Yes, blog, I’m still alive. And look, I changed the theme! Just in time to welcome the month of June.

Last 26 May, my mom and I flew in to Luang Namtha, a province in Northern Laos, then off to a three-hour-zig-zaggy-drive to Bockeo. She needed to do her fieldwork and I tagged along as her assistant.

Like in Vientiane Capital, what separates Bockeo province from the Thai territory is the Great Mekong River. Ever since the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge was established in 1994, exits to Thailand in some parts of the country were also opened. And as always, my mom’s visa was expiring in two weeks. Going to Nongkhai is kind of pricey not because of the fare but because of the shopping that I do in Tesco-Lotus. So to make the most of the opportunity to cross the border immediately and to save my mom’s wallet from being raided by some shopaholic (points at myself), we boarded the first boat from Houaixay District to Chieng Khong, Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Check out the photos of our first country-hop under five minutes.