The speed boat down the Mekong

Breakfast was eggs & toast - just the toast for me, since the fried eggs didn't look too appetising. I was joined at the table by two lads from London, Tom and Miles, who were also taking the fast boat to Laos.

A two minute, 10 baht ferry ride across the Mekong and I was in the Laos town of Houayxai, where we were greeted by a very friendly chap who answered all of our questions about Laos and organinsed our speedboat.

$35US, a passport photo and two forms later and I had my 30 day Laos visa stamped into my passport. Next I changed £50 in Laos Kip - almost one million Kip, which I couldn't fit into my wallet! - only to be told that we needed to be 6 people before the speedboat would leave. About twenty minutes of cajoling later by Tom, Miles, myself and the boatman (I think he was on a commission for 'upgrading') and three girls decided to take the speedboat also.

Now, a Laos speedboat is hardly Miami Vice! It's a converted longtail boat with an outboard motor strapped onto it's back and a dodgy safety record - sorry Mam! But a five hour ride to Loung Prabang in a speedboat beats a two day journey by slowboat, which includes a one night stay in Pakbeng with it's inflated prices for tourists, only two hours of electricity and malaria.


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I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the cramped speedboat ride to Louang Prabang, although my sore arse and bruised shins would probably disagree! The journey down the Mekong passes some truly stunning scenery; incredible mountains, watching cargo boats slowly carrying their cargo, fishermen tending to their nets, children bathing on the riverside and a truly beautiful sunset when we arrived at Louang Prabang.


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We were dropped off by our taxi from the dock - I say 'dock', it was a couple of lengths of bamboo tied together on the side of the river - in the centre of the main street of Louang Prabang and I was recommended the Xang Keo Guesthouse by two other people in the taxi. So I walked the 50 metres down the road and along a alley to an old French Colonial style villa. They only had one room left at $8 (£4) a night, so I asked to see the room and immediately booked it for two nights. It was absolustely beautiful! A massive bed, en-suite bathroom, fan, mahogany everywhere and immaculately clean.

I immediately stripped off, grabbed my shampoo from my pack and had a well deserved hot shower. Unfortunately, I then had to get back into my dirty clothes. But, hey ho, that's travelling I suppose!

Straight after I decided I decided to take a walk along the main street to find somewhere to eat when I literally bumped into Hazel who was walking the other way. Maria and her were going to get dinner, so I joined them and eventually we were a group of ten who overtook a small restaurant.

(Paying your bill in Kip is an experience. A couple of hundred thousand Kip is a mound of notes that takes about ten minutes to count!)

We all decided that the next day we would hire bikes and cycle to the waterfalls for a swim and a picnic. But before that Hazel, Maria and I would meet up to book our next trek.