"The world is a book, & those who do not travel read only one page" St. Augustine

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page" St. Augustine

Friday, February 11, 2011

DOWN THE RIVER

(Sunday) I'm back at Boat House Landing sitting on the porch yet again. A butterfly is sitting on my knee as Noam and I relax enjoying a peaceful moment or two. We just returned from our separate treks.
I had a hard time sleeping last night as did everyone else. A bamboo floor is not as comfortable as a pillow top mattress. I woke up to the sounds and smells of breakfast being cooked in our hut and Hillary tickling my feet. Our breakfast was rice that had to be infused with some herbs because it was absolutely delicious. We also had omelets which were equally as good. They weren't as light and fluffy as the ones at Red Apple, but they were good! Last night around the fire we had Laolao which is homemade rice wine. It was good and much better than the one we tried at the guest house! Anyways we packed up and began our trek on a different trail. It was strenuous but good. This route was more scenic and led us in and through the dense jungle.
We were trekking at such a fast pace that we reached our lunch destination too early in the day. We stopped to cool down and play some games before continuing. The jungle was full of creeks and old growth. When we were finally ready to eat we had a table made of banana leaves again. To fill our bellies we shared fried Carp fish and green beans with freshly butchered chicken. Lets not overlook the sticky rice! I love this food. Eating a whole fish with your hands is quite enjoyable. I also like sticky rice because it's easier to dip into sauces :) We continued on until reaching our final destination, and now it's back to relaxation.






Lunch

Devoured Lunch



I couldn't sleep at all last night. I was constantly in the dreaming state where you're half awake and half dreaming. My mind would not shut off! Note to self: Take malaria pill earlier.


(Monday) We were supposed to take a boat down the Nam Tha River from Boat Landing, but the water levels are so low. Therefore, we had to take a two hour van ride along the river; shortly after our three day boat trip began. There were three boats that would hold five each including our bags. There was not much room for comfort. The boats were maybe 4 feet wide and 15 feet long. We sat alternating backs and feet so the weight was evenly distributed. They have been known to capsize. It was a nice ride today with the sun above us, but we could occasionally feel the rocks beneath us. For the evening we stopped at Ban Khone Kham Village. It is a village of weavers, and we are staying in the homes of our boat drivers. The sarongs the women weave are full of detail, an they're eager to show them to us. Of course we all buy the beautiful products. The details are so impressive, and the hard work is evident. They "mayor" gave Isabel and I a tour of the town. We were able to watch some of the women weaving as well as stringing thread. It's such an elaborate, timely and repetitive process. I'm not sure I have enough patience for such a craft. I'm fascinated. Dinner was simple and good tonight. We play with the kids for a bit with a yo-yo and other games. They are super friendly and energetic. The old woman at the house is a bit overwhelming with her sarongs, but she is precious. It's only 7:30pm, but we are all exhausted. Tomorrow we have an early morning on the river!






(Tuesday) It was still dark when we woke up in the early morning, but the village was already working. The women were gathering water to start breakfast and fill the bathroom tubs. Without food for ourselves, we headed to the river and boarded our boats just before 6:30am. The villagers were very nice yet some were pushy. Many of them view us as rich foreigners in which they can gain a profit from. Of course we all loved their sarongs and made purchases, but many of the women took it a bit too far. When Brent was leaving his hut, the woman grabbed him and told him he needed to pay. Of course the families had already been compensated for their hospitality. She was trying to get more money, but instead she made him feel extremely uncomfortable. These things happen I suppose. The village was beautiful and simplistic. While there I contemplated how long I could last. It's amazing how many things we fill our lives with in order to keep us occupied.


 Off that tangent, the boat is completely filled with empty tanks and sarongs to be sold. Then there's us five, our bags, the boat drivers and four passengers we pick up along the way. It's cold. The mist stings as the wind blogs. The fog is so dense that it's hard to navigate the river. I am dressed in many layers and hiding under a tent I've made for myself with my feet and head using a sarong. It helps block some of the wind. I dose in and out of sleep. We stop along the way to eat breakfast a few hours after our departure. Soon enough the curtain of clouds begins to separate, and the sun begins to warm the air. At some point I fall asleep only to wake up to the pain of my nose burning. The temperature is quickly rising as we continue down the river. The layers slowly peel off. After eight or so hours we reach the Mekong River and transfer to a bigger boat. By transfer I mean handing over our bags and climbing through the windows from one boat to the next. This boat was larger and had space for us to spread out. We stop at Pakbeng for the evening and stay at a guesthouse. Our toilet is literally three feet away from the wall and directly underneath the shower head. It's an interesting design concept to say the least. Someone should have thought about that one a bit harder. We decide to go to an Indian restaurant for dinner which was good! I tried to get some cheese naan because I haven't been able to eat cheese almost the entire trip :( I miss cheese and this naan did not do any justice. Anyways, it's time for resting. Although we have only been traveling, I feel exhausted. I also feel like I'm still on a boat swaying.







1 comment:

  1. What an adventure! the pics and commentary are extraordinary! and your trip has only really just begun...wow! keep up the good work! miss you much!

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