Lao Lao

I learnt a lesson as I awoke from my sleep on the museum floor in Tad Leuk: If you put mosquito repellent on and then go swimming (like I did yesterday) you need to re-apply the mosquito repellent in order to continue repelling mosquitos and this is because it will wash off. It's possible that this is common sense, and to be honest, I knew this beforehand, but nothing drills it into your head more than waking up to find your hands and feet covered in bites. The itching was unbearable. 

The bus takes us to a small place to grab some food and later takes us to a viewing point. The view is of something called the 'limestone forest'; jagged limestone rocks covering the hills. It's a nice view and it's very hot. My itching bites still aggravate me as we continue towards our next stop, Kong Lor.

Kong Lor isn't a very big place. In fact, it's rather a small place with one road surrounded by rice fields and the mountains. The houses are all made from wood, except for a couple of guesthouses, one of which we stay in. Ours has a restaurant and basic rooms. Rachelle accidentally kills a cockroach when she puts her bag down on the floor of the room. They can survive nuclear explosions, but they cannot survive Rachelle. After quick showers, we head downstairs to meet the rest of the group. We are going to Kong Lor cave together.

Kong Lor cave is the only reason to visit this small town. Rachelle and I are somewhat bored of caves, but this one is worth seeing. It's a huge cave that goes from one side of the mountain to the other. Water runs through it and you travel on a five-person boat with an engine stuck on the back. To give an idea of the size it takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to get from one side to the other, and at its largest point the cave is 100 metres by 100 metres. The cave is not lit up all the way through, but you can make out most of it from the headtorch of the driver. It's quite incredible and the cool temperature is certainly welcomed by us. Half way through we get out of the boats and walk around a part of the cave with some great stalactites and 'mites. These are all lit up and look pretty. Then it's back in the boats. 

Of course, I have a beer with me for the ride through the cave, and at the other side is a small kiosk for me to buy another. Then we head back through to Kong Lor again.

When we get back to the guesthouse it's time for dinner before going to a Laoatian good luck ceremony in a nearby village. It takes place in the chief's house and we all sit on the floor around a centrepiece; leaves and white pieces of string in a vase. An elderly man starts saying things in Laoatian in a chanting manner for a while. As he does this a glass of Lao Lao is passed around from which we must all sip - Lao Lao is a Laoasian spirit and is very strong stuff. We later find out that the man was wishing us good luck. Then he takes the white string pieces from the centrepiece and gives them to some women from the village who come around and tie them as bracelets to our arms. The bracelets must remain on your arm for three days for the good luck to work. As the first woman places the first bracelet on your arm you have to drink a shot of Lao Lao. They poured me a very big one. 

For the rest of the night there are snacks, music is played and there is lots of Beerlao to be drunk. It lasts for hours and the Lao Lao hits me hard. I embarrass myself; started trying to meditate for crying out loud. Damn that Lao Lao.