Champassak

It doesn't matter where you're going to when you depart from Don Det, all boats leave at 10:30 (or perhaps 11:15). This meant we got to hang out and chat with some fellow travelers that were all heading to different places. We mentioned to one American guy that our next stop was Champassak. He told us that there really wasn't much to do there except visit the temple. It was only after a few more minutes of conversation and him giving us advice about the town that it came out he hadn't actually been there.

He met a girl who stopped there for a day and wasn't impressed. And, of course, the Lonely Planet didn't have much to say about it. This new information only strengthened our resolve to go there. Sure enough, the town didn't have a wealth of major attractions, but it had a natural, authentic, Laos feel that you don't get in places which have rave reviews in the Lonely Planet. It's true, there's not that much there except Lao people living the Lao lifestyle. But isn't that why we came to Laos in the first place?

So we walked the one road town back and forth and enjoyed the river views. The next day we rented a motorbike again so that we could go and see the temple which was a little way outside of town. We weren't expecting what happened next.

We knew that it was the start of the Lao New Year, but we didn't know the specifics of how this holiday is celebrated. Sure, there are parties, and eating, and drinking, and music, and dancing, and all the things you would expect. In addition to these things is the 'cleansing' aspect of the holiday.

So we're riding out to the temple (the second day in my life I've ever ridden a motorbike) and I see a group of kids standing by the side of the road. As I get closer they start walking out into the road and I naturally respond by slowing down. As I approach I notice that they have water guns and one girl has a large bucket of water. In the few seconds that pass between the time I notice them and meet them on the road, I begin to piece together in my mind what is about to follow. I figure it out just as the girl throws the water from the bucket into my path and it hits me in the chest like a sack of bricks. I was totally soaked.

All I can say is that at least after the first time it wasn't a surprise anymore. It seems a little dangerous to me, but people celebrate the holiday by throwing water on each other, on cars, and especially on passing motorbikes which is how most people get around. Some people speed up to try and escape, others accept their fate and continue as normal, and others still slow down or come to a stop and allow buckets of water to be dumped onto their heads.

We tried each of these strategies at different times. It did cool us down, which was refreshing after we had removed sensitive objects from our pockets. The ancient temple was pretty cool, but nothing compares to Angkor. We returned home to get splashed again by all the people that got us the first time. It was really lots of fun once we accepted our role in the festivities.