Along the Mekong and into Thailand

It was sad to leave Luang Prabang but it was also time to move on. We decided that getting the boat up to Northern Laos and from there crossing into the Thai border would be the best way to enter Thailand and also get to Lampang, near Chiang Mai, which is where my friend lives. It was time for a friendly face, and a home to unpack for a few days in. The fast speedboats seemed like the way to go, an adventurous ride along the Mekong but the prices were too high and being the budget travellers that we are we decided to settle on the two day slow boat option. We set off early in the morning from Luang Prabang and that night we would be spending in the small northern town of Pak Beng. The Mekong here is very different to the Mekong we spent three days crossing getting from Vietnam to cambodia. Here the Mekong is untouched. On bothe sides it is surrounded by mountain ranges covered in lush green forests, the banks (because the rainy season is over) have turned into beautiful beaches and in the river itself the dropping level of water means that there are huge rocks that just out of the water. There is no life along the river and it is extremely peaceful. Unlike Vietnam where there were rows of houses on stilts and a constant hub of activity in and around the river, here there is nothing but just the occasional boat gliding along. Tourism has yet not touched this part of the world. There were no tourist stops along the way, no stops for venders to come and sell snacks to tourists at exhorberent prices. It was a good thing that we had some bread and cheese with us. We watched the boat as it navigated the rocks in the river, listened to music as we watched the beautiful landscapes pass us by and only when it started getting dark and we had not yet reached Pak Beng did we start to worry about the pace of the slow boat. In the dark we sat praying and hoping that the flashlight the conducter was holding would spot the rocks in the river before the boat hit them. We slowed down even further and when we finally got to Pak Beng there was no spot for us to park the boat. Our asses hurt from sitting on hard wooden benches all day on the boat, we were hungry, tired and getting more and more worried. Finally a compromise was made and the boat was moored. We had to step across three other boats to get to the bank, walk up it's beach in the dark, up a steap hill and then into the restaurant balcony of a very posh hotel. All this we did in the dark. Getting to the hotel, we walked through it all dirty, tired and sweaty with, what seemed like, our huge packs, on our backs and tried to find a guest house for the night. Pak Beng, even though a small towm in the remoter part of Norther Laos is also a midpoint for those crossing either way between Laos and Thailand. Guesthouses are not in the abundance here so when we walked around, everything was full....we were the last boat to arrive into town. After walking around a bit we managed to find a room and also some hashish if we wanted it. We said thanks to the rooma nd no thanks to the fun stuff and after a quick dinner of friend rice ( we were on the last of our kips and didn't wanna change any more money) we had an early night. Next morning we were more prepared. With a few snacks and a packed sandwich for lunch we went to find the port and with tickets in our hand we boarded the boat a second time ready for our final leg of the journey along the Mekong. Here we met Peter, the American and chatting to him all the way made the day go quicker. But also this time we had food to keep us going and we knew exactly what to expect. We could just enjoy being on the river and watch the stunning landscapes pass us by. The only signs of life, an occasional bird, or small villages tucked away high in the forests or the bare patches where the hmong have been using the slash and burn form of agriculture. But the journey was shorter and we got to Hoy Xai, teh border town before dark. On the other side of the River was Thailand and we could see the royal yellow flags everywhere. But also we saw roads and signs of civilization that confirmed to us that on the opposite side of the river was Thailand. We celebrated with dark Lao beer and our final Lao meal of sticky rice and vegetables. After another early night, it was another early morning. We were up and ready for our delicious Lao coffee before we took the boat across and entered the gates of Siam. Before we knew it we had our exit stamp for Laos, we had crossed to the other side by boat and got our entry stamps for Thailand. And we didn't even shop at the duty free along the river bank:) It was all so quick and simple. Crossing borders by land is definitely much easier and simpler. No customs and waiting around for departure gates and the rest of it. From there we took a luxury Thai bus to Chiang Mai and from Chiang Mai a local bus to Lampang. We timed it so perfectly we didn't even have to waste time hanging around waiting for buses. we arrived in lampang at 6:00p.m and there Suji was waiting for us with all her work mates. It was such a nice feeling to see someone familiar, someone who I knew before my travels began and also knowing that for the next few days we wouldn't have to do anything but would just get looked after completely. Our minds and bodies could take a break.