Punctuality is the Soul of Business, Northern Laos

"Punctuality is the soul of business" read a sign in a trekking guide shop in Muang Ngoi in the north of Laos. The proprietor of this shop spoke decent English so it's likely he saw the absurdity of the statement. In Laos no transportation, or anything else for that matter, leaves on time or comes on time. The word punctuality must not have a Lao equivalent. I decided to start my journey in this country with a trip down the Mekong from the border town Houay Xai to Pakbeng on a "slow boat." I was told the boat leaves at 9, but that it gets exceedingly crowded so get there early. At 8 a.m. the next morning I am the only falang (foreigner) at the boat dock. At 9 a girl from Montana shows up and we get on the boat. Since we were the first ones on, we got the best seats, a platform right behind the driver that allows us to stretch our legs. And then we waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. Someone in charge wanted 100 people before we moved. At 11:45 with 60 people we finally got underway. It's hard to imagine where they were going to put 40 more people anyway, but during the high season apparently they cram them in. Rivers are the lifeblood of the Lao people; transportation, commerce, bathing, fishing, play, you name it. And the Mekong is a spectacular river, wide, brown, slow-moving, it represents the nature of the country well. However, the slow boat ride didn't allow us to mingle with any Lao people, it was basically a party boat, and we faced inwards so it was hard to really experience the river. It was a pleasant journey though, with the water lapping against the side of the boat and the drone of the engine taking us to Pakbeng.
Pakbeng is the midway point for the two-day trip to Louang Prabang and you can't walk 5 meters in this place without being harassed to buy marijuana or opium. Fortunately back at the border I met a Canadian who suggested an alternative itinerary through Laos and so I headed north from here. Immediately after leaving Pakbeng on a sawngthaew (truck bed converted into people mover) I knew I was in for a much different journey. Along the way we picked up pigs and chickens and the driver sped into villages, blaring on the horn, several times barely missing ducks and even little boys. After 2 1/2 days I arrived in Muang Ngoi, a large village reachable only by boat. It was exactly what I would be looking for, if I was looking for something on this trip. The people here are not jaded by tourists yet and all the kids smile and shout out "say bai dee" (hello) when they see you. Off the beaten path Laos is extraordinarily cheap and my average expenditures here are $9/day. The nights are cool which is such a welcome change and my bungalow overlooks the river with a hammock on the deck. The karst peaks surround the river and the village and the morning mist doesn't blow off until midday. I spend a lot of time in the hammock reading and I'm occasionally interrupted by the guesthouse girl who wants to work on her English. The locals speak remarkably good English considering we seem to be in the middle of nowhere. I could see staying here for a while.

For photos of Northern Laos click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39463330@N00/sets/72057594090075092/