Sep 21, 2009 - Crossing over to Lovely Laos

I had read about The White Temple a few days before reaching Chiang Rai and hired a red taxi to bring me to it. You will notice the only gold building are the loos which were definitely the fanciest I had seen since arriving in Asia :-) From there on it was a local bus to Chiang Khong to cross from there into Laos, into the border town of Huay Xai. ... I spent a beautiful evening drinking LAO BEER and watching boat races on the Mekong.I had read about The White Temple a few days before reaching Chiang Rai and hired a red taxi to bring me to it. You will notice the only gold building are the loos which were definitely the fanciest I had seen since arriving in Asia :-) From there on it was a local bus to Chiang Khong to cross from there into Laos, into the border town of Huay Xai. ... I spent a beautiful evening drinking LAO BEER and watching boat races on the Mekong....

Sep 16, 2009 - An Epic Journey

Our journey began when we decided to head to Laos from Chiang Mai. We just caught the boat over got our visas at the border and we continued on to the bus station on the Laos side at Huay Xai. ... Huay Xai was a very quiet town, you could count the foreigners we saw on 2 hands. ... We just had some dinner, a couple of Beer Lao’s and went to bed.Our journey began when we decided to head to Laos from Chiang Mai. We just caught the boat over got our visas at the border and we continued on to the bus station on the Laos side at Huay Xai. ... Huay Xai was a very quiet town, you could count the foreigners we saw on 2 hands. ... We just had some dinner, a couple of Beer Lao’s and went to bed....

Apr 6, 2009 - The Gibbon Experience

I had heard about the Gibbon Experience quite early on in my travelling while still in Thailand, and I was determined to do it even though it cost 1,900,000 kip (AUD$320) for 3 days and 2 nights. So I arrived in Huay Xai ("way sigh") feeling a little bit of trepidation about whether or not there would be a spot free for me. ... I definitely didn't want to spend more time in Huay Xai than necessary, because there is nothing to do there! Luckily there was still a place free and I was surprised at how easy it was so sign up, just handed over the money and signed a very broad disclaimer which basically absolved the company of any injury I might incur from zip-lining. ... The next morning after a 10 minute "safety video", which turned out to be the only instruction we received, we embarked on a 3 hour drive out to the Gibbon Experience.I had heard about the Gibbon Experience quite early on in my travelling while still in Thailand, and I was determined to do it even though it cost 1,900,000 kip (AUD$320) for 3 days and 2 nights. So I arrived in Huay Xai ("way sigh") feeling a little bit of trepidation about whether or not there would be a spot free for me. ... I definitely didn't want to spend more time in Huay Xai than necessary, because there is nothing to do there! Luckily there was still a place free and I was surprised at how easy it was so sign up, just handed over the money and signed a very broad disclaimer which basically absolved the company of any injury I might incur from zip-lining. ... The next morning after a 10 minute "safety video", which turned out to be the only instruction we received, we embarked on a 3 hour drive out to the Gibbon Experience....

Apr 2, 2009 - Huay Xai

After a truly horrendous bus ride I arrived at the rather non-descript town of Huay Xai on the Laos-Thailand border about 7am this morning. ... As a result of the windows that did not close, combined with the pouring rain that continued most of the night I was FREEZING cold and dripping wet by the time I made it to a guesthouse.After a truly horrendous bus ride I arrived at the rather non-descript town of Huay Xai on the Laos-Thailand border about 7am this morning. ... As a result of the windows that did not close, combined with the pouring rain that continued most of the night I was FREEZING cold and dripping wet by the time I made it to a guesthouse....

Mar 1, 2009 - Chiang Mai - Pai - Laos

After I dropped off my passport at a travel agency in Chiang Mai, I had a few days to kill before I could pick it up along with my Vietnam visa.After I dropped off my passport at a travel agency in Chiang Mai, I had a few days to kill before I could pick it up along with my Vietnam visa....

Feb 7, 2009 - Slow Boat into Laos

Sharon Before the boat ride started: After Thailand it was obvious we had to go through Laos to Vietnam.Sharon Before the boat ride started: After Thailand it was obvious we had to go through Laos to Vietnam....

Feb 4, 2009 - Chiang Khong to Loas

Today was a major travel day – Chiang Rai to the Thai border at Chiang Khong, then a boat across the river to enter Loas at Huay Xai. ... There a small boat takes you across the Mekong to arrive in Huay Xai, Loas. ... Stayed the night in Huay Xai which, like most border towns, is not the nicest place you’re going to visit. ...

Nov 16, 2008 - Huay Xai and 'The Gibbon Experience'

Over the border and into the border town of Huay Xai in Laos, a country whose unfortunate claim to fame is that thanks to the American bombings of the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam war, it became the most bombed country in history. ... Huay Xai is small town with not a lot to do, but some 3 hours away is a conservation project known as the Gibbon Experience whose goal is to preserve as much of the jungle as possible, and whose funding comes from allowing visitors to access the jungle at canopy level via zip-wires, all for a rather steep $199 for a 3 day experience. ... If you are very lucky you may see the elusive gibbon swinging from tree to tree.Over the border and into the border town of Huay Xai in Laos, a country whose unfortunate claim to fame is that thanks to the American bombings of the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam war, it became the most bombed country in history. ... Huay Xai is small town with not a lot to do, but some 3 hours away is a conservation project known as the Gibbon Experience whose goal is to preserve as much of the jungle as possible, and whose funding comes from allowing visitors to access the jungle at canopy level via zip-wires, all for a rather steep $199 for a 3 day experience. ... If you are very lucky you may see the elusive gibbon swinging from tree to tree....

Oct 31, 2008 - LMT to Huay Xai

I got up early and headed off around the 8.I got up early and headed off around the 8....

May 25, 2008 - On the road again

SO it has been a long couple of days of travelling.SO it has been a long couple of days of travelling....

May 7, 2008 - Bootsfahrt auf dem Mekong (Tag 2 nach Huay Xai)

Am naechsten Tag geht es weiter, zwar in einem anderen Boot, aber mit den gleichen anderen Reisenden wie am Vortag. Am Abend treffen wir schliesslich in Huay Xai ein. ... Unseren letzten Abend in Laos verbringen wir gemeinsam mit drei anderen Travellern bei lecker Essen und Bier.Am naechsten Tag geht es weiter, zwar in einem anderen Boot, aber mit den gleichen anderen Reisenden wie am Vortag. Am Abend treffen wir schliesslich in Huay Xai ein. ... Unseren letzten Abend in Laos verbringen wir gemeinsam mit drei anderen Travellern bei lecker Essen und Bier....

Apr 19, 2008 - Huay Xay, LAOS

Entered Laos,the promissed land.Entered Laos,the promissed land....