Ni Dieu Ni Maitre

Light rain keeps it cool in the streets of Huay Xia.

OK, it’s first impressions, but I was here 30 years ago and loved it then and so far not much seems to have changed. Relaxed, friendly, kids happy to say hi and fist bump, locals mainly open and chatty with little English. Prices? Yow, it is inexpensive. My hotel room… modern, clean, spacious, comfortable bed, A/C, hot shower, large room, small balcony looking out over the muddy and swiftly moving Mekong River… $11.

The crossing from Thailand was not at all complicated, a bus from Chaing Rai to the Friendship Bridge and some Thai paperwork, a ride over the bridge, and the Mekong is one huge river, pay a little Thai money for the Laos visa… no bag inspection, no off with your shoes and pat down… no fingerprints and standing in line, nope. Welcome to Laos!

View across to Thailand.

Been here a couple of days now, in this small border town, just relaxing. Ate a banana which looked normal, but had seeds! And unlike most of SE Asia, they drive on the right! Got a Lao sim card and discovered that I cannot make international calls… got to call my bank soon!

Up in a restaurant with a view at twilight. The backpackers stop in for a night in this town and move on immediately. Many take a 2 day cruise down the river to Luang Prabang, one of the 2 large cities in this small and landlocked country, but this has no appeal for me. I will get there, but no rush.

Very brown and very swiftly moving.

Thirty years ago, I bicycled up here from Chiang Mai, camping all the way along dirt roads and entered Laos without even knowing it. Set up my tent in a little school yard in a tribal village to the amusement and entertainment if the villagers and shared a meal with the headman and his family. I certainly must have gotten a visa eventually.