Greetings from Vang Vieng, Laos.
Yesterday, my tuk tuk was to pick me up at 8:30. I had an early breakfast, returned to my hotel at 8:00 and a few minutes later the driver was there waiting for me. Early! Once in a while that happens. After making the rounds in Luang Prabang to pick up other passengers, we had 11 people with backpacks on this tiny little vehicle.
Arriving at the bus station for mini-bans, it was complete chaos. Multiple tuk tuk’s arrived for multiple mini-vans and there seemed to be no order as to who went where or when. Suddenly, a man appeared calling for “fo…pebol” and I went to a waiting van. The departure for this 9:00 am deluxe mini-van became 9:40 and we were off. It was a very rough and bouncy ride not helped by me being stuffed into the very back seat! Every pot hole or pavement break seemed to reverberate through my spine.
We arrived, were dropped off, picked up by tuk tuk and deposited somewhere in the town! It took a while getting oriented! I read that since the government cracked down on illegal bars and lodging, the party crowd has moved on and there are more guest houses than tourist. Assuming it would not be difficult to find a room, I walked for an hour or more looking. Many were booked, some were US prices, and eventually, I found a reasonable priced place with hot water and big bed! Yay!
After walking and taking photo’s for the evening, I went to bed early. Considering the time I have left and where I want to spend it, I woke feeling it was already time to move on. The first two ticket offices I visited, one said all buses today were full of Chinese tourist and the other, the desk man went of on a trip today. After breakfast, I found one more office, booked a ticket and am now waiting a 1:20 pick up for a VIP bus to Vientiane, the capital. I’ll spend one day there and then take an overnight bus, boat and another bus to reach my destination in the South.
Again, the feeling of relief and ease has guided me on this trip. When I realized I wasn’t really connected to this place, everything fell into place. I’m wanting to go someplace quiet and relaxing. And, I want to have time to rent a motor bike and explore the top of the Bolvean Plateau outside Pakse. My one priority, finding a quiet beach on an island near the Cambodia and Thailand border with hammock for a few days of complete relaxation.
A few photo’s from my brief stay here:
Once a party town with huge crowds, loud music, consumption of enormous volumes of beer on tubing trips, this seems to be a town looking for some identity. Loads of tour options abound but to me, they seem to be a way to occupy time and “DO” something. I’m entering a phase of simply wanting to “BE” so this hasn’t been a match for me.
One lodging that was recommended highly, with affordable rates of around 60,000 kipp, is now the same building but a bit rundown and charging 250,000. It’s only saving grace, proximity to the river. Several other places I visited have the same feeling. Fortunately, I stumbled upon one friendly, clean and affordable place.
Walking around, as you’ll see in the photo’s, are some places with off-street access, lots of plants and a feeling of being very quiet.
And, you’ll see my new friend PJ in one of the photo’s. I was having a dinner alone last night, small delightful snack of vegetarian pita bread with falafel, when he plopped at my table and asked if he could join me. He got separated from friends, was on his way back and decided to stop and visit. He’s from Sweden, traveling for a year and a half, heading to Australia to find work and then who knows.
We had a great visit! He started by asking me if I was traveling alone. “Well, not right now I said” since he joined me! He laughed easily and we spent the hour chatting it up.
I consider my first visit to a place or country as a bit of a reconnaissance trip to learn about people, food, places and such. Arriving late and hot and hungry, I wandered about with my pack getting oriented and searching a place to stay. Now, less than 24 hours later, I have a clearer sense of the village, where I’d stay next time, location of local restaurants with great food and prices a fraction of those on the tourist strip and such. And now, with my pickup arriving at either 1:20 or whenever they feel like it, I’m posting this and packing up!
Ciao!