At the Thai-Laos border we swiftly had our Laos visas processed and were back on the road into Luang Namtha, a single street tourist trekking hub in the northern reaches of the country. Urging to get out and explore, we grabbed a cheap motorbike rental in town and set out north along the rural road to the town of Muang Sing. Along the route we witnessed the stark contrast of abundant poverty and child laborers in comparison to more affluent Thailand. Hungry upon arrival we struggled to find any restaurants, as a lot of shops were either deserted or appeared closed. Back to Luang Namtha we returned where we managed to get lunch. We were happy to have sandwiches and baked goods available to provide a bit of variety to rice and noodle dishes we’d been used to ordering thus far in Southeast Asia.
Early the following morning we negotiated a tuk tuk ride to the bus station for the journey east onto Nong Khiaw.
AJ - RTW adventure 