A Visit To Tha Thom

“Bo High Vao,” Is a Lao saying which very roughly conveys the same meaning as the Scandinavian expression: “Uffda!” It is used when a person has just experienced something this is either very good or very bad and they do not have words to express that experience.

We left early from the MCC office after a quick breakfast of ‘Lao Hamburger’ (various kinds of pork with sauce and vegies in a baguette). Traveling in the comfort of an MCC vehicle with AC and a soft seat was certainly a good way to start the long trip! We left the city limits of Vientiane for the first time heading south east following the Mekong river to a city named Paxan. From here we turned north toward a small town were we would eat lunch and collect some supplies and secure a vessel for our journey up a river to Tha Thom. Several river taxis were waiting, but it seemed that only one wanted to make the long voyage all the way to Tha Thom. After lunch and some negotiating the MCC country program administrator, two people from the ministry of agriculture, Kaarina and I boarded the 25ft long wooden boat and made ourselves comfortable. The engine roared to life (and I mean roared! Next time we will bring ear plugs) and we headed up-river.

Heading Up River

 It seemed from the very start that the 3 cylinder engine was having trouble as it skipped sporadically. Sure enough as we rounded the next bend, under some overhanging bamboo, it died. We drifted down stream as the captain tried the starter with little success, then whipping out his cellphone he dialed a local AAA riverside assistance service. A few minutes later another man (I assume a relative) walks up the bank to help. A fuel pump is swiped from the relative’s boat and after some priming the engine comes back to life! 45 minutes into our trip we had traveled roughly ¼ mile. However, the rest of the trip went very smoothly and we were blessed by mostly cloudy skies keeping the UV rays partially at bay. We wound our way through bamboo draped hills sporting exotic looking ferns, orchids and towering trees. Small villages dotted the river bank and evidence of the Tha Thom road construction became more prevalent as we traveled. (Many sections of the road are incomplete and as this is the rainy season many segments have been washed into the river. The road is supposed to be completed in two more years. However, even now it is passable during the dry season).

Our Boat Captain

 After a total of 6 hours in the boat we arrived in Tha Thom! The first thing I noticed were the stunning rocky cliffs that thrust into the sky on one side of the town. Rice patties run along the foot of the hill with the road, town and river running parallel to them. Jungle still covers the hills sides on either side of the town. The homes range from modern concrete construction, to wood, to traditional bamboo homes. Several restaurants, guesthouses, government buildings and shops dot the town. New electric lines supply the town and surrounding area with fairly consistent power! The picture we had in our heads was fairly accurate…but at least for me, the real Tha Thom is far more beautiful.

Looking Up the Tha Thom Valley

We spent three full days in Tha Thom attending a six month district meeting, visiting two of the 8 villages MCC works in, and looking for a home. At the meeting we learned more about what MCC is doing in Tha Thom and afterward discussed with our country program administrator what we will actually be doing to help! There is so much to be done, researched, and learned! The villages we visited were much more remote than Tha Thom with the general population living off of what they produce in the rice fields from year to year.
Our quest for a home has been a story in itself! As we walked down the street to look at various homes the Tha Thom team had selected for us, even more people came out offering their homes to us to rent! All in all we looked at 8 homes! In Laos, if plans haven’t changed at least 5 times, then they will. So right now we are considering a raised traditional bamboo home with a beautiful yard for raising a garden and hopefully some animals. The road borders one end of the yard and river the other. At this time we don’t know exactly where we will live, but this is our tentative plan that has already changed twice.

The trip back to Vientiane also lasted an entire day even though we traveled with the river current! In Paxan we took public transportation which added an hour onto the 2 hour trip to the capital. (I have a challenge for anyone possessing a truck with a 10ft bed. We managed to pack 30 people into this rig for roughly an hour of the trip! Hint: 4 people in the cab and 4 hanging on to the tailgate). Needless to say we treated ourselves to some western food that night to ease our sore behinds. We shared chili in a bread bowl and a BLT! All-in-all, we are eager to return to the cool jungle and rugged beauty of Tha Thom. We are pumped to continue language learning so that we can communicate better (and do our job) and consider ourselves extremely blessed by the Lord since we feel as though our place in Tha Thom was tailor-made for the two of us. “Bo High Vao!”

Posted by Jeffrey