Shopkeeper, Muong Khua, Laos

[The_Traveler]

It is a continual delight to me how much photographs add to memories of a place.

I have time to look at the details that are often hidden in shadow when my eyes are constricted against the sunlight.

This picture was taken on a dirt side street across the bridge over the Nam Ou in the town of Muong Khua. The temperature was probably 80 degrees but this woman wore a padded jacket with a fur collar.

 

[The_Traveler]

As an example of how life is different, yet makes sense, these foil packets hanging in every shop are one-use packets of shampoo or wash soap.
People don't want to store and carry jugs of stuff down to the river.

 

[tirediron]

Nicely captured Lew, 'though I can't help wishing I could see more, a lot more of the scene.

 

[The_Traveler]

Nicely captured Lew, 'though I can't help wishing I could see more, a lot more of the scene.

Different store but 'downtown'

Bridge - most slats are loose and gaps abound. Any motion induces reciprocal motions in the bridge. When I was passed by a moto the bridge sort of oscillated for a few seconds. Locals are used to it, I was not.

View of the concrtete bridge that takes cars and trucks. Previously cars and trucks used a road that wound down to the river and then took the ford.

 

[tirediron]

I need to get back there!!!!

 

[The_Traveler]

Muong Khua is a neat place.
I took the International bus from Chiang Rai to Luang Namtha, stayed a few days, then bused to Udomxai then eventually took bus to Muang Khua especially to take a boat down the river.

If you plan on going any time in the near future, I can give you a pretty detailed trip report to help you make connections.

The boats are narrow and shallow and uncomfortable, unless you get one with converted truck seats.
My buddy, I and a French couple hired a boat and sat in relative luxury.

Rest stop and pee break where we were star attractions.

 

[CaleNewman]

Looks like a awesome place!!!

 

[The_Traveler]

Looks like a awesome place!!!

Laos is my favorite place to travel. A bit difficult for the inexperienced but wonderful.
I hope to return.

 

[tirediron]

As much as I would love to, I doubt if it's in the cards for a year or two (or three).

 

[weepete]

Informative and a nice set you have there Lew!

 

[The_Traveler]

As much as I would love to, I doubt if it's in the cards for a year or two (or three).

The only expensive part is the airfare to/from and a couple of short flights inside that are mostly for convenience.
Aside from that lodging, bus travel and food are effectively less than staying home.
A 4 to 8 hour bus ride is about 30,000 kip. That sounds expensive until you realize that there are 8,100 kip to a US dollar thus the trip is $3.75.

There is a large variance on time actually reaching destination because of road issues.

This is a bus into China, thus the sign is in Chinese. I don't know if foreigners can enter at this border crossing.

Although this particular ticket is Burmese, many places in SEA don't bother with foreigner names if there are only one or two. They just write 'foreigner' and, as a courteous gesture, might put the old foreigners in the good seats just behind driver where there is more room.

 

[jcdeboever]

Very cool and interesting. Are the people nice to you? Is it safe?

 

[The_Traveler]

Very cool and interesting. Are the people nice to you? Is it safe?

The people both in Myanmar and Laos are the nicest, most honest, courteous people I've ever met.
That may be due to the relative lack of exposure to outsiders.

(My impression of the Burmese was hurt considerably by the reaction to the Muslim Rohingya in the Western state but, overall, I'd rather be there than 99% of the rest of the world.)

In many places a westerner is an oddity and children will stare and point. We were in an Akha village quite far from the town where we were staying.
Akha people live as high in the hills as possible, are animists and believe that spirits and ghosts fly around all the time. In their culture, ghosts are big and tall with white hair.
When we got out of the car, the children all ran. This little girl got hysterical and the first picture is of the woman, through our guide, telling us that my friend had let evil spirits into her little girl.

A crowd gathered and people were getting upset. Disaster was averted with an on-the-spot exorcism ceremony.

After the ceremony people were civil but cautious. They don't like/want their picture taken, although the camera was interesting.

We bought some gifts for the children but they wouldn't take them from our hands; the gifts went to our guide then to the children.

These were life-changing experiences for me.

 

[FITBMX]

Very interesting. Sometimes I feel like I live in a little bit of a bubble out here.
Love the photos, and the info!

 

[The_Traveler]

Sometimes I feel like I live in a little bit of a bubble out here.

Living in Burns, KS is, AFAIC, not so much in a bubble but on the moon.
You have to travel more.

$1200 RT to Bangkok, you can easily get 3 weeks away for <$2500 including the to and from.