Lost in Laos....part lost!

After two nights in Luang Prabang my traveling companion and I were ready to escape the tourist hordes.
We decided to head north for OudomXai and spend the night in Muang La which had an interesting blurb.
Road to OudomXai was spectacular.
Through mountains and many villages.
Typical view:
https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...734c0b53b3.jpg

OudomXai is like a typical Thai town without any of the charm. The french guide book I had blames the americans for bombing the shit out of it.
We decided to give Nuang Lamtha a miss because it sounded like another backpacker central.
We arrive in Muang La and it indeed was quite the picturesque little village on a lovely river. After driving all around town and asking directions numerous times we determined the so called quest house had been bought and converted to a private residence. It looked nice, but the new owners were hardly acqueillante.
Wasting over an hour an needing to overnight somewhere we decided to soldier on towards Phongsali our ultimate destination.
Driving was slow due to the numerous villages where you had to slow for people and livestock.
Like I said before the NGO drivers seemed to speed right through these villages honking their horns. Anyway the day was waning and wanting to make some time I tucked in with a pair of trucks cruising fast.
The lead truck pulled over to let his passenger puke and I continued to haul ass behind the second NGO truck.
We drive at a breakneck clip sending children and chickens scattering until dusk when we pull into a larger village. The NGO truck heads off down some small street and we spot a hotel. We get a room and walk down toward the river to eat,
Shortly after checking in I realize we had no idea where we were.
The next morning I figure out that it was Muang Khua:

https://teakdoor.com/Gallery/albums/u...e6e80f959d.jpg
We had a pleasant night at a very adequate hotel, a bit pricey at $30usd.

We had to backtrack some to hook up with the road to Phongsali.
Ok so we weren't very lost, but I felt lost checking into a hotel and not having a clue were I was.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mr Earl

Shortly after checking in I realize we had no idea where we were....
...I felt lost checking into a hotel and not having a clue were I was.

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This is one of the real joys of travel, IMO!

I sense you share the same spirit, since you are willing to "wing it" concerning the itinerary and lodging.

Great posts! Sincere thanks for allowing me to experience some vicarious adventure!

P.S. Would appreciate some pictures of eateries/food if you have any.

^
I haven't disciplined myself enough to use the camera before a meal.
I usually eat a good meal and then think "oh this might of made a good pic" while looking at the remaining fish bones or whatever.

Generally the food in Laos was pretty disapointing compared to Thailand.
The Scandinavian bakeries in Vientiane and LP were great.
The Nazim indian restaurants in Vientiane, VV, And LP also excellent.
Had the Laos style noodle soup a few times and really enjoyed all the fresh garden veggies they typically use.
Vientiane sports a few very good baguette sandwich places.
Phongsali I found a funny little chinese resto/guesthouse which served a fine chinese cuisine.
Vientiane sports a few haute cuisine french places. I just found it disconcerning to drop $10+ on a fancy meal in a country where people have to get by on so little.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mr Earl

Vientiane sports a few haute cuisine french places. I just found it disconcerning to drop $10+ on a fancy meal in a country where people have to get by on so little.

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Great threads and photos. I find this attitude curious though. I reckon travel and holidays are also beyond the means and perhaps unimaginable for the majority of folks in SE Asia - Lao certainly.

Should we then stop traveling in order to...what? What does boycotting expensive restaurants prove? I've got little stomach for this kind of false nobility.

And if you boycott expensive digs for the reasons you posted above, then you should probably refrain eating in any tourist related establishments, since they will be certainly way too expensive for local folks.

I suppose one could claim that it's a matter of degree, but then the French places you mentioned are not so dramatically different in price structure than other tourist joints in the area, at least when I was there. I would expect that a wonderfully prepared 3-course dinner would be priced differently than a baguette sandwich at some backpacker pit.

^I'm not advocating the boycott of these establishments. It was more a comment on the stifled economic atmosphere in Vientiane and in Laos in general.

I went out to a fancy French restaurant two nights ago in Phuket town and noticed how some of the clients were Thai. The food in Vientiane was more expensive BTW.

Thanks for the photos! I've visited Laos twice and enjoyed the place.

Luang Namtha isn't all that bad, pretty place and not that many backpackers. Muang Sing is prettier though. If you headed up the Nam Ou river at Muang Khua (one day by boat) you would be in the PhongSaly area....really rugged and high mountains, mostly hilltribes. The wife and I rode a motorbike to PhongSaly from Vientiane and then loaded it on a boat and came back through Muang Khua. Nice trip but pretty grueling bike ride.
Thanks for the pics

sonds more fun on bikes, earl.

In a few years they will probably have most of that 150 km of dirt road paved.
They were busy paving sections of the road on the north end. Seems like most of the commerce up there is from China.
It would be fun except for the dust, the trucks and busses. I imagine rainy season would get interesting up there too.