Paddle Fest Lao

We just finished a 3 day kayak trip from Nong Kiaw to Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Every morning was cool and overcast, and the sun would break through midday. We kayaked 6-7 hours a day, passing villages, crops, and beautiful mountains.

Water buffalo, chickens, and pigs along the Nam Ou River

It was always beautiful and sunny in the afternoon when the morning clouds and fog would break.

This section of the river we traveled on currently has 2 hydroelectric dams being built by a Chinese company.

Early afternoon we would stop for a lunch break on a sandy riverbank. We'd usually all sit around a pile of sticky rice and stir fried veggies on a mat of leaves. 

Then after having kayaked for a few more hours, we would stop at a village for a homestay with a local family. We'd get to dry off, have a meal, play with the kids, and maybe sit around a fire with a couple sips of Lao Lao, a local spirit made from sticky rice.

Boats docked at a village 

Sitting around the fire

Playing guitar in the kitchen

Dinner being prepared

Dinner!

Kicking around the ball with the kids

Liz teaching the kids how to play Dominos. Fortunately we can at least count in Laotian.

The kids got really psyched on the game, they played until we ate dinner and they came back later to play more. They even showed back up in the morning!

At one point we had at least 10 kids in the house, playing and/or watching. It was a lot of fun.

The kids' favorite part was probably taking silly photos. :)

They loved seeing the photos of themselves on the camera. It's possible they had never experienced that before. We would flip through the photos we took, and they would laugh and laugh.

On the last day, as we approached Luang Prabang we passed some beautiful limestone carsts, hundreds of feet high.

We stopped at the famous Buddha Cave outside of Luang Prabang.

It was a great 3 days, although we're a little sore now. We paddled through some beautiful country, as well as some class 2 and 3 rapids (and only flipped twice), made some friends and had a great time with some locals.

VICTORY!!

Next stop Vang Vieng, Lao PRD. Hopefully we will be doing some sport climbing on the beautiful limestone carsts down there! 

XO -Matt & Liz

Up the Nam Ou

We headed north from Luang Prabang via bus, to a town called Nong Khiaw, along the Nam Ou River. Up until several years ago, this town could only be reached by boat, but the roads are developing quickly these days, as is everything else. Here is our 'bus'..stopped for a few minutes after a particularly big bump in the road. It says 15 passengers, but we counted 20 & two babies.

Lots of big cliffs, but we were told there isn't any climbing here anymore..boo.

The view from our sweet bungalow..

Exploring & sunset

Lao food, and specifically Alex's Restuarant in Nong Khiaw, may be the best food we have had on our trip. All the restaurants (especially busy ones) take a long time. Almost always, it's one woman, with one wok, making every dish. We've been playing a lot of cards. Matt's 'Lao farmers breakfast'. Omelet, eggplant dip, black sticky rice, veggies and fried river weed (which is exactly what it sounds like, and it tastes like roasted pumpkin seeds).

Mountain biking outside of Nang Kiaw

We biked past these people collecting rock; up high on the hill you can see a couple throwing more down.

A group of Lao boys walking.

So much limestone, but no climbing (yet).

there was an 'historical' cave that we didn't go into (every cave and waterfall and trail costs money here, so we pick and choose). The surrounding area was beautiful. 

After a couple days, we took a short boat upriver to Muang Ngoi. River life shot..

This village is still only accessible by boat, but amazingly has electricity and wifi! Our bungalow with private sunset and double hammocks!! 

Some young boys scaring fish towards their nets.

We hiked up a nearby hill and explored a couple caves there. In the 'Buddha' cave we walked about 25 minutes in...and..

At the end... we found the Buddhas!

The trail was cool with bamboo railings, lots of ladders, strange trees, and beautiful views.

In the afternoon we walked out along the towns one road, into the country a bit.

Secret river spot, sow, cool trees..

Today we took a boat back to Nong Khiaw, and we begin a 3 day kayak trip back to Luang Prabang!

xx ELM & MRP