Laos, Laos, Laos... this place really grips me by the Heart strings, I almost get a bit teary eyed (almost!) when I look around at where we are. I really, truly Love it here so much. If I could bundle up the feeling of Laos and wear it close to my Heart everyday, I would do it in a second.
So far we've been to Vientiane, Vang Vieng (majooor party town) and just got into Luang Prabang today. We have been doing so much driving from one town to the next, and as draining as it's been, the country-side keeps you perched by the window staring out for hours and hours.
Rather than spending our full-day in Vang Vieng floating down a tube, getting obliterated in dirty water that all the drunken tools pee in, we decided to instead rent bikes with "Team Norway" (3 Norwegian girls in our group) and Kim, a sweet Brit, and head out to the country-side in search of the "Blue Lagoon". The bike ride was only supposed to be about 7km, but the roads were dusty dirt, covered in rocks so it took us just over an hour to get to our destination (I also think the map was a bit off, seemed closer to 10km+). Either way, as rocky as the ride was, it was great. Biking through limestone mountains, little Lao-loum (lowland) villages, past caves and watering holes, sooo worth it!
We spent the afternoon trekking through "Phakoum Cave" (spelling may be off) which went deeeeeep inside a limestone mountain, littered with stalagmites every which way. It was pitch dark so we brought flashlights and had a real old-timey adventure (hehehe). Afterwards we all swam in the crystal blue waters of "Blue Lagoon", surrounded by hundreds of little fish and local teens blaring music and sipping on whiskey (lol). Fantastic day all in all. Spent the evening taking it easy at one of the many "Friends" tv show bars where they have lounge about pillows arranged that you literally flop on to and watch episode upon episode of Friends, while sipping Lao Beer.
I wrote a journal entry today while on the bus ride here, trying to sum up everything that is Lao (that we've seen so far at least) so to finish off this entry, here we are:
- Limestone mountains that scrape the blue, sun-filled sky;
- Sprawling jungle of every shade of green- Palm trees in all shapes and sizes, vines that wrap everything, ferns, vibrant flowers, the smell of oranges and moist, clean air;
- Butterflies of indigo, orange, green and white, so big that they look like birds;
- Beer Lao signs and smiles galore in all the villages;
- Little piglets rummaging with their mother, calves trotting behind their free-range parents, peeping chicks trying to keep up with their foraging mama's;
- Crystal clear blue waters with fish jumping & children playing;
-Tiny babies in toque-style caps & toddlers giving passing tourists "sabaideeee's" and naked high-fives (lol);
- Dogs running in friendly packs or lounging with their masters on the porch in the hot afternoon sun;
- People working and helping one another to build new homes;
- Love for each other, the Earth & animals;
- Rolling hills leading to more mountains on the edge of every horizon.
Namaste Family!
We miss you muchly but will be home in just a few more weeks <3
Misty & Jesse
PS- I've been meaning to include, but keep forgetting (and maybe it's a bit inappropriate for this lovey-dovey entry), but we got to fire M16's in Saigon at CuChi Tunnels! Video to follow :p
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