Well, when last I left off I was a little discouraged and confused about the North of Laos. Well, fear not all, I had a wonderful experience in Muang Sing, a small town a few km from China. I shall begin my post waxing a bit philosophical and then I'll try to plow through everything I did because there is so much. Highlights for my ADD friends: beautiful countryside, amazing people, not very good food, long bus rides.
First, my thoughts on childhood. Being a burnt out teacher I was a little burnt out on children when I left the States. I really kind of wanted to get some space from little people. Being in Muang Sing made me realize that the joys of childhood are universal and brought back some of my sympathetic side toward children. I had the good fortune to run into another traveler named Donna from New Zealand. She's kind of a hippie who spent her life raising her children and now she travels a lot and when she's not traveling she lives on a farm and works in exchange for housing. Anyway, she and I tried to go on a trek but it was too expensive for the two of us. So we went to lunch and saw another couple come in. Donna quickly said hi and asked if they had gone on a trek. No, they've been in Muang Sing a few weeks. A few weeks? Okay, I should back up here because you need understand what the town is like. There is one main street with a few restaurants that never have anyone in them. There are about 5 guest houses, each probably filling 1-2 rooms a day, on average. There is no sidewalk, not really any cars, but a lot of motorbikes and bicycles. The women wear traditional sims (like an african sarong only it is woven, usually from wool, and a lot of times is mostly black except at the bottom there is a strip of color). There is an herbal sauna Lao massage place. And a curfew of 10pm for tourists. Not much to do here besides get a bicycle and go see the hill tribe people, which is mostly what I did, but more on that later.
So, we're totally shocked they've been here for a few weeks. They are living at a guest house because, try as they did, they could not rent a house. Neil, is a teacher taking a year off and he's been volunteering with this local organization. Yvette, his chatty and fun wife, is also taking a break from working in public health and sometimes works at the organization, but mostly just chills out and lives in this town. So I ask Neil if I can go with him to the after-school program, I've been looking for a place to volunteer and I'd love to see it. He calls and asks if it is okay, and so I get to go that afternoon.
Which is where I met Brian and Laila. American ex-pats who are living in Laos. Laila is a pediatrician who now teaches doctors and helps them with their patients. Brian is a professional photographer, kind of runs the non-profit, and is building a school in the community. They both run this after-school type program every day from 4-6. They have different kids each day and do things like play games, teach english, read books, etc. Basically, these people are saints. They've dedicated their lives to the people of Muang Sing. They've gotten international plastic surgeons to come and do surgeries for things like cleft pallattes and other deformities. They educate about good nutrition.
So, while there that Friday I did the limbo with the kids, which they thought was hilarious. Only every time I fell onto my knees and now I have bruised and scraped knees. We also played duck, duck, goose, which they thought was absolutely hysterical. Everytime someone got tagged they all started cracking up. This was the first time they ever played the game. Laila and Brian have also fundraised to send kids to school and university and to special camps to develop as leaders. I mean, just so inspiring to see the work that they are doing. And it was really fun to watch kids being kids. At the end of the day they sang for us and did a traditional dance and we sang for them (well, not me, becauase have you heard me sing?). Then Neil and Yvette were planning to stay for dinner and Brian and Laila invited Donna and me as well. So kind! The dinner was deliscious. Laila is of Syrian descent and she makes her own yogurt, and we had lentils and salad a whole bunch of other stuff. It might have been my favorite meal so far. Just such a great night. Then we actually watched a couple of videos that Brian had made about their work.
Overall, it was just so great to meet them and experience their warmth and hospitality and see some incredible work being done in the community.
The next day I got a bicycle and roamed around and saw some of the hill tribe villages. I spent much of the day reading and chilling out and then I did the herbal sauna at the suggestion of these Finnish guys who claimed this was the BEST sauna in all of South East Asia, and they should know, they are Finnish. OTOH, they claimed everything was the BEST-the guest house, the town, etc. They were happy to be away from tourists as they work as scuba guides in Thailand.
On Sunday I didn't really have a plan for my day. I had thought about leaving but then I decided I really liked it there and I should enjoy the calm and the beauty for another day. My guest house looked out on rice fields and behind that was mountains. It looked almost too beautiful to be real. Almost like a painting where the assignment is to use every shade of green. Bright green rice paddies, darker green trees, even darker pathways, etc. Just beautiful. So, having decided to spend another day, I went out to the market for some fruit. While there I bought some handmade textiles from the girls from Brian and Laila's group. They sell at the market and also at a shop that for some reason I didn't get to. They are very responsible girls and also very excited to see me again. They all wanted me to buy from them but I couldn't. Although, in retrospect, it really was so cheap I just should have. Ah well, live and learn.
So that day I ran into a few Spanairds who were having breakfast. They invited me to have breakfast with them, we spoke in Spanish, it was fun. So then they invited me to come biking with them. I figured, why not? So we rode off in another direction where we saw a lot more villages, each one different but also the same. The same in the level of poverty-children with little or no clothing, looking dirty and malnourished. Some women weaving. Some people in the fields working. Each had thatched roofs and bamboo houses, quite simple. It was really hard to look at such extreme poverty, which I hadn't seen to that extent since Kenya.
However, again I saw the true human spirit and the freedom of childhood. In one, a bunch of kids were gathered together and we started taking pictures and showing them. They were ecstatic. They'd jump on you to see the digital image, cracking up when they saw themselves. On our way to that one we picked up a Japanese guy. They really liked him. On our way down from the town they all started saying some phrase and giving him leaves. We had no idea why. But every time they would come up to him, hand him something, and say something. He'd repeat it and they would crack up. Hilarious. At the next one, a whole bunch of little kids, maybe 2-4 years, were running and sliding in bunch of mud. They were all naked and dying laughing. They'd run through, slide, and then run around screaming. It was an amazing sight. I have no idea why so many of them were the same age, but they were all about the same height.
That night, Yvette and Neil invited us to eat dinner with them in guest house. They have an electric wok, a bowl for washing dishes, a cutting board, and a mortar and pestle. They've been living like that for weeks. Yvette kept saying, it's like camping. Anyway, they made us pasta and deviled eggs and it was great not to go out to one of the empty restaurants and sit there alone, which is what often happened in this town. Additionally, teenagers are the ones serving, and boy are they surly. Again, universal.
Then, I decided to leave on Monday AM. The spaniards had told me about this great place called Muang Noi. The only problem was that to get there I needed to take a mini-bus to Luang Namtha, then one to Oudamxai, then on to Nong Kiew, then a boat to Muang Noi. I really thought I could do it though, even if it took me two days. So I got up early, ready to take the 8am bus out. Well, when I came back to the corner where the woman had told me to catch the bus from, there were about 17 people and about 3 times that in luggage trying to get in a 10 person mini-van. Oy vey. So I'm all zen, no problem, I'll take the next one. Okay, go to the real bus station this time, get my ticket and chill because I have some time. Then, around 845 I get on and realize almost every seat is taken (for a 930) bus, people have put their backpacks there to save their spots. Ugh, so the only real spot left was the last row. I got it and actually, I was next to Donnaa. Unfortunately, this bus didn't quite have the suspension of the mini-bus had that I cam in. Oh boy, did that test my stomach.
(Oh, forgot to put in that on my way to Muang Sing, I got what I thought to be the last seat in the mini-bus and then the driver promptly stops to let in three more. Think matatu in Kenya. So move on over, bc they are comin' in. This one guy goes to the back and this other guy sorta refuses to move and he just starts to sit down right on top of the guy. The bottom guy moved. Well, a little. Was a fun ride, cheek to cheek with a rural lady in a pretty sim.)
So, I get back to Luang Namtha, and try to get the bus to Oudamxai. Oh no, that's at the other bus station. Gotta take a tuk-tuk. Get over there around 12:20, the bus had left at 12. Next one at 2:30. No problem, I'm still feeling calm. I'll just knit and read my book. Get on that bus early (learned my lesson) only, that meant I was on a hot bus, even though I had a good seat (pick your poison I guess). This bus stops tons of times, I have some school girl next to me who keeps falling asleep and her head knocks into my shoulder. Ouch.
Finally get there ta 6:30. I'm stuck there for the night. Go look for a guest house. First one I happen upon seems to be a brothel for Chinese men. I move on. Find another one that seems more legit. Go out to find some food. The town is dark with few lights. Few restaurants and people don't speak a lick of engish, not even toilet or restaurant. In order to find out how much something is I have to take out money and give the how much look with my hands. Eat some pho (noodle soup) which has some questionable meat in it, so i stick with the broth and the noodles. Go back to my hotel and hide out bc the town is creepy and filled with Chinese businessmen in SUVs. These are the first cars I've seen in at least a week. Mini-bus, motorbikes and tuk-tuks yes. But no cars. So it is a bit odd. Especially since these are giant SUVs.
My patience for the whole off-the-beaten-track thing is starting to wane.
Got up the morning early, determined to get a bus to Nong Kiew. Except no, not going today. Going to some other place that isn't on my map and I have no idea if it is actually on the way. And I have no idea if I'll be able to get there from this other town. So, feeling discouraged, I get a ticket to Louang Phrobang and call it a day. Mission aborted. I'm sad. I really wanted to go Muang Noi, but I couldn't deal with another night in a creepy town and another full day of traveling on hot buses where my legs don't fit behind the seat in front of me, loud Lao music (with or without a tv showing the karaoke of the song being played), school girls sleeping on me (happened again today!) and pee breaks by the side of the road. Zen master forgive me, but my american sensibilities came back into play.
So, now I'm here in Louang Phrobang. Home of textile and silver shopping, good coffee, the Mekong River and wats to explore and lots of good food. Not bad, eh? I tried to upload pics, but these computers don't have picasa 3, so I'll have to look for another one that does. This computer is extremely annoying, so, hopefully I'll add photos soon.
Okay, this got really long and I'm sure I still forgot stuff. Read it at your leisure.
Xoxo
Dina
First, my thoughts on childhood. Being a burnt out teacher I was a little burnt out on children when I left the States. I really kind of wanted to get some space from little people. Being in Muang Sing made me realize that the joys of childhood are universal and brought back some of my sympathetic side toward children. I had the good fortune to run into another traveler named Donna from New Zealand. She's kind of a hippie who spent her life raising her children and now she travels a lot and when she's not traveling she lives on a farm and works in exchange for housing. Anyway, she and I tried to go on a trek but it was too expensive for the two of us. So we went to lunch and saw another couple come in. Donna quickly said hi and asked if they had gone on a trek. No, they've been in Muang Sing a few weeks. A few weeks? Okay, I should back up here because you need understand what the town is like. There is one main street with a few restaurants that never have anyone in them. There are about 5 guest houses, each probably filling 1-2 rooms a day, on average. There is no sidewalk, not really any cars, but a lot of motorbikes and bicycles. The women wear traditional sims (like an african sarong only it is woven, usually from wool, and a lot of times is mostly black except at the bottom there is a strip of color). There is an herbal sauna Lao massage place. And a curfew of 10pm for tourists. Not much to do here besides get a bicycle and go see the hill tribe people, which is mostly what I did, but more on that later.
So, we're totally shocked they've been here for a few weeks. They are living at a guest house because, try as they did, they could not rent a house. Neil, is a teacher taking a year off and he's been volunteering with this local organization. Yvette, his chatty and fun wife, is also taking a break from working in public health and sometimes works at the organization, but mostly just chills out and lives in this town. So I ask Neil if I can go with him to the after-school program, I've been looking for a place to volunteer and I'd love to see it. He calls and asks if it is okay, and so I get to go that afternoon.
Which is where I met Brian and Laila. American ex-pats who are living in Laos. Laila is a pediatrician who now teaches doctors and helps them with their patients. Brian is a professional photographer, kind of runs the non-profit, and is building a school in the community. They both run this after-school type program every day from 4-6. They have different kids each day and do things like play games, teach english, read books, etc. Basically, these people are saints. They've dedicated their lives to the people of Muang Sing. They've gotten international plastic surgeons to come and do surgeries for things like cleft pallattes and other deformities. They educate about good nutrition.
So, while there that Friday I did the limbo with the kids, which they thought was hilarious. Only every time I fell onto my knees and now I have bruised and scraped knees. We also played duck, duck, goose, which they thought was absolutely hysterical. Everytime someone got tagged they all started cracking up. This was the first time they ever played the game. Laila and Brian have also fundraised to send kids to school and university and to special camps to develop as leaders. I mean, just so inspiring to see the work that they are doing. And it was really fun to watch kids being kids. At the end of the day they sang for us and did a traditional dance and we sang for them (well, not me, becauase have you heard me sing?). Then Neil and Yvette were planning to stay for dinner and Brian and Laila invited Donna and me as well. So kind! The dinner was deliscious. Laila is of Syrian descent and she makes her own yogurt, and we had lentils and salad a whole bunch of other stuff. It might have been my favorite meal so far. Just such a great night. Then we actually watched a couple of videos that Brian had made about their work.
Overall, it was just so great to meet them and experience their warmth and hospitality and see some incredible work being done in the community.
The next day I got a bicycle and roamed around and saw some of the hill tribe villages. I spent much of the day reading and chilling out and then I did the herbal sauna at the suggestion of these Finnish guys who claimed this was the BEST sauna in all of South East Asia, and they should know, they are Finnish. OTOH, they claimed everything was the BEST-the guest house, the town, etc. They were happy to be away from tourists as they work as scuba guides in Thailand.
On Sunday I didn't really have a plan for my day. I had thought about leaving but then I decided I really liked it there and I should enjoy the calm and the beauty for another day. My guest house looked out on rice fields and behind that was mountains. It looked almost too beautiful to be real. Almost like a painting where the assignment is to use every shade of green. Bright green rice paddies, darker green trees, even darker pathways, etc. Just beautiful. So, having decided to spend another day, I went out to the market for some fruit. While there I bought some handmade textiles from the girls from Brian and Laila's group. They sell at the market and also at a shop that for some reason I didn't get to. They are very responsible girls and also very excited to see me again. They all wanted me to buy from them but I couldn't. Although, in retrospect, it really was so cheap I just should have. Ah well, live and learn.
So that day I ran into a few Spanairds who were having breakfast. They invited me to have breakfast with them, we spoke in Spanish, it was fun. So then they invited me to come biking with them. I figured, why not? So we rode off in another direction where we saw a lot more villages, each one different but also the same. The same in the level of poverty-children with little or no clothing, looking dirty and malnourished. Some women weaving. Some people in the fields working. Each had thatched roofs and bamboo houses, quite simple. It was really hard to look at such extreme poverty, which I hadn't seen to that extent since Kenya.
However, again I saw the true human spirit and the freedom of childhood. In one, a bunch of kids were gathered together and we started taking pictures and showing them. They were ecstatic. They'd jump on you to see the digital image, cracking up when they saw themselves. On our way to that one we picked up a Japanese guy. They really liked him. On our way down from the town they all started saying some phrase and giving him leaves. We had no idea why. But every time they would come up to him, hand him something, and say something. He'd repeat it and they would crack up. Hilarious. At the next one, a whole bunch of little kids, maybe 2-4 years, were running and sliding in bunch of mud. They were all naked and dying laughing. They'd run through, slide, and then run around screaming. It was an amazing sight. I have no idea why so many of them were the same age, but they were all about the same height.
That night, Yvette and Neil invited us to eat dinner with them in guest house. They have an electric wok, a bowl for washing dishes, a cutting board, and a mortar and pestle. They've been living like that for weeks. Yvette kept saying, it's like camping. Anyway, they made us pasta and deviled eggs and it was great not to go out to one of the empty restaurants and sit there alone, which is what often happened in this town. Additionally, teenagers are the ones serving, and boy are they surly. Again, universal.
Then, I decided to leave on Monday AM. The spaniards had told me about this great place called Muang Noi. The only problem was that to get there I needed to take a mini-bus to Luang Namtha, then one to Oudamxai, then on to Nong Kiew, then a boat to Muang Noi. I really thought I could do it though, even if it took me two days. So I got up early, ready to take the 8am bus out. Well, when I came back to the corner where the woman had told me to catch the bus from, there were about 17 people and about 3 times that in luggage trying to get in a 10 person mini-van. Oy vey. So I'm all zen, no problem, I'll take the next one. Okay, go to the real bus station this time, get my ticket and chill because I have some time. Then, around 845 I get on and realize almost every seat is taken (for a 930) bus, people have put their backpacks there to save their spots. Ugh, so the only real spot left was the last row. I got it and actually, I was next to Donnaa. Unfortunately, this bus didn't quite have the suspension of the mini-bus had that I cam in. Oh boy, did that test my stomach.
(Oh, forgot to put in that on my way to Muang Sing, I got what I thought to be the last seat in the mini-bus and then the driver promptly stops to let in three more. Think matatu in Kenya. So move on over, bc they are comin' in. This one guy goes to the back and this other guy sorta refuses to move and he just starts to sit down right on top of the guy. The bottom guy moved. Well, a little. Was a fun ride, cheek to cheek with a rural lady in a pretty sim.)
So, I get back to Luang Namtha, and try to get the bus to Oudamxai. Oh no, that's at the other bus station. Gotta take a tuk-tuk. Get over there around 12:20, the bus had left at 12. Next one at 2:30. No problem, I'm still feeling calm. I'll just knit and read my book. Get on that bus early (learned my lesson) only, that meant I was on a hot bus, even though I had a good seat (pick your poison I guess). This bus stops tons of times, I have some school girl next to me who keeps falling asleep and her head knocks into my shoulder. Ouch.
Finally get there ta 6:30. I'm stuck there for the night. Go look for a guest house. First one I happen upon seems to be a brothel for Chinese men. I move on. Find another one that seems more legit. Go out to find some food. The town is dark with few lights. Few restaurants and people don't speak a lick of engish, not even toilet or restaurant. In order to find out how much something is I have to take out money and give the how much look with my hands. Eat some pho (noodle soup) which has some questionable meat in it, so i stick with the broth and the noodles. Go back to my hotel and hide out bc the town is creepy and filled with Chinese businessmen in SUVs. These are the first cars I've seen in at least a week. Mini-bus, motorbikes and tuk-tuks yes. But no cars. So it is a bit odd. Especially since these are giant SUVs.
My patience for the whole off-the-beaten-track thing is starting to wane.
Got up the morning early, determined to get a bus to Nong Kiew. Except no, not going today. Going to some other place that isn't on my map and I have no idea if it is actually on the way. And I have no idea if I'll be able to get there from this other town. So, feeling discouraged, I get a ticket to Louang Phrobang and call it a day. Mission aborted. I'm sad. I really wanted to go Muang Noi, but I couldn't deal with another night in a creepy town and another full day of traveling on hot buses where my legs don't fit behind the seat in front of me, loud Lao music (with or without a tv showing the karaoke of the song being played), school girls sleeping on me (happened again today!) and pee breaks by the side of the road. Zen master forgive me, but my american sensibilities came back into play.
So, now I'm here in Louang Phrobang. Home of textile and silver shopping, good coffee, the Mekong River and wats to explore and lots of good food. Not bad, eh? I tried to upload pics, but these computers don't have picasa 3, so I'll have to look for another one that does. This computer is extremely annoying, so, hopefully I'll add photos soon.
Okay, this got really long and I'm sure I still forgot stuff. Read it at your leisure.
Xoxo
Dina
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