Caught a boat from Don Kohng to Don Det, a much smaller island some kilometres south. The guide book says you can walk around the island in about two hours. All we can say is the author must have had a happy meal first!! (Explain later).
The boat takes over an hour, going with the current while using an outboard motor, and drops its passenger's off at the northern tip of the island. We have a good idea of the place we want to stay. Its about halfway up the east side, we reckon 20 minutes or so.
Not so. Time for a little light exercise!!! Some 40 minutes later, about 3 or 4 km, we reach the place, which is closed for maintenance/repairs. We rest for a while.
Another 3 km to just before the 'French Bridge', where we find the 'River Garden' guest house. Individual huts facing the river. Looks nice and clean, so we stay... 50,000 kip (£3.80), but some of the food items a tad expensive.
"Notice your pumpkin burgers are 15000 kip, and your 'happy' pumpkin burgers are 40000 kip, why is that?" Enquiries Mike. "Marijuana", replies the host. Very American, does he mean cannabis? " Yes, but all run out."
Mike notices they also serve a 'happy pizza', and a 'happy shake'. Of course this is all highly illegal in Laos... And they have undercover agents out to catch those who partake!!
The 'French Bridge' links Don Det to Don Khon, which is a bigger island, and much more conservative. After a night in the 'River Garden', we change islands and accommodation. River Garden is not quite all it seems. Bathroom shower is but a trickle, no sink, and an ants nest in the bed. At least the snakes stayed outside, unlike about every other creepy crawly on the island. Used the mosquito net as a cocoon, lol. Now in a much nicer riverside shack, brand new with a/c. Three times the cost, but ten times the value.
No wonder customers need a happy meal in the other place!!!
Note: The greeting in Laos is 'sai be dee', which sounds like Zebedee, of the magic roundabout.... Mike thought the reply for Don Det should be 'Dillon hey man'!!
The photo of the cluster around the
light are in fact insects!
Some pictures of first guesthouse, the French Bridge, view from our next guesthouse at sunset.
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