Beer Lao

by Bill B
(Darwin, NT, Australia)

750ml Beer Lao longneck, magic!

Right from the onset, I would urge the organisers of the World's Biggest Pub Crawl to include a the slow boat trip down the mighty Mekong river from Houy Zhai in Northern Laos to the world heritage listed former capital of Laos, Louang Prabang.

I was traveling not as a fully fledged UNOB Beer Delegate, but I was disguised as a moderate drinking geriatric backpacker. That way I was able observe that unique sub-species of beer drinker, the young western backpacker. This particular group really really excelled themselves with the very cheap but totally satisfying Beer Lao.

"Beer Lao proclaimed as Asia’s best beer by TIME magazine and hailed as the Dom Perignon of Asian beers by The Bangkok Post" Quote from Beer Lao website. Well, I won't argue with that. It is magic!

My fellow travelers obviously agreed with me as more than than a few when boarding the boat were seen to be carrying crates of Beer Lao in addition to the mandatory 80 liter backpacks.

The mornings were the best time for me and a couple of other wrinklies on board. Having retired to bed early and having had a restful sleep, (apart from a pee in a bottle in the early hours, the alternative you don't want to know about), I was always bright as a button observing and sketching the ever changing scenery. Disturbed only by the gentle snoring and occasional fart from my hungover companions.

A wise man once said, "Youth is wasted on the young."

There has got to be a time when recovering from one hangover changes to starting the next one. Yet it is so hard to pick. At one point it seems like I am the only one aboard that has the privilege to see elephants hauling logs to the water's edge, and then it seems, not long after I hear the first hiss as an Aussie at the back (sorry stern) cracks the first bottle to start a general revival.

In no time at all I am surrounded once more by animated young people talking bullshit in 10 different languages.

Beer Lao has started working its magic again. It truly was a legendary trip.

Cheers
Bill B