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Vientiane

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

Scary face, Buddah park

Pete Writes: To get to Vietiane we decided to take the night bus (1st and last in Laos). Back seat + no leg room + non reclining seat = VERY LITTLE SLEEP. After a pants night sleep we arrived in the Capital at 4am, nothing opened until 6ish, so we cracked open the domino’s and chilled out. We finally got a room at 9am, needless to say once my body was horizontal I was out for the count..

After writing off the first day, we decided that hiring a scooter to explore some of the city would be a good idea. Although after getting slightly lost, then being pulled over by the police for going down a one way street the wrong way (luckily I used my Cann charm and blagged myself out of another fine… 2nd time now!) we decided that maybe it was an omen to walk.

We suddenly had the realisation that we only had another 20 days to fit in Vietnam and Cambodia so had to hot foot it towards the border. During our next 8 hour day bus (leaving night ones alone for a while) we were cruising along the road when all of a sudden the back tyre blew. It may not of been so bad if it did not rip the floor of the bus open like a tin of sardines spraying dust and rubber into the air. All of the passengers were off their feet in seconds cowering to other side of the bus. SCARY!! The crazy thing is once they had bent the metal back into place, put on the spare tyre and swept up we were all ushered back onto the bus for remaining 3 hours (only in Asia!).

Reclining Buddha

Chloe Writes: Vientiane is another of Laos laid back cities, just like the rest of the country really. Day 2 (we spent the first one asleep), was spent on the back of a scooter, sightseeing. We went to Buddha park, where on the grassy banks of the Mekong river, giant stone statues of Buddhas and Hindu gods stare down at you with the most bizarre expressions.

Then on to Pha That Luang, a large golden stupor, Laos most famous monument, which is impressive from a distance but on closer inspection could do with a good lick of paint. In the evening we immersed ourselves in some Lao culture in the form of traditional song and dance (not dissimilar from the Thai dancing we had at our wedding), then on to a ‘roll your own spring roll’ restaurant - i think next time we’ll leave this to the professionals.

The next day we failed miserably to get up for the bus and spent another day in the city eating french bread, brie and smoked salmon (having found an amazing but hideously expensive supermarket), drinking red wine and playing domino’s (yup were still hooked after 3 months), LUSH.

Next stop Vietnam, and god knows how many more lethal bus journeys ;o).

Page Gallery

Park up high
Buddha Park

Statue heads
Stone statue

Stupor
Stupor

Arc DE triumph
The tasty baguettes aren’t the only things inherited from the French

Dancers
Traditional Lao Dancers

Seat missing
The fun bus……This was where a Danish girl was sat

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The North and Luang Prabang

Saturday, February 16th, 2008

Pete with the village kids

Chloe Writes: Our Thailand journey ended with a little more drama than we first anticipated. At the Thai immigration point on the Loa border, it was pointed out to us that we had overstayed our welcome in Thailand by 2 days as our visas had expired on the 5th of Feb and not the 7th as we had thought. But 2 hours later and 2000 Baht lighter we were in Laos.

We started our Laos visit in the north with a 2 day trek thorough the lush mountainous countryside with Dave & Emma, an Ozzie couple we met at the Thai border and ended up spending 10 days with. At the end of the first day of the trek we were taken to one of the many villages and stayed the night in one of their huts. We were also invited to sit in on a ceremony (were still not sure what it was for but think it may have ended in the slaughter of a cute little pig tied up outside), which involved traditional song, dance and costume. It was fantastic to experience how the majority of the Laos people live, which is a very simple life with the staple food being noodle soup (very warming) and sticky rice (I can pass on this one).

Fat Buddha

After a fleeting visit to Nong Khiaw with its spectacular views we took a boat down the river on Pete’s birthday, a very cozy 6 hours to the city of Lang Prabang. After 8 days in some very remote parts of the world it was quite nice to be in a city again, with coffee shops, night markets and just generally lots of people. This morning we awoke at 5.30am to join the locals in giving alms (food) to the monks who come past in their masses with big silver bowls to be filled with sticky rice, fruit and anything else on offer.

Very cosy boat

Pete Writes: I can see now why they say that “Cambodia grows the rice, Vietnam eats the rice and Laos just watch the rice grow!” Laos is a very laid back country and the people are some of the most friendly we have met. The north of the country is very mountainous which lends well to the trekking and to the long winding bus rides (of which we have had a few already).

The trek that we did was a real eye opener, taking us through 6 local villages full of children, pigs, chickens and dogs very interested to see us. It was entertaining to see Chloe struggling up and down the muddy tracks with her sandals and socks on (due to misplacing her shoes in Thailand). Hopefully we will find a pair at our next port!

Nong Khiaw was a lovely little village set alongside the river, shadowed by towering mountains that hold a lot of caves that helped the locals to seek cover whilst the USA bombed the area during the 2nd Indochina war. We visited one, and it felt eerie to stand inside imagining the devastation that would have been caused to the nearby villages. When we first arrived the weather was nice and sunny, however the next day the clouds moved in and the temperature dropped (but the sun has now put his hat back on… after 5 days!)

The Village we stayed at

The morning of my Birthday we packed up and took a walk down to the dock to catch our 9am boat. At 11am we finally set off, once they had actually filled the boat (18 tourists and the captain)at this point I could hardly feel my toes, which did not matter for long, as I was wedged into this long tail with everyone sharing each others body heat The journey was nice (if not a little cramped) tackling a series of rapids with one point being told we had to get off the boat so the captain could pile a load of sand into the front of the boat to move further down the river (this also involved us having to take of our shoes and wade through the river). Once we arrived in Luang Prabang we headed out for a birthday meal (and cake!) which ended up to be an early night as we were all too tired.. I am officially an old married man

Luang Prabang s a quaint town with a big French influence, which means good coffee, bakeries and baguettes :o) As the weather has been cold we have spent most of our time walking around seeking a warm place to find refuge. Which on Valentines Day we came up trumps with a restaurant that we could BBQ your own meal at the table, sitting next to a fire circle (very cozy).

Today we say good bye to our new friends and head to the Capital. Hopefully to find Chloe some shoes…

Page Gallery

kids waving
Village Kids