Laos - Land of the Million Elephants

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part 5: Up to the north

Thursday, Dec 3, Mekong river

Departure from Luang Prabang

Slowboat impressions

Now the Mekong is more narrow and the landscape gets more interesting. I grab a towel to protect myself against too much sun and climb on the roof. This is the place to really enjoy the trip. During the next hours the view is changing very slowly but steadily. We pass some rapids, where our speed over ground is reduced to almost zero.

Attack from outer space

From time to time speedboats pass by and disturb the peaceful scenery. Before we can see them, we already hear the strong noise of the engine. These really fast going, colourful painted Thai speedboats look as if they come from a different planet with their passengers wearing helmets and life-jackets. I do not regret my decision for the slowboat. We stop now and then to let people disembark in small villages. A hilltribe family, dressed in their traditional clothing, comes on board. It's almost dark when we arrive in a small village where we stay for the night. We are directed to a small bamboo hut with small, separated beds. They even have mosquito-nets out here.

Hilltribe family

The dinner is included in the price (9.000 Kip). A woman brings us instant noodle soup, sticky rice and a few bottles of beer. About 20 small children, quite amuzed, watch us eating in the candlelight. We seem to substitute the non-existing television program (there is no electricity in the village). We take our torches and go for a short walk. Most villagers are busy inside their simple houses, preparing food. I go back to write postcards. The view over the moonlit river is marvelous.

Friday, Dec 4, Pakbeng and Muang Houn

The best place is on the rooftop

At 1 pm we arrive in Pakbeng, nothing much to see, just a few houses line a street, half a dozen speedboats anchor in a small harbour. Patricia and Tom want to stay here for the night and take a room in a guesthouse. I have a foe with Ben at a small foodstall. I go back down to the river, where pickups are supposed to leave. Indeed, there is a pickup with two soldiers in the back, waiting for more passengers. They go to Muang Houn, a small village about 50 km from here. The price is quickly bargained from 60.000 Kip (for the whole car) down to realistic 6.000 Kip. 20 minutes later we go. I'm the only farang, nobody speaks english. The bumpy, chinese-built road doesn't allow much speed. That is more than compensated with gorgeous views on mountains, valleys and primary monsoon forest. It's already dark when we reach Muang Houn. The pickup stops not far from one of the two simple guesthouses here. I take a room without asking for the price (4.000 Kip). I take a mandi (the asian style shower) and feel much better after two days without a shower. When I look for some food, I realize a lot of small lights (candles?) arranged in a semicircle on a field. I get closer and see many people standing in front of a stage, music is playing. The lights stand on small tables where locals serve fresh food and sell all kinds of sweets and chewing-gums.

In the mountains north of Pakbeng

I sit down to eat the ultra-hot version of a noodle soup and a piece of dry cake. I have no idea what kind of festival this might be. Later I learn from a boy who speaks a little English, that the Udomxai army is celebrating their 21st anniversary or something like that. On a table, schoolboys play the Lao version of pinball: Just nails and pits on a board. They try to shoot a little metal ball into the pits, which are marked with the number of points. Right next to it a large wheel with painted-on numbers it is turned and people put banknotes on a roulette-like gambling-table. On the stage, men in uniforms hold speeches, scetches are performed and young girls dance to Lao folk music. Nice show.

Scenic road to Mouang Houn

Saturday, Dec 5, Road to Luang Nam Tha

Village half way to Luang Nam Tha

It's almost 6 pm when we come down to Nam Tha valley. The view is really breathtaking. Rice paddies in yellow and brown colours, rising smoke and dark mountains in the background. I should come back here to take a picture. We arrive in Nam Tha and I ask for a room. The Darasawath guesthouse is completely booked out, but the friendly women offers me to sleep in a kind of garage, where they have a single bed with a mosquitonet. I decide to take it and put my stuff in. I walk up the main road and pass a dozen foodstalls, lit by candles. Children offer fried bananas, soup, sweets and sate. Many locals wander around on the dark road, there is almost no traffic. Back in the guesthouse, I have dinner. They make excellent fruit shakes here. I join the Australian girls for a beer. At the next table, I hear a German guy discuss the Y2K problem with some elder Lao or Chinese men, funny, isn't it? I grab a candle and go to my garage to spend the night with two motorbikes. During the night I can hear strong rain beating on the roof.