Edd's Travels: Luang Prabang, Laos

I stayed in my Chang Mai hostel for one night - the next morning I caught a tuk-tuk into town, a bus to Chiang Rai, another bus to Chiang Khong, a tuk-tuk to the riverside (the Mekong river serving as the border between Thailand and Laos), a boat across the river to Huay Xai, and after various exchanges of paperwork and US dollars I had my Laos visa. Stayed Thursday night in a very nice little hotel for $6. My room had a fan rather than air-conditioning: I tried a little experiment, on going to bed, in that I tried just sleeping naturally without even the fan. It lasted about fifteen seconds and then the darkness and humidity combined to such an extent that I physically couldn't lie there any more. I'm not especially claustrophobic, but it felt like being under a warm, damp blanket. I turned the fan back on and that just about made it tolerable.

Yesterday I got on the slow boat to Luang Prabang. It's a two-day journey; the boat holds about fifty people and trundles along at something like 10 miles per hour. It stopped in Pakbeng last night, where I got another cheap & charming hotel ($4), and a fabulous curry ($2), and a big bottle of beer ($1). Beerlao, it's called, and it's pretty nice; which is just as well, since it's just about the only alcoholic beverage on sale in this country. Although they do sell whiskey too, or at least I hope and pray that's what the menu was referring to with its use of the words 'Big Black Johnny'. Another feverish fan-assisted sleep last night, and then the second half of the boat journey today, and here I am in Luang Prabang. Fingers crossed I can find somewhere to watch all the footy at 9pm tonight! And fingers even more tightly crossed I can find somewhere to watch Sunderland play tomorrow.

The boat journey itself was pleasant enough. The Mekong is a very muddy brown colour, with quite a strong current, some waves, and the occasional languid whirlpool. I read my various books, talked to a few people, and spent quite a while just leaning over the side of the boat and watching the jungle go by. Needless to say, I couldn't for the life of me get 'The End' by the Doors out of my head. I was on the left hand side of the boat both days and so now there is a distinct disparity of skin colour between my two arms, which looks rather silly.

Speaking of silliness, on the boat today a polite Frenchman (potential oxymoron there) asked me if my book was 'about ze magician'. The book in question was 'David Copperfield'. Well, you would assume he was joking, but he looked quite serious, so I kept a straight face and explained that the book was written in 1850. And that was the end of that conversation.

I've finally managed to take some more photos, so have a look if you're interested.