Nam Ou Day 3

The little guy like fire

Lunch

Moths

The easy way is on the right

"Savadee"

Camp3

I m drunk!  "Savadee" Loa for let's get smashed.  Recap of the day.  Restless night as I ponder the upcoming river.  6:30 kids are up.  I go and recon the upcoming rapid.  I catch movement from the corner of my eye close.  It is a cat.  It is a gray tabby cat and bolted when i yelled as I was startled.  I see the next two rapids using the trail I saw last night.  I see a bigger boat after the second rapid. Good sign.  Both rapids are class two.  I'll get wet.  Less oat for this morning breakfast and pack the wet gear.  Cross the river and get some water.  Glad I filter last night’s water.  See stuff floating in the bottles after the filter?!?  hope the steri light gets the rest.  I remember this week’s malaria med.  I don’t think I am getting the psychotropic side effects that I know about. 

I load the boat same as the first day and it feels more stable.  First two rapids I stay dry.  Third I scout and can see only one of the three choices.  It is not bad.  I am back to reading the river as I run the rapids.  Soon  I am at the confluence with the nam Khang.  I am not sure if the river doubled or just 50 % more.  There is more water and bigger waves. 

I continue to read as I go through the rapids as I can see the bottom of the run.    I am feeling better about the river. Then I get parked on a sleeper rock just before a rapids that reminds me that I only see parts of the rapid from the top and there are drops and rocks I do not see.  Soon after the confluence I pass a village.  River rapids get easy for a while.  The river narrows and the rapids get big but not too long.  I drop into holes and up again.  No crazy turns to make the rapids.  Finally get my picture of one of the many pot belly pigs I see all over Lao.  Another town and I think of stop in for lunch.  I see a flag and think government officials. I paddle on. 
Some lady’s signal me to come over.  After a little bit I find they want a match.  As Prometheus I grab my lighter.  It takes a bit to get the fire going.  They use a running shoe bottom which burns nicely.  There is another thing for TSA to question why we are wearing them.  I am offered lunch of spicy fish and rice.  I decide not to explain that I don't eat fish to a lady holding a machete.  Rice whiskey is offered as a Lao tradition.  I think machete.  I drink the traditional two cups plus one for good measure. 
Ten more lady's show up and lunch is being prepared lunch.  Lads come down from the hillside with axes.  A couple lads want to try out my boat.  I then head on down river. 
Latter in the afternoon I looking at a rapids from my boat.  I can't see over the horizon of the entire rapids.  Some guy fishing on bamboo boats indicate I should go.  I drop over a meter and a half into a trough.   Lots of water is pouring down from the left.  I go through a couple of holes and down a big wave train.  I pull out to dry and camp.  The guys on the bamboo rafts come down a nice easy channel.  The guy who encouraged me into the rapids indicates I can’t sleep there.  The guy indicates I should go two something down the river.  I am losing the sun light.  I paddle on I pass a village with antennas.  Another mile and I find a quite gravel bar. 
Just after setting up my tent a boat motors up river and stops.  The two guy get out and bring a half full beer bottle with local whiskey.  We each have a round from my cup. Each drink includes a chorus of Savadee.   Then another and another till the bottle is finished.  They go back to the boat and the two women with them are not too happy.  They I am drunk as I cook dinner.
I eat my dinner with the moths.  Lights out but I have a near full moon.
I wake to a spot light on the tent.  It moves on.  As I step out of tent in the middle of the night and I hear a deep grunt from something big in the jungle as I return to the tent.  I go back to sleep with a headache.  I think there was too much wood alcohol in the whiskey.

Camp 3

Boat
23.3 Miles, 7:29 Moving Time, Max Speed 11.0 Miles, Moving Average 3.1 Miles, Stop Time 3:47 Overall Average Speed 2.1 Miles, Temp Min 64 F-79 F, Start 9:00 next day end 18:00, Decent 64 feet, Max Altitude 1720 feet.

Cloudy with sunny in afternoon

Love & Kisses
Steve