We Love Laos!

The land of the lost would be an appropriate name for this lovely country. A place where paved roads are scarce and the food is good beyond measure. We spent 2 days trekking, 3 days boating down the Nam Tha and Mekong rivers and then 3 more days exploring the amazing town of Luang Prabang. As of now we are sitting in the fog-covered town of Sapa, Vietnam, waiting for the night train that will take us to Halong Bay. We wanted to say a quick hello and leave you with some thoughts about the lovely land of Laos!
Cheers,
Hillary

Laos...

I loved getting to bike through the town near Boatlanding Guesthouse. Seeing people go about their daily lives in such a beautiful area surrounded by rice paddies and the river was incredible. I knew I loved Laos right away. The village homestay and trek we did was unbelievable and a night I will remember for a while. Communicating with children with only 2 or 3 words, a camera, some toys, and song and dance was a powerful experience!
-Gita

My bike ride up to the Tran Ton Pass was exhausting and physically demanding. Yet, when we made it to the top the view was incredible. The cuts and bruises were well worth seeing the amazing mountain landscape.
-Benjy (about the biking in Vietnam)

Laos was an incredible experience. I was able to see dualism from the village homestays and the city experience. The village allowed me to see the world in a different light, while the city let me feel normal once again. However, in Laos, one never feel quite the same. Floating down the Mekong, I saw both old and new. The villages and the children were a whimsical experience, while the city let me feel alive. Both were incredible.
-Marc

So there we were in our small wooden boats, watching the beautiful scenery of Laos fly by, when the boat suddenly stops and pulls up to a beach where about 9 (or was it 7?) Laotian women were standing. After a few minutes of talking to our driver they started climbing into the boat forcing us all to squish together like sardines. We were all a little confused but just assumed they only needed a short ride and would be off soon. So, with a positive attitude we welcomed the newcomers......6 very long hours later our Laotian "family" (as we fondly referred to them now) were still on the boat with us. To top it off, one of the woman had not stopped talking once. In six hours this woman had a never-ending monologue, ending each sentence with a high pitched "Weeeeeeeee". When they finally got off the boat, all we could do was laugh. In the end, I figured out I didn't even find this experiece a nuisance. I actually quite enjoyed it.
-Stef

Traveling down the Nam Tha River on cramped wooden boats, I was amazed at how untouched the country of Laos appeared. As we floated for hours over two days, waving to hundreds of villagers, I caught a glimpse into the simple, but sustainable lifestyle that revolves around the river for the majority of the Laotian people. Upon our arrival to our boat driver's village, it was great to witness how simple toys such as a green bouncy ball replaced the language barrier and delivered hours of fun to the village children.
Happy V'day!
Erika

The last few days in Luang Prabang have been filled with eating, shopping, and relaxing (some of my favorite pastimes)! Reflecting past French influence, the city offers plenty of savory baguettes and sweet pastries at every restaurant. At night, the main street transforms into an endless sea of colorful scarves, jewelry, and handwoven tapestries. Between the incredible food and countless night vendors, spending the last of my kip has not been difficult!
-Sara

To describe Laos in a few words would take about as much time as it does to actually receive your order of a delicious cup of Laos coffee.. which is to say - it would take forever... and certainly would not do it the justice which it deserves. Despite my tendency to revert to the western way of rushing through life, Laos gave me a sense of ease which allowed for me to sit back and actually enjoy what was around me and the people who i was fortunate enough to interact with. The trekking in Laos was definitely a highlight for me; not only because of the challenge but more so because of the interaction which I had in the village that i spent my overnight in. Talking and playing with the children of the village finally allowed for the opportunity to be apart of the village and cultural experience rather than watching it as an outsider. It was truly something which I cannot and will not, ever forget.
-Jane

For me, Laos is all about extremes: extreme beauty, extremely cute kids, and extreme sickness. Between the slowboat trip down the Mekong River, playing rocketship (where you toss small toddlers into the air), and not being able to hold a meal down for a few days, I really fell in love with Laos.
-Micah

Playing soccer with the kids in water buffalo grazing area in the village. Amazingly dirty. Amazingly fun. Boat landing guesthouse. A great run through the rice paddies with the mountains in the background. The rice was so green and a great contrast with the brown mountains. The scenery made you forget you were running. If i could do that run every day i wouldn't belong to a gym.
-Matt

I still haven't figured out the right words to describe Laos. The laid back atmosphere, the lack of concept of time, and the overall good nature of its people. I just know that I miss it.
-Jordan