Hat Sa to Muang Ngoi

From Phongsali we jumped on a bus for a short ride to Hat Sa. There would be no return 10hr bus trip for us. This time we're going by boat. First class for 2 days through white water in a wooden boat on hard wood seats. Should have brought our dry suits... got a bit chilly.Stopped for a leg stretch on the first day and made a friend. Have tried this with numerous other water buffalo, but haven't been able to get the same reaction. I scatched this guy on the nose and I had a friend for life. Followed me on the beach and came right up to the boat when we're leaving... I've never seen a water buffalo look so sad as we motored away.Muang KhiawStayed in Muang Khiaw after 1 day on the boat. Have some pictures of the town, but the worlds fattest pig is more interesting.Back on the boat...Made it to Muang Ngoi unscathed. A town only accesible by boat. Stayed here for a few days and enjoyed a trek to some nearby villages. Belows a pic of the landscape and myself with a fellow traveller (Devin from Victoria).May be tough to see, but that is a village at the base of that hill. Their bamboo thatch huts. You can stay here over night if you like. They'll set you up with your own bungalow for the wopping price of $0.60 CDN.
This is one of the lucky villages that actually has a school. From one village we visited kids have to hike one and a half hours (one way) just to get to school.
The entrance to a cave (enroute to the villages). And here I am trying to help a bunch of Loas kids get their kite out a tree. Which they promptly returned back into the tree imeadiately after.
And our first encounter with a 100+ year old person. This lady is 107 years old! And trust us, she doesn't just sit around. She just finished covering firewood with a tarp here... and later we saw her in town shopping for supplies.