32 km

This morning we woke up early to the sound of a storm gathering. We sat on our balcony with our fruit and yogurt and Nalgene of Nescafe mixed up strong (it’s better than the sickeningly sweet Lao coffee and we’ve become quite used to it). It started to sprinkle rain, and as locals fished the river below it started raining harder. Soon the wind was whipping through the coconut trees and the rain became a total wall of water. We sat enthralled for a couple of hours, talking and watching the river rise and the clouds change.

After all these hot, dry months the rain has finally come and we are enjoying every drop. The temperature has fallen by maybe twenty degrees Fahrenheit and it’s almost chilly.

After the rains cleared up we headed out to ride 13 kilometers north of town to see a set of caves. Just after kilometer marker 169 there’s a big sign on the left for the caves. We followed the gravel road down to the river and parked our bikes (3,000 Kip each) and crossed the river on a bamboo footbridge (5,000 Kip each) and walked to the first cave, Tham Sang, or Elephant Cave. Inside is a stalactite shaped like an elephant, helped a bit by some concrete we think. It also featured a Buddha footprint (do they think that we think that Buddha actually stomped his foot here?) and a Buddha statue. It’s considered a holy cave, so you have to take off your shoes at the entrance.

Next came a short walk to Tham Hoi, a 3-kilometer long cave that leads to an underground lake. A local boy of about 16 pointed out the way and walked with us. He chatted with a couple of boys at the entrance who sold us our tickets (5,000 kip each) and then walked in with us. We had pretty good head lamps with us and he had a powerful flashlight, so we could see really well. After walking a few minutes, we had to wade through some water. The local kid said it was fun, we should keep going, so we did.

The cave stayed about the same width and height and remained pretty level as we walked through, but parts were filled with water so that soon we had to swim. The local was having great fun and we were glad to have someone to follow in. I personally wouldn’t have swam through if he hadn’t been there. I couldn’t believe how far into this cave we were going! After a while the local said he was turning around, indicating his flashlight battery wouldn’t last. So we went back with him. It was weird to emerge into the humid warmth of the jungle outside when we came out. I could imagine the locals spend a good amount of time in there during the hottest parts of the year.

We then walked up the hill a bit to the large cavern of Tham Loup, which was not very deep. After that we walked around to Tham Nam, a cave through which a tributary of the Nam Song flows. To go into it you pay your entrance fee (10,000 Kip) which includes a tractor inner tube. You get on the tube and pull yourself on a rope into the cave. Shortly after the water deepens and you use your arms to paddle up the stream. When you reach the end, you simply float or paddle back down. It was a fun way to see the cave and a really unique experience.

All along the local boy is guiding us. We reviewed our guidebook and it said an admission fee “is collected by a guide at the entrance to each cave,” so we assume he’s included as part of the fees we’re paying at each cave. He’s been fun and helpful, so we get out some money for a tip before we walk back, thinking we’ll give it to him as we part ways at the village where we crossed the foot bridge. But before we get back to the village he stops, turns, and says something like, “OK, you pay me money now for the guiding,” with a completely serious face. I had the tip in my hand at that point and sort of held it out, shocked at the abrupt change from his fun manner. He looked at the Lao money and shook his head, saying, “Five dollars. Each.”

Dave said, “No, that’s not the way it works. If you wanted a set amount you should have said in the beginning.” He then took the money and tried to hand it to the boy, asking him to please take it. The boy refused. So we started walking back. The boy then said, “OK, five dollars!” We kept walking. Then, finally, he asked for the Kip and we gave it to him.

We walked back feeling bad about the whole thing, thinking about how we could have handled it differently in the beginning. To give in to the boy would only encourage him to do the same thing to others, and we felt it was wrong.