Laos

Today marks the start of our next and final country before returning to Vietnam in 3 weeks for my return to the US. 

Laos is the fifth country I've toured since I left 9 weeks ago. 

After yesterday's fiasco which included 12 hours of twisting mountain roads, broken down bikes, hitch hiking and border pleading I was ready to be landed and spend some time relaxing. 

Since it was pitch dark when we arrived last night I was excited to open my eyes and look out the window but the exhaustion from the day preceding had me snoring until almost 9am. 

The guesthouse was large and spacious but the room was small with no aircon and by 9 I was ready to spread my wings and float down for breakfast. 

As I walked down the large winding rustic wood staircase to the dining area I was taken by the beauty of KongLor. We appeared to be in a lowlands of sorts with high rocky peaks shooting out of the tabacco fields that surrounded our luxurious home. 

Last night when we arrived the dining room was filled with traveler strangers eating and drinking. That had been a large group of Australians who came in on a bus and a speckling of assorted other couples all talking amongst themselves giving me the opportunity to quickly eat in front of the community TV and head to bed before the drinking games started. 

This morning was a very different scene. The diningroom was empty. Not a sound in the whole house. The big tour bus and motorbike that filled the driveway last night were long gone. 

I sat at the pretty wooden table eating my handmade strawberry chocolate waffles, fresh squeezed lime juice and coffee in the tranquility of the mid morning calmness. Hummingbirds levitated outside the window and farm workers picked leaves in the neighboring field. 

I stared out into the mountains and considered how lucky I am to have this life and the people in it who make this dream a reality for me. 

Cool cuz joined me as I was finishing up and with just a awestruck shake of his head I could tell we were of the same mindset. The gratitude was contagious this peaceful morning!

After I'd finished eating we jumped on our bikes for a bit of exploring. We headed toward the mountains to find the river caves. 

The KongLor caves were different from the caves we had seen up to this point. We had to cross a river on a wooden bridge and walk up a natural stone staircase to enter. Once inside, the small opening turned into a massive cavern with vaulted ceilings. Small canoes pointing into the dark depths of infinate blackness were all we could see along the dark shoreline. We were handed hard hats with lanterns along with life jackets and climbed into the boat with our captain, who sat in the back with the long propeller motor and our guide who hung over the bow looking for shallow rocks and floating logs as we weaves our way through the pitch dark river. As we rolled in and out of the twisting caverns our helmut spotlights appeared as a lazer light show off the walls and water surface of this natural wonder. 

We motored up this river for over an hour until a light which at first appeared to be just a reflection started to illuminate our space. As we approached its origin the jungle outside took the place of the blackness and we found ourselves among forests full of bamboo and sandy riverbanks. Water buffalo bathing within a few feet from where our canoe passed. 

The shadows of the overhanging trees were just the framework for the huge black mountains hanging out in their backdrop. We had just pierced one of these stone monsters and were now heading further up river for a beach landing at the face of a river village.  

Women and children adorned the few kiosks just above the muddy banks.  The small outdoor shops sold beverages and snacks to eye popping tourists and added some local culture to the amazement of the nature we had just witnessed. Today no one was there except local villagers. Cuz and I were the only Western faces among the dozens of locals, few paying any attention to our presence.

As I sat eating my seaweed chips and drinking a BeerLao I took an interest in a 3 year old girl who kept dipping into my chip bag for a snack. We shared small words from our native languages and her very young mom sat with us as we played. So simple so beautiful yet sad in some kind of cosmic sense. I felt so much love for them. They are so poor but you would never know that by the way they act. It was beautiful to just sit with them for that hour. Another unforgettable moment.

As I left for the boat I couldn't stop thinking about how things would be if I never left that little village. The simple but difficult life these people live as mine. The river, the caves, the jungle, the bugs. It's all so simple but is it really?