Waterfalls of paradise!


Second day in Luang Prabang. So it seems everyone grouped up on the boat heading down the Mekong. Our group was the core 6 (Ethan and I, the Brits - Sam and Dave (on a RTW for one year), and Chad (RPCV Phillipines) and Wendy (RTW for a school break). Us six, spent day one at the first waterfalls. A nice little swimming hole at the bottom and a muddy hike up...stunningly beautiful, well that is until the second day of waterfall visits. Chad had traveled through Laos before, so he did a lot of the negotiating and tourguiding, but our tuktuk driver was very happy to have the repeat business. On our third day in Luang Prabang we headed to a boat ramp, where the longtail boat driver tried to overcharge us even though the prices were posted and we had another Lao guy help explain that we understood and wouldn't be taken for a ride - funny pun- and then went across the river to the entrance of this beautifully landscaped, still muddy (it is monsoon season), natural waterpark. Complete with restaurant, tables and umbrellas, a water wheel pushing a grinder and a water pipe. I think I have pictures. Very ingenious yet very old fashioned. Would be a great way to grind Cocoa Samoa... The scenery was amazing, the sun was out, and the water was cold. We were told to be careful because with the strong water, the spirits come out. I appreciated his comments as a different approach to his own religion and we were careful.

View from the top of the falls and us walking across the path. Have we mentioned, it's rainy season and the water was knee deep and powerful...making us concentrate on getting across instead of being washed over the edge.

See www.fiataa.snapfish.com for more pictures of these amazing waterfalls.

We went out drinking with some other folks, all Mekong boat friends and had a grand ole time. Traveling with two other couples was nice for the boys because they could be boys together and us girls made them promise us shopping time and they could wait for us in a pub. It all worked out really well and we all had similar interests. We learned alot about travel from each other and everyone was respectful. One night, the two Israeli boys joined us for a late night, post-bar chat. There is a law that bars close at 11:30PM in Laos, but most stay open until midnight, pushing those boundaries. There was a great sign in the bathroom of one bar we went to ... I will try to post it, but it sums up Laos.

Laos Bathroom sign.

From Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng, we had heard some not safe travel stories. Thirteen tourists were killed on the road by local militants in 2003 and although we had heard things were cleared up, but the travel agents don't tell you any information. There were these two Irish girls that got a little shocked by the soldier (undercover) with a gun poking out of his belt, but in talking to some others...they claim that the undercover solider is to protect each bus from bandits and that things were under control now. We however, opted to rent a whole minivan, and add people if we could. It was still about the same price as the local bus and we felt a whole lot safer.

We did add 3 others, filling our bus. Julie, an American living in Taiwan, and Colin, the Irish guy, and Claire, the Australian that reads alot. Everything was going well until we pulled over to the side of the road with three other minvans and three cargo trucks. One of the other minivans was having engine issues, therefore we all sat on the side of the road for about an hour waiting for a new van for the other group. We changed drivers (I guess ours was the one that could fix the engine of the broken van) and got moving in a caravan again when the other van arrived. Mind you, I was too scared to go into the woods to pee after hearing the stories back in Luang Prabang, but now we understand there is power in numbers.

The ride had amazing scenery and the occassional checkpoint, where the driver turned over cash to an armed guard (AK47). Only a few places along the road did we see young children with guns (BIG ones) and not toys - I guess this is an improvement from Chad's last trip (2 years ago). He really said there was a big difference in tourism efforts since that last trip. We arrived in Vang Vieng and checked into our luxary hotel ($8). So far, this was the nicest place we stayed with a beautiful balcony overlooking the Song River and cliffs on the other side. After a nice dinner, we headed to town as a BIG group and stopped off at the Happy Bar before returning home.