The Luscious Lands of Laos

Our itinerary took us through three ethnic minority Hmong and Khmu villages in Laos. As we trekked through this natural environment, we couldn't help but feel grateful for this amazing opportunity.

To begin the journey, we started with an intense uphill path crossing beautiful rivers and streams. Our guide, although speedy, patiently helped us through the muddy patches. We soon found ourselves in a small mountainous village.

The long journey up to the first village was well worth it once we arrived. We were grateful to be greeted with fresh cucumbers and pumpkin prepared by our host family. We then explored and found ourselves at a stream where we could cool off after our three-hour hike. That night, we enjoyed a game of Frisbee with some of the local community members.

In the morning, we set off for a five-hour trek through the jungle. This was our most strenuous day, however we all supported each other through our struggle, which made the experience even more rewarding. Our group was thrilled to arrive at our next village because we were welcomed by not only our new host family, but also the other half of our PD family!  The children were excited to have such a large group of us visiting their home. When we arrived, they swarmed us and then took us on a tour of the village. We were ecstatic to see the primary school and then swim in the river. At the school, the children excitedly sang to us, which was a highlight for many. The children had bright smiles and infectious laughs. Although we could not communicate through language, their joy spread to all of us and made us completely forget about our sore legs. Interacting with them opened our eyes and helped us realize that happiness is not rooted in material objects.

Right before dinner, our host family invited the Pacific Discovery group to their home to participate in a religious ceremony. We all sat around a round table while a shaman chanted. Hmong people believe that an individual is born with 32 souls that roam around your body. Since we are traveling and constantly on the move, the ceremony is to bring our souls back to protect us throughout the rest of our journey. At the end of the ceremony, we were given four bracelets, two on each arm, that we were to wear for four days to ensure good luck.

The next day, we said goodbye to our host family and the other Pacific Discovery group. Thankfully, we had a fairly easy two-hour hike to our last village. We arrived at noon, had a delicious lunch, then went to the local primary school to play games with the kids. While some of us played soccer or catch with the kids, rattan ball was a group favorite. Rattan ball is very similar to volleyball, but you play with a whiffle ball and can only kick the ball over the tall net. Even though I wasn't great at the game, it was fun to learn from the children.

After an exciting visit in the last village, we were all ready to head back to Luang Prabang to rest and have a warm shower. Our final day of trekking was filled with jamming to music and dancing down the trail. We were thrilled to reach the boat and take in some stunning views on the river, a great way to complete our tiring, though rewarding, journey.