Muong Ngoi to Luong Prabang

We just arrived in Luong Prabang after a full day of boat and tuk tuk travel. The boast ride from Muong Ngoi to Muong Khoi was uneventful except for the great little rapids we got to go down. However, the tuk tuk ride all the way to Luong Prabang was anything but. Once we piled into the back of the pickup, all of the seats were taken, so Sam, Jen, and I claim the center seats. These are wooden seats designed for preschoolers and line the center of the cab. Trevor unfortunately wasn't able to claim a seats quickly enough and was ostracized to the bumper. Yes, he spent 4 hours sitting on the bumper of a tuk tuk. To my left is ayoung woman with her 2 small children, the youngest of which was absolutely terrified of us. He'd take one peak from beyond the secure comfort of the cloth tying him to his mother and start screaming. Hysterical, can't catch your breath sobs. She'd yell at him, pat his bottom, force her lactating breast into his mouth. But nothing could take away his fear of being surrounded by falang, white people. Finally, he wore himself out enough to fall asleep. Next to the woman and her children was a kid in his early 20's from Canada who we'd met in Muong Ngoi. He'd been there for three months, not doing much of anything...I suspect the opium got to him. Opium is a major income generator here and as such many Westerners come to Laos just for that--cheap drugs. This kid validated my suspicions when I asked him how long he was planning on staying Lunong Prabang and his way too laid-back, dazed response was, Oh, I'm just going there to get more money, they I'm going back to Muong Ngoi. Right, ok.