Fourteen years ago I travelled through Laos and really wanted to return, to see how much things have changed, but more importantly gauge how things have remained the same, given Luang Prabang, Lao's second cities UNESCO world Heritage City status.
I remember dusty streets, local restaurants and street markets all feeling more real than commercial and there was a very limited range of places to stay. I was there for a few weeks and had many incredible experiences in such a short space of time. One night I popped to the local store and was invited by a fellow shopper to his sisters wedding. Within half an hour I was dancing with the family and partaking of a beer or two. A real money can't buy experience.
I also spent time wandering around the many temples and was invited to spend some time with the Monks to practice their English, another priceless experience. Later in the week I then was invited to an ordination of one of the monks, a truly special and memorable occasion.
When I then travelled to the capital on a highly memorable but never to be repeated eighteen hour journey in a truck, sitting on wooden planks with an armed guard perched on the roof to ward off bandits, I felt that the journey would never end. But on arriving in Vientiane to coincide with the amazing annual tat luang festival I later bumped into these monks again. Needless to say they recognised me, as I cycled across the city, all I saw was a sea of orange robes and some one excitedly shouting Sarah!!!! They invited me to their private ritual of getting their heads shaved for this special occasion. Incredible.
Will I have any similar experiences when in those years hundreds upon thousands of tourist have visited this amazing city?......... I doubt it as when I was here before this was an exotic and untouched destination, but if I have a fraction of what I experienced before I will still be a truly blessed traveller!!!!'
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