Laos, Part One: Luang Prabang

It was an easy decision to venture to Laos after completing my summer contract in Korea. I was eager for an escape after working 60 hour weeks. My coworker and lunch bunch buddy Christine longed to go to Laos after hearing so many rave reviews from her well-traveled friends. We had the time, we had the money, why not?
(Pictured: A view of the Mekong River)

We were off to a rocky start when Christine showed up late at the airport minus one bag. She’d lost her backpack in between taxis and busses on the way to the airport, and would have to do without her sunglasses, her book, and her anti-Malarial tablets! She was in surprisingly good spirits when I met her at check-in, and didn't let that spoil her enthusiasm for Laos.

LUANG PRABANG
(Novice Monks collecting alms along the streets in Luang Prabang)

Rather than read the guidebook, we talked the whole way to Laos and utilized other resources to gather information about our destination. We met Aunt Vicky, so we called her, on the plane to Luang Prabang. She was more than happy to share her expertise about her favorite place on the planet. At sixty years old, the US expat had enough lifetime achievements to fill a book: 8 PHD’s, 6 Masters degrees, a knack for languages, 120 countries ticked off her list, so-called psychic connections, and a neck brace. She considered herself a regular in Luang Prabang.
(Above right: The night market)
Aunt Vicky invited us to the locals' holiday boat race the next day. It was truly wonderful to participate in the local celebration. We made friends with the children and treated them to a ride on the merry-go-round.


(The view from Phi Si)

We visited two of the surrounding waterfalls with another traveler named Jordan. Jordan was a 23-year-old Canadian who just finished a year contract teaching English in Seoul. As much as he was “the weakest link” at times--concerned about his health, suffering from unknown anti-malarial medication side effects and worries about Rabies--he was brave to take such a big step out of his comfort zone to travel SE Asia. We welcomed him to tag along and spent the better half of our trip together.


I enjoyed seeing the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls, however the tuk tuk ride was probably more eventful. We broke down twice on the way there, and survived a massive downpour on the way back. It was the rainy season, after all. The next day, we visited the Tat Sae waterfalls. This excursion was a bit more exciting. We took tiny boats to an island where we tromped through the lower tiers of the waterfalls on elephant back.

Our tuk tuk driver, Chanti, was super cool and joined us for the day. And that evening, Chanti invited us out with his friends.
Luang Prabang is not known for its nightlife, but we were happy to have a night out on the town, regardless. We spent the evening drinking Beer Lao at the disco and watching the Lao girls dance "Lao style." It reminded me of a toned down, slow version of square dancing, moving in formations with minimal arm movements, swaying gently flexed wrists to the left and right sides.