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The distance between Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang is only 180km, so why does it take over 7 hours you ask? Well it's just like driving through Golden, BC except way worse and for 7 hot hours going way too fast. We were about an hour away from Luang Prabang when 2 fellow passengers realized they were on the wrong bus going in the wrong direction - BRUTAL. In Cambodia and Vietnam we felt like you could still feel the peoples pain and resentment from past conflicts.Laos being one of the worlds most heavily bombed nations still has over hundreds of millions undetonated bombs, posing a continuous obstacle to agriculture, road development and the people, but you would never know it based on their sunny demeanor . This is also the poorest country we will be in yet unlike Cambodia and Vietnam there are no begging children or land mine victims laying on the street.
We spent the entire first day riding bikes all around town, along the river and past a few of the many temples here. For supper we had an authentic Lao dinner, some Lao beer and ended the night watching Iron Man 2 outside on a big projection screen. We found a nice guest house for $10/nt, not the greatest bed... I don't think there was even a mattress, just springs. And this was the first time we had to use the mosquito net... It was a fun little nest for two.
Yesterday we took a trip out to the Kuang Si Falls, another big highlight of the trip so far. The pictures speak for themselves. After a climb to the top we swam in a few pools and decided against jumping off the edges or trying out the rope swing. Went for dinner along the river and spent a few hours bartering at the night market getting some great stuff to cram into our already overflowing backpacks.
Laos is almost like a dream. The locals are incredibly happy and friendly people, the landscape is beautiful, and butterflies follow you everywhere you go...we both feel like this won't be the only time we visit this amazing country. We've heard this, and understand now when they say that the true meaning of "Lao PDR" (Lao People's Democratic Republic) is Lao - Please Don't Rush :)
Tonight we take a 19 hour bus to Chain Mai, Thailand!
- comments
Sam No kidding, those pictures are amazing! AMAZING! Those waterfalls/pools are so pretty! I felt all warm and fuzzy just looking at the pics, I can't imagine how incredible it would have been to be there. You two look like you are having so much fun, you are radiating positivity! Keep up the adventuring, and jump off a cliff at least once, just dont land on anything sharp, hard, or bomb like on the way down ;) Hope you enjoyed your bus drive xxo
choo choo well since so many others are making up names... or is that just sammy? :) I was flipping through your beautiful waterfall pics hoping you got to get in there. I'm so glad you did! You both looked so relaxed, I wondered if the water was warm (naturally, not in the 'I'm mellow in my yellow' kind of way). I love you both! xoxo