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Published: December 28th 2006
Foot bridges, Laos Style
Crossing the river from the main town to the guest house could be a precarious missionGreetings from Vang Vieng, a short (by Laos standards) bus ride north of the capital.
I reached here yesterday afternoon from Vientiane, travelling by public bus. An experience I approached with a little trepidation, as the stories I had heard about bus travel were more legend!
It all started with my first attempt at haggling. First step, check with guest house staff how much should expect to pay. Next step, approach a tuktuk driver (if they don't approach you first), and ask how much to the bus station. Step 3 Roll your eyes dramatically at their first suggestion (which to be fair, was definitely taking the piss!), (I opted for the "state what I'm prepared to pay option"): 10,000kip (about USD1). Repeat step 3 for second suggestion. Finally agree on 12,000kip, Final step, climb aboard for a fun and bumpy ride!
Arriving at the station and trying to find my bus, I wandered around looking pathetically lost, or just pathetic probably, as a nice man (everyone here is nice) asked me where I was going. Having not yet lost the instinct to try to shake off every nice person offering to help, I first told him I was
just looking around... Then rethought it and asked where to buy tickets. He quickly led me to my bus, told me buy a ticket on board and gestured that I should get on as it was actually pulling out.
I did want to get on, but couldn't see how, as both doors were blocked with people, boxes, bags and children. Apparently, that's not a good enough reason to stay standing on the footpath, so I climbed in! More nice people took pity on me, helped me put my bag on top of some of the other boxes and bags, a nice lady let me sit on the seat next to her, and we were off!
All in all, it was not that terrible an experience. The bus was full, and there was a strange smell, a bit like someone had been drinking hard spirits; but with most of the windows open, it was probably more pleasant than trips I've taken in airconditioned buses in hot climates!
Most of the trip was along a straight highway, and although we probably never topped speeds greater then 60k per hour, we trundled along quite well for much of the way.
A few more people got on, then gradually they started to get off and I finally had a seat to myself for the last half hour or so. Some stops were prolonged affairs as the driver and the conductor (two dapper gentleman who seemed to like the uniform: I wished the driver had left combing his hair until later though) would have to climb on to the roof and pass down bags of produce (including live chickens, judging by the cackling when they hurt the turf) and goods bought at the markets that morning.
The latter part of the trip was slightly more daunting as the road became windier and steeper, and the drivers apparent deathwish really started to develop. He really launched himself into the down hill corners, and I noticed that plastic bags had been handed out prior to my getting on board. Perfect time to ball up a jumper and close your eyes for a snooze I say!
There were about 4 other foreigners (or falang) on board, and climbing out of the bus at the dusty bus station, there were only a few tuktuks ready to take us to their preferred choice of accomodation.
I had already decided where I was going and coincidentally, so was one of the other falang, a New Yorker called Liza, so we shared a tuktuk with another australian teenager and did another fine job of haggling. I just have to practise this in the markets now...
Our kindly, helpful driver, still passing us pamphlets for his favoured guesthouse, dropped us at the main bridge over the river to the Maylyn Guesthouse. It was a new bridge, rather fancy compared to the normal lowslung bamboo and twig affairs you see a lot of, and for this reason, there was a toll to cross it. I'm obviously becoming tightfisted the longer I stay here, but handed over the ridiculously cheap payment and we all meandered across.
The guesthouse is lovely, set in a lush green and flowerfilled garden, were beautiful butterflies flit all day long (you were so lucky, I nearly wrote "abound"). I have a free standing bungalow, on stilts and with woven bamboo walls. I fell asleep to a soundtrack of crickets last night, and woke up to things falling on the roof and roosters crowing. It's a damn sight nicer than the tuktuks and phlegm
Karst cliffs, Vang Vieng
Very proud to say that I climbed to the top of the middle peak clearing I got in Vientiane!
We borrowed some bikes and made our way back into the township of Vang Vieng by way of the rickety bridges, which are really quite cool! But, my first impression of the township didn't really do much to enamour me. Vang Vieng is a bit of a backpacker "must do" place, and as such, they are catered to. There are a number of TV bars, which play back to back Simpsons, Friends and other TV programmes at full volume (I can hear The Family Guy running at the place next to me right now), while patrons lounge back on rows of cushion benchs, and choose from an array of mind altering substances on the menu. I just can't see the point in spending so much money to come to another country to spend all your time unaware of anything around you. It also doesn't sit that well with me, as it shows so little respect to the local population. I know that if a large group of foreigners turned up in my neighbourhood and sat around getting stoned all day long, I doubt they'd be tolerated so well.
So after a tasty bowl
Looking for Buddha
This is all I have to show for an afternoon looking for a cave with a buddha statue inside. The sign said the cave was at the end of this long bumpy road. Sadly, by the time we got back, we were running out of daylight, and I found out later, we were less than half way there! of noodles with the locals on the edge of the township, we traisped back over the river and went in search of caves. The one we were looking for was about 6km away and the day was fading. Thinking we'd found it (the sign promised a buddha inside), we took off for another few k's along a very bouncy rocky track, only to discover it wasn't the right cave at all! just a whole with a ladder into it! When we had another look at the maps later on, we discovered we were actually only about half there! Sadly, I'll just have to accept other accounts that it wasn't a very big Buddha anyway!
As it gets dark so early here, we were racing to get back before losing the last of the day. It also meant that I was staying at the guesthouse for the rest of the night. I got chatting with some guys from America and another english woman, who was currently living in a a horrible border town with her new american husband, who was working with Afghan refugees. Conversation with her was particularly so interesting, but a little stilted and slurry as, like most
of the other guests, she had been to a local wedding and partaken of the local rice wine Lao-lao. A pretty potent brew, it would appear!
This morning, I staggered out of bed and opted for a banana pancake and pineapple shake (by the way, I went with Mango the other day) for breakfast, before Joe, the ex-pat who runs the guesthouse, took a small group of us up a local mountain.... A good way to start the day, and I will sleep well tonight!
The trip started with a gentle stroll through a dry rice field, before heading into the cool shade of the forest, from where we started to climb. It was less a walk and more rock climbing, but great fun, although it did push me at times. Very grateful for all the light exercise I have done lately, I probably would have died a dozen times without it! We were accompanied by one of the village dogs, who got more help over the tricky bits than anyone else, and surprisingly, she made it all the way to the top, although there were times when I think we thought we might not make it ourselves! The last 10minutes of the climb got tricky as the rocks got sharper, so hopefully she had tough paw pads, because I was definitely grateful for my tough tramping boots. The view at the top was great, and we stayed, perched on a few of the blunter rocks for about 20 mins just soaking it up, before crawling back down.
Covered in red dust and very sticky, it was quick shower time before I came back across the river to find a tuktuk to take me to a local organic farm, which also has a well recommended cafe. the farm was set up as a Mulberry plantation, the plant on which silk worms are fed, so the local specialities are Crispy fried Mulberry leaves and Mulberry fruit shake, both of which I ordered. The leaves were dipped in a tempura like batter and were without any distinct flavour, but certainly a tasty snack as any fried food is! The shake is made from the berries and was much like a berry fruit smoothie.
Anyway, light is fading fast and I have to get back across the river without falling in on the precarious bridges, so will away.
I'm still undecided what to do with myself tomorrow. I think I will head on to Luang Prabang, which could keep me occupied for several days, before heading either North West to Huay Xai, where I plan to play in the jungle for a few days, or over to Ponsavan to see the Plain of Jars. Will start by getting on a bus I think....
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Little Jonny Dunny
non-member comment
Hey Amanda. Glad to hear that you are having a great time and that its a really good experience for you. Boy when you get back you'll be able to barter like nothing on earth. You seem to like bus travel so when you next visit me you can come by bus, or as you seem to like walking, use your feet. Keep up the good commentary, its sounds like your having a good time and dont miss us at all. Next year maybe you can do Tibet and move from jungle to mountains. Spot ya later.