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Published: April 24th 2007
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Cocktail nights in Vientiane
As long as you sip up before 11 p.m. Well quite smelly capital, actually as they seem to be digging up all the sewers around the "city" centre. We even moved from our first guesthouse because of the pong, but when it persisted in our next room, the cursory check of underwear and bottoms of sandals turned up a blank and we are left to conclude that the capital of Laos stinks!
We spent most of our first day trying to find a bus to take us to Savannakhet, a sleepy provincial town halfway to the border crossing to Vietnam at Lao Bao. We evntually concluded that our original plan to stop at that town, then Hue and then catch a train to Hanoi to meet up with our old rafting and wine-tasting buddies, Kellee and Conor, was going to be 3 days of hectic travel. Next attempt was to find a decent bus to go directly to Hanoi: there is only one, A/C but no toilet, it only costs $18 and takes over 24 hours. An Australian girl at one of the agencies where we enquired said that she knew some people who had done the trip - it took 30 hours and the bus was overbooked, so
they were sitting in the aisle atop their backpacks. That's it we were gonna fly; aaahhh, if you doddle around long enough and talk to the right people you'll always find an excuse. A couple of hours later and $260 dollars poorer we had our flights with Vietnam airlines and had blown the budget again.
In the meantime, with all that wondering around we had seen quite a bit of Vientiane and like other places in Laos, it's more like a big town than a city, with a very relaxed, if stinky ambience. Lots of places selling fruitshakes, baguette sandwiches and even some wine cellars - oh, the civilizing colonisation of the frenchies. Liquor sales in general seem to be big business in Laos and I was pleased to see that magnificent deluxe blend - Johnnie Walker Blue Label - on sale for $100. Unfortunately, I was not in a position to purchase said item. In our wanderings the next day we happened past the US embassy. Agnes was attracted by an official warning notice that was from the Lao government to all US citizens visiting the country. I wasn't allowed to take a photo, but the basic gist was
that there is a secret law (not written down) that forbids sexual relations between Laotians and Americans. The penalty for a breach of the law is imprisonment plus a $5000 fine. I wonder are terms more favourable for Irish citizens? I guess I'll never find out, as we fly out in a few hours.
Well, after over 2 weeks in Laos, I must say it's a relaxed place, with a relaxed people, but there are not so many things to see and do, especially with the constant stifling heat. That influenced our decision to fly to Hanoi, as the coolness of the north is well behind us now and the further south we go the more baking it's become. If I ever return to Laos it'll be at a cooler time of year. Apart from that, most visitors take on the attitude of the people and just relax while here - no agenda, no hurry, no stress. Every coin has two sides though and the Laos are so easy-going and carefree that it's impossible to bargain with them. When you suggest a lower price and enquire about the possibility of a special deal for 2 of the same, they just
Old colonial mansion
The french also left baguettes as a legacy to the Laos people smile and repeat the initial price. Granted that they probably think us westerners are all filthy rich and can afford whatever price they dream up. Don't they see us every night pouring dollars upon dollars down our throats, so we can stumble and smile inanely? The Lao don't take that much advantage of our different status as much as some of their neighbours , which is why with some apprehension our thoughts turn toward Vietnam. Nearly 3 hours yesterday was spent searching on the web for a hostel/hotel in Hanoi. Basically, the cheaper places expect you to book tours with them and if you don't they do crazy things like kick you out in the middle of the night. There are nearly as many horror stories as good reports (obviously those people booked a tour) on trip advisor. The worst places all have 3 or 4 different names, just to make them even more difficult to avoid. After the stress of getting stressed with Hanoi before we even get there, we headed to the river side for a sunset fish supper. The "restaurants" are makeshift and filthy, the low tables sit on the floor style and covered in flies, but
the food was delicious and worth the $8. We were surprised that we weren't sick afterwards, but maybe we are toughening up again, although more likely is that our 3 hour orgy of cocktails at the lively Khop Chai Deu bar killed all parasites in a barrage of potent alcohol. The temptation was too much as it was $2 a go on Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. I should mention that we avoided all the drinks with the infamous local hooch Lao Lao - an experience with that in Vang Viang left us both in a nasty way.
So that's Laos for ya ...
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