Cambodia Laos and Thailand, Last Day Of Touring: Visiting Many Tribal Villages From Tad Lo, 18 February 2001

Tad Lo Falls as seen from our hotel deck

Set off quite early – 8:30 to tour four villages. The first one [Khieng Tang Le – see headline photo] was not so interesting, nor as friendly as yesterday’s Nge village.

Khieng Tang Le. Hello, everybody.

Second village [Pho Tok] had large spirit house and a shamen who wanted us to cure him! – Daisy gave him some E 45 cream for his affliction.

Pho Tok village scene
Alak spirit house in Pho Tok
Unconvincing Alak shamen: “Show me your unguents & I’ll show you my spirit house”

Third village [Tadsung] was very poor and the only real highlight was the hydroelectric dam at the waterfall.

Tadsung & its dam

Fourth village [Na Nong] was a mixture of tribes – interesting to see. We prove most popular in the Buddhist part, while Ged got teased for his pale skin in the Ta Oy part.

Ta Oy – you – what are you lot up to? Teasing me about my pale skin?

Village scenes at Na Nong

Souey people (above), & Katou people (below)

Light lunch followed by relaxing pm at our bungalow…

Ironically, given the ribbing I had from the Ta Oy folk, I read The Human Stain on this holiday…although forensics suggest that I was reading Barney’s Version that day

…and early supper in preparation for tomorrow’s daftly early start.

That daft start the next morning led to one of my favourite travel stories – the tale of us jumping the border from Laos into Thailand… we sort of had no choice…


Photos 52 to 75 in the album linked here and below show the events of this day:

01 16 February - All aboard the Pakse - Champassak boat CLT_D17_Photo (10)

Cambodia Laos and Thailand, From Wat Phu To Tad Lo Via Several Tribal Villages, 17 February 2001

Rose quite early. Took breakfast and went off to ferry across the Mekong…

Even buses take the ferry

…on to Um Muang – a ruined Khmer temple.

Deep, deep, deep under cover

Then on to Pakse – saw Champassak Palace view, then on to market for tapes and water.

Then on towards Tad Lo stopping at village Houey Houne – Katou tribe, which wasn’t so nice.

It must be tough growing up in a place named Houey anything…

Got to Tad Lo – took light lunch of grilled chicken and beef – then went off to two more villages – the first in Sekong Province KP (Kok Phoung) village. Kaleum tribe.

The second in Saravan Province – Khieng Khong Village – Nge tribe.

Noukeo poses with one of the young Nge villagers in Khieng Khong

Glorious Tad Lo Falls sunset. Even better in real life than in the photo.

Got bearings back at Tad Lo and took dinner of stuffed chicken.

Photos 20 to 51 in the album linked here and below show the events of this day:

01 16 February - All aboard the Pakse - Champassak boat CLT_D17_Photo (10)