South East Asia Adventure | The long trek near Luang Prabang Part 1

The long trek began with a 2-hour gentle climb up to Ban Mokchong (midlands H’mong) and Pha Peung (highlands H’mong), both outside LP. Our guide, also H'mong, is from a village near the Chinese border and we concluded that he is very much a “country boy”. Young (“22 is coming”), dark skinned, with legs like bamboo sticks, he mainly guides trekking, cycling, kayaking, and, “when I have to”, some rock climbing. We were like a day off for him!

Lee helps me across the river

  As we trekked up, the river wound its way down, so that we had to repeatedly cross over. Each time. Margaret, who wisely wore Tevas, cooled off her feet in the stream, while I, in my hiking shoes, slid precariously on the mucky rocks, with Lee, Margaret, and occasionally a bamboo pole for balance. Although at times the rising temperature and my rapidly beating heart begged a cooling off, I managed to avoid an unplanned dip in its cool waters. 

We met an occasional villager and a tractor on their way down, but for the most part the hard-packed red clay trail was ours alone. The air was clean, and we breathed deeply as the mountains and expansive valley emerged from under the fog. Except for the occasional moan from water buffalo and laughter from children playing in the river, we reveled in the silence.



After perhaps 2.5 hours of gentle uphill climbing we arrived in Ban Mokchong. It was lunchtime, and we were ready for the picnic promised by our guide. (He’d picked up something on the street in LP before we left.) As we walked into the village we were greeted by a dozen or more children, three or four dogs and as many black snorting pigs, and of course, chickens.  While Lee prepared a place for us, and set out our lunch on freshly-cut banana leaves from a nearby tree, we visited with the women and children.

At first she wasn't sure about my camera!

An older woman, perhaps seventy (okay, not so old) immediately brought out her friendship bracelets for us to buy (3 for 1500 kip—about 4 USD). Then, having looked us up and down, tried on Margaret's sunglasses, to the laughter and gaiety of all. Of course then everyone wanted to try them! Our cameras soon became the main attraction. The children wiggled and squirmed like those fish in the tubs in the Mekong, to get into each picture.  And when they saw their faces in the LCD, the looks of amazement, wonder and awe was inspiration for the next photo! 

I think she's ready for the runway!

Is that me?

Lee served up a whole fish, crispy on the outside, and tender and delicious on the inside, wrapped in banana leaf. Individual styro boxes were filled with chicken fried rice, and there was hot sauce in a baggy. There were apples for dessert, and bottled water. We settled down at the three-cornered wooden table, neatly tucked into the shade of the trees, and while the dogs and pigs continued to mull around, the children politely backed away and watched until we finished. The barbecued fresh fish was delicious, and by the time we’d finished picking the bones with our chopsticks there wasn’t much left for the dogs. 

Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond dirty faces with runny noses, half-dressed babies, torn clothes and bare feet, ramshackle huts, and an absence of order and control to find instead the joy in moments like this. We were welcome visitors, and they spared nothing to get a close up view of us: two curious-looking, near-identical women with white hair, dark glasses, and instant photos. We were overwhelmed by their smiling eyes, curiosity, playfulness and laughter.