Lack luster Vientiane

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00
DAYS 

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HOURS 

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MINS 

00
SECS

Until I get home for Christmas!!!

My Dad: "So Kryst, is Laos a country, or a city?"
Me: "Are you serious? ....yeah, it's a country..."

It's a country alright, but without much of a capital. With 200,000 people, you'd hardly know it was a city at all. In fact, the only pictures I managed to take were mostly of signs. And not that I find that incredibly boring, but there weren't many sites to try out my 'self portraits' on!

The bus from Bangkok wasn't that bad...only 13 hours. However I was shocked at the Friendship Bridge (Northern Thai/Lao border) when I learned that Canadians had to pay $42 for a VISA, while most other people only had to pay $30-$35. And we all know how 'thrifty' I've become, so I was upset, to say the least. I thought Canadians were the friendly and always welcomed people? Why did I have to pay more then everyone else on the freakin' bus?! **turns out thats how much Laosians have to pay to get into Canada...stupid equality!**

I did however enjoy the company of my three travel mates, (Edward from France, Joe from Vietnam, and Tim from the US). Quite a strange group we were, but nonetheless, it was good to have English as our common language. Not that we actually saw much of Edward once we got into the city: he was strangely 'adopted' by a group of Laos teenagers and never heard from again. (Well, that's not true...we saw him return two days later very hung-over)

Lazy lunches and quiet dinners along the Mekong with lots of time to sleep-in on my lumpy mattress and read my many books. That's all I can say for Vientiane actually. Strange isn't it? ...usually I can write mundane comments about anything, but Vientiane left me a little lost for words. Uninspired, if you will.

(note: If this is the first of my blogs you've ever read, this is by far my cruddiest example of writing...go to the previous journals)

However, I'd recommend Syri's Guesthouse to anyone passing through. $6/night for a double bed and my own bathroom!!! That's luxury folks!

I only gave Vientiane 3 days of my time, and now I'm on my way to Luang Prabang in the North, which has been recommended to me by everyone I've met! Then onto Myanmar, where the REAL traveling will begin!

Oh, and Vientiane has GREAT Indian food! mmmm...veggie samosa!

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Photos

Nam Phu Monument
of so little mention, it's not even in my guidebook

well, I didn't want to climb the pole anyways!
So there.

Stop!
Why I find sings so amusing, I'll never know.

Comments

[emma]

ok!
hiya how ya doing? wow sounds like u had fun!! u needed a rest tho!!welcome to my expense!!i have to pay alot for a visa in hong kong to get to china!!because i am BRITISH!! its a pain in the ass relly!! well have fun in your next travel place!!loves em xx

[Meredith]

Chin! Chin!
...from my parents and me! Sounds like you're doing great and trucking along just fine! I'm so jealous. Love and miss you tons!

[David]

blark
You may know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me.

[Katie]

uninspired
Wow Krysta!! For such a talkative gal, this was the shortest blog ever!! I'm shocked to say the least, at how boring some places can be!! Enjoy the north part and take lots of pictures. Don't feel too concerned for finding the signs amusing, they made me laugh out loud. Even that horrid one of some guy getting electrocuted!! I'm off to write more in your other blogs!! Love, me

[Adam]

and did you know that Canadians are one of the few people in the western world that need visas to get into the Czeck Republic only because you guys do the same to them. Haha, foreign relations.

[dad]

I want the credit
Kyrst: I want credit for the question: city or country? Glad you are out of Mynamar. It is only from reading comments on this blog that I learned it used to be called Burma! I live in a small circle!

[deleted_36378]

King of the Hill
As we discussed, this country reminds me of King of the Hill. It looks like that's about all that can be said about it at this point. XOXOX Jay