Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane

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On our way to Luang Prabang (Laos) we stopped for a layover in Pakxe. After about 20 minutes we got back on the plane to discover, we were the only passengers. So I guess you could say we took a private jet; it was more eery then exciting. When we got to the airport and went through customs we were once again the only ones there. As we went down the line the "officials" followed us, carrying their lunch pales, while shutting off the lights as we went. They handed back out passports smiling, "Welcome Ellen and Jean!" (our middle names). LP is a laid back beautiful town. We took a cooking class, visited the night market, walked along the river, and even ate fresh cut french fries from a street vendor. As we wandered down a side street one early evening we heard someone shouting, "Hey Americans!" We looked up to see Vinny shouting to us from the rooftop of a four story building. Vinny can be described as a guy, half Vietnamese, half Lao (depending on the conversation) who has long curly black hair streaked with blond highlights, a long goatee, and one bum eye (which would follow behind his good eye but never could quite catch up). It had what I like to call, "little sister syndrome."
"Dan will be down in a minute to open the gate."
Dan can be describes as a guy, Canadian, shaved head, crooked but sweet smile, with two even paced blue eyes. We had met Dan and Vinny earlier that morning at a coffee shop and now were climbing the stairs to the roof of their wine bar, appropriately called "Vinny's Wine Bar." We spent the evening watching the sunset, chatting with Dan, Vinny, an Irish guy and a woman from Canada, and enjoying the best glass of red wine I've had in months. Later on Dan took us to the night market and showed us where to get the best chicken on a stick, sticky rice, and hot chili paste (which I now know how to make). Definitely a good night.
We spent a couple of nights in Vang Vieng where we went biking, hiking, and even swimming in a lagoon. At night we watched episodes of "Friends" which played in every restaurant and bar. We decided not to participate in VV main activity...tubing. All day long you see people floating down the river while stopping to drink at makeshift bars and then jumping from makeshift rope swings and platforms into the water. Yikes!
Our final destination in Laos was the capital city of Vientiane where we ate amazing pizza and enjoyed exploring the streets of an urban city. Lao was great, but I do have to complain about one thing...their coffee. It is as thick as molasses, tastes like bitters, and leaves a orange stain on everything. Not to mention if you ask for milk or sugar they set a can of sweetened condensed milk (label peeled off with two holes poked in the top) in front of you on a cute serving plate. Sweet! It can start your engine and your car's too!
From here my Mom heads back to the States and I travel on to India. I am very thankful for the unique chance to travel with my mom. While traveling you definitely miss the comforts of home, I was lucky enough to have the best comfort of all with me for a whole month!
(10/19 sorry for not keeping up with the blog...I have been running around India for 20 days and am heading to Nepal at the end of the month, will write soon). My flight back to Wisconsin is Nov 19th...hope to catch up then! Can't wait to see everyone!


Travel Info

LP
Chanh Thaphone guest house $5 a night
Phu Si Hill is cool at sunset
Three elephant cooking school

VV
We stayed at a new gh across from the organic restaurant (best food and you can fill your water bottle for 10 cents). I think it was called VV resort or something. It was off season so super cheap and everything was new.

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Photos

Sign
I love this cross walk sign.