Trekking and more

I was thinking of giving a few posts here but because the internet is so onsanely slow and so (relatively) expensive I'm either going to write it all in here. Maybe I'll go full out, maybe I'll abbreviate or maybe I'll just get lazy and quit part way.

We went on our trek last Monday and Tuesday and it was a lot of fun. We hiked up a big mountain, then down the other side into a village. Learned about some of the architecture, how they keep their rice huts rat free and all that jazz. When we were there we were given free run of the village. We slept in a hut that was made using traditional styles, but made by the tourism authority strictly for trekker use. The treks in Laos are tightly regulated and much less commercial than the ones in Chiang Mai (so I've been told) but still those hoping to find untouched hill tribes will have to go farther afield. These ones have had tours going through for four years now and many of the people just seem used to it.

That might be because most of the people we actually saw in the village were children. Most adults, and even a few of the children were out in teh field working on the rice harvest. And because the fields are pretty far away, most sleep there over night. The children that remained did everythinf, from feeding the animals to making supper for whoever was a around. I'm even talking about 6 year olds caring for thir one year old siblings. Would you leave a 6 year old in charge of a baby? No, well apparently North American kids aren't being given enough credit for what they're capable of.
Of course they were still kids and played a lot, including some game with a flip flop a stcik and elastic bands (FUN!). I went around trying to teach some of tehm my finger trick...I think they were very impressed.

Food on the trip was great, lettuce, noodles, eggplant dip and lots and lots of sticky rice (every meal). The only disappointing dish was a couple of chickens we had for lunch. They were just hacked to bits and cooked. Tough to find the meat amopngst the bones.

We visited another village on the second day where the women still dressed traditionally, but that hardly meant they were untouched. Handicrafts emerged and they waited until our desires for photos were sated.
Some of the kids have grown up knowing tourists and know what we like. One boy was giving his baby sister a bath and was sure to turn her towards the camera for a perfect shot when he saw us there.

At times you feel like people watching other people at a zoo...in fact one time at a school I was actually taking a picture through bars. But I guess we're helpijg them financially be being there, and I hope to send some of the pictures back. Strengthen the connection and all that.

Our hike out was amazing . Difficult (not for me of course) up a mountain stream through bamboo jungle, real jungle and ...just wow. Unfortunately the roll of film I thought I had packed disappeared, so I get pictures of teh people but not the scenery. Close your eyes and imagine the most vivid postcard or movie from SE Asia and you've got it. Maybe I'll find a good pastcard to send, but probably not.

We were going to chill for a couple of days in Luang Nam Tha, but a rat in our room at the guesthouse after the trek meant we were going to move places anyway and just decided to leave. We are in...hmm can't remember the name. It's north and a bit east of Luang Prabang for those with a map and it is stunning.

The mountains here are steep limstone jobbies so you can see the rock. The town is two towns seperated by a river adn a lovely bridge. I walked across it tonight...just great. I definitely want to come back here with teh intention of doing some serious writing. The spot in the hammock on the veranda outside my bamboo bungalow sounds liek a good place to write.

I'll try to talk a bit mroe about this place later.

Moving arond so much makes you feel like you're seeing but not really experiencing. I guess that's what the second trip will be for.

I managed to leave Luang Nam Tha without hitting the bank and cashing a cheque so hard currency is a bit low and I must depart.