Looking Back: Route 13, Northern Laos
Route 13, Northern Laos
North of Vang Vieng (July 1, 2002) — It’s eight hours’ drive from Vientiane to Luang Prabang Town, in the heart of northern Laos. Only the thin grey scar of Route 13 breaks the rolling landscape of jungle and sky. The scene was humbling, immeasurably majestic, and I found myself smiling bemusedly at Graham Greene, whose Lawless Roads I had just been reading before I looked out the bus’ window. Decidedly not a Romantic, Greene judged a landscape by its value to man: “Nature appals me,” writes Greene “when unemployed or unemployable.” Romantics of course, would have loved the scenery in Northern Laos, finding God in the remote and verdant jungle fronting the rocky craigs thrust upwards into the underbellies of soft, white clouds. But it was obvious neither God nor man dwelt here any longer—just the memory of man rolling onwards in the surfaced road and the memory of God, pushing in on all sides through the fecundity of the jungle.
We’ve started a new category on our blog called ‘Looking Back’ that will include an occasional entry from our journals that date back to 2001 when we first began writing about living and travelling abroad. We’ll present these paired with a photo in the form of a verbal postcard. Together, these postcards provide an (in)formal and often (in)coherent narrative of the trips we’ve taken!
Related Posts
Category: Looking Back
About the Author (Author Profile)
For nearly ten years now, Daniel of Two Go Round-The-World has explored how travel captures our imagination and engages our deepest emotions. One half of the duo that maintains the widely read Two Go Round-The-World blog, Daniel treats his subjects not only as works of art but also as symbols of the cultural and political forces that inspire them. His latest book, The Physics of Flocking, gathers his favourite writing featured over the past two years on Two Go Round-The-World in columns like 'Looking Back' and 'The Whole Picture'—along with new reflections.Subscribe
Looking for travel deals, news and tips to help smooth the process of planning the ultimate journey? You'll get all hidden gems we can't pack into our blog! Sign up to receive even more travel inspiration from Kathryn and Daniel in our bi-weekly newsletter!
Wowww, stunning pic.
Hey guys! We loved Luang Prabang! We were there a couple of years ago with our kids — as we did a whole southeast Asia trip! In fact, loved all of Laos and the people! A really great place to visit! Decent beer, too!
Nicely said. I like the composition of the photo.
Good to have you back updating
I just love how many different shades of green it is in this picture, it looks so dense!
Very nice article and straight to the point.. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you guys have any thoughts on where to get some professional writers? Thanks