I’m normally extremely skeptical of photography contests, and for several reasons. For one, my rational black-and-white thinking brain doesn’t know how to handle the subjective world so well. It always goes bonkers whenever people make a fuss over photos I’ve taken that I felt were mediocre.
It’s been nearly a year now since I returned from my epic Asian journey, having completed my first multi-month solo female travel adventure.
Do I miss life on the perpetual road?
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The ‘Best of Laos’ photo gallery below is a collection of images I took in June 2013 while traveling in Northern Laos. In one week of travel, I explored the far north of the country: crossing the Thai border at Huay Xai, then splitting the week between Luang Namtha and Nong Khiaw.
A few years ago, I swore off the infamous Greyhound bus from New York to Atlantic City. It’s notorious for a questionable cast of passengers, being reliably late, and even altering routes without notice.
For various reasons, I only had a week to spend in Laos – which is a blasted shame, considering how slow-going yet incredibly gratifying travel can be in this country. To be honest, had I had more time to see more of Laos, I’m fairly confident that I’d have walked away from my 2013 Asia trip declaring Laos as my favorite country of the journey.
I’m all for supporting local businesses, generally snubbing all chains in favor of mom & pop shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. And this mentality carries over to my travels: I’d rather immerse myself in local culture and customs and eat street food than stay in fancy, impersonal hotels or join a tour group.
Crammed in the back of a local minivan in a sea of Lao people, I dozed in and out of sleep while we crawled from the Thai/Lao border to Luang Namtha.