Final step - checking out from Vietnam

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My Hassle-Free Bus Ride Into Vietnam





Travelling around Asia filled me with a deep appreciation for the rich and wide cultural diversity of each country; from Japan to Indonesia to Thailand. Prior to this I had gone further afield. Yes, the bustling streets of Tokyo, filled with neon lights and street side cafes, were inscribed in my mind. It'll be an injustice for me to forget about The Temple of Heaven in Beijing, or the beautiful landscape of Bali. Each one of these experiences have turned out to shape and re-mold my appreciation for these amazing cultures. However, one of these experiences stands out, and it was during a bus ride into Vietnam from Laos.





I must say that this bus ride was quite eventful. In fact, it's the second most pleasant bus ride in my travels through Asia. There are many border crossings from Laos to Vietnam, but the most popular ones includes the crossing at Dan Savanh to Lao Bao, and the northern crossing near Lak Xao. Although my travel guide in Laos recommended the former, but I was inclined to choose the latter due to its convenient stopovers. Mind you, when travelling into Vietnam, it's preferable to arrive at the border before it closes by 6pm. By bus, the journey from Savannakhet to Lao Bao takes about 5 - 6 hours, and it's better if you take the 7:30am bus.





I must say that the bus ride to Vietnam was hassle-free, as compared to common sentiments about the dangers of travelling by bus in Laos. By 7:30 am, the bus was already teeming with tourusts, some of which missed their flight. Although the air was quite humid and dusty, but every tourist was in high spirits. Thus is due to the beautiful scenery of the countryside and the little hills that dotted the highway. We got to experience different sights and tourist attractions at the many stop overs. Although some of these so-called attractions are simply means of extracting money from the typically naive tourist. I got to observe the pesky nature of the locals, and their habit of charging exorbitant prices for basic items like soap, pens and snacks.







There was plenty of time to think, of course. When I get back home, I need to sell my services there again. On the trip, just out of personal interest really, I have been thinking about issues I covered in my personal blog. I don't make any money out of it but it gives me a chance to think things through by writing them down. So, I spent about 3 hours thinking about fairness and phone companies - something I have blogged about many times. Not for everyone but it floats my boat and I figure one of the best things about traveling allowed to think about whatever you want as the world goes by the window.





I also got to meet Fred, a South African tourist, on the way to Vietnam. This actually lessened the boredom of travelling alone. Furthermore, I had my writing pad to keep me busy, as I wrote some points for my blog. In short, I was able to write quite a lot despite the bumpy ride to Vietnam. However, be ready to hold on to your seats once you cross the border into Vietnam, since the roads are quite bumpy. Lastly, to avoid being stranded at the border check points, you should have a printed copy of your visa on arrival.

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