Muong Kwa

It seems to be that in Laos there are more people needing rides on buses than there are buses to accommodate. Alarmed by warnings of other travelers, I showed up at the bus station ready to buy a ticket to Muong Kwa at 7am. By the time I showed up, already a queue had formed and the ticked office hadn't even opened. 45 minutes and a whole lot of pushing later, I was able to snag one of the much desired tickets on the first bus to Muong Kwa. There's nothing remarkable about Muong Kwa other than its a nice place to wait for the next boat to Muong Ngoi, my intended destination for a few days of just hanging out. Seems that's what there is to do here in Laos, just hang. Grab a good book, sit back and enjoy the slow place of life around here.

I've met a nice couple, Sam and Jen, from Michigan. It's nice to have some travel buddies again. We checked in to a guesthouse here in Muong Kwa and even better than the great views of the river is the pet monkey. He's just a baby and so fluffy and cute! I feel bad for him though, he's got a look of sadness in his eyes that breaks my heart a little every time I walk by. I've been giving him bananas a couple times a day and that cheers him right up!