Luang Phrabang & a very slow boat

Dan: (to fellow backpacker on bus) "What's your plans in Luang Phrabang?"
Backpacker: (Looks confused) "Luang Phrabang?"
Dan: "Yes, how long are you staying?"
Backpacker: "Does this bus go to Luang Phrabang?"
Dan: ... "Errr hope so"
Backpacker: "I thought it goes to Vientiane"
Dan: "I just came from there a few days ago..."
Dan: (to driver): "Is this to Luang Phrabang"
Driver: (silence)
Dan: "Luang Phrabang?"
Driver "Vientenee"
Dan: "Vientiane, wrong bus" (shit 😲) "can you stop please?"
Driver  (silence)
Dan and backpacker in unison: "Hello stop please"
Driver (finally stops, confused)
Dan: (gets off bus, hauls backpack through bemused Chinese tourists, apologies, thanks fellow backpacker and trudges back to hostel) - luckily we only went a couple of blocks.

After nearly ending up where I started in Laos the man at the hostel was very apologetic and says he thought the bus was for Luang Phrabang - he arranges another bus for the following morning and I spend the rest of the day hanging around. I head down to the river and lie in hammock - after a while a heavy rainshower occurs for an hour or so, I wait it out - a strange (possibly high) woman is frolicking about in the river dancing, spinning around and talking to herself. I watch her amused for a while before the rains cease, weirdly she sits down quietly when the sun returns.

I'm on a bus again, well it's actually a rather cramped mini van but at least it's going the right way. Had I not chatted to that backpacker I'd be back in the capital 😕. The journey to Luang Phrabang is very steep and the roads are quite windy, but it's also very beautiful reaching high up into the Laotian hills. Luang Phrabang is a quaint little city in Northern Laos known for a relaxed vibe. I spend the first day around the hostel and make use of the pool. It's 38 degrees here and without the sea air it feels above 45. The simple act of laying still produces a river of sweat.

I venture out for lunch and they have sandwiches again. But what's this?... avocado! I've not had avocado for the past two and half months (first world problems) I gobble down a sandwich layered in the stuff. A bunch of other backpackers are also crowding around the stall - avocado is obviously a real draw.🥑

Unlike Vang Vieng, Luang Phrabang is quite a sleepy place and as such isn't big on nightlife. There are a couple of bars but they close early and the only place that serves alcohol any later is oddly a bowling alley (as it's considered a 'sporting venue'). Many travellers congregate here - where there's booze, there's backpackers. I had a couple of games and managed a score of 136 on one which wasn't bad.

The next day I did the main tourist activity in Luang Phrabang which is again miles out of the city but totally worth it. Kuang Si Falls is an absolutely stunning waterfall with bright pools turned turquoise by the natural limestone - it's one of the best waterfalls I've seen. You can swim there (cold, but refreshing in the heat) and also hike to the top for a great view. Brilliant day. In the evening we went to a vegetarian buffet, it was delicious, you could basically fill a bowl to the brim. I didn't even know what half of it was but it was very tasty.

I had another pool day before a few people I'd met decided to take the slow boat out of Laos to the border of North Thailand. The slow boat is a popular journey from Thailand to Laos and there were also a few backpackers going our reverse way. It takes two days but the scenery is lovely and the journey very pleasant. Time to think, read, listen to music etc or just watch the world go by. You get off the boat and go to a guest house for the night halfway through and then jump back on in the morning for the rest of the journey. The only issue was the food I.e the boat didn't have any unless you count instant noodles as such - they were revolting. I wisely picked up a sandwich for the following day.

We got to the Thai border in the evening and it couldn't have been easier. They didn't even bother scanning the cases at this one - I could have have had a small child in there! The guy was so lax, unusual as normally they have been pretty strict so far in my experience - it was nearly 8 PM so I guess he wanted to get off to eat his Pad Thai or something.

So I'm back in Thailand and plan to explore the popular Chiang Mai. I'm on a rickety local bus which stops every few minutes to squeeze a few more locals on, hopefully we'll arrive sometime today.Read more