6/7/09
I think it must have rained all night & yes it was still raining when we got up in the early hours for our pick up at 6:30am to get to Laos!
So rain mac's & umbrella's in hand off we went!
1st leg was in a minivan, just us, wow, to the Thailand border up North, here we got our exit stamps & slipped on the muddy bank, nearly went arse over tit but brought it back at the last minute & got on our boat to cross the Mekong to the Laos entry border. Got visa all OK, tuk, tuk to the longboat, bought baguettes on the way as was told there was no food or drink on board (liars!), I asked for more filling as she well scrimped!
Got on the boat that was meant to leave at 11am but eventually left at 12 after letting scarily loads more people on board! No life jackets to be seen!
Still raining.......
Met two guys from Thailand on the boat who were sat in front of us, they were really nice, just on their hols.
Seats were well uncomfortable, just wooden benches......J softened the blow by having a beer, his first Beer Lao! Oh yes, forgot to say, there was a bar on board & they sold food after all!!!!
Arrived in Pak Beng the 1/2 way stop, grabbed the bags & then had to walk on the thinnest piece of wood to get to shore, could have all ended badly! Usual crowd there selling rooms so we opted for the one furthest away unbeknown to us, oh well....
Anyway, I was in the shower & J was naked waiting for his turn (in the shower) & there was a knock at the door, J answered & there was this kid there saying 'you check in?', yes J said, we'll come down & pay for the room soon. The kid then said 'You want weed?' how funny, J was shocked, well funny!
Oh, he said no by the way, good JJ!
Went to the only Indian restaurant & experienced our first blackout! The whole place was run on generators so we ate by candlelight, ahhh it's been a long time, oh hold on, no can't remember it ever happening before! Oh J got offered weed again by the waiter.....
Well on the generators it's lights out at 10pm, literally, all power is shut off, so why did we pay extra for a fan room I hear you cry?!!! Ahhhhhhhh!
7/7/09
Up, bacon roll, sorry baguette, then off to get to the boat early to get a good seat!
I walked up back & met Reenie & Erin from OZ who had a pukka spot at the back.....
Really enjoyed the 2nd leg to Luang Prubang. We saw elephants on the bank of the Mekong working, pulling logs up the bank, great scenery, cheeky kids playing & just settled back & enjoyed. Oh & we nearly capsized much to the skipper's amusement! It woke J up though!
Left at 9am & got in about 4pm so a full days boating, no boat sticks though!
Checked into a guest house after a little walk around. Loads of French Colonial houses here that have been made into guesthouses, nice. Had a beer on the corner & bumped into the Thai guys cycling past, said hello & had a chat.
Went to a L.Planet recommendation for dinner which was a bit rubbish, I see a theme occurring, we tried dried river moss, dried pork then went to a bar on the river where we bumped into Reenie & Erin then got introduced to Jasmin & Marcel from Austria. I had my 1st glass of wine for ages......mmmmmmmm yummy! I'll sleep well tonight!
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