My first stop is the DHL office, I have collected so much shit so far that I really have to send some back home. Most of it is the gear I brought from home. 4 kg cost a ridiculous £70. Hey ho! More space, more shit to buy!
Following that I went went to get my laundry, the laundry is the same place that did my massage last night and the Thai manager who used to live In Bournemouth did me a special deal. All the stuff was ironed and individually packaged. Nice to have some clean undies. I've not had any for 2 days....
Back at the hotel I packed my gear and then sat and had a smoke with the taxi drivers. Great fun to chat to!
I couple of Aussies were leaving for the airport. She looked like she had been sucking a lemon and they asked for a taxi. The price was 200 baht, reasonable, it was a 20 minute drive. Well, you'd have thought he had asked her for for a shag! In the end they settled on 150. I'm all for a bit of bargaining, I think the traders enjoy it as much as the punters, but when your on your way to the airport, from a very posh hotel, is it not slightly inappropriate to be arguing the toss about 50p?
I think so. As the taxi driver pulled away he winked..
My carriage arrived spot on time ( this is just too good to be true Sarah, 10/10 again. 20 minutes later I was at the airport in Chiang Mai checking in for my Laos Airlines 60 minute flight to Luang Prabang.
The airport was like any other. I found it sort of amusing that they had a 'Starbucks' type cafe selling 'pot noodles' . Is it just me?
I had been a bit wary of Laos Airlines, they don't have the best safety record in the world (slightly ahead of Garuda) if my memory serves me right. I understand there is a list of airlines you shouldn't fly with and Laos airlines is on it. That said, they have a new fleet of ATR 72's although I have no idea if that's good or bad.
The plane should have been departing at 3.05 but at 2.40 it seemed everyone was on so it left!
This was a flight to remember. The in-flight catering was a hot dog!
I'm partial to a fairground ride every so often, spinning teacups and that type of thing. This was a full bore Pepsi 'big one plus' for the full hour. I have never been so pleased to hit the ground, that said, it was less than controlled. The plane did a little 'shimmy' as it was decelerating and I was convinced the aircraft was going to spin out of control across the runway. No clapping from the rest of the passengers, just a look of abject relief. Unfortunately another Laos airlines flight awaits. I should have taken my chance with the mozzies and travelled the slow boat down the Mekong. The views from the aircraft window were spectacular, especially as we came in to land. The Mekong river meandering through the jungle. Very special.
For $35 a visa can be purchased on arrival. Laos Peoples Democratic Republic. Some people say the PDR stands for 'Please Don't Rush' was a little typical in that respect. An officer calls you over, he takes your passport and visa application, gives it to another person. You walk to another window, a second officer looks at you. Then processes your visa. He passes you passport to a third guy, who gives it you back. You then go to passport control. And pretty much the same happens. Worth it though, the visa is very pretty!
I was not too concerned that there was no-one there to meet me. After all the plane had arrived about 30 minutes early.
The airport in a quaint building, very old fashioned. I got some Lao Yip, from the ATM and sat outside waiting. After 60 mins I called the travel agent. I must have looked a bit like Dom Jolly, following the principles that if the person you are speaking to does not understand English, you just raise the volume. 15 mins later a TukTuk arrived and I was on my way to Villa Manifold. I think the driver had fallen asleep hence his arriving a little late.. The drive was interesting. I'm really not sure which side of road the Lao people drive, it seems whichever side has no vehicle.
Arriving at my accommodation I now feel like a real Backpacker, it is very basic, clean though. The lady who runs the guest house does not speak a word of English. After unpacking I headed into town and the night market.
I was a millionaire, I had 1.2 million Yip in my wallet, about £70. It does take a bit of getting used to. Someone asking for 10,000 anything immediately makes you think expensive. In reality it's about 75p.....
In town I sat at a cafe, people watching over a beer. The weather was warm and in the mountains I was treated to a spectacular show of fork lightening that lit up the hills and jungle. The night market was very laid back. No pushy sales, just nods and smiles. All the stuff on sale, save the tee shirts, was ethnic type stuff. It is quite a big market which stretches a good mile or so down the main drag.
The first part is food, there is a strong French / Soviet influence in the country so I wasn't surprised to see French baguette stalls selling sandwiches with every conceivable filling. Having had a beer I was once again in a retail mood. I sat at one stall and had stamps made for Ross, Finlay and Emily. The stamp was carved out of Marble with the name in both Lao and English with the animal from the Birth year on the top. Very pretty. I had one done for myself too but had an elephant as my birth year is a pig!
I am only in the town till Friday when I catch the early bus to Vientaine, the capital of Laos. A ten hour bus ride away. Consequently I need to cram as much in as possible. Popping in to a travel agent I organised a day on a bike to include the main temples, a boat ride, waterfalls and swimming and visits to several of the nearby villages. Total cost $40.
Quite pleased with myself I headed to a bar for a bite to eat. Decided on a beef burger, it may have been dog but it was very tasty and served in French Bread.
Sitting behind me were a grout of 4 hoorah henry's.
' Have a pizza, it will be so much fun'
For fucks sake!
Lao PDR has the unwanted distinction of being, per capita the most heavily bombed nation in the world. Between the years 1964 and 1973, the United States flew more than half a million bombing missions, delivering more than two million tons of explosive ordnance, in an attempt to block the flow of North Vietnamese arms and troops through Laotian territory. The ordnance dropped include more than 266 million submunitions (known as “bombies” in Lao) released from cluster bombs.
Significant land battles, including those during the war for independence during the French colonial era and between the Pathet Lao and the Royal Lao forces, also contributed vast quantities of unexploded heavy bombs, rockets, grenades, artillery munitions, mortars, anti-personnel landmines, and improvised explosive devices.
It is estimated that up to 30% of all ordnance did not explode. Such unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to remain in the ground, maiming and killing people, and hindering socio-economic development and food security.
The La De Dars are actually starting to become quite annoying. Apparently French fries are going to be 'fun' too as you can only put up with so much south east Asian food. And by the way, 'ham and cheese sounds nice'
Give me strength, it's fucking western food, order it and eat it you fuck wits.
Cambridge graduates on a gap year. God help us....
Note to self. People watching does not always have to be accompanied by beer. It leads to buying stuff you don't want and perhaps getting a little uncharitable towards others.....
The bar had WiFi, I checked my email and had received a Facebook note from one of my Viking travelling companions. They were now heading towards Laos on the Mekong river slow boat.
Things quieten down quite early, at 10.30 I headed back to my guest house.
I suspect that the bugs have been biting. Deet and anti malarial medication is a must here as it is a malaria hot spot.
Once back I tried to take my malaria tabs with no water as I had forgotten to get a bottle in town. So unpleasant was the taste I nearly brought my burger back! Only to find there was water in the fridge.
Looking forward to tomorrow......
Back in the hotel there was an amazing thunderstorm, this time in town. I went to sleep with a smile on my face!!
This town was not on my original list. Well done Sarah, but am afraid you lose a few points for no taxi, no wifi and it costing me nearly £15 to call your office and sort the transport out. 7/10 .
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Location:Sisavangvong Rd,Luang Prabang,Laos
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