Despite September 11 we had stayed on in Central Asia and intended to continue with our planned trip down the Karakorum Highway.  International relations saw things differently and the Chinese/Pakistani border south of Kashgar was closed meaning that our planned trip was impossible.

I don’t recall how or why we decided  to go to Laos – but we took a flight from Urumqi and ended up in Kunming around October 1, National Day, for a second year in a row.

The Xishuangbanna region of China was awesome as was the border crossing through into northern Laos.

The innovative community tourism project in Luang NamTha was a highlight, and a fascinating contrast to the next town down the road, Muang Sing, which had been negatively impacted upon by tourists in search of the green stuff.

We joined up with a couple of Canadians, a mad Frenchman and an Aussie to take a canoe down the Nam Tha river to Luang Prabang.  Apart from the fact we spent a good part of the first day waiting while our driver made repairs to the engine, it was a highlight of our time in Laos.

Laos certainly ranks as one of the most enjoyable countries in the world, and our memories of this country are the most nostalgic of anywhere. It is a place we definitely want to go back to!!!

Considering we loved it so much, I wonder why I have never written a story about Laos!  Perhaps it was because I also had a nasty case of food poisoning that lingered on for about ten days and I was far too weak to put pen to paper and write notes!

We returned to Laos in 2006 - see photos and commentary here in a group email Wondering about the way of the world

Judy tubing downriver at Vang Vieng


One of my favourite pictures - taken at a Black H'Mong village out of Luang Nam Tha

Spelunking, Vang Vieng, Laos. "Whats Spelunking?" Hmmm... Good question!

Copyright Ariana Svenson, 2005 - Comments and enquiries, please email us.