On our way to Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) in the v. southern tip of Laos, we discovered the wonder that is known as the overnight sleeper bus. We had heard whisperings and rumors of a bus with beds on it but we chalked it up to backpacker urban legends and didn't dare hope we would find ourselves on one, one day. But when we walked up to our bus station at 8 p.m, exhausted after 48 hrs of battling sickness,. and saw beds peeking behind the curtains on our awaiting bus, it felt like Christmas morning. Brittany and I giggled ourselves to sleep from sheer delightedness lying in our top bunk bed.
Two major traveling decisions were made during our stay on the islands. The first was the realization that we were trying to do and see too much with our time/money restraints so we had to make cuts. Much to Britt's chagrin, the whole of Vietnam was axed from our itinerary so we could take our time through Cambodia and then the islands of southern Thailand. The other decision meant that we were saying good-bye to our English gentleman, Grant. Lucky guy has a longer time allowance for travel so we had to split ways so we could do our highlights tour of SE Asia and he could take his time through Laos and Vietnam... We'll miss you! xoxo
Si Phan Don is a archipelago of sandbars and rocky islets in the Mekong River. There are three main islands, the largest being Don Khong, 18 km long and 8km wide. We had been wanting to leave the backpacker party zone of Vang Vien and experience rural life; wish granted. Arriving to the 4000 Islands in the v. southern tip of Laos was the perfect antithesis to spending time in Vang Vien. There are no bars, all-nighters, big groups of backpacker partyers or noise at all. In fact, even electricity is a new comer to the islands, having arrived just in 2008 (other than Don Khong, who has had electricity since 2000). Dirt roads and bikes are the norm and the locals still do their bathing and washing in the river. You might as well throw away your watch when you arrive because time just lazes by with no deadlines or rush of any kind. I was struck by the beauty of the simplicity of the locals life. It is undeniable that they do not have all the extravagances of a western life but there is a peace and calm about rural life that can be missing from the fast-paced life back home.
Thanks to continuing sickness and a blazing hot day, we were feeling drained so it's a mini-miracle that we were able to muster up enough energy to rent sweet, hot-pink granny bikes complete with a basket.. in fact, it was only missing tassles from the handle-bars and then it would have been an uncanny knock-off of 6-yr-old me's dream bike (and for only $1 for a whole day!) and tackle touring the smaller islands of Don Det & Don Khon. But seriously... Granny bikes with baskets do not get enough love... If I lived somewhere with no hills whatsoever I would be rocking a granny bike. Sadly, the west-side hill would kick my granny-bike riding butt so for now it's just a dream.
By the time we collapsed in our beds at the end of the day we had visited two waterfalls, including the largest falls in SE Asia, the Khone Phapeng Falls, and spotted the rare Irrawady fresh-water dolphins (not pink and ugly as I had assumed, but rather quite dolphin looking) and enjoyed delicious fresh spring rolls for $1. We could not have been more excited for our awaiting cold shower.
xx V
No comments:
Post a Comment