The two activities to do in Pakse are visiting ruined Wat Phu Campaska and hiking the Bolaven plateau. With Angkor Wat and Vietnamese coffee plantations on the horizon we didn’t do either of those things. Instead, we relaxed for a day and planned our attack on the 4000 Islands.
The 4000 Islands is an archipelago in the Mekong river along the border with Cambodia. Descriptions of the area, the villages, and the river life have romance crapping out both ends. We decided that, rather than lay on the beach or float around in a tube, we’d go extreme and kayak for three days. Because tubes are for wusses. We were joined on our tour by two women from Australia, a couple from England, and two guides, all in two-man kayaks. The first day involved the most kayaking and covered the most distance. Team America’s superior strength, endurance, and piloting abilities quickly propelled us into a position of dominance. Team England, effectively a 1.5 person outfit, proved to be the weak link. Team Laos preferred splashing everyone and pushing each other into the river to everything else.
On the second day we saw the remains of the first train in Laos built by the French. Only the French, probably desperate for a transportation system to move their supply of wine and fresh berets around the colonies, would think a rail system in a group of small, rocky islands is a good idea. It’s derelict now. The kayaking journey began with a group of big rapids which Team America powered through with grace and skill. Team Australia flipped. Twice. The rest of the day we encountered a few smaller rapids and tricky bits of navigation around rocks and shallows. There were no more casualties due in large part to Team America’s expert lead in the first position. Before finishing for the day we stopped to watch a pod of Irrawaddy dolphins. These dolphins are famous in the Mekong area mostly for being scarce. I think there are something like twelve of them. That’s still more than enough, though, for at least one of them to realize an inter-island train is a stupid idea.
We spent that night in a homestay in a small village. Around sunset all the women and children bathe and wash clothes and dishes in the river. They do almost everything* in the river, but bath time seemed especially fun.
I used to play with a boat, too, but mine was four inches long and made of plastic
*EVERYTHING.
While we were lounging the village got a new boat delivery. It was mammoth and weighed a ton, so of course Team America, although off-duty, pitched in our brute strength and team leadership to carry it to the river. The boat was successfully launched majestically into the sunset. After dinner our hosts performed a special ceremony for luck which involved incense, prayers, and strings tied around our wrists. It was a nice and appreciated sentiment, but Team America doesn’t need no stinkin’ luck.
On our last day we bicycled to the other side of the island to reunite with the kayaks. The route went through all the small villages and was very pretty and friendly. Team America turned out to be as good at cycling as we had proven to be at kayaking and boat carrying. And the village kids were themselves quite good at waving and chasing us. The third stretch of river had the fastest and longest sections of rapids, although none as big as The Australia Killer from the day before. After three days of experience no one had any trouble, only fun, not that that was a surprise in our case. I was very happy we decided to see the islands the way we did. Doing it the “normal” way would have been a little dull. Plus, it gave us a chance to discover just how deep our awesomness went*. And yet another chance to facepalm about the French.
*ANSWER: Really really deep.
Yea for Team America!
2-person kayaks, particularly when piloted by married/dating couples, are often referred to as, “Divorce boats”.
That said, if you get along, you can go really fast & do tricks like these guys.