I’ve finally made it to the Mekong cruise after many minor changes of plan. Our guide, Sene, gave us the lowdown:
- “Mekong” means “mother”
- It runs 1,986 km through Lao, and is 300m across at its widest point
- It’s home to 120 types of fish
- Luang Prabang to Huay Xai is 300km
- The twelfth longest river in the world, the Mekong runs through six countries: China, Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand (not in this order!)
- The sand on its banks is really good for growing peanuts
Not long after we’d set off, we arrived at Pak Ou cave. Its claim to fame is that it is home to 4,000 Buddha statues:
In C6 – 8, it was used by the animists, but was changed to a Buddhist temple in C14. Every Lao new year (they’re one month ahead of us), the main Buddha is washed and his clothes changed.
Outside, there was fish on a stick, Dibbler-style:
I’d got some sticky rice for the journey. I have to keep overruling my English brain that won’t eat rice that’s been out of the fridge too long. It was packaged in bamboo, covered with a banana leaf and corked with coconut bark:
“How long does sticky rice last?” I asked Sene.
“About 15 minutes”, he replied. I laughed. Correct answer. The other correct answer is one week.
And the rest of the day was spent lying in relative luxury (along with Ha Long Bay, this was one of my “do it properly” things after too many horror stories of packed boats):
We docked at Pakbeng and were offered a guesthouse moments after we were on dry land. So ridiculously easy. But the Wi-Fi didn’t work. Because the electricity was down. I didn’t flinch. I may be going native 😉
