Ban Thatèng

I woke up around 7am, grabbed my blanket and went to snooze on the hammock outside and listen to the waterfall. It gets really chilly here in the evenings and mornings so i decided to set off around 8.30 before the sun got too hot!
My plan was to head to a homestay called Tayicsua which was around 133km from Tad Lo. I stopped to get some breakfast on the way at a small road side cafe. The owner couldnt speak any english but we sort of got by with sign language. I had noodle soup (again) but this time it had meat in it and it made me feel a bit sick. I think i am offically a vegitarian! They also had the cutest twin baby girls who were only 10 months old, i could have stayed there all day with them!
The first waterfall i stopped at was called Tad Faèk which took me forever to find! It was only small but very peacful there. I was the only person there. You could rent a tube and float along the water but it wasnt very clean so i gave it a miss and headed to the next waterfall, Tad Houa Krone. This place had a nice restuarant and cafe so i sat and tried a Loas coffee before going to explore. The waterfall was dried up in alot of places so you could walk on top of it, it was huge and in rainy season you have to walk around it as the water flows over the whole thing.
I carried on the journey to the next waterfall Tad Katamok. I didnt realise the next part would take me up into the moutains. I seemed to be driving for ages before i found it and this had to be the best waterfall i had seen yet. It was huge, really amazing to see something so hidden away. Unfortunately you couldnt get down to the bottom but to see it from up high was enough.
It was getting late and my fule was begining to run low so I headed for the guesthouse. I had been told to take the new road as the other one was really bad but the new road was 40 mins longer! So i took the old road. I have never seen pot holes like it! Literally canyons on the road. I passed a few little villages but didnt manage to find anywhere to get petrol and there was no sign of the guesthouse. I kept going and finally i saw the sign for Tad Tayicsua. The guesthouse was at the top of a mountain with around 6 bungalows looking over 5 waterfalls. The views were amazing. It was run by a Laos lady called Natalia and her family. She said the rooms werent ready yet and to go see the waterfalls. It was a bit of a hike getting down the mountain but i managed to see 4 out of the 5 waterfalls and they were really breathtaking. It was a bit of a struggle getting back up though as i had to literally rock climb in some places. It was alot easier going down! I got back caked in mud and ready for shower! Natalia told me my room was ready, the staff were taking a shower in the river and i could join them or there were hot showers near the bungalow. I chose the latter! It was nice having a hot shower, i cant remember the last time i had one. Then I sat in the guesthouse for the evening, Natalia made me veggie fried rice which was the best ive had yet! She told me that her family run the area along with the government and they replant trees and keep it tidy. She didnt like miserable people and told me if anyone comes without smiling or asks for discount she turns them away, she wants people to come and enjoy the area not just to sleep for a night and leave. She was a bit crazy but funny, she kept playing the harmonica to her dog so it would sing and insisted that he loved it. She also had a little girl working for her who must have been no older than 12. She said both her parents had died and her uncle was trying to sell her as a prostitute so natalia has her work and stay with her so shes safe. Its so sad to think the world can be such a sick place!
I was told There was a tent set up inside the bugalow as it got really cold in the evening. I didnt realise how cold it would get!! Luckily i was supplied with lots of blankets. My buglalow was next to the river so i fell asleep to the sound of the waterfall. Im enjoying having time being around nature and out of the cities. There are lots of new sounds, plants, insects and animals i am learning about. Its very a calming and stress free place!Read more