Laos
March 23, 1997
It's hard to claim that we really went to Laos, and for all practical purposes we didn't. But technically, we did...
The Extent of Our Laos Experience
On our second day in Chiang Saen, Thailand, we hired a longtail boat and traveled up the river to the Golden Triangle. The driver took us up the Mekong about 30 to 40 feet from the Lao side, and we watched the Lao going about their business and waved back and forth with Lao kids.
Then we landed at the shore of a small village named Donsao. The driver said we could walk along the shore but couldn't go into the village. We took some pictures, bought some beer at a small stand ("Beerlao", although Pabst Blue Ribbon was also available), and then left. So now we've been to Laos.
Donsao, Laos
Geoff setting foot in Laos
Our quick snack
The whole experience was like when you're a kid and someone draws a line and says "don't you dare step over that line." So you stick your toe over the line and say, "there, I did it." You haven’t really done that much, but still, you feel pretty proud of yourself. That's what bagging Laos was like – we really didn't much more than stick our toes over a line we weren't supposed to cross, but it was still thrilling anyway.
Quotable Quotes
"You can walk on the shore, but don't go into the village."
--Our boat driver
Laos Map
Laos Links
For more information on traveling to Laos, the following are particularly good links:
Vientiane Times News about Laos.
Lonely Planet The best online source about Laos for general information for independent travelers.