LAOS FROM 16th TO 20th FEBRUARY

From Chiang Rai we took a  direct bus to Luang Namtha in the North of Laos , 3 hours to the border Houei Xai and 4 hours more to arrive at the bus station , 15 minutes by tuk tuk lorry. 

The new friendship bridge across the Mekong is a new border crossing point opened only 1 year ago. 

The border on the Laos side at Navaraj Nakhon                                                       

1st Sunset in Laos, seen from the bus

 We chose to make a 3 days trek through the Laos jungle. Our trip started in the market to buy food and presents  to give to the people in the remote village we were visiting. 

 As in all these markets we have been to since leaving France , you can find everything and so nicely displayed. This is our guide with Paul choosing our lunch. 

A fruit we have never seen befor and it grows as big as this in only 4 months, the fruit is exported to China to make oil 

A buffalo which are often seen here but this one is tied up. 

After 6 hours in the jungle on a footpath that went up and down and up and down several times we arrived at the place we were going to camp at near the river, but we have to build everything: our shelter , our cutlery , our cooking utensils. 

The structure of the house is nearly finished the rest has  to be built before nightfall with bamboo and lianes to replace wood and string. 

 Once the structure is up , it is only missing the roof made from wild banana tree leaves that we chopped to the ground. The leaves are also used on the floor as a sleeping mat. As a precaution mosquito nets go up but this is more for tourists, the locals obviously don't use these. no sides but at least we have a roof over our heads for this night. 

Cooking :Take some rice put it on banana leaves and make into small packets these are put into  a big bamboo stem which has water inside and put in the fire to cook, absolutely delicious ! 

Prepare chicken with tomatoes also on a banana leave

Everything is nearly cooked, yummy ..

And now for the eating, it was really delicious.   

Same thing in the morning, a soup of banana flower with noodles

It's time to go

 Ju eats with her chopsticks, handmade from bamboo. 

 A strange flower on the forest floor.
The picture opposite shows Flowers on the bambous, after the bamboo comes into flower (which is very rare, every 20/30 years) the bamboo dies. 

The First village 1600 people electricity and a school , paid for by the EEC (Europe). 

Two girls make flour with rice

Ju with our guide SUI  who spoke perfect English !

Second village 92 people, no water, no toilet, no school, but buffaloes, pigs to eat "everything " and chickens to be eaten

Our second sunset in Laos but from a mountain top this time

We slept in the hut belonging to the village chief 's father a family of eleven along with us,  and we are 5, our guide and  two sherpas

6 o'clock  in the morning it's wakey , wakey time , one is up everyone is up, the rooster sees to this !

The chief's father, aged between 75 et 85 depending on how many rice harvests he has seen in one field (one every 5 years). He thinks he is 80 but he could be 75 or 85. His last son (number 12) was born 7 years ago...

The last baby of this big family, he was sick this night and a sore bottom which is easily handled by a  dog who cames to lick him clean ; a dog's saliva is an antiseptic !

The queue to see the doctor a German guy (Dieter Ernst) who is responsable for  an orphanage in Cambodia but who was on holiday in Laos and make a trek like us and he slept in a lodge.
His association is :
"KKEV Cambodia website :
kinderhilfekambodscha-ev.org 
Volunteers welcome 6 months minimum and many pleasure

Our host is controlled, he has bronchitis because he is always near smoke in his house (fire and cigarettes).   

In the morning when you go to the  toilet in the surrounding countryside a pig stays in waiting for you and follows you slyly and when you have finished he clears up for you, it is really ecological.  

A chicken coupe for the night to protect them from eagles

 A gum tree which will be bled this year as the season is late but the price is also low only 4000kip /kilo compared to 22000 last year !
The gum is sold to China in its raw form. 

A well deserved swim in the river after our 3 day 2 night trek

This lady is from the Lanten tribe and she is making rice paper used for special ceremonies.