Reflections on our trip to Laos

Laos is an intriguing and wonderful place to visit. Whilst tourists are very welcome, and there is a lot of enthusiasm for increasing tourist numbers, we were glad to be here at a time when it is not a tourist paradise overwhelmed with foreigners. The tragic history of Laos reflects the history of many Asian countries; strong royal families lose power after many centuries of rule to local and foreign countries intent on profiting from the resources within. Everchanging country borders add to the disruption. But Laos has more recently been the victim of war - the 'Secret War' - the repercussions of which continue today in the form of thousands of unexploded bombs distributed along the Ho Chi Minh trail. The ethics and morality of bombing a small insignificant country (popn. 1970: 2.7m) was not considered by the Americans as they were intent on preventing the expansion of communism. An unsuccessful endeavour that resulted in loss of life for many Americans ....and Australians and Laotians. However when travelling around Laos there is no animosity towards Australians or Americans. The outcomes of the War and the effects of the Communists taking over are just accepted as part of life. Questions about the tragic loss of life and other negative outcomes are answered but one feels like you are intruding. Tips: 1. Make sure you find local guides wherever you go so they can genuinely talk about life in the different regions of Laos. We had guides from EXO Travel and they were great. Buddhism is the key religion and a couple of our guides had been monks when young,which gave an extra insight into the Buddhist way of life.
2. Buy locally made handcrafts to support new economic and social initiatives. And visit any projects which are focused on training young people, building on traditional skills or improving health outcomes. There's a few examples in this blog!
I bought this oufit for my grandaughter : it's a H'mong mountain tribe traditional jacket and hat: she was impressed! 3. Learn a few words of the language. Personally I think it is very disrespectful to visit any country without learning the basic words in their language: hello, thank you, goodbye, delicious etc. 4. We travelled around in a small private van as there were seven of us. Public transport could be challenging as many of the roads are impassable or at best, very rough. And if you travel on the Chinese VFT ( Very Fast Train) buy a first class ticket: economy class was a nightmare. 5. Rather than just looking at attractions - like too many waterafalls!- get involved in some activities. We stretched ourselves to take on some that we felt we couldn't do, and really enjoyed them.
6. Get fit! We spent a lot of time getting in and out of low boats, Tuk Tuks, balancing on planks and wonky bridges, walking through rough ricefields etc. In the heat and humidity it is a challenge and the fitter you are the easier you will find it, of course! 7. The Lao people are overwhelmingly welcoming and happy to see tourists so treat them with respect and enjoy the skills they may impart to you eg. cooking school etc. We had a truly wonderful time and stayed in some amazing places: I'd go back anytime! And to finish here are some crazy signs which we enjoyed!!

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