Muang Ngoi, a cultural experience, and leeches..

A cultural experience, more than an active one due to rain.

What we learned about
⁃ the WEATHER: it can rain when it is not supposed to, indoors and outside. It can be very cold in tropical Laos, in the jungle (which Craig said is a derogatory term), also at lower altitudes, that rain here causes muddy conditions, that mud can clump under your boots just like wet snow can. And that we lucked out twice, when the forecast rain held off despite dark clouds. But we were old and smart enough to change our 3-day trekking plan into the mountains, and instead did 2 one-day outings in the valleys with a guide, and came back to Luang Prabang a day early. That wet conditions bring out leeches, and that Craig was happy not to have seen the one he went to sleep with. It left a bloody mark on his arm, and on the sheet, but was gone in the morning.

Link to Muang Ngoi, Laos

 ⁃ PEOPLE: there are several ethnic groups living in close proximity, but often in their separate villages, of a few hundred people each. Muang Ngoi is  a Lao village; from here we walked to a Hmong, and a Khmu village. This area is poor, only got electricity ~5years ago, there are little kids everywhere, the schools look very basic, and parents are expected to pay for uniforms, a nap-mat for kindergarteners etc., and many parents cannot afford to send their kids to school. The organization our Luang Prabang host works with, has since 2000 established 21 new, free schools in rural areas of Laos. One of the Hmong villages we visited, had been moved down from higher in the mountains a few years ago, when growing opium was made illegal, and electricity became available. We got the impression the Hmong are very neat and industrious people, and we saw women weave beautiful fabrics, on primitive looking equipment, in one Hmong village.   One of our guides told us condoms is the main birth control method. Our other guide earlier said one young Hmong mom we saw, only was 15, and not married, and he clearly thought this not a good situation. It is very expensive to get married, and the groom pays for the wedding, which includes a water buffalo, or a cow, to feed everyone. He also needs to give the bride’s family money; when proposing, he needs to get a ‘yes’
from both his girl, and from her parents. Our 34-year-old guide said he was too poor to get married, and now too old. But it seemed he had hopes of going to a Hmong village to find a girl when he has saved some (he is Lao). I chuckled at his translation of marrying a widowed, or divorced woman - a ‘second hand’ wife. His grandfather had 2 wives, one locally, and one in Vientiane; he said this was legal. Craig told him he got me for free. This same guide, had to sell his smart phone recently, to help pay for his mother’s funeral. Funerals last 3 days. Mr. Peng, our first guide, is 62, taught himself English using a dictionary; lived in a cave, like many others, for 5 years during the Vietnam war, when this area was bombed heavily by at least us, to cut off supply lines that the North Vietnamese had established through Laos. Tourists are warned not to get off regularly traveled trails, as there still are unexploded devices lying around. Lots of people are injured, and dead - like Mr. Peng’s uncle, who died when plowing a field with his water buffalo. Mr. Peng now grows rice to feed his family of 7, and knows his 5 kids will take care of him and his wife when they are old. He used to work as a guide almost daily, but tourism has decreased as neighboring countries have opened up. The owner of our guest house is fearful their business will go away, as the Chinese are building 7 dams on the Nam Ou, which is a large river the locals travel on, and which brings tourists. This 24-year-old owner managed to mention, within the first few minutes of us checking in, that the locals no longer resent us despite all the bombings. There are shells everywhere, as decorations, and people also find practical use for them.     We saw Chinese characters in Nong Khiaw, and also in Luang Prabang. Not sure how people in Laos feel about this influence. We were told the power generated by the dams here in Laos, will be sold by the Chinese, to neighboring countries. But clearly many villages have benefitted also, as they now are accessible by roads built for this construction, and have power they never had.
⁃ The SCENERY: Craig thought the mountains, and the rainforest along the Nam Ou (river) was the most spectacular scenery he has ever seen. We arrived in the late afternoon, with the rain clouds, which were dramatic, and we were dry. I agree the area is gorgeous. Saw lots of colorful butterflies, not many flowers in bloom now, and not many birds. Our guide said there are monkeys higher up in the mountains.

⁃ HEALTHCARE: Laotian MDs go to Thailand when they need care, per Swedish medical students we ran into at a cafe. There are signs for Pharmacies in many villages, but our guide said many people use shamans, and natural remedies. A French woman broke her ankle somewhere nearby, per Mr. Peng, the day before our hike. She was heavy, and had to get carried out by 4 guys. I feel very sorry for her, and also for the rescuers, as there was slippery mud everywhere.
⁃ TOURISM: lots of young backpackers, mostly from Europe, and especially from France. Many smoke, which is annoying. Also retirees, usually older than we are.
⁃ TRANSPORTATION: the tourist bus takes 3-4 hrs to Nong Khiaw. Hope  there was a bus waiting for anyone showing up at the scheduled departure time, because we left 1.5 hrs early on the way back, as the bus was full. On the way north, we were 11 passengers, and I was very happy when the Europeans asked to turn down the AC! On the way back we were 14 passengers, all bundled up in everything we had. It was in the 50s (max 14C), rainy, and damp, and most of the windows were open to prevent motion sickness in some travelers. Motorcycles everywhere (some carrying 4 people, usually no helmets) just like in Thailand, kids riding bicycles, an occasional cow, many dogs, broken pavement in places, road work, and dust. Seems there are no real rules of the road, except everyone drives as fast as they can, and very unevenly. They honk sort of politely, but regularly, they come up fast, and very close to the car, or motorcycle in front, and stay there until they feel they can pass, which often is in a curve, or where the road visibly narrows.. On the way north, we saw one bad accident, between 2 trucks, where at least one driver likely was badly injured. I relaxed a little on the way back, when I knew we were close to the city, and I realized the driver was closer to 25 than the 19 I thought.    We took the public boat from Nong Khiaw to Muang Ngoi. Safety measures are
nonexistent, they know how many they can pack in, and ask everyone to squash together, we had rudimentary cover from the rain on the return, and all went well. There are smaller private boats of the same type, that both the locals, and we tourists use, e.g. to get to the starting point of a hike (which they call trekking here). Even though I absolutely did not want to fall in to the muddy river, I felt safer on the boats than in the mini buses.
⁃ MONEY: I cannot get used to being a millionaire. After a week here, I still cannot figure out change without confirming with Craig. US$1 = 8000kip. Just too many zeroes.
⁃ PERSONAL: it is not supposed to rain on you when you go to the ensuite bathroom in a guesthouse in the middle of the night. Water was literally running down the walls, and from the ceiling.    I guess my hearing aide is not many years away. I asked 3 guys at the table next to ours, what language they were speaking. It was Swedish, and from Stockholm. I should have recognized the intonation, even though I couldn’t clearly hear the words. They were all of mixed heritage, which I guess is my feeble excuse.    Am afraid we are not cut out for roughing it for much more than a few days at a time. And we stayed in a guest house with a private bath and shower. We saw a home stay hut in one village, and this probably would have been a challenge. One young French couple will spend  6 months, on a shoe string, in SE Asia. We are very happy to be back in our nice room in Luang Prabang - but it is cold enough (12C, 53 F) that we have made arrangements to have hot water available for tea also this evening; the overnight low will be in the 40s.
⁃ One last note from Luang Prabang: we spent 2 hours in an evening school where mostly 8 to 14-year-old kids were learning English. I thought we would read with them, but we were thrown into the roles of teachers of spoken English. I enjoyed the experience, but am afraid we were not very effective, as we were given no structure. The regular teachers were present, and helped translate; they were great. Some kids were on their smart phones (in this very poor country!), some clearly bright ones were eager to participate, but we felt inadequate trying to engage the bored looking ones. Their skills were rudimentary, and this evening class is voluntary; they get 2 hours of French in their regular schools.
⁃ NEXT: Hua Hin, south of Bangkok, where we will visit with Bimba and Timppa from Finland, whom I have known since we were teenagers!
⁃ Am posting this from Hua Hin, and we return to Chiang Mai on January 18.