The Wild Wild West (of Laos)

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Hello!!

Just arrived alive in Phonsavanh!

Yesterday we got the bus from Vientiane to Vang Vien. We were hoping to catch the local bus but missed it by about 5 mins, and then had a bizarre exchange with some friendly tuk tuk/bus drivers before being driven off to the 'VIP' bus. Very Important People being scruffy travellers (no Laos people, which is apparently meant to be a good thing *insert question mark as can't find it on keyboard*) and the bus contained an assortment of all the typical travelling stereotypes - dreadlocked and bearded scruffies, aging hippies etc. I was sitting next to an emaciated, long haired boy with his guitar.

The journey was fine. The scenary became increasingly beautiful as we left the sprawling green (and admittedly quite pretty!) 'suburbs' of Vientiane. Amazing limestone hills covered in thick trees.

Vang Vien was very pretty, with the river surrounded by more of these stunning hills. However, our stay wasn't improved by ending up in an (admittedly very cheap) 'guest house' with ants on the bed and a smelly toilet and light blaring through the window. Our attempts at sleep were also hindered by the blaring music from some horrid 'club' across the river.

That said, we did get to enjoy the beautiful views, spending the rest of the day sitting in a cafe by the river and relaxing, after the ridiculous monsoon rains. I knew we were coming in the rainy season, but didn't realise it was going to be so intense and long-lasting! Didn't try the tubing.

Today we've had a 6 hour journey from there to Phonsavanh. The tiny cramped conditions were improved by the breathtaking scenary - hours spent driving through these lush green hills, trying not to run over the cows and water buffalo in the roads, passing little dusty roadside villages filled with tiny cute children playing, sleeping dogs, and wonderfully green padi fields.

Tomorrow the plan is to go out and visit the Plain of Jars and other sights, including a village that have made creative use of bomb shells, building fences etc with them (apparently Laos was the most heavily bombed country in Indochina! I got very depressed reading the history in my Footprint guidebook yesterday), some hot springs and the like.

Phonsavanah is a town that looks like the wild west (from the tiny amount we've seen)! I think it probably had all its attractiveness bombed out of it...

Emma's succeeded in losing her phone and being robbed of some of her money today (by either our bus driver or a little old lady we picked up on the way), so she's not having the best day. And we only had a couple of hours sleep last night due to staying up till 2am drinking beers with a tedious couple, then being confronted with the blaring music and ants...

Anyway, we've found a more upmarket place for tonight, so hopefully will be able to catch up on some sleep!

Until next time...

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