We decided that the journey from Luang Prabang to Nong Kiau warranted it's very own blog entry. Three days before departure we had booked our tickets not entirely sure that we would be on the boat. If the ticket office didn't sell enough seats then the boat would not run. The night before our journey I stopped by the dock to check whether it was running. I was answered with a beaming smile and the words of "yes, one hundred percent!". We took this with a pinch of salt.
Our fears were unfounded and early the next morning we walked down to the riverside to find our boat. While we waited the ticket man gave us a brief lesson in Laos which was quite handy. Our craft pulled up to the dock and we clambered aboard. Not only were we the only passengers but instead of uncomfortable wooden benches we had reclining car seats. After a quick refuel we were on our way up the Mekong.
A few hours later we forked off onto the Nam Ou. The scenery was magnificent and along the way we saw how the locals earn their living from the river by fishing, using it for irrigation or mining for gold. It was the gold mining that gave our trip an unexpected twist.
About two thirds into our journey we encountered some rapids that had been the result of course changes in the river due to mining. We suddenly ran aground and the boat listed dangerously to the port and we were ordered to abandon ship. I grabbed all our valuables just leaving our main rucksacks on board.
Our three strong crew then enlisted the help of the nearby miners to stabilise the boat, refloat it and set if off back up the river. We were now stranded on a gravel island with no means of crossing. The miners helped the female member of the crew across but even they were nearly swept away by the strong current. From the opposite bank the locals were beckoning us across but with passports, computer and camera it would have been impossible. I did begin begin to toy with idea of trying to cross with everything held above my head but with no shoes on I would not have been very steady in the fast flowing river.
Suddenly one of the diggers started up and began rumbling towards us. It was soon apparent that this was our way off the island. It crawled slowly into the river and as soon it was one step away from our bank we were signalled to climb aboard. It then swivelled 180 degrees and we made our way across the rapids. I don't think any of us had ridden in, yet alone on, a digger before. My perch was slightly hair raising as six inches below the grate I was standing on the caterpillar tracks were rushing by with nothing to stop me slipping off and under them!
We made it across safely with no injuries apart from a large rip in Hannah's shorts which kept the locals amused. We had a short wade to find the boat again and gave the driver of the digger our bottle of Lao lao as a token of our thanks.
Back under way and we had another unscheduled stop at a small village. The second male member of the crew and the captain jumped out and were gone for twenty minutes or so. When they returned they had bought three other women with them and there was an air of excitment. We cast off and made our way across the river where the boat was tied up and just the four of us left aboard.
Curiosity got the better of Paul and I so we jumped out to find out what was occurring. We wandered up to the throng of people and soon realised they were panning for gold. The excitement was because they had found some; they had actually found quite a lot. A massive metal box containing black sediment was being dished out in small amounts to women with wooden pans. The women sat crouched in the river sieving it, then returning to the shore and pouring the sifted gold into a bucket. One lady found a nugget about the size of my little finger nail.
Our curiosity satisfied we returned to the boat and once the crew had returned we made our final couple of hours up the river. We docked at Nong Kiau and made our way straight to the nearest bar. While Kate and Hannah went in search of some accommodation, Paul and I knocked back the beer enjoying the sunset!
Our fears were unfounded and early the next morning we walked down to the riverside to find our boat. While we waited the ticket man gave us a brief lesson in Laos which was quite handy. Our craft pulled up to the dock and we clambered aboard. Not only were we the only passengers but instead of uncomfortable wooden benches we had reclining car seats. After a quick refuel we were on our way up the Mekong.
A few hours later we forked off onto the Nam Ou. The scenery was magnificent and along the way we saw how the locals earn their living from the river by fishing, using it for irrigation or mining for gold. It was the gold mining that gave our trip an unexpected twist.
About two thirds into our journey we encountered some rapids that had been the result of course changes in the river due to mining. We suddenly ran aground and the boat listed dangerously to the port and we were ordered to abandon ship. I grabbed all our valuables just leaving our main rucksacks on board.
Our three strong crew then enlisted the help of the nearby miners to stabilise the boat, refloat it and set if off back up the river. We were now stranded on a gravel island with no means of crossing. The miners helped the female member of the crew across but even they were nearly swept away by the strong current. From the opposite bank the locals were beckoning us across but with passports, computer and camera it would have been impossible. I did begin begin to toy with idea of trying to cross with everything held above my head but with no shoes on I would not have been very steady in the fast flowing river.
Suddenly one of the diggers started up and began rumbling towards us. It was soon apparent that this was our way off the island. It crawled slowly into the river and as soon it was one step away from our bank we were signalled to climb aboard. It then swivelled 180 degrees and we made our way across the rapids. I don't think any of us had ridden in, yet alone on, a digger before. My perch was slightly hair raising as six inches below the grate I was standing on the caterpillar tracks were rushing by with nothing to stop me slipping off and under them!We made it across safely with no injuries apart from a large rip in Hannah's shorts which kept the locals amused. We had a short wade to find the boat again and gave the driver of the digger our bottle of Lao lao as a token of our thanks.
Back under way and we had another unscheduled stop at a small village. The second male member of the crew and the captain jumped out and were gone for twenty minutes or so. When they returned they had bought three other women with them and there was an air of excitment. We cast off and made our way across the river where the boat was tied up and just the four of us left aboard.
Curiosity got the better of Paul and I so we jumped out to find out what was occurring. We wandered up to the throng of people and soon realised they were panning for gold. The excitement was because they had found some; they had actually found quite a lot. A massive metal box containing black sediment was being dished out in small amounts to women with wooden pans. The women sat crouched in the river sieving it, then returning to the shore and pouring the sifted gold into a bucket. One lady found a nugget about the size of my little finger nail.
Our curiosity satisfied we returned to the boat and once the crew had returned we made our final couple of hours up the river. We docked at Nong Kiau and made our way straight to the nearest bar. While Kate and Hannah went in search of some accommodation, Paul and I knocked back the beer enjoying the sunset!
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