A Blur of a Good Time

So two days ago (or was it three?) I got on the slow boat from Huay Xai, a two day trip (with a stopover in Pak Beng) that would leave me in Luang Prabang, and I am just now managing to update my blog. With good reason though, I met an awesome group of people and have been having a blur of a good time. My new traveling posse (a Kiwi couple (also in marketing), an Auzzie and a Brit) and I met while sharing the scorching side of the boat on day one. All of us had done the Gibbon Experience (though, all in different treehouses). Through our shared goal of cheap accommodation, we shared two rooms in Pak Beng and made it through 24hours, all 4 daylight hours of which we were offered every variation of happy shakes, happy pancakes, happy tea and the likes. Never have I been offered so many drugs in one period of time! And then we sat on the balcony over the river listening to Bob Marley (how appropriate) over "angry" noodles as we dubbed them (the non-happy version).

The next day we arrived at the boat, on time, to find the boats packed. Either they had chosen two boats with less seats to transport the same amount of passengers or had less boats, either way there were no seats. We'd heard if you kick up a fuss they often set up another boat but unfortunately for us, most other travelers had already given up and staked out a spot on the floor so our bargaining power was weak. We gave up and made our way onto the boat and found ourselves with the best spot on the boat (maybe our griping paid off?) when the captain himself escorted us to the kitchen! To give you a visual: the kitchen is about a 5x5 space at the back of the boat (behind the passengers, behind the toilets, behind the engine and behind the locals - back of the back bordered by the railing overlooking the water -shared with a barrel of water, two stoves, a cooler, a clothes line, some toothbrushes and cooking utensils. The five of us (three big guys and two little girls) sat in plastic chairs in a circle around our card table (a tipped over basket) and played every variation of cards possible with a deck of UNO cards (Susan from Germany you are our hero!) while drinking Lao beer and Lao whiskey. The best part: the captain himself came back and gave us a massive bottle of Lao whiskey, poured straight from a gasoline can, yup, you read it (don't worry Grandma, I tested it on the guys first and we're all still alive). We were joined by another awesome Canadian who brought further whiskey (which I am beginning to have more of a taste for with nothing else to drink out here) and additional UNO rules, all of which made the 9 hour journey not only speed by, but also a blur of a good time :)

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