Jac’s Journey

Four Thousand Islands. Nestled at the southernmost corner of Laos, in the widest spread of the mighty Mekong, as it makes it’s way from Tibet to South Vietnam. Islands bathed in sunshine, blessed by perfect sunsets, rare freshwater dolphins and far too many tourists and mosquitos. Yes, it was all sounding too good, eh?

Don Det is the main party island. And it is very beautiful. I hired a bicycle and cycled round it – like a mad dog/englishman – in the midday sun. Hot work.

Don Det was everything I’d hoped and feared. Here in paradise was another version of Vang Vieng. In VV it was quite entertaining. Here, it made me a bit sad. I was staying on Don Khon, another island, linked by a bridge, just to the south. Outside my riverside hut, I could swing in my hammock around teatime and watch families come down to the river with their little plastic buckets filled with soap and shampoo and bathe in the Mekong before their evening meal.

Don Khon and Don Det were both beautiful, but neither of them had the right rhythm for me. I wasn’t up for joining the hordes of off-their-face backpackers on Don Det, who steal your flip-flops when you’re not looking and gorge on magic mushrooms and happy shakes. Nor was I ready to settle into the middle-aged pace of Don Khon – my energy was still too high. The other 3998 islands involved backtracking along the road I’d already travelled.

I decided I’d appreciated the beauty, seen the sunsets and my favourite bits of Laos were further north. I’ve had an incredible time here. Laos has been one of my favourite places to visit so far on this trip. But I think the islands came at the wrong time for me – I was out of step. I was starting to get very excited about my next adventure, and not in the mood for swinging in a hammock. It was back on the bus…no rest for the wicked!

Siphandon