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Published: December 17th 2006
Public bus
It'll get you there!!Laos may not be the land of opportunity but it is a land of choices, when travelling around. Your options are public bus, Express bus or VIP bus. In some cases the VIP bus is called the Super VIP bus and the Express bus is known as the VIP bus.
Whatever they're called, the most basic public bus is at least 30 years old and looks like it will fall apart. It may not have air-con, but it has HUGE windows. It takes a little longer to reach its destination than the others but tends to get there. . . eventually.
The top of the range buses have all the mod cons, air-con, tv, toilet on board and a free lunch (on long journeys). They look quite fancy, but still struggle on some of the more mountainous routes. They're still the fastest options (apart from minivans - smaller but more cramped for 8 hours!).
In between is the Express bus. It's basic for European standards, but looks quite flash compared to the public buses, which I should add carries it's cargo on the roof... I was surprised to see about 10 mopeds on the roof of one public
Express Bus
May be old, but it's the best there is! bus, but that was nothing compared to the goat on the roof of another!! It wasn't tied down...but then I don't think it was likely to jump off!
So, do you a) go for the rickety old bus that looks like it won't even make it out of the bus station carpark? It's the cheapest option but takes a couple of hours longer.
Or, do you b) take the mid-range bus? It's quicker and less cramped than the public bus, but still takes longer than the VIP bus and you don't get a free lunch.
So (yes Mum, there's a c!) would you choose c) The VIP bus? It's by far the most luxurious, it looks like it'll get you there in the time it states, which is faster than the others by an hour or two and you get a free lunch on the way, air conditioning and comfortable seats. Additionally you get an accompanying armed security guard!!!
Up until that point I thought there was no choice...always go for c). c)'s more comfortable and although its more expensive, its cheap by western standards. But why the hell do I need an armed security guard?
Tractor type machine
Have no idea what this is for...could be farming machinery, could be a taxi service, but there were quite a few around...often full with people! Is choice c) more prone to attacks by bandits? Maybe I should take a cheaper option? Less likely to be attacked if you're on a crappy bus...but do bandits attack the crappy buses cos they know there's no armed guards, hence an easier target? Who knows!
It wasn't until I was halfway to Louang Phabang and enjoying (!?) the free lunch that I noticed the armed guard. . . well, his gun, anyway. . . so I never really had that choice.
Although I was on a VIP bus from Vientiane to Louang Phabang, I decided to take the midrange Express bus from Louang Phabang to Vang Vieng. In actual fact, the midrange bus was better. I think I'll try a public bus from Vang Vieng to Vientiane in a couple of days, just to see how they all compare.
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Paul
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Buses
Lots of buses