Luang Nam Tha (December 13 - 16)

When we first entered Laos, we knew we were in for a treat.

When we got to the border we applied for our Visas and exchanged some money, for about $100USD we got 1,250,000 kip. The largest denomination being 20,000. So we pocketed our 4 inch stack of bills and headed for the northern town of Luang Nam Tha.

We expected a city with a population of 25,000 or so but were suprised to see a very small town of about 2,000 with dirt roads, one bank, a few stores and restaurants.


Young Laotians making friends with us.

The thing about Laos is that it leads a very different lifestyle than countries in the rest of the area. First of all, there is an extremely low population density, I don't know why. Second, it's communist so their is no poverty, but everyone is poor. It is in fact one of the poorest countries in the world. Finally, it is easily the most relaxed place on the whole earth. Everyone (and even the animals) are incredibly chilled out. If you aren't sleeping, then you are in between naps. You may even be troubled by the fact you have to raise the baguette to your mouth in order to eat it.
In Luang Nam Tha, we were still with our good friends Ben and Kate, but we also met Juan and Orillia and fascinating Chilean couple and a lovely dutch girl named Anna. This group of seven new friends took one of the most amazing and bizarre adventures of our trip up until that date.

What we did was go on a two day eco tour into the heart of the Laotian jungles. The first day consisted of a 6 hour hike through amazing jungles following little paths used only by tribal locals for gathering stuff like fruit and wood, and for this new eco tour. Due to the fact that our particular group happened to be only the second group on this tour, everything was original and untrammeled by foreign feet.


Mark, king of the jungle




Fine dining in the forest. Rice, chicken, banana flower, curries, exotic fruits, etc...




Taking a break with Juan, Ben, Kate, Anna, Oriana and our two tour guides.

In the evening we arrived at our village of residence for the evening and were absolutely shocked. It was a true blue tribal village, with cultural, kinship, economic and political systems completely different from anything any of us had ever come across. We must have been equally shocking to them seeing as this was probably only the second time a group of foreigners had ever found themselves in their village.


Val and Mark in the village.

The village consisted of about 15 houses, about 40 people, 30 pigs, 30 dogs, and 60 birds of a variety of species. Most interesting was that they all mingled without a fuss on the same 6 acre plot of land. No boundaries or separations. We spent a while getting acquainted to the village, then I (Mark) helped them kill a pig for supper.


Cutting up fresh pig!

By the evening, we were drinking homemade liquor with the village chiefs and our guides and taking turns with the town guitar, singing Laotian, English, and Spanish music until late at night. Because of all the singing and wild laughing and talking, we were eventually joined by most of the village who came and watched and laughed with us. We slept on the floor of one of the chiefs' houses that night.


Swimming in the freezing cold base waters of a waterfall.

The next day we played rattan ball with the locals and visited the tiny little three room school in the village. Eventually we moved on and treked for 3 more hours and swam at the base of a waterfall before riding back into Luang Nam Tha.


Mark is back in the school house.

The evening after the eco tour, we drank some ultra cheap Laotian whisky and liquor and walked 2km to the only night club. As we walked along the dark highway, we started to dis-believe that a night club actually existed in the middle of no where Laos. But it turned out to be one of the largest and fullest clubs any of us had ever been in. Funnely enough, kids from Laos love to breakdance and put on an amazing show in doing so.




The whole gang minus Val who was taking the picture: (left to right) Juan, Oriana, Anna, Ben, Kate and Mark.