When I spoke with my mother about the people of Laos and their innate cultural differences to what I have known growing up she expressed sympathy for them saying "they don't know any better", and I got to wondering, is the American life actually "better?" In Laos, some of the people live in the nicer homes in towns like Luang Prabang or Vientanne, while others live in bamboo villages with little running water and 12+ family members in each house. The average monthly income for a person living in the city is 1,000,000 kip (about $100) and the average monthly income for a person in the rural village is 150,000 kip (about $20.) They eat dogs, rats (I saw a child chowing down on a rat head the other hand filled with sticky rice, eating it like it was PB&J snack time) and anything else they can catch. In the river (which all the livestock and people live off of), they bath, fish, brush their teeth and do their laundry. I have to admit growing up watching discovery channel videos of Southeast Asia I always felt sorry for these people too, but now I see that this more simple lifestyle is not awful, just different. As I walk through villages I see children being held by their mothers, kids playing, families gathering and people smiling and laughing. The Laos people are friendly, curious and willing to help you if they can. They seem more connected with their family than most American families I know. Mothers spend all day with their children. They don't put their parents in nursing homes, but keep live in the same house with them. Families eat together. Children play together. People spend their days at the river, laughing and smiling. They eat natural, unprocessed foods, live off the land and don't even own mirrors (how nice that life would be!) I suppose I could feel bad for them, but then I see the "better-off" America, filled with people who work 60+ hours a week in front of a computer, give their children to strangers to raise so they can make more money, who are constantly finding ways to look better, younger, and more fit, and use their legal rights to sue others over anything they can think of to make an extra buck. Perhaps the American way isn't the best? I think now I know better!
After a night in Luang Nam Tha, Toby, Emma, Mike and I rented motorbikes and drove 2 1/2 hours out to Mai Sai. Even though we only spent about 1 hour there, we were inundated with women trying to sell us their crafts/bracelets (we even had an old naked lady run after our motorbikes on the way back, which was one of the funniest experiences I have ever had.)
Besides the ridiculous burn I got on my leg from the exhaust pipe, the journey was amazing, beautiful, and almost indescribable. We stopped at a couple of villages, met locals, I ate some smashed up bugs they use to spice dishes, and took videos of locals (which they love to look at afterward, as they rarely see their own faces in pictures.) Laos is less touristy than Thailand, so the rolling hills and lush green forests feel more untouched.
The following day we did an 8 hour kayak trip. The highlights included talking with our native guides about their culture, eating a true Laos meal of skewered fish, hard boiled eggs and sticky rice (all prepared over a fire, and laid out on Banana leaves by the side of the river), Emma getting stuck in the rapids and stopping in at another village.
The following day we caught an 8 hour minibus ride to Nong Khiaw, which was an experience to be remembered. Forget about the beautiful scenery, the live chickens on board or even the blaring Laos music, the best part was our in-person example of Laos justice. About half way through the bus stops and we all get out to witness a confusing scene. A much bigger bus is stopped in the road in front of us, a man is on the ground looking sad (but fine), and a bunch of Laos people are standing around yelling at one another. After some time, and a serious traffic jam, we learned that the man had supposedly been hit by the bus while working, and was refusing to get out of the road until he gets money (1,000,000 kip.) After 45 minutes of people yelling at each other while the man sat there looking sad, eventually a large amount of money was exchanged and we got on our way.
Nong Khiaw was amazing. (Someone told me that some of the Avatar scenery was modeled after this place!) On either side of a huge river filled with boats and locals, connected by a long bridge, are jutting black mountains with lush green trees overflowing from its edges; butterflies literally swarm around you; chickens and pigs roam through the streets and beautiful flowers bloom in every garden.
We spent two days doing pretty much nothing, visited some local caves, ate some Indian food and relaxed in our paradise. Mike, Emma and I took a 6 hour boat ride down the Mekong river to Luang Prabang while Toby headed north to Muang Mgoi Neua. The boat ride was well worth the 200,000kip as the scenery was amazing and hearing the local children yelling "sa-ba-dee" (which means hello in Laos) while they wave enthusiastically made me feel like a celebrity!
Luang Prabang is a little piece of France in the center of Southeast Asia; quaint, homey and lively, the riverside restaurants, white stone buildings and breathtaking vistas stole my heart on arrival. At night the main street closes down to host a night market filled with silver jewelery, handmade bedspreads and Asian lamps (but you must be back to your guest house by 12pm as ordered by strict Laos rules.) During the day you can hear the monks banging on drums from the neighboring temples, walk along the cafe-lined streets or hang out at Utopia, a seriously chilled lounge bar with an indoor sand volleyball court and lots of bamboo perched on the banks of the Mekong. I have only been here for three days and already feel at home.
Yesterday I took a trip to the Kuangsi Waterfall Park with a couple of new friends being the waterfall connoisseur that I am, I am pleased to say these are BY FAR the BEST waterfalls I have ever been to with crystal blue water and rope swings - sheer beauty and fun! As for today, I have done a whole lot of lounging... It is easy to do here!
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