Trip to Thailand and Laos (page 6 of 19)

Here we go. A travel mishap that reminds us all of our vulnerability on the road...

But what a small world! I’d visited that little clinic—it’s where we found Mélissa, who heads an association called NK SEEDS, working on education and healthcare for young children in Nong Khiaw and LP!! (If you missed the story: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=10566980;a=10566980)

If you click on the link Kate shared, you’ll find this NGO based in Haute-Savoie...

That said, it seems the healing is going well, but at least this gave us one more forum member to welcome: Welcome Nathalie!

PS: I won’t let Richard get away with saying Muang Ngoi is just a base camp for treks—I hope the rest of the story will do justice to this charming and very peaceful little village, even if it *is* mostly geared toward hiking ;) 😏

I’m giving up on this climb (I get short of breath—40 years of smoking 🏴‍☠️—but I’m fine on flat ground). I’m actually happy to wander alone and soak up these moments. I get lost in the alleyways (love it!) and indulge in my favorite game: street photography.

And we love the results of your favorite game!

So I’m giving up on this climb (I get short of breath—40 years of smoking 🏴‍☠️—but I’m fine on flat ground). I’m actually happy wandering alone and soaking up these moments. I lose myself in the alleys (I love it!) and indulge in my favorite game: street photography.















Yes, thanks Kate for these photos... I’d love to know how to take street photos like that 😊

Welcome Nathalie to VF... Richard leaves us totally in suspense about what happened next with your accident 🤔

This episode confirms what a guide had told me—we prepare for illnesses and health issues, but by far the most common risk is falls.

True, we’d loaded up on insurance thinking of the worst! It was incredible for us to discover that little hospital (Bruno, I hadn’t made the connection with your association). We were imagining rushing back to Luang Prabang in a panic, with mentally unstable drivers at the wheel, potholes and bumps everywhere, and Nath unable to see anything, her face covered in blood 🏴‍☠️ Anyway, between the moment she fell and when she was taken care of, less than 15 minutes had passed!

Yes, thanks Kate for these photos... I'd love to know how to take street photos 😊

With your talent, I’m not worried at all! Technically, you’ve already got it down. The key is adjusting your behavior: be bold enough to ask, but not intrusive, and make sure no one ends up in an uncomfortable situation, of course. And a little patience—though not as much as when photographing animals 😜 Sit and wait... and the subject will come to you. Make your presence known and leave no doubt about your intentions.

it took less than 15 minutes

It’s faster than in Italy...

Some parts of the body bleed more than others. That’s the case with the forehead, temples, and fingertips...

My partner slipped in the bathtub in Spain and cut their head. When I joined them, it was scary—I was already picturing calling emergency services. When I was a kid, I split my temple open, and same thing: blood, blood everywhere! My parents didn’t take me to the hospital, and I had a big scar for a long time.

Stitches help keep scars thinner and fade faster. My partner got some in Italy at the beginning of December, and it looked really bad for a good month. Now it’s starting to fade significantly.

The real problem is infection! It’s not easy to redo bandages while traveling in a hot, humid, and very rural country like Laos!

Yes, thanks Kate for these photos... I'd love to know how to take street photos 😊

With your talent, I’m not worried at all! Technically, you’ve already got it down. The behavior is what we need to adjust: daring to ask, not being intrusive, making sure no one ends up in an uncomfortable situation, of course. And a bit of patience, too—but not as much as for photographing animals 😜 Sit and wait... and the subject walks right in front of you. Show your presence and leave no doubt about your intentions.

For me, street photography is a real challenge. I took a workshop last year, and it wasn’t convincing at all—almost no photos. Richard said you switched camera gear… Canon R6? What lens do you use as an all-rounder?

You said you changed your camera gear... Canon R6? What lens do you use as an all-rounder?

I didn’t exactly change my gear—I wanted a second, lighter camera for trips. I carry it all day now; the Nikon was too heavy on my neck! It’s a small Canon EOS R50 with two lenses: an 18-150 and a 50.

Nuang Moy

Everything’s going well this morning for the group, even if Nathalie looks like she’s just come from a yellow-vest protest. After breakfast, we head to the pier to take the local boat to Nong Khiaw. The ticket office clerk tells us the departure is scheduled for 11 a.m. That’s a bit late, so we prefer to negotiate with a private boat ready to leave immediately. Six hundred thousand (600,000) kips round-trip, which is 24 € for the whole group—deal. The boat is cramped, not very comfortable, and pretty slow. The trip will take over an hour. Little by little, the sun breaks through the mist, gently warming our bodies chilled by the morning cool. The curtain of the theater slowly rises, revealing the deep blue of the sky and the greens of the forest. The river and its banks teem with life: fishermen’s boats, seabirds, water buffaloes… In this stretch of the river, the horizon widens, unveiling its karst mountains with shapes that are both vigorous and rounded. It’s a postcard-perfect landscape, but for me, it’s the iconic image of Southeast Asia as I imagined it. Rocked by the boat’s swaying and the steady hum of the motor, everyone silently drifts into their own daydreams. A true luxury-free cruise, because the real luxury is elsewhere—in these serene landscapes, in these scenes of animal life where water buffaloes laze on the banks or seabirds take flight with a powerful beat of their wings as we pass. An hour can feel long sometimes. Waiting at the dentist’s, a boring professor’s lecture… Not here. Each of us, depending on our experiences and feelings at the moment, will have found their own highlight of the trip. This one will be mine.





We arrive at the Nuang Moy pier at 10 a.m. The boatman offers to return around 3 p.m. Too short? Too long? Okay, that should work. The site, overlooking the Nam Ou River dotted with colorful boats and surrounded by mountains plunging into the water, is absolutely stunning.



But what about the village itself? Tiny, it seems to revolve around a long, straight cement road lined with various shops: souvenir stores, little restaurants, local agencies for treks, massage parlors. The place is clearly set up for tourism, which appears to be one of the main sources of income for the locals. We see a lot of young Westerners sitting at the small terraces of guesthouses and cafés—backpacks, hiking shoes, socks drying… Nuang Moy is indeed a starting point for many treks to villages further north.







There’s still local life to be found, though, which we discover better by venturing into the few side streets off the main avenue. Crossing a small bridge, we come across a large area covered with colorful buildings. We’re in a Buddhist sanctuary, and it seems active, judging by the many saffron robes drying in the sun. The monks are doing their laundry! A little further along a dusty path, we find a small school. It’s closed, but that’s normal—the guide from Nong Khiaw had told me we were in the middle of school holidays. Too bad…





The day stretches on, and we board the boat again in the mid-afternoon to return to Nong Khiaw. Final aperitif in a pub where we meet our driver from the way here, who came from Luang to pick us up tomorrow morning. He greets us warmly. Sabaïdii! He’s surrounded by a group of friends, young like him, and they seem ready to have a great evening together. Don’t drink too much, Alec—the road will be long tomorrow!

Yes, thanks Kate for these photos... I’d love to know how to take street photos 😊

With your talent, I’m not worried at all! Technically, you’ve already nailed it. The key is adjusting your behavior: daring to ask, not being intrusive, making sure no one ends up in an uncomfortable situation, of course. And a little patience—though not as much as when photographing animals 😜 Sit and wait... and the subject walks right in front of you. Make your presence known and leave no doubt about your intentions.

Hi there, I completely agree—you need a lot of patience, put people at ease, have fun with them when they’re kids... and the magic happens.😉

...

Hello and Thank you Kate and Richard, for allowing me to return to Laos by your side..

That was in the last century for us (via N.F.). We had also taken the overnight train, which stopped at the border, and we crossed the Friendship Bridge on foot, built by Australia I think. In the night, a shady military-type individual with a huge revolver at his belt had asked to see our passports. I think he was looking for a bribe, but he had woken up the whole carriage...

I’ll read the rest of the account with interest. (I’ve just discovered it and I’m only on the first page...!)

Regards.

...

Hi Alain,

I also discovered your Tanzania travel journal this morning. Well, I’ve got less catching up to do since you’ve just started it 😉 Thanks for letting us follow along—it’s really encouraging! !

Day 11: Return to Luang Prabang

Sure enough, our driver friend has tired eyes this morning. I kinda suspected as much, from experience... But hey, he’s young and can handle a night of heavy drinking. That’s what we’re all hoping! Otherwise, apart from a few unexpected stops for hydration breaks (which I totally get), the trip went smoothly, under the same conditions as on the way there. Same potholed road, same bumps, same dust...

Bruno and I were hoping not to arrive too late because we planned to visit the « UXO » museum, an acronym for « unexploded ordnance ». It’s essential for understanding what Laos went through—and is still going through—because of the so-called Vietnam War. For your info, here’s an excerpt from the excellent Routard guide on a situation that continues, both literally and figuratively, to undermine the lives of Laotians: « Laos was the most bombed country in the world and now has the highest number of victims from munitions. [...] Out of the two million tons of bombs dropped on the country by the Americans, a third didn’t explode on impact. The Laotian soil is still littered with around 78 million submunitions. Even today, one person dies or is maimed every day because of them, impacting the lives of entire families—or even communities—who no longer dare to go to their fields to earn a living. » International demining programs are underway, but it will take time to rid the country of the scars of a war it endured rather than chose.

The museum closes at 4 PM, and we arrive at 3:30—too late. I really regret missing this visit.

How to spend our last hours in Luang Prabang before leaving tomorrow for the 4,000 Islands? Step away from the two main streets—the one packed with bars, souvenir shops, and fancy hotels, and the one overlooking the Mekong. Let yourself wander into the smaller side streets to soak up the atmosphere of this pretty and pleasant city, which, deep down, hasn’t revealed much of Laos to us.

In a quiet alley, we stumble upon a square filled with religious buildings and statues. There’s no one around except for a few young monks going about their tasks. One is sweeping the courtyard, another watering flowers, and another tending to a Buddha statue. Then we spot two young monks climbing the steps of a temple to strike a huge gong, taking turns hitting the metal with real energy. The sound is deep, almost primal. We lose ourselves for a moment in this unexpected concert. A very young monk, maybe 7 or 8 years old, notices us and invites us into one of the many temples on the square. Thinking it’s a special honor, we enter cautiously. While we’re admiring the Buddha statue, the little monk hands us some cotton bracelets, gesturing for us to tie them around our wrists. It’s a symbolic ritual that, for travelers like us, means “may your journey be protected and favorable.” But the young boy seems to be waiting for a small offering in return... which we gladly give. Just be careful, little monk—don’t spend it all on sweets...





Evening falls, and we decide to share one last drink overlooking the Mekong.

Tomorrow, we’re up at dawn. A flight will take us to Paksé, and from there, we’ll hit the road in a shared van to Don Det and the 4,000 Islands.



Next part here

Tomorrow, up at dawn. A plane will take us to Paksé, and from there we’ll hit the road in a shared van to Don Det and the 4,000 Islands.

Something tells me it’s gonna be "chill vibes only," as the kids say

Actually, from now on, we’ll be following in your footsteps 😉 Your travel journal (and your PMs) really helped us reorganize this part of the trip with just 8 days to go—especially since we’d originally planned to visit Cambodia. Thanks again for everything 🙂

In Vang Vieng there were already guesthouses with young Europeans who came to consume illicit substances

A distant memory from the very early 90s: Vientiane, a sleepy city, not much changed or modernized for a long time... let's do as in "The Blue Lotus" by Tintin and head to the opium den.

A rickety wooden shack, lying on a thin mat with our heads resting on a sack of rice, an old woman preparing the opium pellet... just like in the movies...

I'm with my friend Alain, each on our own straw mat, drifting into dreams, everything blurry...

And suddenly, a presence between us: a man showing something and saying softly with a smile, "Police." Oh.

"Your watch is nice," he says to Alain (or at least that's what we think we understand).

Alain takes off his watch and hands it over; the guy takes it and leaves.

We stay lying there... and after a few hours (?), we leave, wondering if any of it was real.

Reality hits us: all that's left on my friend's wrist is the white mark from the watch, the tan around it... robbed by the police (of a Thai Rolex knockoff worth a few euros)!!

Arrival at the Nuang Moy pier,

Isn’t it Muang Ngoy instead?[;]

Muang Ngoi, I think, but I didn’t dare point it out. How many times have I had to triple-check a bunch of names in my Asia travel journals! 😉

To be precise, it's Muang Ngoi Neua😜 There's a really nice viewpoint, but it's a bit of a climb... just a little nod to Kate who must've missed it😉: https://www.komoot.com/fr-fr/smarttour/24143231