The Laos of My Mind's Eye

Trekking into the hills of Laos was the adventure we were looking for. We were fully prepared for the dense jungle, steep narrow trails, muddy creek crossing and perhaps some creepy crawlers. What we were not ready for was the expanse of the cultural divide we were about to walk into.

It was when we made our way through our first tiny village that we knew we were in for a special experience. We were first met by a few pot bellied pigs, then chickens, and the occassional duck and/or dog. As we entered the village we see a variety of items laid out to dry - rice, peppers, bark. Next it's naked children, mothers and young children in busy groups. It's the dry season and most of the people only farm for the four months of the wet season planting and harvesting various types of rice. The other eight months the villagers stay productive hunting, foraging and even doing handicrafts or other types of labour to gain extra income. The people we see before our eyes are subsistance farmers - something that seems incredible to a Westerner as we've moved so far away from this style of living.

After 5 hours of hiking we stop in a larger mountain village where we stay for the night. You take your time enterining a place like this as everything is new in an acient sort of way. The homes, the tools, the foot worn earth, the lay of the land, and the people themselves, all paint a perfect picture of life so many years ago.

The most amazing thing of all is how generous and friendly the people were. All it takes is a friendly greeting and you see them light up. The kids around the place we were staying warmed up to our group after only a few minutes. Levi spoke their language and was playing, oblivious to any differences, with joyful abandon.

I could go on an on about how great it was for all of us to encounter such an example of what I can only think to call "honest living", but suffice it to say that the two short days experiencing village life in Laos are unforgettable.

Greg