The places where there are still wild gibbons are few and far between. Interestingly, even in the most remote of places, there are villages of people. Laos has 23 NPAs (national protected areas) which are different from national parks because people are allowed to live within the boundaries. The people were here before the area was “protected” so the government did not try to make them leave. Village life is much different from city life in Laos. The people in remote areas have to be relatively self-sustaining since they are so far from roads, shops, and other people.  They have relatively little money (they don’t have much need for it) but appear to have decent, comfortable lives.

Mountains

Chickens everywhere!

A typical Lao house

Beer Lao!

A woman using a loom

Bath time

A woman carries fresh cut wood

Kids on their way to school

Rain makes muddy paths

I brought these books for the headman (Naiban) to give to the school

Check out the sports car