Sometimes - not too often, because life is short - you feel like you have to do something crazy. Something dangerous. Something for old age when all that remains is the past and a few crazy experiences. And sometimes you don't even know beforehand that it could be dangerous. It happens every now and then...
Holidays aren't what they used to be either. One might get the impression from the increasing number of early rises. I don't know how many times I have to get up before six o'clock because either the train, the bus, the tuk-tuk or some other emergency requires it. However, you get used to it, and above all,...
Not that it was cold here in the north of Laos, no, but the evenings and nights can get a bit cold. So at least for one day (tomorrow we're going to Hanoi, back to the cold?) warmth is in order. And an extraordinarily arduous journey from Luang Namptha to Luang Prabang, mostly over a…
What I don't know early in the morning - the trip from Chiang Khong to Luang Namptha will be a journey through the deep night. But one thing at a time... For a month now there has been no ferry, no more stairs, no more hustle and bustle at the customs post. There is now a wide bridge, guarded by two ostentatious...
So now the beginning again. The slow approach to a new environment, to sun and warmth, a different culture, a different language, different faces. Smiling, friendly, round Thai faces that are so hard to read. A new beginning in Chiang Mai In front of me is the river, the Ping River, dirty-brown, calm, calmly flowing, from...
Today's destination is Pakxe, the gateway to the 4000 islands. After that there is nothing left, just water and thundering waterfalls. The Mekong and perhaps the last surviving Mekong dolphins. And then Cambodia. One of the destinations for the next trip... Garden chairs on the bus This morning I miss the Laotian beauties that met me yesterday...
Luang Prabang is the capital of the province of the same name in the mountainous north and was originally the capital of the historic kingdom of Lan Xang and the French protectorate of Laos. It was the royal city until the monarchy was abolished in Laos in 1975. Today the city is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and is one of the most important tourist destinations in the...
The day starts early, with chickens clucking, ducks chattering, and children's cheerful voices. Early morning coolness and humidity in the air. Slow, sluggish walk through the paths between the houses. The ticket office doesn't open until eight, so breakfast first, as it should be. Farewell conversations, always the same. You vow to stay in touch, but you know full well that...
A minibus, crammed with numerous other travelers, sets off north at 10.00 a.m. sharp. The destination for the day is Chiang Khong, located on the Mekong. There we will switch to the Laotian side before the boat takes us towards Luang Prabang. Almost 300 kilometers to the northeast, through the plains of northern Thailand. How …