Magical World

It is almost 6 months that we are on the road now. Six months in which we had to adapt to new environments continuously, put up with many unforeseen “surprises” and learn how to handle unknown and new situations. Therefore this trip has not only given us many nice, touching and, without doubt, life-changing experiences, making this trip enjoyable and refreshing, but it also offered us some severe cases of “self-testing” in which we needed to cope and adapt in a never-ending manner. For this last reason, it was time we took a small brake and have some rest. And an “eco-lodge” at about 50 km from Vientiane seemed to be just the right place for this.

Enjoying the soft “roaring” of the motorboat during the 25 minutes on the river, which is the only way to access the lodge, we approach the resort which is set in a curve of a river amid a protected forest area. When we get out of the boat, the manager welcomes us with a warmly “welcome to Ban Pako” and shows us our room in a bamboo house open on all sides but assuring privacy by Venetian stores on each side leaving place to the magnificent light to come in.

After a small drink and some reading in the hammocks overlooking the river, we head for the Lao sauna set in the middle of the jungle. It’s a great experience: the sauna is heated with wood and the different herbs added to the water make this experience not only a nice one for the skin, but also for our nostrils that open up under the influence of eucalyptus, lemongrass and other herbs that are kept a well-kept secret by the locals. In order to cool down after some 10 minutes of intense sweating, we jump in the nearby creek floating by. Cool but satisfying!

In the evening we enjoy the bonfire and dine overlooking the river where there is no other noise than the natural sounds of the jungle around us preparing for the night: gibbons, birds and the soft whispering of many, many crickets around. The silence and the relaxed atmosphere of the place make that we quickly follow the jungle animals for a deep and sound sleep.

The next day we actually do exactly the same thing: eating, relaxing in a hammock, opening our pores at the sauna and heading to bed early with the jungle sounds acting as a lullaby. What a life!

And please don’t complain we didn’t warn you: the title says it all!

Vera & Jean-Christophe