We arrived at Don Khong a day earlier than our volunteering gig began so we could spend a day exploring around the local islands. The island we would be staying on is part of the 4000 Island area in Laos.…
Pakse – A Long Ride, an Ancient Temple, and a Man With a Machine Gun
The ride from Phonsavan to Paske was insanely long. Estimated to be 15 hours, it ended up taking 19 hours to get there. The ride was less exhausting than we imagined, however. We had a good number of stops for…
Phonsavan – Jars, Jars, and more Jars
Phonsavan is a dusty town in east-central Laos. It is the center of the aftermath of the American-Vietnam War in Laos. It is also home to an ancient treasure called The Field of Jars. The Field of Jars in now…
Vang Vieng – Hammocking, Biking, and Caving
Vang Vieng is know for drunken tubing down the river that runs along town. A couple of years back, the city shut down the majority of the bars that lined the river previously. Apparently, tourists were getting hurt and a…
Luang Namtha – Night Markets, Jungle Treks, and Motion Sickness
The road to Luang Namtha is long and winding. By car or bus, it is six hours of non-stop weaving and turning through mountains. To get there from Nong Khiaw, we had to stop in Pak Bang to buy, and…
Nong Khiaw – Sunrises, Sunsets, and Smart Cats
We arrived in Nong Khiaw and found it to be a beautiful mountain town along the Ou river. We found a great hostel called Delilah with our new friend, Sean. We met another new friend, Tock, in the common area…
Luang Prabang – Welcome to Laos
To cross the border and go to Laos, we elected to take the slow boat. The other options included the fast boat, which was apperently dangerous and loud beyond reason, and the bus, which was bumpy, slow, and vomit-inducing. The…
Chiang Rai – Cats, Temples, and Hot Pot
Chiang Rai at first greated us with harsh sun and dusty streets. It sort of reminded us of what we’d expect a harsh, little city in Mexico to look like. As we wandered the streets in search of our hostel,…
Pai – Small Town, Rolling Mountains, and Reggae Vibes
Pai is a small town with a local population of about three thousand. It is a favorite of the backpacker community because of its sweeping landscapes, easy roads, and reggae feel. We hit this town at a bad time; we…
Chiang Mai: I Am Meditator
Grant and I had kicked around the idea of doing a 10-day meditation retreat while on our travels. We went back and forth about it in the beginning, but after meeting some folks who had completed and benefited greatly from…