On you wander and then suddenly, the first glimpse of water. Wow! Pools that are crystal, clear, a fabulous shade of turquoise, surrounded by lush greenery and plenty of shade. Geologists call this type of falls ‘travertine’ - a type of limestone formed when mineral-rich rivers, lakes and spring water evaporate). The water cascades down, from one to the next and it’s just staggeringly beautiful.
So much so that words don’t do it justice.
What am I doing? Exploring the Wats, strolling the streets and spying local school kids at play in their break, eating street food at the Night Market, exploring the backstreets close to the Mekong River…taking long afternoon naps in my guesthouse…reading up on the history of this little-known part of South East Asia….falling into conversation with locals and appreciating just how gracious, respectful and charming they are…wandering the night market and gazing at the brightly-colored lanterns…
Day Two was entirely different. It left me humbled and grateful. Humbled at the local Laotians who sat on the floor of the boat for hours, not once complaining. And grateful for what I have - the time and money to travel the world, a profession that I don’t just make money from but I actually enjoy and the sense of freedom - to be a solo woman, on the road, with no-one to hold me back and a credit card and stash of US dollars for emergencies…
If I’m honest, personally I’d have to say ‘yes’ to the boat ride. Despite all the difficulties, It was a great adventure. It gave me the chance to see life along the Mekong river- a chance you simply don’t get if you fly or drive across Laos. It was also a chance to ‘switch off’ from daily life because all I could do was read, nap, look at scenery, take photos on the boat and talk to other people. many people, like myself, engrossed in a good book…
Unlike yesterday, this day passes agonisingly slowly. My back aches and the seat is uncomfortable. It’s blisteringly hot outside and the humidity must be over 70%...there’s a little breeze but not enough. All of the elan of yesterday is gone, especially because we’re stopping constantly to let locals jump on and off. I offer the seat next to me - in the next few hours - to an old man, a young woman with a baby, and then a teenager who proceeds to call his friend over. The two of them plonk themselves down inone space and are soon spilling over into mine…
There are two kinds of seats on our boat - ‘luxurious’ padded and ‘hot polo’ wooden bench. I’ve lucked out and got one in the first category. They’ve been ripped out of big vans and they’re not just comfy but roomy- I can even stretch my legs out! All of our bags are placed in the hold and I also see locals loading their belongings onto the roof. At the front of the boat I spy a portly Buddhist monk in his 50’s, with three children, all in their saffron robes, next to him…
