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Laos - Fare Thee Well March, 2008 |
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We were booked on a two-day cruise up the Mekong River from Luang Prabang back to the Thailand border. We decided to splurge and embark on the Luangsay, a specially designed metal-hulled ship that accommodates up to forty passengers, rather than take the trip on the sardine packed public boat. Although we spend our money wisely on this trip, now was not the time to be frugal. Besides, we got a super deal on last minute cancellations, and so we went. There were thirty-four fellow passengers on board, a good mix of international travelers, who, like us, sat back and watched the Mekong scenery drift by. Scattered rural settlements
with waving children running along the shore. Chilly mornings with
bright sunny afternoons. Nets strung on bamboo Leaving at 6:00AM from the muddy docks of Luang Prabang, we headed upriver for an hour or so before stopping for breakfast and a tour of the 1000 Buddha Cave. Huffing up the steps, we entered the fascinating cave adorned with Buddhas in all shapes and sizes, stuffed into every nook and cranny. At the end of the first day, we stopped at the Luang Say Lodge, a dramatic resort that overlooks the mighty Mekong. Enjoying the company of the other passengers, we had a wonderful dinner before retiring for the night in a comfortable bed. Rising early the next morning, we congregated for a hearty breakfast before loading on the boat and continuing on our journey.
Upon our arrival at the Thailand border, we gathered our gear, passed through Lao and Thailand immigration and headed downtown to find accommodations for the night. The town of Chiang Khong sits across the Mekong from Laos, and is the border town used for a northern crossing into Laos. It is an ok stopover and has potential – we had just gotten in too late to take the three-hour bus to Chiang Rai, our next stop on the trip. It was a wonderful month spent in Laos, so many beautiful sites, charming towns, genuine people, great food, exciting travel options, and cooperative weather. We enjoyed every minute of our time there and will always have fond memories for this captivating part of the world. We had crossed the Mekong, but left something behind, and some day we’ll return. Until then, fare thee well.
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Like
a scene from a Mark Twain novel, our pilot deftly maneuvered around the
Mekong shallows while his first mate, continuously sounded for the
bottom. Using a thirty-foot bamboo pole, he repeatedly plunged the pole
into the river, withdrew, and re-cocked his arm for another thrust.
Effortlessly, he settled into a pattern, stick, pull back, stick, pull
back, as the pilot squinted into the murky depths, and calculated his
bearing. I sat there and wondered - wouldn’t it be easier, if less
adventuresome, to invest in a modern depth finder? 
poles
jerry rigged between rocks to ensnare unsuspecting fish. Small local
boats, loaded with produce, logs, and other materials, plying the muddy
river. Beautiful sandbars and limestone cliffs, groves of teak, fields
of rice, plantations of banana, water buffalo, and a Buddhist cave with
4500+ statues. The splendid scenery revealed itself cunningly over the
course of two glorious days. 
Curiously,
although one of the longest rivers in the world, the Mekong, which
originates in the Tibetan highlands and flows 2500 miles into the South
China Sea, has only two bridges, both in Laos. During our trip, the
water level was very low, and strong currents exposed many dangerous
underlying boulders, many with edges rising from the water, ready to
slash into any boat not aware of the treacherous channels. We continued
to be impressed with the skill of the pilot as rocks embedded in the
river, just a few feet below the surface, flowed past on both sides of
the boat. How did he ever see that one? 
