November 2, 2005 - The Speed Boat
Note the helmets and cramped looking boat
Crossed the border form Thailand into Laos yesterday, was very simple, they didn't even check our bags. Had to take a bus for 2 hours, then cross the river in a long tail baot, and voila, we are in Laos. Pay a little money, get a stamp, and there ya go!
It was shortly after 11am when we arrived, and wanted to make our way to the city of Luang Prabang, way down the Mekong River. We had two choices: 1 get the speed boat for 6 hours, or 2 take the slow boat for 2 days. We opted for the speed boat. Had we known what it would be like we just might not have!
We get taken to the boat pier, and are greeted with a boat that is 3 feet across and about 15 feet long. On this boat they intend to cram 7 adults, along with all their luggage. We ended up sitting in 3 rows of 2 with the driver in the back. Honestly u have about 1 foot of space and your knees are right in front of your face. Imagine being sat like that for 6 hours?? You can't even move your feet to adjust yourself!
Then, once we were settled in they handed us motorcycle helmets, life jackets and ear plugs. Oh boy.
We arrived unharmed, but never again in my life do i hope i have to do another journey like that one. I am lucky too, there are 5 of us travelling together, i am the shortest and i still thought it was horrible! i can't imagine what the others went through!
So we are in Luang Prabang, and there isn't much to do here really. We are going to a water fall tommorrow, went to a palace today, and then will probably head south after that.
It was shortly after 11am when we arrived, and wanted to make our way to the city of Luang Prabang, way down the Mekong River. We had two choices: 1 get the speed boat for 6 hours, or 2 take the slow boat for 2 days. We opted for the speed boat. Had we known what it would be like we just might not have!
We get taken to the boat pier, and are greeted with a boat that is 3 feet across and about 15 feet long. On this boat they intend to cram 7 adults, along with all their luggage. We ended up sitting in 3 rows of 2 with the driver in the back. Honestly u have about 1 foot of space and your knees are right in front of your face. Imagine being sat like that for 6 hours?? You can't even move your feet to adjust yourself!
Then, once we were settled in they handed us motorcycle helmets, life jackets and ear plugs. Oh boy.
We arrived unharmed, but never again in my life do i hope i have to do another journey like that one. I am lucky too, there are 5 of us travelling together, i am the shortest and i still thought it was horrible! i can't imagine what the others went through!
So we are in Luang Prabang, and there isn't much to do here really. We are going to a water fall tommorrow, went to a palace today, and then will probably head south after that.