Now in Luang Prabang

Tonight, I’m in my sixth hotel in six nights counting the village we stayed with.  I had a bout with stomach bug, kayaked 20 kilometers anyway, slept 12 hours in the hut, trekked for 5 plus hours the next day, got on a bus and rode nearly 10 hours to reach Luang Prabang.  Once here, arriving nearly 5:30, I walked around with my backpack for over an hour looking for a place to stay!  Everything was full or very expensive.  Finally, I found a place more than triple what rooms cost in Luang Nam Tha BUT…I did have a fine shelter over my head.

The kayaking was fun and insightful.  While I had planned to have a gentle paddle along the stream, that plan turned a bit South when I was paired with a German man.  Two weeks ago, he paddles 40 kilometers on a lake and set out with aggressive, short and powerful strokes.  When the French couple pulled alongside, his strokes became even more powerful to avoid the French getting ahead.  I decide to keep the kayak steered properly and enjoy the ride as much as I could.  I didn’t have much “umph” anyway with a  stomach bug and when I exerted, felt like I would vomit.  Great day anyway.

The next day, I had planned to opt out of the trekking but, after 12 hours of sleep, I decided to give it a go.  In one of the photo’s, if it looks like we were going straight up the side of a steep hill, that’s because we were going STRAIGHT up the side of a steep hill.  That continued for 30 minutes or so and then became more gradual.  Yes, a brilliant work out was in store for us all!

I’d made a booking for a room before we left and it was nice NOT to have to go hunt for a room,  My key was waiting and I quickly had a hot shower before heading to dinner.

Next morning, I went early to have some breakfast before my 7:30 Took-took ride to the bus station.  When I arrived at the bakery, the Took-took was waiting!  I ordered toast as my stomach was still bothering me and off I went to the bus station.  Fortunately, my bus was there and I was able to pick my seat which was great.  Every seat was filled including the fold down seats.  We left at 8:30 and arrived in Luang Prabang around 6:00 as it was getting dark.  That’s when the fun started!  I walked and walked finding guest houses full, found one which cost about my weekly budget and then stumbled upon one available room at a place that had been recommended.  They had one night only!

I often get asked about traveling alone like it’s something very strange.  On the bus to here, there were five people I had met on two different trips.  This afternoon, I met three people I’d taken cooking class with in Chiang Mai.  About half-an-hour later, I met two women who were on the Gibbon trek with me.  Alone…hardly!

This morning, I went searching around 8:00 am.  Normally, that’s a great time to find a vacancy.  However, the first four or five places I visited were full already.  Odd!  I found one budget room so took it.  Later, I found out today is Chinese New Year so a lot of Chinese celebrating here for three days.

After that, I found some medicine…you’ll see it in the picture!

Tomorrow morning, I’m going around 5:30 to watch the monks gathering their morning alms.  Should be quite the site.  Then, I may have to move again and hope to have a day to rest and bicycle around the town to get a better view of things.