Immersion and now rest!
Hello again! It’s been a while since I wrote. I’ve been immersed in traveling, exploring, planning, making coffee, and savoring a culture. Leaving Luang Prabang by bus to go to Nong Khiaw, we traveled through neighborhoods untouched by the tourist invasion. Foreigners tend to congregate in known and highlighted areas. We traveled past hardware stores, office supplies, paint shops, bakeries, basket shops, broom makers, and more on the way to our next destination. In a way, people travel “through” a country hopping from one popular tourist destination to the next. I prefer going slow and stopping in local places. Non-commercial, not pushing to sell anything, local shops exist for locals! I’m looking for a shovel head I can bring home, a narrow but sturdy shovel for precise and localized work. That is not available except in the local Laos neighborhoods.
I’m struck by opposing feelings since I last wrote. On one hand, I feel like I’m done with travel in Laos. On the other hand, I could come back and focus on primarily going local. Bio Bamboo was one such place. The woman at Galaxy Travel showed me photos of her family and traveling with her mother. Her village is 7 hours by car from Luang Prabang and I have an invitation to visit! That would be a unique experience!
Flex and enjoy!
Talking with other passengers as we were leaving Luang Pragang, I learned we were given different pickup times. We were also given different bus times. Turns out, the bus was scheduled to leave when we arrived and was full already. Another one of those, a busy shuffling mess, tiny stools placed in the aisles, four people up front in one seat, and the hood of the engine.
And that, here in Laos, is normal! Eventually, we were all loaded up and on our way! Nong Khiaw was only three to four plus hours, depending on who I spoke with and how traffic was.
The highway was a bit crazy. Lots of big trucks, construction in places, just plain bad roads in other spots, and some crazy drivers!
When we arrived and I had a sense of what was going to happen, I went to the window without picking up my backpack, found out what bus I was on, and located a seat before it was completely full, more than full actually!
The bus stopped at the bridge rather than driving through the village. There was a wedding that blocked the road through town! I walked across the street from where the shuttle stopped and found a comfortable place booking it immediately. As the day went on, backpackers wandered through the village looking for a place to stay. There is no shortage of places! Finding them, and having the patience to wander around, that is the tricky part. I found a very comfortable place overlooking the Nam Ou river which was perfect. It was a family-run place so I was very happy to support them!
I had only one night there. The next morning, I provided some barista training to the coffee shop staff to help them out. When we got their coffee dialed in and the manager had a sip of a cappuccino, his face lit up! “That’s coffee!”
I’m not confident they will continue what I taught them other than the one barista I worked with most. He seemed really interested and worked to dial in his shots. He made me a great Americano and I told him so. He replied, “that’s because of you”!
The next morning, a different barista, the coffee was very average! New business, too many things to focus on. What’s essential? Reminds me of the quote, “If you are not disciplined in the pursuit of the essential, you will be undisciplined in the pursuit of more”. Choose your “essentials” carefully!
Nong Khiaw
I was not sure what to expect. I felt that a lot of the descriptions of the village glamorized it. in that regard, they did. What was once a sleepy village is now packed with tour agencies, hotels and hostels for travelers, trucks and tuk-tuks for transport and a growing number of restaurants to cater to the crowds coming through! The coffee shop is a business started by three local men who wanted to do something about all the foreign investors taking over or starting new businesses. They are in a great location, serve excellent food and I hope they succeed. Success will be good for the community and as a model for others to start some business of their own, a locally owned business.
I met a lot of people who were here for adventure, immediately booking a multi-day trek after arriving and then heading off into the hills for three or four days. The village seems like two different worlds. One is the large number of travelers passing through. And the normal life of the villagers. The two worlds didn’t seem to interact much at all!
I’m happy I got to experience it and am certain it will be much different in 5 years time.
My first-night bungalow had a private bathroom, a great view of the river, and was really quiet. It was inexpensive as well! My next two nights were a splurge at a very nice place, Nong Kiau Riverside with an awesome room, great view, good AC, good food, and very helpful friendly people!
And then, I set about the task of finding some information to help me on the next leg of my journey!
Discovering my way to Bio Bamboo HueanPhae Nam Oh
It was an adventure trying to find transportation that would drop me near my next spot! It took over an hour, multiple tour agencies, contact with Nong Kiau Riverside where I was staying and, finally, a trip to the bus station. No one had heard of it! At the bus station, they hadn’t heard of it. A tuk-tuk driver standing by knew where it was and told the staff. That got me close but I had virtually NO confidence that the driver would have any idea where it was. The next morning, once again, the bus was oversold and took on more passengers. I got the last real seat.
Asking the driver if he knew where I was going, he pointed to the window. I pointed to the window and pointed to him. Showing my ticket to him, he shook his head and said “yes”. That made me less confident he knew where it was.
Fortunately, on the way down, I picked up enough signal to find my location with Google Maps. As we approached, I called out and motioned. The driver ignored me. I called louder, he looked up confused. I pointed to the shore where the bungalows sat. He drove on. Finally, I spoke more loudly and asked him to stop.
The moment he stopped, people poured off heading to the bush “bathrooms” to relieve themselves. And they looked at me asking, are you getting off “HERE”!?
I walked about half a mile back up the highway to a parking lot. A man there smiled brightly when I asked him about Bio Bamboo. He got on his phone and handed it to me. I think it was the owner in Luang Prabang who told me he would send the boat driver.
Moments later, the boat headed my way and I was soon on the other side of the reservoir stepping onto the deck of my floating bungalow. Pretty cool!
If the video above doesn’t work, click here!
No one spoke English. I settled in and then wondered how I would decipher the menu, written completely in Lao, for something I wanted for dinner. The boat driver came back with his phone and showed me a PDF menu with a photo of items and a brief description in both Lao and English. That worked. Translation was a bit primitive!
I asked, “Do you have an extra umbrella I could use tomorrow”? Response: “No, the kitchen closes at 8:00”!
It was peaceful and quiet! There was nothing to do but to “be”. That was perfect! The night before I was to leave, the owners arrived, I didn’t know they were coming. We had a lovely talk in the kitchen. He called someone to find out what time the bus would be coming through and we decided I should leave around 7:30 am.
Morning Drill!
My general policy, leave early! It leaves more options open. I woke early, before sunrise. I hat a hot pot for water so made myself a cup of coffee and sat watching the sun rise. Then I showered and walked through the area to see if anyone was up and around. The boat driver was sitting by the kitchen and asked with hand signals and a word if I was ready to go. I motioned I would be in 10 minutes. I was already packed, he brought the boat by my bungalow, and I was off to the other shore at 7:30! That was a good start.
A certain uncertainty!
I did not know how I would get back to Luang Prabang. I had such a strong inner feeling to leave early, so I trusted that feeling and stepped into the journey. I do know that everything is always working out for me. I’ve learned to trust the feeling and quiet any mental chatter that would make me nervous, worried, or anxious! Things work out!
If I relied on information alone, I’d be totally confused. Information like: bus at 7:00; bus at 10:30; many buses from village, etc.
Standing by the road, I knew that somehow, I was going to be back in Luang Prabang. Standing there by my backpack, I was greeted by a line of youngsters heading to school. They were curious! Some wanted to talk, some wanted to stand and stare, and a few asked for money. They vanished and I was alone looking in the direction the bus would come from. I had a position where I could see vehicles entering the bridge over a quarter mile away. After 25 minutes, I saw a bus come onto the bridge. That looked like a good sign.
The bus rounded the corner, I waved The bus never hesitated zooming on by. Gone. Next! I assumed it was like the buses I had been on, not a speck of room for one more person.
Watching the bus disappear around the curve, I felt I would simply have to be patient. Another would come.
Hearing a noise, I looked back to the highway. A small sporty car stopped, and the driver rolled down the window. I walked across. He and his wife were heading to Luang Prabang and asked if I would like to ride with them. Ha! Perfect! Much more comfortable than the then bus, roomy, with AC and very friendly people!
On the way down, I watched an elephant working on the side of the road. Then saw a small herd of water buffalo taking up the full lane on the other side of the highway. We witnessed a cow come inches from being pancaked by a large truck. Then, they told me we would stop at a bread place for a few minutes. Fresh bread, very inexpensive. They bought a huge bag of bread and Chinese/Laotian dumpling type of treat filled with meat and vegetables. One was for me. That was very nice!
I would have been happy to be dropped anywhere near Luang Prabang knowing I could get a tuk-tuk to take me the rest of the way. However, they were heading upriver to Bokeo which required them to take the ferry across the river. The ferry was two blocks from where I stayed. They dropped me, refused any money, took pictures, exchanged WhatsApp information, and I am still in contact with them while they are enjoying their trip!
Final hours in Luang Prabang
Returning to Luang Prabang was different. I knew what experiences and treats I wanted. I stayed in a different part of town to explore a new area. I had a feeling that this might be my last time here! I carefully selected experiences I wanted to have here before leaving. I did hours of gentle walking, exploring a few Wats, going to the night market (one more time shortly), finding a barber to clean up my hair, good coffee, good food, and sunset on the Mekong! It’s been great!
I was out at 5:30 am this morning to watch and photograph the morning alms walk. I’m still figuring out and learning about my camera. I thought I had figured out the settings but things still came out dark. Fortunately, I did get some very good shots to remember this experience by!
I went to the UXO museum. That’s a museum detailing all the unexploded ordinances in Laos, the effort to locate and safely remove them, and the impact it has on not only individuals but the entire community! It was a rather sobering experience. They estimate that over 240 million cluster bombs were dropped here during the “secret war” (which we call the Vietnam War) and 30% or more did not explode. Farmers tilling the soil, families starting a fire on the ground to cook a meal, kids playing…when BOOM! And lives are changed!
After that, I went looking for a local restaurant that makes all their own bread and that people rave about!
Since I was here a few days ago, the heat has really amped up! The heat index is over 100°s and it has felt exhausting. Once I found the bakery restaurant, they were just closing their outside doors and turning on the AC. Perfect!
I had laundry done yesterday for one dollar. My pack was empty and everything was scattered waiting for reorganizing! Before I got started, I was suddenly clear on what I wanted to do over the next few days so needed to make some arrangements!
My train ticketing app wouldn’t work, I contacted the Hillside Nature Lifestyle Lodge to see what would work schedule-wise, and then set off to find a travel agent or a phone office for help! It took quite a while! The first few offices I stopped at were not that helpful! Or they were trying to sell me something I didn’t need. Eventually, hot from walking in the afternoon sun, I remembered a travel office, Galaxy Travel, on the street next to the Mekong someone had told me about.
That little office turned out to be the charm! Friendly, playful, engaging, lively and quite professional! It took no time at all and I had my ticket to get to Vang Vieng. They sent me an electronic copy in WhatsApp so I have that for the train! If I want to save money and buy a group bus ticket to the train station, I simply do it with them and come to their office to catch the shuttle! The price difference: $35 US for private driver. Shuttle bus: $50,000 Kip or $2.50 US. Done! Perfect!
When I make a purchase, I don’t buy from people with energy I can’t connect with! Especially when I buy things for my home. I buy their energy along with the iten be it a Buddha from Bali, a Batik quilt, a wall hanging, cotton towels for a bread basket or whatever. When I use those items, it brings back great memories. I want that experience! I left them and head up the hill where, surprisingly, I walked right to a service office LaoTel phone company, the company I bought my SIM card from.
The woman there couldn’t help so she called and got a woman who spoke English. Again, within moments they had me set up and on my way!
Before leaving for Hillside, I ran into a snag purchasing a plane ticket. So I wrote back to the Galaxy. They could help so I walked back. While waiting for the computer to finish it’s thing, she showed me photos of her family, traveling with her mother, and invited me to their village next time!
Now, everything has fallen into place. I have a clear sense of how my remaining time in Laos will flow. I know when I need reservations for lodging, when to go to Phonosavan and the Plain of Jars, and what I’ll do until I leave the country and head to Bali! Had I pushed myself to make reservations and book things early, I would never have thought to set things up as they are now! Awesome!
Nature Experience! Very quiet and peaceful.
I’m at Hillside Nature Lifestyle Lodge! Only a 12 kilometer journey, it took 30 minutes getting here negotiating very rough back roads. On the way, I did not see a single foreigner! There are only about 6 guests here. It’s quiet! No traffic sounds. Stars shining brightly at night, the first time I’ve seen that here! The people are very friendly and helpful.
When the afternoon heat hits, the pool is the perfect retreat!
Last night, I opened my windows and doors to let in the cool outside air and slept really well. This morning, it felt like I was the first person up! I sat and meditated for a little while. Then went down to the Sala where my massage was yesterday and began my morning with a little yoga and stretching. The sun was just cresting. No loud roosters! No traffic sounds, only birds and nature greeting me to the day!
I planned to walk up the hill to the platform to watch the sunset and see Luang Prabang from above. However, I was not able to do that. It was too steep and challenging. It’s been over a month since my brutal trekking experience in Sumatra. I continue to have knee pain when I walk, even on smooth 🌃 streets. This pain I had never experienced before that trek, so I take it easy and am extra careful whenever I’m on a trail. I DID come here to relax! I headed to the pool instead! Great decision!
And now....???
Yesterday morning, I thought I had slept 24 hours. Glancing at my watch, it showed it was March 1! “Oh my God…” moment. Then I realized my watch didn’t pick up leap year on February 29!
In less than two weeks, I fly to Bali! Plans here continue to shift and evolve. Tomorrow, I’ll ride the bullet train for the first time. Before the train, it would be a 6-hour bus ride. Now, it is a 49-minute rice in first class (more room for a big guy).
Today, I will book a room for Vang Vieng and for Vientienne. Then, relaxing day! Pool time. Read a book. Maybe get another massage, they are $9 US here!
Ciao!
Last sunset in Luang Prabang
