Wednesday, July 20, Chiang Khong, Thailand to Luang Namtha, Laos, via Huang Xai border crossing

We're in Laos! It is absolutely amazing here! But when they say rainy season, they mean it. Fell halfway in a river today as we were making our way up to a waterfall during a down-pore. Of course the rain lets up just as we finish dinner and head back for bed. Murphy's/Sod's Law, I guess. Even with the rain, Laos is well worth travelling halfway around the world for.

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We walked into town this morning -- steamy and damp from the previous night's rain -- and exited Thailand before boarding a longboat to cross the Mekong river.

From the Laos border at Huang Xai, most people opt for a slow boat on the Mekong straight down to Luang Prabang.  We instead got our first glimpse of the orange colored Stray bus, boarding it foe 4 hour drive to Luang Namtha.

We stopped for lunch along the way at a cafe in a small roadside village. We both had chicken with fried rice.

We were all in a strange mood at lunch as a few minutes before we stopped, the bus was unable to slow for a dog in the road, and although the bus driver honked profusely, there wasn't any way to safely avoid it given the poring rain. So unfortunately we hit the small dog, feeling a bump as it hit the front tires and another thump as it was spun out into the undercarriage.

Everyone was stunned, as many weren't sure what had happened but everyone new we had hit some sort of animal due to the honking that proceeded the hit. So needless to say we were all a bit shaken, both by the incident and the drivers calloused reaction to it. We later found out that dogs aren't as valued in Lao life as with Westerners. Apparently chickens took more the revered family animal slot.

Before lunch it had already started to rain, and continued to rain on our way to Luang Namtha. In Luang Namtha we checked into our rooms at a guesthouse near the Night Market. We immediately changed into some rain resistant hiking attire and set out in the Stray bus for Ban Nam Di village and the nearby waterfall.


Ban Nam Di is home to Lenten people, one of the three main ethnic groups of Lao. We walked through the village with our Lao guide and were welcomed in out of the rain into the lower room of one of the houses. The matriarch of the family was dressed in traditional style with a long blue skirt with decorative trim and a purple sash. She also had her hair tied up in the traditional way. She was preparing Bamboo shoots for soup, and asked us not to take photos of her. Instead we talked and joked with her children and grandchildren and had tea with them.

After that we continued on the trail to the waterfall. About half way there we had to cross the stream and my hiking boots proved not to have as good of grip as they claim and I found myself sliding a few times. But then found myself sliding at the end of the bridge, ending up with my bottom 1/3 in the water. Luckily I caught my camera and the rest of me and managed to come out with only a small light scrape and some wet boots.

The waterfall was beautiful, despite the annoyance of the now poring rain. We hiked up as far as we could and took some photos. Then it was back down to the bus. No slips on the way back and we even got to help the locals get a minivan up a hill in the mud.

After a cold shower (we had no hot water in our room for some reason) we met up with everyone for dinner. We were not able to enjoy the local BBQ at the Night Market due to the rain, so we headed across the street to the Manychan Restaurant. For dinner I had Beef Laap - a traditional dish made with minced meat sauted with fresh mint, spring onions, chillies and other spices. Mine seemed the only one prepared extra spicy, though. HOT! One of the other gals in our group let me try some of her fried rice with pineapple and cashew, which was absolutely delicious! I have been looking for it again ever since with no success.

After dinner we grabbed some deep fried bananas from the night market, YUM! And we were going to go to the Chinese discotecque later that evening, but Stephen wasn't up for it and I began to not feel so well. Turns out something in the Beef Laap didn't agree with my tummy, because I was up half the night and developed a fever as well. I managed to make it through the night, but with little deep sleep. Steve was nice and got me some plain toasted bread for me to eat for breakfast on the bus while I tried to get what little more sleep I could before it was time to load the bus.