Laos PDR (please dont rush)

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Laos PDR definitely must stand for; please don't rush!

I'll explain my day; so I woke at 6am, showered and changed super quietly in the dorm back in luang prabang so as not to wake anyone, our dorm room became full last night and both myself and Rachel were pleased to be leaving the next day, especially after having a dorm to ourselves!

The tuk tuk picked me up at 7am along with 2 kiwi girls. We arrived at the station at around 7.20 and the bus was "due" to leave at 8am, getting into Vientiane at around 5pm...8am came & went, you kind of get used to their laid back manner after a while, although being British we are usually rushing not chilling, so it's a little difficult to just 'go with the flow' I'm not saying their attitude is the wrong one to have, it's just a little frustrating for us impatient Brits!

Anyway, we eventually left at 9am. The bus heads out of LP and thru bang vieng en route to Vientiane. The roads wind thru the mountains, round and round and round and the roadsare all unmade so extremely uneven. I felt more than a little queasy, and I thought I was an ok traveller on buses etc.a word of caution, if you suffer from travel sickness normally get something for the journey!!

I got talking to a Laotian man on the bus, he has 6 children, 5 boys, one of whom is a police officer in LP and a daughter who works for Lao bank. He runs a type of education centre where local children learn trades, anything from furniture making to dress making, cookery and English! He spoke English well and told me he studied both English & French as a child (French because Lao was colonised by the French many years ago) he was explaining about how little funding the lao people get from their government, unlike the uk, they have to pay for healthcare and education.

A really interesting guy to speak with. I think I also showed him that not all British people are as he first perceived us to be; loud, brash, heavy drinkers and drug users, he was quite saddened to see that vang vieng had turned into such a rowdy place due to the young tourists..

Lao only really welcomed the first of tourists back in 1995 and since then had built a tourism industry which they Appear to be benefiting from. I just hope it doesn't change their country too much.

Theyve yet to develop their roads and until such time they continue to use olds delapidated vehicles that are extremely unreliable, hence all the stories you hear of breakdowns etc

Nevertheless they have the right attitude in life, a relaxed one that surround family. They enjoy the kanthere've been brought up on, are self sufficient in growing food and can pretty much make a business from anything!

Anyway, at around 8.40pm we arrived in Vientiane and I hopped on a songethaw into town. Found my accommodation, Vientiane backpacker hostel, where I'm in a 16 bed dorm. Seems pretty decent, nice bathrooms and sociable common area. Plus the staff seem nice too.

Met Sophie, the girl from chiang Rai (from Trafford) she's staying at this place too and arrived in from vang vieng thisevening apparently, so it's kind of nice to see a familiar face.

Headed out for a bite to eat at a local cafe, only so I could take my malaria tablet, not that hungry after the bus journey.

Plan to get an early night and head into town tomorrow.Likely to book an extra night or two here as I feel I'll be rushing to fit it all in tomorrow.

I'm planning to head to the women's textile teavhing place tomorrow where you can spend a few hours learning and partaking in the process of weaving or dying material.

Off to bed now

Love to all xxx

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