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I've already written about my "V.I.P" bus experience, but since then I've gotten a lot more bus/minivan/songthaew-riding experience in Laos under my belt. The roads in northern Laos are, by necessity due to the mountainous topography, quite curvy. I think the country has come a long way in terms of infrastructure from what I understand, but some roads are extra difficult to travel because of the mudslides that flow through in the rainy season and are not cleared off so that they dry into hard, dirt speedbumps for the rest of the year. The nausea factor of the already curvy roads is exacerbated by the fact that the driver is usually trying to swerve to avoid these 'speedbumps' as much as possible.
I have had A LOT of time to work on this blog (at least in my mind) with THREE FULL DAYS of overland travel to get from Luang Namtha in northern Laos to Hanoi, Vietnam. Needless to say it's been a little bit tiresome, a little bit boring, especially with no one to talk to for the first two days, and therefore VERY nice to get into the hustle and bustle of a city again.
I'd like
to share some of what I've learned in the past few days:
1. Because as a non-Lao speaker you will have no idea when and if rest stops will be made, you should stock up on snacks and liquids before you take off in the morning, but drink the liquids sparingly! Sticky rice makes a good road snack and many families will have big woven baskets of it that they eat out of periodically. Fruit and nuts/seeds can usually be found among the vendors set up by the bus stations, as well as cookies and chips. When there is a stop for any reason, make sure the driver sees you getting out so that he doesn't drive away without you! If you are the only 'farang' on board and it is a minivan then he probably wouldn't get far before someone realized the mistake, but it ALMOST happened to me once.
2. For drivers: don't necessarily stay in your own lane when driving-- just beep your horn incessantly, particularly when coming around curves, to alert oncoming drivers. The same goes for encounters with pedestrians, especially small children, and also animals, particularly chickens and dogs, but occasionally pigs, cows,
Bus station vendors
You can stock up on fruits, other snacks, water and other drinks for the trip. Prices are inflated, of course, but not too far over the top. If you are lucky they will have baguettes to make sandwiches, too. When I first got to Laos from Thailand, I was so excited to see baguettes with lettuce, tomato, carrot, onion and Happy Cow cheese. I thought I could eat one every day and not get sick of this simple combo. Not so. Within the first four sandwiches I was sick of it. and buffaloes, too. (This constant beeping reminded me of Little Miss Sunshine when the horn in the VW bus breaks)
3. Give up the idea of personal space- it just isn't as abundant here. The other day a guy in his 20s was making himself comfortable in my row of the minivan, lying down with his head toward me, with one foot entwined around his friend's leg and the other around the same friend's head. At one point he decided to get even more comfortable and nestled his head right into my hip/upper thigh. I didn't feel that there was anything sketchy about it-- he was merely getting more comfortable.
4. Be prepared to hear the sound of hawking loogies (no idea on the spelling of that one!) at frequent, semi-regular intervals. Have a plastic bag ready (the bus or minivan is probably stocked with fresh ones) in case something more than a loogie is making its way up your neighbor's throat.
5. Since everyone has their windows open to spit their loogies and throw up, it can get quite chilly on a rainy, cloudy day in northern Laos. Bring a blanket, scarf, layers, etc. so that you are comfortable. Also, bring an extra sarong in case you pee on the first one (see below).
6. For female travelers only: do what the local ladies do-- wear a long wrap-around skirt, apparently with no underwear (your sarong will do) so that you are able to go to the bathroom with seeming ease just about anywhere along the side of the road, without even cover of trees. Try to mimic the behavior with a sarong if you are wearing pants and think yourself clever. Have a back-up sarong when you find out (the hard way) that you just aren't THAT clever and/or your aim isn't as good as you had hoped (see above).
7. Brace yourself lest you skin your elbow coming down from a particularly large bump. Clench your abs and get a little workout in.
8. Don't grit your teeth! One day I was worried that I had massive cavities in my teeth but then I realized that my teeth hurt in the same place on each side of my mouth and that I had merely been gritting my teeth over all the bumps.
9. When another passenger gets on with an IV drip, give up the comfy, huge backseat of the van immediately and be thankful you are in good health, if extremely in need of a proper meal, on this seemingly interminable journey.
10. Do remember to enjoy the incredible views now and then as you are winding around the mountain roads. Though it all starts to look the same after a while, every now and then you can look out and see something that can still knock your socks off (and yes, you should be wearing them because remember that it's cold in here!) like the mist rising off the rolling green hills and mountains.
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Courtney
non-member comment
hahah I love this! Definitely hear ya on the personal space...my favorite was spooning with a 50 year old Laos woman (because it was the only way to fit) on the 'bed bus' to the south. Quite the experience!