Mekong River, Laos
Initial Thoughts: I’d had visions of a quaint wooden boat shared by locals and travellers alike drifting slowly along a busy trade route. What I got was 100 drunk foreigners crammed into a boat retrofitted with seats from a minivan. In particular there were four friends from Newcastle, whom we dubbed The Geordie, who seemed to be on this boat, perhaps their whole trip, with the sole intention of getting plastered. They chugged bottle after bottle of beer and did shots of the potent Laos whisky which led to peeing off the edge of the boat, climbing on the roof, and having screaming fights. I was crammed into a tiny, claustrophobic seat, surrounded by loud, disrespectful foreigners. Not exactly what I had imagined. Luckily, the scenery just about made up for the disappointing surroundings.
Best Moment: On the second day, I arrived early to secure a more comfortable seat and found a spot close to the front with a friend, Jo, who I’d met in Thailand. She and I got to talking with the people around us who were as horrified by the drunken louts as we were. Over the course of that day, I became friends with Andy, Sophie and Walter with whom I would spend the next month travelling throughout Laos. My time with them turned out to be an incredible four weeks filled with lighthearted, spontaneous fun and I am so glad that I met them on the slow boat.
Take Away: What I learned from this experience is to be more open. More open to silly, touristy forms of travel. More open to meeting new people. More open to stillness. More open to seeing the beautiful world around me. I didn’t enjoy many aspects of this trip including the majority of the passengers, but when I allowed myself to be open to the positive, I found new friends and an incredible opportunity to photograph the Laos landscape as it slowly drifted by.
You can see more photos of my time on the Mekong River on the Global Locavore Facebook page!
Now It’s Your Turn: The Mekong River snakes through much of Southeast Asia and is a remarkable natural feature. While I only really experienced the Mekong in Laos, I think it would be an incredible journey to trace it’s path through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam! Normally I like country specific books, but I did find myself relying on my Southeast Asia On A Shoestring Guide on this trip as I visited many countries in the region. In particularly it is helpful to know about the border crossings, the visa requirements, the currencies and the highlights of each new country before you arrive. I you all my Lonely Planet’s extensively and would recommend getting one when planning your trip!
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Lisa @ LTTL says
WOW! What a trip of a lifetime. From experience, people can be unusually irritating when they are touring other countries, but I am glad you made the best of it. That is what travel is all about.
Thank so much for linking to Life Thru the Lens. Your imagery is stunning, and I really enjoyed your writing as well.
Lisa @ life Thru the Lens
globallocavore says
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for the message and for hosting Life Thru the Lens. It is my first link party but I am loving it! I’m so happy you like my photography – a big compliment coming from you! Can’t wait to connect again soon. Lauren
Anna says
well you can meet annoying people in every type of transportation…the scenery is totally worth the trouble though!
globallocavore says
It is so true! The area of central Laos is stunning and I’d definitely recommend that people visit. Thanks for popping over Anna.
the Pigeon Pair and Me says
Oh no! What a pity those annoying Geordies marred the experience. Still, it looks incredible.
the Pigeon Pair and Me recently posted…48 Ideas for unmissable summertime family fun in London
globallocavore says
Yes, not to disrespect anyone from Newcastle of course, it just so happened that this group wasn’t the greatest. As you said, the overall experience was still very interesting and I’d definitely recommend visiting Laos!
Our Seaside Baby says
The trip sounds amazing despite the drunken passengers! They would annoy me too but so glad you saw the positives. The scenery is just stunning and great you got to meet like minded people. Lovely photos. Thanks for joining in with #MyFavouriteTrip Polly x
Our Seaside Baby recently posted…My Sunday Photo
globallocavore says
Thank you so much for hosting the link party! Yes, the crowd wasn’t the best but the views made up for it. Luckily that was only the start of my time in Laos and it just go better. 🙂
Mandy says
Another fantastic post! It’s always a fine line between letting others ruin a trip and seeking the good in it.
Mandy recently posted…Bologna: An Unexpected Place
globallocavore says
Thanks so much Mandy. I really appreciate the lovely compliment!
Mary @ Green Global Travel says
The journey on the Mekong seems to have expanded your mind when it comes to travel – it’s great that you’re more open to silly, touristy forms of travel and meeting new people.
Emma @ Adventures of a London Kiwi says
Sometimes you just have to shift focus – and not let the sadness of a priceless experience being wasted affect you!
Jessi (Two Feet, One World) says
Wow, that certainly sounds different to what you might expect… that scenery though!
Annie says
I did this trip many years ago, and had just finished a book, and my iPod broke! I thought I’d go crazy but it’s so beautiful I didn’t even notice. I had a few nice people on my boat too, guess I got lucky 🙂