The trek was wonderful but it is probably evident that it took its toll and the last days have been spent recovering. We had a great time (despite cold and rain) getting lost in the hills and my fear of heights and falling etc didn’t really hamper me too much as I had lots of support from the others who held on end of my walking stick (no joking – that’s all it took) when I occasionally felt that I was losing my balance. There was one hairy moment where our guide Mr Aah-lun pretty much lifted me up the side of a particularly slippery part (and the stick he had given me got caught in his legs and nearly toppled him to his death – but that’s another story). Suzi got a leach on her foot but she was cool as a cucumber.
We stayed in an ‘eco-hut’ and had dinner with the Kamu chief, who was very unimpressed when I told him my father has five cows – he has eighty but no motorised transport. Suzi was asked to stay in the village and she has no cows in her family so I don’t know what that’s all about…
The only other excitement was a middle aged German guy who let the side own a bit by having an over enthusiastic desire to photograph the local ladies with their tops off.
Suzi and I had to say good-bye to Terry as we were going in opposite directions at that point but I think they might try to meet in Borneo.
Meanwhile Suzi’s new boyfriend was trying to find her ‘somewhere in Laos’ and when we got back to Luang Pra Bang, they bumped into each other in an internet café. The following morning, there was a flight to Paxai which, although expensive, I believed I had earned. On arrival Paxai seems more like Cambodia that the rest of Laos that I’ve seen; the roads are wide but many aren’t paved, there are lots of shops and most of them are closed and diet coke is pretty thin on the ground as well. Saying that, they are very good at massage, the clean and basic guest house I’m in is about $3.50 and has a leafy garden and some of the best coffee in the world is grown here so I’m of to explore that by bus tomorrow. Then I’m off to the Four Thousand Islands while I wait for my Vietnam visa to come through early next week.
The trek was wonderful but it is probably evident that it took its toll and the last days have been spent recovering. We had a great time (despite cold and rain) getting lost in the hills and my fear of heights and falling etc didn’t really hamper me too much as I had lots of support from the others who held on end of my walking stick (no joking – that’s all it took) when I occasionally felt that I was losing my balance. There was one hairy moment where our guide Mr Aah-lun pretty much lifted me up the side of a particularly slippery part (and the stick he had given me got caught in his legs and nearly toppled him to his death – but that’s another story). Suzi got a leach on her foot but she was cool as a cucumber.
We stayed in an ‘eco-hut’ and had dinner with the Kamu chief, who was very unimpressed when I told him my father has five cows – he has eighty but no motorised transport. Suzi was asked to stay in the village and she has no cows in her family so I don’t know what that’s all about…
The only other excitement was a middle aged German guy who let the side own a bit by having an over enthusiastic desire to photograph the local ladies with their tops off.
Suzi and I had to say good-bye to Terry as we were going in opposite directions at that point but I think they might try to meet in Borneo.
Meanwhile Suzi’s new boyfriend was trying to find her ‘somewhere in Laos’ and when we got back to Luang Pra Bang, they bumped into each other in an internet café. The following morning, there was a flight to Paxai which, although expensive, I believed I had earned. On arrival Paxai seems more like Cambodia that the rest of Laos that I’ve seen; the roads are wide but many aren’t paved, there are lots of shops and most of them are closed and diet coke is pretty thin on the ground as well. Saying that, they are very good at massage, the clean and basic guest house I’m in is about $3.50 and has a leafy garden and some of the best coffee in the world is grown here so I’m of to explore that by bus tomorrow. Then I’m off to the Four Thousand Islands while I wait for my Vietnam visa to come through early next week.
4 comments:
Sounds like you had a good time! Shame you missed the Gibbon Ex. as there were a few spare places after all and a legendary ride in a songthaew with 22 people!
Hannah
there is an outdoor swimming pool in town..
p.s. you are looking great...think the jungle suits you!!
Where did you go on the trek?
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