Luang Prabang

Another day another dollar... Having a swell time here in Luang Prabang - a world heritage city. Yesterday 6 of us from our backpacker chipped in to get a tuk tuk (crazy Asian taxi/motorbike thing)to the 2 local big waterfalls. We drove for about 45 mins to the first one and it was absolutely spectacular. To get to the waterfalls we had to get a long tail boat the rest of the way. That in itself was fantastic - going up the Mekong River past little patches of land being farmed - seeing little ladies tending to their crops. It was truly picturesque and the vegetation here is very lush. We arrived to the waterfalls and were completely blown away - cascades of hazy aqua water flowing over smoothed stone terraces. It was so beautiful so without further a due we stripped from our sweaty clothes and had a fantastic swim. The water comes from the mountains so its pretty cold, but you get used to it. We mucked around for a while - jumping off ledges, using a swing and just doing a bit of exploring around the falls. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! We then made our trip to the next waterfall which was about an hour away, and this one was also just gorgeous. A much higher one, but also with loads of terraced cascades coming off a main source, plus a really large sort of natural swimming pool along the way. Such awesome looking water - and really stunning to swim in. We had to trek a little to get to the top, and I did get a little lost because as always I didn't stick to the group because I was impatient! I realized after about 20 mins that the path I was following through pretty dense jungle/swamp was actually a water buffalo path...arrrghhh - anyhoo I got to the right place eventually and was pleased to learn that everyone else up there got lost too..
We swam for a while and played on the swings then headed back to town.
Sitting in the back of a tuk-tuk with 5 strangers, having a laugh talking about crap, I realized how much I love traveling! A world away from anything else, and so so different from the life I was leading a year ago. I am traveling at the moment with JUST a day pack - and have been using just this for 2 weeks! Traveling has made me realize how little you need to actually survive. I have everything I need - a few changes of clothes, some toiletries, money, a couple of books and a camera - DONE! I think I could actually fit all these things into one of my "hang-bags" back home?!
I am staying in places which are so far away from luxury - just basic dorms where you sleep with both guys and girls in rooms of up to like 20 people! Showers are hot if you are lucky, and most of them offer a pathetic trickle of water. Toilets are a whole different kettle of fish, and range from being normal western type ones, to basic holes in the floor! There is usually some family looking after the places, so you often get woken up by screaming kids or crowing chickens - its pretty rustic. The last place I stayed in were actually bamboo huts with hammock type beds... The beds are pretty damn uncomfortable, and being woken up by your neighbor farting/having sex/snoring/talking/crying is not completely endearing... BUT I totally love it! hahahaha - I love roughing it and the last few weeks have taught me alot about how to get the best of traveling.
Last night we all had a BBQ at the hostel about 30-40 people, and everyone just chatted around the fire - drinking cheap whiskey and swapping stories. We then headed off to an awesome bar called Utopia - which is a very bohemian type place which has a volleyball field/sandpit (whatever you call it?!. Everyone played a bit of valley ball, I occasionally snuck off to the bar to have a few sneaky tequila's and it was a pretty fun vibe. My ability to chat to strangers is peaking at an all time best at the moment I must admit and I totally love meeting new people all the time. Especially when some of them are very good looking and have eyes which you want to gauge out and keep in your pocket they are so beautiful. Not that I am thinking of anyone in particular..
The downer of my evening was when I realized someone had stolen my havianas (slip slops)! WHO THE HELL STEALS $1 shoes?!! So I had to continue the night without shoes - which would have been fine, except we were heading to the local "Disco"... a club playing cheesy dance music packed with both locals and foreigners. For our journey there we got a mini-van, and packed 17 people into it..
With my face sandwiched against someone elses, thighs resting on my head, something I can only hope was a mobile phone prodding me in the hip and someones sweaty pit rubbing my shoulder - I thought to myself... Now THIS is why you travel - what a laugh hahahaha.
Anyhoo - I stomped around the club in true hooligan style - no shoes and well oiled by the tequila shots from the last place. I had some pretty funny posed photos taken with some people (maybe they wouldn't be funny today - they would probably be shocking - okay.. they would definitely be shocking) but thankfully the blessing of traveling is that no one knows who you are or even what your name is, so its like the perfect place to be a complete nutcase.. or commit murder, which ever you prefer?
After the club closed all the drunken travelers headed back to the hostel, by this stage we had quite a huge crowd and everyone settled around the fire again for more banter and chit chat. I didn't stay up for too long, and was one of the first off to bed. I am definitely showing my age these days, and to be honest I am pretty comfortable about it - I am 30 after all so I had to grow up sometime!
Its great being social and I love having a good time, but to really get the best out of seeing places, I have to have a healthy balance of being social, and getting away from people too.
I was supposed to hire a bicycle yesterday, but didn't in the end as we had such a blast at the falls - so that is what I am doing today. Just going for a little wonder - I am having an anti-social day, I need some Sarah time.
Forever yours..Gypsy Regdelp xx