Laos forum

Sounds like you put the best face possible on a not so fantastic trek.

Some thoughts.

It's too bad your guide didn't facilitate conversation. His language, Tai Lue, is the lingua franca for the entire region, everyone can speak some to one degree or another. Most older Akha males can carry on detailed conversations in Lue.

That guy who was instrumental in establishing Luang Namtha as a center of trekking mentioned communication and the wish to make a connection as one of the most vexing problems in the trekking experience. Your local guide, was probably an ethnic minority, that's part of the reason they are hired is to help bridge the gap. There are other ways also to attempt to facilitate an exchange which the guide should have initiated. Many of the techniques are those worked out by the Thai programs where many Lao guides have gone for training.

I like to go alone despite the added cost. Most upland villages are of only one ethnicity, and one falang and one Tai Lue wandering in is not so different from a couple of Hmong guys wandering in, or a couple of Kamu soldiers from the government as also sometimes happens.

Thanks for the enjoyable read, I've been following and learning about twitter also. If this is how guidebooks were written I'd buy one in a heartbeat. I liked the part about people insisting LP was paid off, too funny.