So after leaving our rural days in Chang Mai we embarked on our two day trip to Laos. This trip was an experience in itself. Lasting two days and using three different modes of transport we took to the mountainous landscape that seperates the Thai and Laos borders. Our first day was in the mini bus as we took on the long winding roads that delivered us through some breath taking views of the rocky landscape and rice fields. We spent most of the day riding through the clouds at altitude with our driver speedily taking the corners of these shear drop cliff edges.
After 8 hours in the bus we finally make it to a sleepy border village. Here we are granted our visas for Laos and check into our old school accommodation on the Laos border. Here I got eaten alive by bed bugs and still have the hideous scars on my leg as I write this, almost a week later.
The second day we start off early again and head to the port. Here we jump on a long boat and head down the Mekong river to Luang Probang. The journey is amazing as we cut through the mountainous landscape passing small rural villages and fishing communities. The ride is very slow and takes well over 8hours. But the views keep you entertained, for a bit...
Finally we arrive at our first destinantion in Laos. The riverside city of Luang Probang is a world heritage town. Its architecture and charm suit the French influence and laid back vibe that Laos is famous for.
On our first day we explore our new home. We take in all the sites this small city has to offer. Here we took on the museum, local temples (all five of them) markets and views. We spoke to local buddahs and chilled at bars overlooking the Mekong river. We also took full advantage of the all you can eat night market and local delicacies, such as goats hoof!
Once we had exhaused the city we headed for the renowned countryside. The city is locked in by two rivers and a mountainous landscape littered with waterfalls, local villages and tribes. On our second day we rented a motorbike and headed to the mountains. Our first search was of some local villages. We did find a few, however did mange to get lost on the dirt roads up in the hills. The views here were stunning as we went deeper in to rural Laos life, where English was less and less spoken.
Our next stop was one of the many local waterfalls nestled in the hilly backdrop. Here we climbed the waterfall, swimming in the lakes and soaking up the sun. I lost a flip flop straigh away, and now find myself on my third pair, in as many months.
The final part of our day trip saw us explore the edges of the city on the bike, taking in the sunset over the Mekong river and city backdrop.
As our time is short in Loas we are moving every 2 to 3 days. Our third day will be on a bus to Vang Vieng. We did however get up early to to watch the morning alms take place. Here monks will walk through the town blessing the local people in exchange for food.
Next stop is the renound tubing town of Vang Vieng.
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