A Solo Travellers Mind

The journey to Nong Khiaw was less than appealing. A 7am train journey (which was the most comfortable of the stint), followed by a 3 hour mini van ride, along the bumpiest road I have ever been on. I’m not kidding when I say I went flying on more than one occasion, and nearly got a concussion from hitting my head against the roof and the window… I made the choice to book my own room for the next few days. Nong Khiaw is a very small remote village and therefore only has one hostel which is a twenty two bedded dorm, and I feel that this is too much even for me. After a rather long nap I had out for dinner and a shake, I did have plans to complete one of the trails however after four days of action packed activities, and with two, potentially three more days ahead, I needed some chill time. So a date with the Kindle app it is. I seem to have gotten back into reading over the last few weeks, hitting the middle of book two as I write this. Potentially it’s due to a few new habits I’ve adopted recently subsequently improving my concentration, or maybe now that I have more time I’ve fallen back in love with books? Who knows… 

Day 2 is a far more productive day, first a solo early morning hike up to Pha Daeng Peak, which left me with the most spectacular views. On arrival back to my hotel/home stay, my new neighbours had moved in, a Dutch and English chap. We head out for some lunch together and then to Nang None Mountain for my second hike of the day for sunset. I must say that 2 hikes in one day is absolutely knackering, however it’s all part of the experience! With us all up early the next day, the evening is spent with a selection of Lao biscuits in hand (sharing some with the local kids) and having a natter. 

My final day in Nong Khiaw was spent up a veiw point reading and finishing my second book of the trip. The route up was interesting, after being scammed by a local pretending to be the ticket lady.. but who can blame her, she saw my white English skin and saw dolla signs. Then feeling too adventurous I skipped the first veiw point to head to the second, soon learning this route was far more rouge and through over grow jungle and thus I went back down to veiw point number 1. Greeted with deck chairs and a wonderful veiw, it was the perfect spot to place myself for the afternoon. Two English pounds well spent, even if one of those went to a con artist. After bumping into Keiran, a friend from Pai, I head out with him and his friends for the evening, talking shit till the early hours before I head to bed ready for the journey back to Luang Prabang the following day.