PINOY BOY JOURNALS: laos

Showing posts with label laos. Show all posts

It's Day 41 of the community quarantine here in Manila. With so much time in my hands, i thought i share with you this YouTube video which was on my playlist before i flew to Laos. Still in my 20's, you don't know how exciting it was for me back then. Believe me, this trip was epic. Now, I can't imagine it's been 8 years already since the trip. So much has happened since then. I've actually written a short story about it. Click here to know more.

This post reminds me to write more about Laos. It's such an underrated destination, eclipsed by its neighboring countries. But whatever, indeed in Vang Vieng, Laos tubing made me wet. Enjoy!

STORY: Three years have passed since i met a man named Chai. Is it Chai? Choi? Chei? To tell you honestly, i was too drunk to remember.

When i visited Laos then, my intention was to discover the country through the famed Vang Vieng parties. A week has passed, and i was venturing into Luang Prabang. The city is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The cobbled streets, and enticing old houses were just too damn beautiful to see. I was told now that Luang Prabang now has gone too commercialized with the old houses and structures turned into guest houses and travel agencies. Yet, i bet Luang Prabang still does have that impeccable charm, and timeless beauty.

As i try to recall my experiences in Luang Prabang, suddenly the historical sites seemed forgettable. There's tons of world heritage sites similar to the city, where tourism is still not at its ripe moment. The beautiful Mekong from Luang Prabang may be not as beautiful as it was before due to change of tides. But the man named Chai will always ring a bell to my ear forever.

I met Chai while looking for a boat to take me around Mekong. This man wore a shirt that he must have had since he was a teenager. He wore a hat that looked like it was borrowed from someone from the village. His face looked like typical Laotian - soft facial features and small framed. His eyes looked sad but his smile is like that of a rockstar. For an unbelievable price, he said yes to a sunset cruise around Mekong. I didn't feel bothered that he was asking too cheaply for such an epic trip. Knowing the price he quoted is the same amount as the blah lunch you would order in a fancy restaurant just so you can Instagram it. I knew this man would earn more from me.

As we sail on the calm waters of the Mekong River, we started to chat. I would often repeat whatever i am saying because he can't understand it. And whenever he talks, i would only understand a bit of what he's trying to tell me. As a visitor, it is my responsibility to understand the language he's speaking. It's not his problem that i don't understand it. Furthermore, speaking English doesn't mean you're more intelligent. But in this day and age, a good conversational English is welcoming.

From what i understood, he's a family man living on a village at the southern end of the Mekong. He's in Luang Prabang because he earns money from touring travelers like me. But during low tide, where water is too shallow to pursue a boat trip, and again on monsoon season, where water is too rough to navigate a wooden boat like what he has, he is left jobless. The boat is his only prized possession. It's this boat that puts food to his family's table. It's this boat that brings money to support his kids' education.

If i had more time in my hands then, i could have sworn to visit his family. Although the trip would take more than three hours along the river system, i reckon it would be one for the books. But since, i was nearing my time to leave Luang Prabang, i needed to make do with what i have.

He puffed his cigarette, his last two of his second pack for the day, he said to me. I wonder how long will this man live? With a very unhealthy habit, and poor living conditions, i regret that he may not live too long to see his grandchild.

I regret every single day that i was too drunk then. I had my days of Beer Lao, and the fancy sunset seemed like a perfect happy hour moment. Not minding that now, as i write this, Beer Lao may be a thing of a past, and Luang Prabang may not be as beautiful as it was before, but the man who sailed the boat along the Mekong was such an unbelievably kind-hearted fellow i will never ever forget.

I still have his phone number written in the back of his cigarette pack which he tore for me. I am pretty sure this number is not anymore in service. I promised him that i will come back soon. Now, as i try to plan my come back tour to Laos, i hope to meet him again. This time, i will savor every moment talking to this man. The real pleasure of traveling to Luang Prabang again for me is meeting Chai.

A balloon popping game in one of the bars in Vang Vieng

STORY: I arrived in Vang Vieng quite late in the afternoon. The mini bus from the capital Vientiane, was comfortable and good, but the views going to Vang Vieng were unimaginable. As we ripped the highway, we passed by countless number of cliffs, rice paddies with a few shacks off the dirt road. It didn't matter to me, back then, that I've been traveling for close to five hours since i left Da Laat Sao bus station, going up and down on very disturbing road.

I found a guest house near the town that i liked, paid 80,000 Laotian Kip for the AC room and walked for a bit to familiarize myself in what is known as the most exciting city in Laos People's Democratic Republic. I've never seen more signs of happy shakes, happy pizzas and even happy fried rice anywhere else in South East Asia than here. It's getting late, and i need to head out to Nam Song river for the tubing. I've heard so much about the scene, and going there is one of my top list to do in Laos.

I found myself at the back of a side open jeepney with a few others i shared the ride with, all heading to have a late afternoon good time. I didn't pay for the entrance fee but i rented a tube so i can float down the river. Hours later, it would be the funniest mistake of my life.

I've been floating for more than an hour, and i can't seem to move away from where i started, and i don't see a tube anywhere. "This is not working", i said to myself.

Party animals play the caterpillar game

After several minutes, i finally gave up and decided to walk instead. Walking by the river is serious business, and dangerous. But when i tried for the first time, i realized the river water, where my number 89 tube have been floating for an hour or so, was only at knee deep. Oh, that's why. I chanced upon a path that cuts short heading to the bars. Occasionally floating using my awesome tube, all for the heck of it, i found myself the first one that i like and it's called "Why Not?". People from the bar threw a rope so i can hang on to it, as they stretch arms pulling me and my number 89 tube towards the bar. The same scenario happened quite a few times until i finally decided, i go settle to just one bar.

Solo traveling need not be lonely in Nam Song River, Vang Vieng, Laos

I knew of Vang Vieng parties and I've heard so many mixed reviews about it from travelers. What i saw in Vang Vieng that day was what i expected. With beer Laos in one hand as i dance to EDM tracks, i began to wonder why so many young people go here. The parties of Vang Vieng were brought by word of mouth from adventure party seekers finding a new Koh Pha Ngan around South East Asia.

People hated Vang Vieng parties because it's crazy and noisy. I can't argue with them because all of which are true. Yet, there's a different flair about it that i actually find really fun and fresh.

About a year ago, the party haven finally closed after a series of never ending deaths of drunk crazy travelers. There's always an end to a party, and fun doesn't have to be stupid. However, i just got a tip that recently it opened again.

A basketball game of drunk people

I can't blame the youth for having fun. It's a natural thing. It's what every young person wants to do. It's real. It's happening.

I've seen people drunk, having sex, doing drugs, committing suicide with all the jump tricks, swimming, throwing up, etc. I will not be surprised if these people did the same thing the next day. The list of things one can do in Vang Vieng are endless and fun times are not hard to come by.

Equally beautiful yet isolated town of Vang Vieng

I might not go back anymore to doing it again; the tubing and getting stupid-drunk. However, i didn't have regrets. I had a lot of fun then. Up until now, i still wear my Vang Vieng Tubing tank because my memories of the party place will never fade away. It'll be good if it finally closed because people can now explore more heaps of places around the town. With breathtaking waterfalls and exciting caves, Vang Vieng is truly an adventurer's paradise.

As i type this down, I'm listening to Knife Party's Internet Friends as i try to relieve the best moments of my South East Asian Epic Journey. I have a couple of videos of me and people dancing, drinking and doing it but i can never broadcast it to public. Sipping my awesome Beer Laos, i watch people have the best time of their lives.

TIPS: If you prefer quite afternoons, Vang Vieng can be a chilled out place if you know where to go. There's Tham Phu Kam Cave and Blue Lagoon, and Kaeng Nyui Waterfalls for the adventure-seekers. You can rent a bicycle and scoot around large farm lands and dirt roads where you can relax and watch in tropical surroundings. There's tons of cafes where reading a book can be as memorable as tubing in the river.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Learn from past mistakes and never ever swim when drunk. Worse, never get drunk, do drugs and swim. Be cautious as the rugged terrain of Vang Vieng is prone to accidents.