Although he who walks behind an elephant may feel secure, he is likely to get splattered with elephant dung ~ Lao Proverb
We woke early, but headed to breakfast fairly late at 7:30am. I enjoyed muesli with yoghurt and milk, but I made the mistake of ordering the special eggs with toppings – a type of baked eggs with sweet bread and sweet Chinese sausage. I simply didnt like it (which is VERY rare for me), so I had to a vegetarian omelette, which was so much better. The woman in the kitchen wasnt very impressed with me at all, but then again, I dont think she was all that impressed with people in general. Cold orange cordial and hot tea rounded the breakfast off.
With we jumped into a minibus and headed to the outskirts of Luang Prabang. We drove through very basic villages, and we also had to navigate the seismic impact of the Railway Project – an ambitious train link that will connect Kunming in China with Vientiane in Laos by 2021.
Wed drifted under bridges on the Mekong River a few days earlier, so we were familiar with this project, but we
didnt realise the impact it was having on rural life in Laos. The dirt roads were rutted and the surrounding environs were scarred. Laos is one of East Asias poorest countries, so Im pretty sure the key beneficiaries of the Railway Project reside in Beijing. I doubt Laotians in the local villages surrounding Luang Prabang will benefit much from this train link in the years It is always difficult to witness a diminutive country in the financial clutches of a monolithic autocracy.
Despite the bumpy road and the unsettling impact of Chinas global Belt and Road Initiative, our bone rattling trip was worth it, because we were travelling to the MandaLao Elephant Conservation. The aim of this sanctuary is to preserve and protect domesticated and wild elephants, and it was to be an incredible experience. We donned special waterproof boots, gingerly clambered into a long thin canoe and sped across a narrow but fast flowing river to the waiting elephants. We fed them bananas, then walked with them through the sanctuary grounds. MandaLao markets itself as an intimate elephant experience, and it certainly ensures this is the case.
leader in ethical tourism – there are no chains, no hooks, no ropes and no riding saddles. The elephants walk freely in their natural habitat, and we (as tourists) walk alongside them. The entry fee contributes to their ongoing care, which simply adds to the experience. I loved it, and Ren was over the moon. She had a smile on her face from the time we arrived, and her love of the sanctuary was amplified a hundredfold by meeting Panda, the resident (and absolutely adorable) three legged dog that followed us everywhere.
We walked with four of the resident elephants for an hour, and the time literally flew. When it was time to leave, it was to be a very reluctant goodbye. We made our way back down to the riverbank, carefully boarded the long thin canoe and sped back across the river to the sanctuary headquarters. It was a relief to remove the boots, as the intense midday sun was difficult to escape, and the waterproof boot material wasnt breathable. We settled around a long table in the covered dining area and enjoyed a very lunch – chicken, vegetables, green curry with vegetables, steamed
rice and tempura vegetables. The Beerlao was also very and Rens fresh ginger and lime juice was incredibly refreshing.
We headed back to Luang Prabang in the early afternoon, and set out on a walking tour of the city. However, wed barely started before stumbling upon Tamarind, a restaurant on the banks of the Nam Khan (which flows into the Mekong). We settled at an outside table on the balcony and ordered drinks (iced Lao coffee and iced smoked black tea) and a dessert degustation (khanom chan yai). The cold drinks were extremely cooling, and aspects of the dessert sharing plate were fantastic, including the purple sticky rice.
