Slowly down the Mekong

I may have given the impression that our boat trip on the Mekong River in Laos was going to be a ‘River Cruise’ in the grand tradition of cruises on European rivers. As you see that’s not quite the situation. We’re experiencing exactly what we expected - a simple small boat with comfortable seating, freshly cooked lunches and excursions ashore to riverside villages in a very remote part of the world.

We boarded our boat this morning in Houayxay, Laos, after a 2-hour drive from Chiang Rai in Thailand and immigration procedures to exit Thailand and enter Laos. Tonight we are in luxurious resort-style accommodation overlooking the river in the small town of Pak Beng, the half-way point of our 2-day voyage.

Internet availability is not good in Laos. I can’t use mobile data so I’ll be limited to slow wifi in hotels. I’m posting this a day late, but hope to catch up during the 3 days we’re in Luang Prabang, our next stop.