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Laos so far has been an incredibly beautiful country and it is sooo different to every where we have been to so far. In a nutshell this place is very relaxed and laidback. We are barely hassled (if at all) and even horns aren't used much in traffic (even though the driving is still pretty crazy...). Prices are pretty much on par with how we found Vietnam, if not a fraction more expensive (though only just!).
We arrived on Monday in Luang Prabang by air (although to our frustration we were told that flying in at 6pm meant it was after-hours and so the customs were justified in charging us all an extra $5 each for our visas...very sneaky!)...the town is actually a UNESCO heritage site and it is very easy to simply sit back in a cafe and watch the world go round. It sits on the edge of the Mekong and conveys a beautiful 'purple' light over the town.
As Andy had flown in a couple of hours earlier he was able to secure us some accommodation on our arrival...but the staff then forgot and by the time we arrived there was one spare single dorm bed left (the top bunk)...which we ended up sharing!! A quick stroll around the block confirmed to us that everything else was fully booked out. SO after a very cosy night we were up early the next morning and managed to find ourselves a room down by the river for 75000 kip (about $9). Easy peasy! That afternoon four of us headed out to the Kuang Si waterfall (Ingo had joined us, coming from the south via overland) which was about 50kms out of town. This place was beautiful! The waterfall itself is about 70m high, but then it branches off into further terraces which also provide some wicked swimming holes. Although the water was very fresh, it was still a lot of fun to spend a few hours diving off trees/ waterfalls into the very turquoise waters below...We also walked up to the top of the waterfall which was a seriously steep climb...the first exercise we have had in a long time!
That night for dinner we found a very quaint though isolated restaurant which was perched right on the river (a bit of a hike out of town). We reckon it was set up for locals so that was pretty cool. Then back into town (to the Lao Lao bar!) we enjoyed a few more drinks (the only downside was trying to fend off all the ladyboys that seemed to hang around here)....Given the status of the town (UNESCO) the entire place is under curfew to shut down at 11.30pm....except for some reason this does not affect the bowling alley! SO upon 11.30pm the vast majority of people who are still drinking end up congregating here which was a lot of fun...and at the equivalent of $3NZ a game it would be rude not to!!!
The next morning Andy and Ingo headed off south to VangVieng (tubing for Xmas!) whilst Aza and I choose to enjoy a peaceful couple of days by ourselves, simply soaking up the peacefulness this town had to offer. We generally spent our time wandering around, visiting some stunning temples, reading books and sitting in cafes! Every night a street market is set up down the main street and it has some very beautiful handicrafts on display...we bought a few things including an awesome duvet cover as well as a couple of scarves and bags. Another great thing about this town was the rediculously good (and cheap) BBQ street food that was on offer. We quite possibly had the best BBQ chilcken of our trip so far - straight off the grill and into our mouths! Fruit shakes were also heavenly: street stalls display cups with various fruits inside and you simply point at the one with the combination you like (eg banana, pineapple and mango together) and they chuck it into a blender with ice, milk, coconut milk, lime and sugar. Yummy!!
Xmas day itself was very laidback (we managed a couple of skype phonecalls back home!) and despite the odd tourist walking around wearing a santa hat, there was nothing to suggest that this day was of significance in Laos - it was business per usual. You may think me crazy saying this but I think I may have missed hearing a Xmas song this year...!! In the evening we treated ourselves to a Lao-syle BBQ at Lao Lao Garden which had a special serving of turkey for xmas!! This meal was fantastic - you get to cook all your own meats infront of you, and then on the outside of the grill you put together your own vege soup. All tables have their own inlaid BBQ ready to be used... The restaurant is laid out in a terrace fashion with fairy lights strung everywhere with trees and plants all over the place. In the very middle of the outdoor restaurant there is a massive fire pit, which naturally was where everyone congregated to after finishing their meal. It was ofcourse where the party continued...! The place was packed out, and it was an awesome venue to celebtrate the Xmas cheer!
Early next morning we were off to Vang Vieng for our New Years destination, and ofcourse...tubing!!! Watch this space...
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