Bones

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The journey to Savanakhet took slightly longer than it was supposed to, we eventually got off where told. It was dark and we were in the middle of nowhere. As the driver unloaded our bags we asked how to get to Savanakhet, he pointed down a pitch black road . After trying in vain to find a cab/tuk tuk/any form of transport to get us there, we asked the driver who was of no help but luckily a passenger ensured we got on another bus, heading in the opposite direction.

After another hour or so, which included time for some huge packages to be untied from the roof of the bus at someone’s house, we arrived in Savanakhet at the bus station and jumped on a Tuk Tuk. It wasn’t that late but late enough that the first couple of places we tried were closed/full. We eventually found somewhere with a room and crashed out.

It wasn’t until the morning we realised just how awful the room was - it was filthy, our toilet didn’t have a sink and the door didn’t close, there were a lot of bugs including bed ones that had bitten us through the night and it was dark and dingy. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve stayed in plenty less than 5* rooms, had no loo and shared bathrooms but this place was the worst yet and not cheap!

We checked out as quickly as possible to a mere grunt from the owners and headed elsewhere, found a great place. Usual small room with shower over the loo but cheaper and clean and the people were lovely! Ideal.

Savankhet is a beautiful town with loads of charm - lots of run down French Colonial buildings. We hired bikes and cycled round. Stopped by the local dinosaur museum. It is tiny but AMAZING! The main man came out to chat to us, he has been on nearly all of the digs that where the bones in the museum were discovered and was the most enthusiastic and interesting guy. He let us hold dinosaur bones, showed us ones from locked drawers, took us into a little room at the back where there were bones from what might be two completely new species of dinosaur discovered in Laos! Again we were even allowed to touch these as he described the size/shape/type of dino they are. As a finale we sat in his office and watched a documentary about one of the digs he was on with a team of Westerners where he regularly pointed himself out and excitedly told us which ones were his friends.

It poured it down while we were in there, as soon as it eased off we jumped back on our bikes and cycled through the soaking and in places flooded streets.

Before going out for dinner and having another amazing meal in a little restaurant full of locals, mainly men at one huge table drinking the local whiskey, Xan had his hair cut…short. You should have seen the thick ginger locks that covered the floor. Have to admit I was a bit nervous having never seen him with his head shaved but he looks well fit! (not that I’m biased.)

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Photos

Rare Fairy Light Dino
With a few bones thrown in for added effect

Paula and musuem man
Shortly after he asked me if I wanted to have a beer with him - I declined. Travelling has obviously changed me!

The man himself
A fe years or decades earlier on a dig

Splash
Cycling through a small puddle

Stunning
A very photogenic town

PMac
Hanging out on street corners again!

Bricks
Pretty ones

Xan's haircut
The New Do!

Overload?
Not sure this would meet with UK H&S standards