.
We didn't stay out late as we wanted to get back to our island before the generators turned off. Well, we definitely miscalculated how long it would take us and how dark it really gets. And we had forgotten our flashlights. So with flashlights and a lighter with a light someone gave us we speed walked for 6KM. Of course, it was cloudy so the full moon was nowhere to be seen. It was terrifying to the point where you can't be scared. I almost took some dives because of the big rocks in the gravel road. We made it back with no problems and it was a walk to remember!
The next day we all headed back to mainland and back up to Pakse. Elena and Julia headed off to Thailand to have New Year's in Bangkok. Rachel and I stayed another night in Pakse just chilling out and then the next day we went our separate ways. Rachel to meet friends near Champassak and me heading home.
SI PHAN DON PICS I missed Thailand and was ready to be done traveling. I didn't think I'd ever feel that way but I did. It was a great trip and an awesome group of people to travel with. As soon as a crossed the border and started heading first to Ubon and then to KK I almost missed the first bus and the woman starts running through the grass to catch it before it leaves without me. She went out of her way for me without even thinking. Maybe that just happens more when you travel on your own or maybe I've just had more opportunities for it to happen in Thailand or maybe it's just Thai people. Either way, I love it.
Differences between Thailand and Laos--no 7/11s! I didn't realized how much I depend on 7/11 until it's not there. Tear.
-most women wear the Sinh, traditional skirt. A Sinh and a t-shirt is a normal outfit
-lots more signs in English (more specifically comparing KK to Laos)
-buses are infreuent and mostly non-AC, most rides are in a minibus or large sawngthaew
-no shorts or tank tops. HOT!
-you can pay in kip, baht or dollar. I can barely keep track of one exchange rate let alone 3!
-being gay is not OK so no lady boys
-no nightly aerobics
-even the touristy places weren't that touristy, especially by Westerners and almost no Americans
-not as many cars or traffic in general
-lots of babies, maybe the population will be increasing as Laos is the least populated country in Southeast Asia
-bread is always available...I can get used to that
-people weren't yelling "farang" even though it's the same word
-all the guesthouse provided towels! It's the little things that matter
-not as many Lao women with farang men but still some
-most children were just running around without pants and underwear on. I think it's a pre-potty training thing so then there's no mess to clean up. Completely normal to see a kid just wearing a t-shirt
-I saw more drinking in the village by men. Being outwardly drunk and obnoxious
-not as service oriented in any restaurants. Meals would take up to 2 hours and we would only be eating for 20 minutes of it!
