Vientiane

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Thursday 23rd Oct

After arriving at the airport the usual tuk-tuk drivers start mobbing you as you make your way outside. They produce a laminated official price list of common destinations around town. The 5km journey into town is listed down as 55,000 Kip (USD$6). Despite their price list we bargained the ride down to USD$2. We got dropped off at along the riverside and ended up staying at the Orchid Guest House for $16/night. Not a bad hotel, clean and the hot water worked. After settling in we went to a nearby travel agent to organise our flights to Phonsaven and Luang Prabang. While waiting for them to get our tickets booked, we went across the road to have a few beers at one of the many open air restaurants along the riverside. Here there are a multitude of places selling BBQ seafood and meat, coconuts, and inexpensive beer. One large bottle of Lao Beer is around 8,000 to 10,000 Kip. After downing a few beers we headed to the Morning Market which is near the Talat Sao Mall. Actually I wasn't sure where the Morning Market ended and where the Talat Sao Mall began, or whether it was just the same thing. It has the usual stuff like dodgy DVD's, bags, shoes and clothes. It's a little touristy though and doesn't really feel like a local market. Vientiane itself doesn't really feel like a tourist town though. You don't get a lot of touts trying to sell you stuff and you don't get a huge number of tourists about. It's a lot more developed than say Phnom Penh but people are still pretty laid back.

Friday 24th October
We had some time to kill before we caught our flight to Phonsaven, so we decided to head to the Thong Khan Khom Market. We were on the riverfront and flagged down a tuk-tuk. We started talking to him but another tuk-tuk driver came over and chased him away. Seems like there are tuk-tuk "gangs" which control a certain key areas. Anyway this market was more your traditional local market selling a lot of fruit and veges, meat, and various items. I think this is a more interesting market to visit than the Morning Market. Unfortunately if you ask a tuk-tuk driver to take you to a market, they will more often than not take you to the Morning Market. The market also has the usual rip-off stuff to buy. I ended up buying a mid size backpack here for 110,000 Kip.

After the market we headed to the aiport for our flight to Phonsaven. After spending a few days in Phonsaven we flew back to Vientiane and had a few hours to kill before we fly off to Luong Prabang. We went for a walk outside of the airport and found a local restaurant. We had the best roast pork I think I have ever tasted. Sensational stuff.

Saturday 1st Nov
We arrived back into Vientianne for a third time after Luong Prabang and Vang Vieng. We stayed at a better hotel this time, the Lane Xang Hotel at $36/night. Not much to report except that Chris dragged me to a gay bar. He insisted that he didn't realise it was gay but I have my doubts.

Sunday 2nd Nov
In the morning we hired a tuk-tuk driver to show us a few of the temples for 60,000 kip. Nothing too exciting, seen one temple, seen them all type of thing. Anyway it started pissing during our tour so we cut it short, and just chilled out until we headed back to sunny Singapore.

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Photos

That Dam
Ancient stupa probably around the 15 century is believed to inhabited by a seven headed naga.

Authentic The Nobtk Eacf backpacks
And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Orchid Guest House
With my newly bought backpack.

Having a beer at the airport
They don't make glasses like they used to.

Guard with his knife
Outside the Lane Xang Hotel