Waterfalls in Tat Lo

From Pakse, I went east to the Bolvean Plateau in southern Lao to a town called Tat Lo. Tat Lo is a one-street town with just a few guesthouses and restaurants. The main attraction is a series of waterfalls - one visible from the bridge in town, one a short walk back and another which is 10km away.

The trip to Tat Lo was slightly annoying as I had to wait over 3 hours at the bus station due to misinformation. Dave had decided to go by motorbike (no way I trust myself with a motorbike), so I windled away the time reading and talkng to a couple from Montreal. C'est la vie. So many French people traveling here - there were two other groups of travelers at the bus station, both Frenchies as well!

In Tat Lo, I was able to enjoy some solitude, which was nice. I spent the day by myself wandering through the two waterfalls, swimming, climbing the rocks (just small ones), and, with some trepidation, standing under the plunge. It was a great day. Takes you back to being a kid again. All you hear is the rush of the water. There were other tourists there, but it didn't detract. I think due to the noise and concentration with which you navigate the falls, each person seems to be in his or her own little world. Seeing everyone climbing over the rocks, actually, reminded me of that Led Zeppelin album cover with the naked kids... (we were clothed though). Besides enjoying the nature, I re-appreciated the value of solitude. Somehow just the presence of friends or even strangers draws you out into the sensory world, outside of yourself. You suddenly have a need to think about what is going on around you, how to act and speak, and therefore think less about what is going on inside yourself. Only when you are physically separated can you concentrate on your real self. And how often do we take time to do that in regular life?

The second night in Tat Lo we hung at one of the restaurants that seemed to attract the younger crowd (maybe only 20 young tourists in the town in total anyway). We played cards and ate a delicious grilled fish with sticky rice. What a life :) I met a guy who said he had been traveling for 9 years! He left Canada at 22 and just gets odd jobs every few months. Fascinating the people you meet.

We are on now to the 4,000 islands. A place that is supposed to be beautiful although the suffocating heat may detract (and no electricity after 10pm means sleeping sans A/C OR fan). I will be off the grid again for a few days. I plan to pass into Cambodia by bus on March 1st or 2nd so you will hear more from me then.