BeerLao, my new best friend! :-)
Trip Start
Feb 03, 2010
1
6
37
Trip End
Jun 23, 2010
Chiang Khong, Thailand
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Ryan and I arrived here from Chiang Mai, splurging a bit on a tourist minibus to the border, skimping on any form of luxury accommodation and counting ourselves rather lucky for not booking a tour/trip that included the 2 day slow boat to Luang Prabang. Why? Well, despite the furious sale of tickets for it by tour agencies all over Thailaind, it's quiet well known that there is insufficient water for it to run in the dry season :-)
Chiang Kong itself was dead. Kids and adults raced remote control cars by the Mekong. The view was pretty. There was nothing to do.
We crossed the river to Houei Xai, Laos, early next morning - thankfully beating the sticker-wearing tour group hoards, paid the boat 'baggage fee' (comical given my pack is smaller than most people's daysac), dealt with Lao immigration (painless but costs $35) and made a dash for the bus station.
Waiting there for the bus, we grabbed a noodle soup and the first of many ice cold BeerLaos. That stuff is my new best friend - truly good beer. The less said about the bus journey the better.
