[Article written on 6 January, right after I arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos.]
I am currently enjoying a 10-day vacation through southeast Asia. My friend and travelling partner, Jonaca, teaches and has three weeks off school. By herself she visited Cambodia and Bangkok. I joined her for Laos and northern Thailand. At this moment we are in Luang Prabang, a city I visited years ago. It has changed remarkably. It should come as no surprise that this regional transformation is linked with China’s growth. But more on that later.
I met Jonaca in Bangkok on Wednesday, 2 January. We spent a few hours drinking beers in Patpong, watching the seedy district setup for the night. At night time we caught an overnight train to Nong Khai, Thailand. Nong Khai is the last railroad station on the path from Bangkok to the capital of Laos, Vientienne. Laos has never been rich enough to build a single kilometer of rails so the tracks stop at the border.
The overnight train was awesome. Our two-person sleeper had bunk beds and was made up for us with clean sheets after dinner. There was an open-air restaurant serving beers until late. After a few more we retired and woke up pulling into Nong Khai. From there is was a sequence of short rides and long queues to get into Laos. We then took a four-hour van to Vang Viene.
Vang Viene is famous in Laos for the wrong reasons. A gentle river lazilily snakes through the town which is supported by visiting tourists. The sharp mountains, colorful sunsets, and beautiful river first drew people here. But it is the wild parties and omnipresent drugs that brought in the dangerous crowds.
Along the river bars sprouted up to cater to the masses of backpackers that ride inner tubes and kayaks down the river. The bars blared music and sold opium, weed, and mushrooms in drinks and food. The bars setup rope swings into the muddy water, which conceals dangerous rocks. Dozens of tourists died here last year.
Unlike Thailand, the Laos government generally enforces curfew at 23:00. I suppose the huge amount of money the river bars generated bought special consideration from the local police. But when this part of Laos became famous for dying tourists the government finally stepped in. During my visit with Jonaca, there were no bars open on the river. It was just the two of us sitting in tubes floating down the water.
Which I am fine with, by the way. I quite like a quiet city with cold beer and friendly locals. The idea of 19-year-old Aussie kids puking up their mushroom shakes on the bar floors does not appeal to me. So, all-in-all, Vang Viene worked for me. We spent a couple days there then took a lovely six-hour car ride to Luang Prabang, where I now sit.
As I mentioned above, I visited this town five years ago. I stayed in the Luang Prabang Bakery, which is still the most charming place in old town. Because it was full we are staying a couple doors away at the Villa Phathana. This hotel is nice enough.
But it is incredible how much Luang Prabang has changed since my last visit! I read the Chinese are helping Laos build a new airport in Luang Prabang. This is part of the multi-billion dollar railway project that China wants to connect Kunming in China’s south all the way to Bangkok. Its first destinations will be Luang Prabang and Vientiene. I read last week that China’s conditions of the loan to Laos for this project are onerous. The IMF has asked Laos to decline the deal. But the prospect of China helping Laos build its first train network ever is too strong. The project will almost certainly go forward.
So, Laos is cuddling up to China. There are Chinese language signs all over town. And the China-funded airport in Luang Prabang has made this city accessible to the world. The town is incredibly busy. I thought last time it was just me and the tuk-tuk drivers here. But today the streets are swarming with French, Malaysians, Chinese, and Americans. This charming village has finally been discovered.
Today Jonaca and I are relaxing, writing, and probably drinking. Tomorrow we fly to Chiang Mai, which is the only other destination on this tour. I hope to make time for another blog entry.
