Human beings are very adaptable creatures. Just when you think you can't endure a 20 hour bus ride ~ you do, and then take 5 more. When you couldn't imagine going #2 in a public squatter toliet ~ you actual prefer it and just when you thought motion sickness only happened to you when you were younger ~ you freak out during a mini van bus ride. Traveling is a great way to get to know yourself (not necessarily find yourself..but u can do that too) and has a funny way of surprising you and what you are willing to do.
Somewhere in between Laos and Thailand I have fallin "into Lao" with Lao. You know when you hate something and it irritates you and you think you could never like this or that and then one day you prefer it, you miss it, and then realize you are in love with it...well this is how I felt about Laos. I had come to this conclusion when we got into Thailand and we stopped at a bathroom and I asked one of the guys how the bathrooms were and he said, "very nice, western toliets," and I thought...that's too bad, I'd rather it be a squatter!!!!
Before we get into Thailand, I have to tell you about "our Lao." After Vientiene we went tubing in Vang Vieng where Joni had a new mastercard commercial:
"Renting tubes 50,000 Kip.
Magic Shakes 100,000 Kip.
Tubing down the Nam Song River in Lao time, priceless"
Rachel has the pics of our awesome Tubing experience.
Then we headed to Luang Prabang and ate a HUUGE plate of food, buffet style at the night market for a little over $1. From there we headed to an river village called Muang Ngoi. In the middle of the boat ride we had to get out and hike for over 20 minutes because the river was to low to carry us over (not included in the explanation when we booked our ticket). Finally got over and it was very chill. We got a place in the garden and relaxed. The village only had electricity that was powered by generators from 6pm to 10pm everyday.
We went on an all day excursion to caves and villages. We got to the top of a hill and saw an amazing view from above of the river and the village we stayed at.
We got back to Luang Prabang and decided to book a 20 hour bus into Thailand that left a few hours after we got back to the city.
We got to Chiang Mai and booked a 3 day trek where we hiked, rode elephants, checked out waterfalls and rode a bamboo raft. We are on our way to PAI!
Somewhere in between Laos and Thailand I have fallin "into Lao" with Lao. You know when you hate something and it irritates you and you think you could never like this or that and then one day you prefer it, you miss it, and then realize you are in love with it...well this is how I felt about Laos. I had come to this conclusion when we got into Thailand and we stopped at a bathroom and I asked one of the guys how the bathrooms were and he said, "very nice, western toliets," and I thought...that's too bad, I'd rather it be a squatter!!!!
Before we get into Thailand, I have to tell you about "our Lao." After Vientiene we went tubing in Vang Vieng where Joni had a new mastercard commercial:
"Renting tubes 50,000 Kip.
Magic Shakes 100,000 Kip.
Tubing down the Nam Song River in Lao time, priceless"
Rachel has the pics of our awesome Tubing experience.
Then we headed to Luang Prabang and ate a HUUGE plate of food, buffet style at the night market for a little over $1. From there we headed to an river village called Muang Ngoi. In the middle of the boat ride we had to get out and hike for over 20 minutes because the river was to low to carry us over (not included in the explanation when we booked our ticket). Finally got over and it was very chill. We got a place in the garden and relaxed. The village only had electricity that was powered by generators from 6pm to 10pm everyday.
We went on an all day excursion to caves and villages. We got to the top of a hill and saw an amazing view from above of the river and the village we stayed at.
We got back to Luang Prabang and decided to book a 20 hour bus into Thailand that left a few hours after we got back to the city.
We got to Chiang Mai and booked a 3 day trek where we hiked, rode elephants, checked out waterfalls and rode a bamboo raft. We are on our way to PAI!
I want to ride elephants!
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