Some time has passed but I’m intent on finishing our travel blog. The last posts were from Thailand when Brett had kidney stones and had to fly back to the US for treatment before we could resume our travels. Brett missed Christmas with us that year and flew back from the US to Chiang Mai, Thailand on January 3rd. He was still feeling rough and recovering from surgery so we had to plan a couple of weeks where there wouldn’t be a lot of ambitious walking or activity. I read a number of travel blogs that had rave reviews for a slow boat trip along the Mekong from Thailand into Laos. It sounded just perfect for the next leg of our journey.
We hired a van and driver to take us from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. After a pretty and uneventful ride, we checked into our hotel in Chiang Rai and headed out for dinner. It was so nice to have Brett back and be out for a family dinner again. A good evening of catching him up on Christmas in Chiang Mai. The next day we went to explore Wat Rong Khun, the ‘White Temple’. This is one of the most unique places we visited on our trip, unique but I’m not exactly sure I liked it. The temple was designed and built by a Thai artist Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpitpat. He started in 1997 and is still adding to and modifying the temple. It is really like one big art exhibit both on the outside and the inside. No photos are allowed inside the temple.
After a good sleep, we got up early for our van ride to the border town of Huay Xai to meet up with our slow boat operator. First, we had to navigate the immigration/customs office where the line up was long and there was a lot of confusion about which forms needed to be filled out and how much cash was needed. No one seemed to speak english. After what seemed like hours, we finally made it through to find out that the kids travel permit in Thailand had expired the previous day. We had to line up in another area to explain to an official why the kids were in the country illegally – it was more than a little stressful. After lots of back and forth and beckoning of other officials to discuss our situation, we were finally allowed through after paying a fine for overstaying the visa.
We boarded the slow boat ready to head down the Mekong River towards Luang Prabang, Laos. While we enjoyed every leg of our journey, this trip into Laos, and what turned into an unplanned month long stay in Luang Prabang, was one of the highlights of our travel adventure. It all started on this amazing two day boat ride.
Now by this stage of our travels, 8 months in, we had seen some pretty amazing scenery. This was different. Part of it probably had to do with the slow boat and that it forced us to relax and take it all in without any distractions from the internet or stress that we should be getting out and seeing things. On the slow boat, we sat and talked. We stared out at the amazing scenery and just enjoyed the quiet peaceful time. What I remember most is watching the kids soaking it all in more so than I remember them doing anywhere else. It was breathtakingly beautiful and a great time for our family to relax and re-connect.
At the end of the first day, we stopped for the night in Pakbeng, a town full of people just like us taking the trip to Luang Prabang. We stayed in one of the most luxurious hotels that we stayed in during our travels – we had our own guesthouse with a patio and a breathtaking view.
On Day 2, we stopped at a village to learn more about the local communities that live along the banks of the Mekong. We toured the village and had a very curious group of children (and pigs!) that followed us around.
We stopped by the classroom of a local school to meet the kids. The Laotian children got up in the front of the class and sang a beautiful song for us. Then the teacher invited the kids on our boat to sing them a song. Our kids were very nervous but with some encouragement from their new friends they made on the boat, they got up and sang a stirring rendition of head and shoulders, knees and toes. What an amazing experience and a chance for our kids to really connect with other children that live such a different way of life. The school was in disrepair and they didn’t seem to have much, but they were such happy children.
The village that we visited was famous locally for the woven scarves that were made there. There were a number of weaving looms in the village and we could purchase scarves directly from the women that wove them. This one very sweet woman (and her family) gave Riley a lesson on how to operate the loom. It was not simple or easy and yet the young girl in the picture below, younger than Riley, could weave with such dexterity and skill.
Later that day, we stopped at the Pak Ou Caves. It is a large cave set in a dramatic limestone cliff at the point where the Mekong joins the Nam Ou River. It has been converted into a Buddhist temple and is filled it with thousands of small Buddhist figures that are said to have been placed by local people for hundreds of years. So beautiful and awe-inspiring.
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end. As the boat pulled into Luang Prabang, we were excited to explore this new place but sad that the boat trip was over. The kids made some good friends on the boat that we continued to spend time with over the following days – they were a UK diplomat family living in Fiji. That is one thing that we all love so much about traveling – we cross paths and make quick friendships along the way – brief moments where we touch each others lives and then go our separate ways. These type of interactions were so important for the kids – not only because of the fun they had with new friends but also how much they learned (without realizing it) about different perspectives and cultures.
