I send myself in the air in Laos

I go from Thailand to Laos by crossing the Mekong by the Friendship Bridge. It bodes well for this beautiful country that I don't know anything about yet.

First discovery, the country is communist. Everywhere next to the national flag is the red hammer and sickle flag. Today only 5 communist countries in the world : Cuba, China, Vietnam, Laos, and North Korea. Where I am in my itinerary, we can practically speak of a tour of communist countries!

Very quickly I get to Vientiane, the capital. With only 800 people, the city is on a human scale. And since there is a midnight curfew across the country, it's not very loud either.

I like the slightly French atmosphere from the start. Many posters, official or not, are in French, although hardly anyone still understands this language some 65 years after the departure of the French and the end of Indochina. From this colonial past has remained a tradition of French cafes and European restaurants, in addition to a great influence on architecture.

The Patuxai park in Vientiane.

We, we (de) make bombs

Between 1964 and 1973, during the Vietnam War, Laos received an average of one bombardment every eight minutes, in order to block the route to the south for the Communists. I learned this when I visited the COPE center, an organization whose goal is to continue cleaning the ground of these bombs and improving the lives of victims.

I also learn that of the 80 million bombs thrown on Laos, between 10% to 30% did not explode and remained active on a third of the country. Over the years, these have claimed tens of thousands of victims. Killing, amputating limbs, burning skin and destroying lives. During my trip to Laos, I will also see two men having lost an eye and having half of their face burned.

The sad part is that 40% of the victims are children, looking for metal to sell or even playing with the bombs found in nature.

Seeing all these films and images of victims, and the consequences of these bombs hidden everywhere, I make a strong mental note not to venture too far from the path to pitch my tent in the forest ...

Tim, a British cyclist he met further up in the mountains. We can see an old shell at the back serving as decoration in a restaurant.

Vang Vieng

A few days after leaving Vientiane, I arrive at the small town of Vang Vieng .

Vang Vieng has the happiness (or misfortune) of being located in an idyllic environment between the mountains, near a beautiful stream. One day, someone had the idea of ​​offering tube tours on the river, and selling alcohol there. The city has quickly become one of the most fun-filled places in Asia.

The situation is a little calmer today, but it's still a place to party. In my dorm, another traveler asks me for advice on whether he should try opium ...

Man, you are talking to the wrong person!

As far as I am concerned, it is the hot air balloon ride that I will do the next day that interests me here. It was my first experience and I absolutely loved it. The sensation is a bit like moving in silence on a sailboat, but several hundred meters in the air.

Hot air balloon in Vang Vieng.

Our operator.

The absolutely fantastic view of Laos, seen from the gondola.

Back at the hostel, the young revelers barely wake up when I finish picking up my bags and heading north again.

I'll never know what my roommate decides to do with his opium, but as far as I'm concerned, the wind in my hair is enough to get me high.