Laos was next up to bat for the All Star Southeast Asia Team; we had planned a week here before completing the circle for some beach time in Thailand. We landed in Luang Prabang with the intention of staying a couple of days and soaking up the rich cultural and spiritual mainstay of the town. After haggling a decent rate with the shady guesthouse manager at around 21h00 on a Sunday night (one still has a leg to stand on as it is not exactly high season in these parts and one can always walk down the street for a better deal), we settled in and then headed out to explore the town and get a bite to eat. There we found the streets were still active and we are able to get find a decent restaurant and ask where we might be able to catch the monks on their morning alms route. It seems monks are partial to an early kick off and so I set my alarm for 05h20 and hit the hay.
Watching the monks making their way in a long line down the street is quite an experience and they don’t seem to mind the many tourists taking hundreds of photos of them as they accept the offerings of the devout. Luang Prabang is a spiritual place and I really enjoyed exploring the town. And just as much as some tourist experiences can cost a huge amount, it was great that two of my best so far have been free: experiencing the monks on their morning route; and taking a couple of drinks and finding a good spot on the rocks to watch the sun set over the Mekong River.
Moving on to Vang Vieng was an entirely different experience - what a party town. The people are incredibly friendly and everybody there seems hell bent on having a massive party. Although it does not share an even remote likeness to that of a certain small town in the Eastern Cape I called home for four years, I couldn’t help feeling like there was something incredibly familiar about the atmosphere there. A thoroughly enjoyable place and I’m glad we rented a couple of bikes and managed to explore the beautiful surrounding area. Tubing down the river and stopping off at the bars along the way lived up to it's reputation for entertainment.
Vientiane wasn't much more than a chance to recuperate from some intense travel and late nights and look forward to Thailand.
Monks on their morning alms route.
Youngsters seemed to be in a more brilliant shade; elders less accentuated
It really is a sight to see them cruising the streets
Pha Bang - a temple in the Royal Palace grounds in Luang Prabang
The sky was a strange hue the whole time and there was ash falling, making for a unique sunset
Youngsters bringing up the tail
Setting birds free at Phu Si - a temple high on a hill in Luang Prabang
Exploring a cave in Vang Vieng
The "Blue Lagoon" was at the bottom; the cave was a short hike up a hill nearby
Kara enduring my Tour de Laos / Southeast Asia / everywhere intentions
Another cave exploration yielded a less appealing swimming opportunity
View from our balcony
Tubing in Vang Vieng. Great fun
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