The Boat
This posting is the second in a series, so if you haven’t read the previous posting, you might be a little lost.
The debate had been going on for weeks in my head. On the one hand, the slow boat is cheaper and more comfortable, however in taking the slow boat, I would squander two entire vacation days just getting to Luang Prabang. By taking the speedboat, I would save a day but would be subjected to six hours of horrible discomfort, deafening engine noise, and possibly death (every couple of years or so, a speedboat travelling between Luang Prabang and Chiang Khong crashes, killing passengers and drivers).
Having decided that risking the remote possibility of dying in a fiery ball on the Mekong River is better than wasting a vacation day, I chose the speedboat.
I have obviously survived the ordeal, but my experience verified the many frightening stories I had heard about the speedboat to Luang Prabang. The boat was so narrow, it would more be more aptly called a rocket canoe. The ride was possibly the most terrifying of my life, though I was too distracted by the pain shooting through my legs and back to take notice. For the duration of the trip, I shared a 4′ x 2′ space with Dave, a six-foot tall college kid from Boston. We were squished together in a way where our movements were inextricably linked. If Dave wanted to shift his legs, I would have to adjust my body position as well. Every fifteen minutes or so, I would move my legs around and find a somewhat comfortable position. After five minutes, the quasi-comfort would give way to mild discomfort which would eventually be overtaken by wrenching pain. The view was nice though.
As we jetted down the Mekong, we passed remote fishing villages where the inhabitants had likely lived in the same fashion for the past century or more. These villages had no electricity, and the people apparently made their life from the river. The future for these villages that depend on the Mekong is uncertain, as China has begun building a series of dams upriver. How these dams will affect ecosystems downstream remains to be seen.
We arrived in Luang Prabang in the twilight, about fifteen minutes after it had become too dark to see clearly. My body felt like it had been packed in a suitcase, and my hearing was shot—everything sounded like I was underwater—but I had arrived safely in Luang Prabang. Stepping off the speedboat, I promised myself I would never do that again.
