Laos - Vientiane

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Yesterday at the evening i got a train from Bangkok to Nong Khai (small town on Lao-Thai border) so today at 6 o'clock at the morning i checked out from Thailand and entered Laos. Probably due to the fact that i already had a valid visa the whole bureaucracy procedure lasted less than 10 minutes.

Vientiane (Laos capital city) is half on hour far from the border so already at about 9 o'clock i was taking a shower at my room in a guest house. After one day in Vientiane i can fully understand why some people saying that Laos is "quite and calm" version of Thailand. As an example i can tell that half of today's day i spent traveling with a monk that wanted to practice his english... I believe that in Bangkok of nowdays such events a very uncommon. To sum the first impression - Laos looks like a very nice place to travel.

Plans. As much as it can be seen now - on the morning of the day after tomorrow i'll leave the capital in favour of Vang Vieng or some short trekking in Vientiane area (such as in Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area or in Houay Nhang Forest Reserve). Tomorrow i'll check the options in details.

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