27/06/13
I ate the remaining 3/4 of yesterdays chocolate croissant but it didn't make me feel any better. It was raining nearly the whole day and the clouds were low so not surprisingly I spent the majority of the day in my room, although I did venture out for lunch and dinner. For lunch I went on a hunt for a cafe that had been described as "Looking like something transplanted from the Pembrokeshire coast". Sound nice? I thought so too but after walking past where it should've been 4 times I realised it was the building with the decorators in it so I settled for a less than average restaurant instead. Pizza was on the menu for dinner (I didn't really fancy beef noodle soup) and I called it a night around 10 o'clock. During the day I had to visit the gentleman's room a number of times, which wasn't very joyful, especially as my toilet didn't flush and you had to 'flush' it with the 'bum-gun' (what the locals use instead of wiping).
Friday, 28 June 2013
Day 114 Bed
26/06/13
After the terrible nights sleep I had I was pounced upon by a minibus driver wanting my money (the train only takes you to Lao Cai 38km from Sapa). I knocked his original price down to 40% but it was still $10. When we arrived I couldn't find the hostel I wanted to stay at so I ended up staying at the bus drivers hotel where he offered me a room for the same price as the hostel. After a cold shower I had a restless nap for a couple of hours until midday when I decided to explore the town. The thing I noticed first was how similar it was to Namche Bazar in Nepal. Sapa is situated at 1650m and Namche Bazaar is at 3440m but the actual layout and the atmosphere is similar. Both are perched on the hillside, totally developed for tourism, local hill people everywhere, every building is a outdoor gear shop, those that aren't are restaurants or hotels. I don't like either, everyone I have spoken to has said that Sapa is great, the best thing since sliced bread but I totally disagree, maybe if you get away from all the touristy bits it changes dramatically. I went into a cafe for some food but I physically couldn't eat the chocolate croissant I had bought. Not feeling great I booked a bus ticket back to Hanoi for the 28th, the bus was practically 1/3 of the price of the train ticket. After a little walk I went back to bed. Not my favourite day of travelling so far.
After the terrible nights sleep I had I was pounced upon by a minibus driver wanting my money (the train only takes you to Lao Cai 38km from Sapa). I knocked his original price down to 40% but it was still $10. When we arrived I couldn't find the hostel I wanted to stay at so I ended up staying at the bus drivers hotel where he offered me a room for the same price as the hostel. After a cold shower I had a restless nap for a couple of hours until midday when I decided to explore the town. The thing I noticed first was how similar it was to Namche Bazar in Nepal. Sapa is situated at 1650m and Namche Bazaar is at 3440m but the actual layout and the atmosphere is similar. Both are perched on the hillside, totally developed for tourism, local hill people everywhere, every building is a outdoor gear shop, those that aren't are restaurants or hotels. I don't like either, everyone I have spoken to has said that Sapa is great, the best thing since sliced bread but I totally disagree, maybe if you get away from all the touristy bits it changes dramatically. I went into a cafe for some food but I physically couldn't eat the chocolate croissant I had bought. Not feeling great I booked a bus ticket back to Hanoi for the 28th, the bus was practically 1/3 of the price of the train ticket. After a little walk I went back to bed. Not my favourite day of travelling so far.
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Day 113 Muscle Man
25/06/13
I found it quite hard to get to sleep last night but I eventually dropped off, only to wake at 06.30 and try as I might I couldn't get back to sleep. Just after 08.30 we disembarked in Hanoi where I went straight to the ticket office where I hoped to book myself onto a train to Sapa (very northern Vietnam), unfortunately the only train left a 21.50. I bought the ticket and began the cafe waiting game along with my heavy rucksack. My first pit stop was "one of Hanoi's best kept secrets" you accessed it through a silk shop then up a couple of flights of stairs, providing nice views over the lake, although the coffee was pretty average. I had already bought a pastry for breakfast and to kill time before lunch I went in the search of a cinema, I walked up and down the short street it was meant to be on but my search proved fruitless. I walked back in the direction of the station to Kinh Do Cafe which featured in the film Indochine, I really have no idea why as it wasn't anywhere near the greatest cafe I have been in by a long chalk but the beef noodle soup wasn't bad. I purposefully tried to lose myself on the way back to the lake and it sort of worked as I had to get my guide book out. At the lake I trudged up 3 flights of stairs to a chain coffee house, Highlands Coffee. It has free wifi and I was able to stay there for 3 and a half hours buying just one £1 drink. Having had enough of cafes I walked round the lake and found a free bench to sit at and read in the sun. A little while later an old Vietnamese guy came and started talking to me. His english was very good as he had studied in Australia, we just chatted for half an hour then I said my goodbyes and went for dinner. It didn't take me long to find some noodle soup. By the time I arrived at the station I had a bad headache and my legs were very painful. I had to wait 20 minutes to get my ticket but I was then escorted to the train. Unfortunately I layed down on the wrong bed which was embarrassing. My room this time was more upper class with only 4 beds and nicer furnishings. In my proper bed I tried going to sleep but my legs made it painful, I fell asleep eventually but I kept waking up because I was too hot/cold.
I found it quite hard to get to sleep last night but I eventually dropped off, only to wake at 06.30 and try as I might I couldn't get back to sleep. Just after 08.30 we disembarked in Hanoi where I went straight to the ticket office where I hoped to book myself onto a train to Sapa (very northern Vietnam), unfortunately the only train left a 21.50. I bought the ticket and began the cafe waiting game along with my heavy rucksack. My first pit stop was "one of Hanoi's best kept secrets" you accessed it through a silk shop then up a couple of flights of stairs, providing nice views over the lake, although the coffee was pretty average. I had already bought a pastry for breakfast and to kill time before lunch I went in the search of a cinema, I walked up and down the short street it was meant to be on but my search proved fruitless. I walked back in the direction of the station to Kinh Do Cafe which featured in the film Indochine, I really have no idea why as it wasn't anywhere near the greatest cafe I have been in by a long chalk but the beef noodle soup wasn't bad. I purposefully tried to lose myself on the way back to the lake and it sort of worked as I had to get my guide book out. At the lake I trudged up 3 flights of stairs to a chain coffee house, Highlands Coffee. It has free wifi and I was able to stay there for 3 and a half hours buying just one £1 drink. Having had enough of cafes I walked round the lake and found a free bench to sit at and read in the sun. A little while later an old Vietnamese guy came and started talking to me. His english was very good as he had studied in Australia, we just chatted for half an hour then I said my goodbyes and went for dinner. It didn't take me long to find some noodle soup. By the time I arrived at the station I had a bad headache and my legs were very painful. I had to wait 20 minutes to get my ticket but I was then escorted to the train. Unfortunately I layed down on the wrong bed which was embarrassing. My room this time was more upper class with only 4 beds and nicer furnishings. In my proper bed I tried going to sleep but my legs made it painful, I fell asleep eventually but I kept waking up because I was too hot/cold.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Day 112 Orient Express (almost)
24/06/13
For breakfast I went in search of some street food, the first stall I found was 'manned' by a young lady and she was selling an odd but surprisingly tasty concoction. There was a base of sticky rice lavishly topped with cheese, coconut, peanuts and sugar, one of the best breakfasts I've ever had. After reading in my room for an hour I checked out at 11. My next move was to walk for an hour to get to a cafe. The Bread of Life cafe was on the other side of town and it is an American style cafe, served by deaf people. A little over 2 hours later, after a coffee and burger I left for the train station. It was still half an hour before the train left but it was already in the station so I boarded. I was bunk 1, berth 1. I entered my assigned berth and took stock of my surroundings; 2 parallel bunks, 3 beds high, the middle bed folded up on both sides to allow enough headroom to sit on the bottom bunk (bunks 1 and 2), there was also a small table in front of the window, 2 lights and an AC fan. I had just placed my bag on the ground when 4 of my berthies (like roomies) crammed into the confined space. There wasn't enough room for all of us and our baggage so we stowed the bags under the bottom bunks. The first 30 minutes we were perched on the cliff, following the coast line, providing stunning views. I spent the rest of the journey looking out the window, reading or accepting food from the locals. I also watched a film when they turned their music down low enough to hear it. The 6th berthie never materialised and the others played cards and loud music for most the journey, but at least they were very polite and friendly unlike nearly every other Vietnamese I have come across.
For breakfast I went in search of some street food, the first stall I found was 'manned' by a young lady and she was selling an odd but surprisingly tasty concoction. There was a base of sticky rice lavishly topped with cheese, coconut, peanuts and sugar, one of the best breakfasts I've ever had. After reading in my room for an hour I checked out at 11. My next move was to walk for an hour to get to a cafe. The Bread of Life cafe was on the other side of town and it is an American style cafe, served by deaf people. A little over 2 hours later, after a coffee and burger I left for the train station. It was still half an hour before the train left but it was already in the station so I boarded. I was bunk 1, berth 1. I entered my assigned berth and took stock of my surroundings; 2 parallel bunks, 3 beds high, the middle bed folded up on both sides to allow enough headroom to sit on the bottom bunk (bunks 1 and 2), there was also a small table in front of the window, 2 lights and an AC fan. I had just placed my bag on the ground when 4 of my berthies (like roomies) crammed into the confined space. There wasn't enough room for all of us and our baggage so we stowed the bags under the bottom bunks. The first 30 minutes we were perched on the cliff, following the coast line, providing stunning views. I spent the rest of the journey looking out the window, reading or accepting food from the locals. I also watched a film when they turned their music down low enough to hear it. The 6th berthie never materialised and the others played cards and loud music for most the journey, but at least they were very polite and friendly unlike nearly every other Vietnamese I have come across.
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| Triple decker |
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Day 111 I will walk 500 miles
23/06/13
Ok so it wasn't 500 miles but I did feel like the Proclaimers today. I had to totally repack my bag to fit my shoes in and that alone with getting ready took over an hour. The process of breakfast, including the journeying, took another hour so by the time I got back I was ready to leave. I walked 15 minutes to the bus station where I only had to wait for a few minutes for the bus to Danang to turn up. The bus itself was painfully slow, after 10 minutes we had gone less that 1km and the bus station was still in sight. From where I was dropped off it was just a short walk to the train station. The girl behind the counter delivered the bad news that there were no more spaces on any trains heading to Hanoi today. I booked a ticket for the next day at 15.00 and began the hotel hunt. It wasn't easy, after 3km in the midday heat my search was prooving fruitless. A motorbike rider offered to take me 6km up the road to a $5 a night hotel, I soon realised that he was just agreeing to everything I said so I walked on, and not long after I found a place to stay, $12.50, not cheap by SE Asia standards but it was a room none the less. I changed and then went on a search for the beach. The road I stayed on was off my map so I walked 3.5km before changing direction. 2km down a perpendicular road I reach a long sandy stretch of coastline, the only other people on it I could see were 3 young, local lads. After I short swim I retraced my steps. Back in my room I had a shower (very much needed by this point) and then read until I got hungry. I just got some street food and starting wandering the roads. I walked the streets for 2 hours, just soaking up the city's energy and just enjoying the place, no time restraints, no agenda, no worries.
Ok so it wasn't 500 miles but I did feel like the Proclaimers today. I had to totally repack my bag to fit my shoes in and that alone with getting ready took over an hour. The process of breakfast, including the journeying, took another hour so by the time I got back I was ready to leave. I walked 15 minutes to the bus station where I only had to wait for a few minutes for the bus to Danang to turn up. The bus itself was painfully slow, after 10 minutes we had gone less that 1km and the bus station was still in sight. From where I was dropped off it was just a short walk to the train station. The girl behind the counter delivered the bad news that there were no more spaces on any trains heading to Hanoi today. I booked a ticket for the next day at 15.00 and began the hotel hunt. It wasn't easy, after 3km in the midday heat my search was prooving fruitless. A motorbike rider offered to take me 6km up the road to a $5 a night hotel, I soon realised that he was just agreeing to everything I said so I walked on, and not long after I found a place to stay, $12.50, not cheap by SE Asia standards but it was a room none the less. I changed and then went on a search for the beach. The road I stayed on was off my map so I walked 3.5km before changing direction. 2km down a perpendicular road I reach a long sandy stretch of coastline, the only other people on it I could see were 3 young, local lads. After I short swim I retraced my steps. Back in my room I had a shower (very much needed by this point) and then read until I got hungry. I just got some street food and starting wandering the roads. I walked the streets for 2 hours, just soaking up the city's energy and just enjoying the place, no time restraints, no agenda, no worries.
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| Fishing boats by the water |
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| Full moon across the river |
Day 110 Wet
22/06/13
After a shower I walked in the rain to the town centre where I bought a baguette for breakfast and sheltered under a tarpaulin to eat it. My next stop was a cafe, not only did I want a coffee I also wanted to dry out. The place I chose was staffed by deaf/mute people so you had to write your order down, it was a very quite place to chill, I stayed reading there for ages. As it was still raining I went back to my room for a bit in the hopes that the weather would clear up as I had intended to go to the beach. After a late lunch it was still raining so I braved my way to the shoe shop but I was told that my shoes weren't ready to collect until 17.00. With time to kill I found another cafe to waste time in. At 17.00 I returned and found my shoes fitted perfectly and they also looked splendid (in my opinion anyway). My evening was much the same as yesterday, I ate at a different restaurant and then headed down to the river where the stalls were the same. I also walked to the edge of town where I had read there was a large theatre with the official opening ceremony. Again it was only for VIPs and unfortunately I didn't quite make the cut. Surprisingly.
After a shower I walked in the rain to the town centre where I bought a baguette for breakfast and sheltered under a tarpaulin to eat it. My next stop was a cafe, not only did I want a coffee I also wanted to dry out. The place I chose was staffed by deaf/mute people so you had to write your order down, it was a very quite place to chill, I stayed reading there for ages. As it was still raining I went back to my room for a bit in the hopes that the weather would clear up as I had intended to go to the beach. After a late lunch it was still raining so I braved my way to the shoe shop but I was told that my shoes weren't ready to collect until 17.00. With time to kill I found another cafe to waste time in. At 17.00 I returned and found my shoes fitted perfectly and they also looked splendid (in my opinion anyway). My evening was much the same as yesterday, I ate at a different restaurant and then headed down to the river where the stalls were the same. I also walked to the edge of town where I had read there was a large theatre with the official opening ceremony. Again it was only for VIPs and unfortunately I didn't quite make the cut. Surprisingly.
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| A parade of all the ASEAN countries in national dress. |
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| £40 well spent |
Saturday, 22 June 2013
Day 109 Woops
21/06/13
I went for breakfast and returned to the hotel for 08.00 and I only had to wait a short time before a minivan pulled up outside. It took us 500m round the corner where we had to wait an hour for a coach to turn up. When it did it turned out to be a sleeper bus even though we were only going a couple of hours down the road. An hour into the journey our driver overtook a car (one of hundreds) and appeared not to see the oncoming lorry until it was too late. We swapped wing mirrors and a little paint but no major damage. This was because our driver had swerved away from the lorry, into the car, the car was slightly worse off. Both the bus and the car had massive scratches down the whole length of their bodies and the car had also lost a mirror and all the panels down one side were dented. Hopefully this will be my first and last bus incident and thankfully nobody was injured, although it did add an hour onto the journey. We stopped for lunch shortly afterwards and I spent an hour chatting to a retired prison officer from Essex and like many conversations you have whilst travelling you never find out the other persons name. When we arrived there was the normal scrum for the motorbike drivers to get your custom, one guy latched himself onto me and after halving his first price and offering to take me to a $5 a night hostel I got on. After driving round for well over half an hour the cheapest place he had taken me was $15 a night, I was less than impressed that he had lied to me, it was evident that if there were cheaper places then he didn't know about them and if he did he certainly wasn't going to take me to them. I think all the rooms were slightly more expensive anyway as there is a 6 day cultural festival in Hoi An so I ended up going for one of the $15 a night places and I will admit it was a good choice because the room was worth much more than $15, even in Vietnam. There is wifi, AC, double bed, en suite with bath and shower and a plasma TV (which I almost certainly won't use) but in all honestly I would much rather a dorm room or a single room with fan for a couple of dollars and to spend the money elsewhere. Such as on 2 pairs of tailor made shoes, not 100% sure how they're going to fit in my bag... In the evening it was the start of the festivities and it was truly incredible. There was thousands of people spread right along the river front, on both sides. The main attraction was on the far bank where there were dozens of stalls, each one representing a different ethnic group in Vietnam. There were also stalls for each ASEAN country (Asian version of the EU, comprising of Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). There was also a huge stage where different ethnic groups performed traditional dances in tradition dress, watched by dignities and other VIPs. My favourite part was simply watching the hundreds of paper lanterns floating down the river, I wish my camera gave justice to the moment. My least favourite part was when I went for a drink in one of the many restaurants that line the river. The waiter hugged me all the way to my seat then when he came to take my order he stroked my arm and kept giving me weird looks. I think it is the first time a gay man has hit on me and I sincerely hope it is the last!!
I went for breakfast and returned to the hotel for 08.00 and I only had to wait a short time before a minivan pulled up outside. It took us 500m round the corner where we had to wait an hour for a coach to turn up. When it did it turned out to be a sleeper bus even though we were only going a couple of hours down the road. An hour into the journey our driver overtook a car (one of hundreds) and appeared not to see the oncoming lorry until it was too late. We swapped wing mirrors and a little paint but no major damage. This was because our driver had swerved away from the lorry, into the car, the car was slightly worse off. Both the bus and the car had massive scratches down the whole length of their bodies and the car had also lost a mirror and all the panels down one side were dented. Hopefully this will be my first and last bus incident and thankfully nobody was injured, although it did add an hour onto the journey. We stopped for lunch shortly afterwards and I spent an hour chatting to a retired prison officer from Essex and like many conversations you have whilst travelling you never find out the other persons name. When we arrived there was the normal scrum for the motorbike drivers to get your custom, one guy latched himself onto me and after halving his first price and offering to take me to a $5 a night hostel I got on. After driving round for well over half an hour the cheapest place he had taken me was $15 a night, I was less than impressed that he had lied to me, it was evident that if there were cheaper places then he didn't know about them and if he did he certainly wasn't going to take me to them. I think all the rooms were slightly more expensive anyway as there is a 6 day cultural festival in Hoi An so I ended up going for one of the $15 a night places and I will admit it was a good choice because the room was worth much more than $15, even in Vietnam. There is wifi, AC, double bed, en suite with bath and shower and a plasma TV (which I almost certainly won't use) but in all honestly I would much rather a dorm room or a single room with fan for a couple of dollars and to spend the money elsewhere. Such as on 2 pairs of tailor made shoes, not 100% sure how they're going to fit in my bag... In the evening it was the start of the festivities and it was truly incredible. There was thousands of people spread right along the river front, on both sides. The main attraction was on the far bank where there were dozens of stalls, each one representing a different ethnic group in Vietnam. There were also stalls for each ASEAN country (Asian version of the EU, comprising of Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). There was also a huge stage where different ethnic groups performed traditional dances in tradition dress, watched by dignities and other VIPs. My favourite part was simply watching the hundreds of paper lanterns floating down the river, I wish my camera gave justice to the moment. My least favourite part was when I went for a drink in one of the many restaurants that line the river. The waiter hugged me all the way to my seat then when he came to take my order he stroked my arm and kept giving me weird looks. I think it is the first time a gay man has hit on me and I sincerely hope it is the last!!
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| Hoi An by day. |
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| Lanterns on the river |
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| Hoi An by night |
Day 108 Farang
20/06/13
Farang means foreigner in Lao and I was the only one on the bus. The journey until the boarder was uneventful apart from the smouldering wreckage of an oil tanker we past. We also stopped for lunch but seeing as I had no money I couldn't purchase any food. At the boarder you had to bribe the Laos boarder officials with $3 (on top of the outrageously priced visa, $65 for one month). You also had to bribe the Vietnamese officials (slightly less money this time). I don't know if I paid too much or too little or whether it was because I was last in the que but the officer who was checking my passport took an age. I think he thought it was a fake or maybe he just has something against the British but he honestly took 10 times longer than he had for anyone else, I thought I was going to get turned away. Around half 6 I was dropped at the Northern end of Hue, leaving me with a very long walk to the tourist district, where all the hotels are. I got a room at the same place as I stayed with Rob and George and surprisingly the receptionist recognised me. By this time I was starving, having not eaten for 24 hours. After a shower I went for a pizza and as that wasn't enough I went to another restaurant for some fried rice.
Farang means foreigner in Lao and I was the only one on the bus. The journey until the boarder was uneventful apart from the smouldering wreckage of an oil tanker we past. We also stopped for lunch but seeing as I had no money I couldn't purchase any food. At the boarder you had to bribe the Laos boarder officials with $3 (on top of the outrageously priced visa, $65 for one month). You also had to bribe the Vietnamese officials (slightly less money this time). I don't know if I paid too much or too little or whether it was because I was last in the que but the officer who was checking my passport took an age. I think he thought it was a fake or maybe he just has something against the British but he honestly took 10 times longer than he had for anyone else, I thought I was going to get turned away. Around half 6 I was dropped at the Northern end of Hue, leaving me with a very long walk to the tourist district, where all the hotels are. I got a room at the same place as I stayed with Rob and George and surprisingly the receptionist recognised me. By this time I was starving, having not eaten for 24 hours. After a shower I went for a pizza and as that wasn't enough I went to another restaurant for some fried rice.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Day 107 Secret Millionaire
19/06/13
I woke around half 8 then I had breakfast and only left the restaurant to catch my oat back to the mainland at 11.00. During the crossing it started to rain, added to the fact that the bus was a good 5 minutes walk away most people were rather damp by the time we got on the bus around half past. The bus was meant to take 3 hours but it ended up being 4 because we stopped for some unfounded reason for half an hour. When we arrived back in Pakse I tried booking a bus ticket to Vietnam for that evening but the tourist office said he bus was a local one and it wasn't very good. Unfazed I booked it anyway and then spent the next 2 hours waiting. I wandered around for half an hour, spending the last 1000 Kip (less than 10p) on a packet of instant noodles I ate uncooked, then returned to the booking office to wait out the remainder of the time. At 17.00 I was driven to the bus station along with a Malay-Aussi who comes to Laos a lot. At the bus station it became apparent that there wasn't going to be a bus leaving that evening. This turned out not to be an issue as the Aussi, named Tony, said he had a spare bed in his room I could use and he also took me out for dinner which was really generous. It turned out that Tony, who was only 39, was a property tycoon (earning $2000 a day) and most of our conversations were centred around the stuff he has done for the Laos people. He has come to Laos 6 times now and has paid for toilets to be built, bought hundreds of dollars worth of food for poor families, bought a $3000 tractor for a family whose father couldn't work, bought 3 plots of land on a coffee plantation for a couple he brought back from Bangkok who had been working in the sex industry. There were many more that he didn't have time to tell although I wish there had been because he showed me some pictures and the faces of the people he had made smile. He has not only fallen in love with the country but also with a local woman, even though he is married with 2 kids in Australia. Proof nobody is perfect or has it all.
I woke around half 8 then I had breakfast and only left the restaurant to catch my oat back to the mainland at 11.00. During the crossing it started to rain, added to the fact that the bus was a good 5 minutes walk away most people were rather damp by the time we got on the bus around half past. The bus was meant to take 3 hours but it ended up being 4 because we stopped for some unfounded reason for half an hour. When we arrived back in Pakse I tried booking a bus ticket to Vietnam for that evening but the tourist office said he bus was a local one and it wasn't very good. Unfazed I booked it anyway and then spent the next 2 hours waiting. I wandered around for half an hour, spending the last 1000 Kip (less than 10p) on a packet of instant noodles I ate uncooked, then returned to the booking office to wait out the remainder of the time. At 17.00 I was driven to the bus station along with a Malay-Aussi who comes to Laos a lot. At the bus station it became apparent that there wasn't going to be a bus leaving that evening. This turned out not to be an issue as the Aussi, named Tony, said he had a spare bed in his room I could use and he also took me out for dinner which was really generous. It turned out that Tony, who was only 39, was a property tycoon (earning $2000 a day) and most of our conversations were centred around the stuff he has done for the Laos people. He has come to Laos 6 times now and has paid for toilets to be built, bought hundreds of dollars worth of food for poor families, bought a $3000 tractor for a family whose father couldn't work, bought 3 plots of land on a coffee plantation for a couple he brought back from Bangkok who had been working in the sex industry. There were many more that he didn't have time to tell although I wish there had been because he showed me some pictures and the faces of the people he had made smile. He has not only fallen in love with the country but also with a local woman, even though he is married with 2 kids in Australia. Proof nobody is perfect or has it all.
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Day 106 Couch Potato
18/06/13
I had another lie in (only until 09.00) then I went for breakfast which certainly wasn't hurried. I then got chatting to a couple of guys staying at the same place as me. I went to another restaurant for lunch, again I was in no hurry to leave. I met the lads at the same cafe again and we ventured to another cafe where we stayed for the rest of the day, chatting and playing a dice game. There were a few other people there and a couple of us jumped off the veranda into the Mekong, 7m below. And that was the exciting story of life on Don Det. For most people that is how each day goes for them, I have met lots of people who have stayed for a week, doing that every single day!!
I had another lie in (only until 09.00) then I went for breakfast which certainly wasn't hurried. I then got chatting to a couple of guys staying at the same place as me. I went to another restaurant for lunch, again I was in no hurry to leave. I met the lads at the same cafe again and we ventured to another cafe where we stayed for the rest of the day, chatting and playing a dice game. There were a few other people there and a couple of us jumped off the veranda into the Mekong, 7m below. And that was the exciting story of life on Don Det. For most people that is how each day goes for them, I have met lots of people who have stayed for a week, doing that every single day!!
Day 105 Dolphins
17/06/13
My day started very leisurely at 10.00 and after breakfast I changed bungalows for something almost identical but cheaper than I had been paying. I then hired a bike and cycled down the east coast of the island, all 4km of it, until I reached the south where an old French, arched bridge spans part of the river and joins Don Det to Don Khon, another, even sleepier, island. The 'roads' aren't paved and signing is at a bare minimum so it took me a while to find Li Phi Falls, a very impressive waterfall. I then made an indirect way down to the southern tip, where you can see Cambodia. Whilst eating lunch there I talked to Chantelle and Stephen, 2 travellers I met yesterday. We agreed to meet back at the point at 16.00 so we could hire a boat together and go look for some dolphins. I cycled along a terrible track to the east side, then round to the north, where I had a riverside drink, then back down south for just before 16.00. We paid $8 between us for the boat and driver, a young local lad. He captained the longtail boat a couple of hundred metres out to a deep area where the dolphins live. The Irrawaddy Dolphin is an endangered species, there are fewer than 100 left, but it didn't stop us seeing loads (at least a couple, lots of times). On the way back to land our engine ran out of fuel so the lad had to paddle back, I don't think he will make the same mistake again. We rode back together then went our separate ways to shower and change but we met up again for dinner, which was really tasty. Afterwards we went to a bar where we met a couple of their friends who we spent the remainder of the evening with.
My day started very leisurely at 10.00 and after breakfast I changed bungalows for something almost identical but cheaper than I had been paying. I then hired a bike and cycled down the east coast of the island, all 4km of it, until I reached the south where an old French, arched bridge spans part of the river and joins Don Det to Don Khon, another, even sleepier, island. The 'roads' aren't paved and signing is at a bare minimum so it took me a while to find Li Phi Falls, a very impressive waterfall. I then made an indirect way down to the southern tip, where you can see Cambodia. Whilst eating lunch there I talked to Chantelle and Stephen, 2 travellers I met yesterday. We agreed to meet back at the point at 16.00 so we could hire a boat together and go look for some dolphins. I cycled along a terrible track to the east side, then round to the north, where I had a riverside drink, then back down south for just before 16.00. We paid $8 between us for the boat and driver, a young local lad. He captained the longtail boat a couple of hundred metres out to a deep area where the dolphins live. The Irrawaddy Dolphin is an endangered species, there are fewer than 100 left, but it didn't stop us seeing loads (at least a couple, lots of times). On the way back to land our engine ran out of fuel so the lad had to paddle back, I don't think he will make the same mistake again. We rode back together then went our separate ways to shower and change but we met up again for dinner, which was really tasty. Afterwards we went to a bar where we met a couple of their friends who we spent the remainder of the evening with.
Monday, 17 June 2013
Day 104 4000 Islands
16/06/13
At 07.20 I went for breakfast with Sebastian and Miriam, then at 08.00 Miriam and I left for Don Det, one of the 4000 Islands in the Mekong. We had booked through different companies so we weren't on the same bus so I only saw her again in the evening. After picking a bungalow (from the hundreds available) I had a relaxed lunch at one of the many riverside restaurants, the highlight was the legendary pumpkin burger and it certainly lived up to its reputation. In the afternoon I read and even had a little nap. I ate dinner alone but bumped into Ollie (who I first met in Thailand) and then later I met Sebastian who had finally made it afer going to Wat Phu in the morning. We had a drink in a bar with two of Ollie's friends, Sophie and Tami, I then went to another bar with Sophie and Tami where I got chatting to an English guy called Simon and also a guy called Jack who I had met in Vang Vieng whilst tubing. All in all a very sociable evening.
At 07.20 I went for breakfast with Sebastian and Miriam, then at 08.00 Miriam and I left for Don Det, one of the 4000 Islands in the Mekong. We had booked through different companies so we weren't on the same bus so I only saw her again in the evening. After picking a bungalow (from the hundreds available) I had a relaxed lunch at one of the many riverside restaurants, the highlight was the legendary pumpkin burger and it certainly lived up to its reputation. In the afternoon I read and even had a little nap. I ate dinner alone but bumped into Ollie (who I first met in Thailand) and then later I met Sebastian who had finally made it afer going to Wat Phu in the morning. We had a drink in a bar with two of Ollie's friends, Sophie and Tami, I then went to another bar with Sophie and Tami where I got chatting to an English guy called Simon and also a guy called Jack who I had met in Vang Vieng whilst tubing. All in all a very sociable evening.
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| View from my bungalow |
Saturday, 15 June 2013
Day 103 Happy Birthday Me!!
15/06/13
I turned 19 on a bus, somewhere between Vientiane and Pakse, I had little leg room and it was only going to get worse. An hour later we stopped to let people off and we ourselves swapped buses with 5 other travellers, the problem with our new bus was that all the seats were already taken, a few even had 3 or 4 people to 2 seats. We piled everyone on and in the end there must have been about 20 people in the aisle sitting on bags and another 5 sitting on the stairs, which I was one of. This joyful experience of sitting on the floor lasted almost 2 hours but most of us had a good laugh about it, just another part of travelling. By the time we got to Pakse enough people had got off to allow me to have a double seat and I even managed an hour or so worth of shut eye. We arrived at 06.20 by half past we were at our guest house, what a good way to start the celebration of 19 years of life. At the backpackers hostel Sebastian went to sleep straight away whereas I wanted to actually do something. On my way out to hire a motorbike I bumped into Miriam who coincidently was staying at the same place as us. It was a great 40km ride in the sun to get to Wat Phu Champasak, a Khmer temple, dated around the same time as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It wasn't quite as large or as spectacular as many of the temples at Angkor but it was still stunning in it's own way. It rises partway up a 1400m mountain called Phu Pasak (Penis Mountain). This World Heritage sit is well over a kilometre end to end and the site has been a place of worship since the 5th century AD. Even though Wat Phu is a must see for anyone travelling in Laos it is surprisingly visited ill-frequently, during the hour and half that I was there I saw perhaps 30 people. When I returned to our room I found Sebastian still asleep but my movements woke him up so we went for 'breakfast' together at midday. We split once more to wander round the town and it didn't take me long to find a nice French cafe to while away a couple of hours in, I also pushed the boat out and bought a fancy coffee as a birthday treat to myself. In the evening I went out for a meal with Miriam and Sebastian, after walking round for ages we finally settled on a local place. We proceeded to spend ages conveying what we wanted to order then even longer waiting for the food to come but I had taken a pack of cards so we had a good laugh whilst we waited.
I turned 19 on a bus, somewhere between Vientiane and Pakse, I had little leg room and it was only going to get worse. An hour later we stopped to let people off and we ourselves swapped buses with 5 other travellers, the problem with our new bus was that all the seats were already taken, a few even had 3 or 4 people to 2 seats. We piled everyone on and in the end there must have been about 20 people in the aisle sitting on bags and another 5 sitting on the stairs, which I was one of. This joyful experience of sitting on the floor lasted almost 2 hours but most of us had a good laugh about it, just another part of travelling. By the time we got to Pakse enough people had got off to allow me to have a double seat and I even managed an hour or so worth of shut eye. We arrived at 06.20 by half past we were at our guest house, what a good way to start the celebration of 19 years of life. At the backpackers hostel Sebastian went to sleep straight away whereas I wanted to actually do something. On my way out to hire a motorbike I bumped into Miriam who coincidently was staying at the same place as us. It was a great 40km ride in the sun to get to Wat Phu Champasak, a Khmer temple, dated around the same time as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It wasn't quite as large or as spectacular as many of the temples at Angkor but it was still stunning in it's own way. It rises partway up a 1400m mountain called Phu Pasak (Penis Mountain). This World Heritage sit is well over a kilometre end to end and the site has been a place of worship since the 5th century AD. Even though Wat Phu is a must see for anyone travelling in Laos it is surprisingly visited ill-frequently, during the hour and half that I was there I saw perhaps 30 people. When I returned to our room I found Sebastian still asleep but my movements woke him up so we went for 'breakfast' together at midday. We split once more to wander round the town and it didn't take me long to find a nice French cafe to while away a couple of hours in, I also pushed the boat out and bought a fancy coffee as a birthday treat to myself. In the evening I went out for a meal with Miriam and Sebastian, after walking round for ages we finally settled on a local place. We proceeded to spend ages conveying what we wanted to order then even longer waiting for the food to come but I had taken a pack of cards so we had a good laugh whilst we waited.
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| From the top plateau looking over Wat Phu |
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| Wat Phu |
Day 102 Sore Thumb
14/06/13
After a terrible nights sleep I met Sebastian in the lobby and went to breakfast with 2 of the lads from last night. Afterwards I hired a bike again to cycle to the Vietnamese Embassy. I was in and out within 3 minutes (I wish all visas were that simple) but like every other visa in my passport it was put in a totally random place, with no logic to it! The remainder of the morning was spent at the excellent COPE (Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise) Visitor Centre. COPE is the main source of artificial limbs, wheelchairs and walking aids in the whole of Laos. The visitor centre is a really interesting exhibition about prosthetics and UXO (unexploded ordinance). After lunch I met up with Sebastian again and we went to Salana Boutique Hotel for an afternoon cup of coffee. We stuck out like sore thumbs, both of us had shorts and flip flops whilst the rest of the patrons were suited and booted, although when we came to pay the girl who served us asked if we were staying there, so maybe we didn't look too bad! Dave also joined us after a while as he had been turned back from the border and had had to come back to Vientiane. We had a quick dinner as we were getting pick up at 17.00 to go to Pakse. There was a slight problem with getting to the bus station as it seemed as we were on nobody's pick up list, we got on minibuses then off then back on etc. We did make it eventually and we piled onto a waiting coach. The AC was set far too low so it was actually quite chilly after a while.
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| One of the displays:cluster bombs |
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| Sebastian in the Boutique Hotel |
Thursday, 13 June 2013
Day 101 Riding round town
13/06/13
I started the day by meeting Sebastian at 08.00 and then we went to one of the local markets for breakfast. We walked back to the hostel then parted ways. I hired a bike to cycle round the city. My first port of call was the Vietnamese Embassy, to get a visa. When I got there I walked in the gate and into the receptionists office where I was promptly told to return at 14.00 as there was a meeting going on, so with 4 hours to kill I headed to Pha That Luang. Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos as it has both religious and national significance but I personally didn't find it that special, I much preferred my second stop, Patuxai. Patuxai could be mistaken for the Arc de Triumphe (at a glance anyway), if you translate it, it does actually mean arch of triumph. It has 4 arches instead of 2 and the road leading up to it could never be mistaken for the Chympees Elycee although the view from the top isn't too shabby. I went back to the embassy even though it had been just over an hour, this time I spoke to the security guard who allowed me in and 15 minutes later, after filling out a form and handing over a lot of money and my passport, I left. After lunch I went to the National Museum which was very interesting and probably the best museum I have been to in Asia. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to find an internet cafe, I found a couple but their wifi wasn't working, I eventually found one and wasted 2 hours there. I went for dinner alone at the same place as yesterday and I bumped into Sebastian who was sitting along the river front. Back at the hotel we joined 3 other travellers and just chatted away for over 4 hours.
I started the day by meeting Sebastian at 08.00 and then we went to one of the local markets for breakfast. We walked back to the hostel then parted ways. I hired a bike to cycle round the city. My first port of call was the Vietnamese Embassy, to get a visa. When I got there I walked in the gate and into the receptionists office where I was promptly told to return at 14.00 as there was a meeting going on, so with 4 hours to kill I headed to Pha That Luang. Pha That Luang is the most important national monument in Laos as it has both religious and national significance but I personally didn't find it that special, I much preferred my second stop, Patuxai. Patuxai could be mistaken for the Arc de Triumphe (at a glance anyway), if you translate it, it does actually mean arch of triumph. It has 4 arches instead of 2 and the road leading up to it could never be mistaken for the Chympees Elycee although the view from the top isn't too shabby. I went back to the embassy even though it had been just over an hour, this time I spoke to the security guard who allowed me in and 15 minutes later, after filling out a form and handing over a lot of money and my passport, I left. After lunch I went to the National Museum which was very interesting and probably the best museum I have been to in Asia. The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to find an internet cafe, I found a couple but their wifi wasn't working, I eventually found one and wasted 2 hours there. I went for dinner alone at the same place as yesterday and I bumped into Sebastian who was sitting along the river front. Back at the hotel we joined 3 other travellers and just chatted away for over 4 hours.
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| Pha That Luang |
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| Laos Arc de Triumphe |
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| The view down the 'Chympees Elycee' |
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Day 100 That's the century
12/06/13
I woke up quite early despite a relatively late night. I picked up a baguette on my way to a Friends cafe where I whiled away a couple of hours. I then wandered back to the hostel where I proceeded to check out and I also purchased a bus ticket to Vientiane. I had almost 3 hours to kill before the bus left at 13.30 so I went and watched a couple more episodes (not a lot else to do in town). Joe and Lance were on the same bus and after we got dropped off we got rooms at the same hotel, which conveniently was the same place that Sebastian was staying at too. The 4 of us then went for a street food dinner, along the river front and then a drink in a very popular local bar. We headed back to the hostel where we spent 3 hours playing cards which was a nice way to spend the evening. I also found out that Lance and Joe went to school with Dan (guy I met on Koh Phi Phi) a very small world.
I woke up quite early despite a relatively late night. I picked up a baguette on my way to a Friends cafe where I whiled away a couple of hours. I then wandered back to the hostel where I proceeded to check out and I also purchased a bus ticket to Vientiane. I had almost 3 hours to kill before the bus left at 13.30 so I went and watched a couple more episodes (not a lot else to do in town). Joe and Lance were on the same bus and after we got dropped off we got rooms at the same hotel, which conveniently was the same place that Sebastian was staying at too. The 4 of us then went for a street food dinner, along the river front and then a drink in a very popular local bar. We headed back to the hostel where we spent 3 hours playing cards which was a nice way to spend the evening. I also found out that Lance and Joe went to school with Dan (guy I met on Koh Phi Phi) a very small world.
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Day 99 Tubing
11/06/13
I had breakfast with Grace then sat in one of the Friends restaurant until she went to Luang Prabang and I went tubing. At the tubing I met loads of people, most of them were English. We got dropped off 4km up river then about 30 of us spent the next 5 hours drifting down stream, stopping off at various riverside bars. The tubing has been toned down a lot in the last couple of years as there were lots of deaths, so there were no drugs (big shame) or rope swings but it was still one of the best things I've done during my trip.
I had breakfast with Grace then sat in one of the Friends restaurant until she went to Luang Prabang and I went tubing. At the tubing I met loads of people, most of them were English. We got dropped off 4km up river then about 30 of us spent the next 5 hours drifting down stream, stopping off at various riverside bars. The tubing has been toned down a lot in the last couple of years as there were lots of deaths, so there were no drugs (big shame) or rope swings but it was still one of the best things I've done during my trip.
Monday, 10 June 2013
Day 98 Vang Vieng
10/06/13
I got up at 06.15, had a shower and went for some breakfast. I then caught a tuktuk down to the bus station. The driver dropped me off at the wrong place, when I asked why I was told that the bus I wanted to get, which left at 07.00, wasn't running so I had to wait until 08.30 to get a half empty minibus to Vang Vieng. I got a bunk in a dorm room then wandered round and wound up in a 'Friends' restaurant, places that play Friends all day on repeat. Back at the hostel I met an English girl from Guildford called Grace, we went for a meal then met up with some guys from Holland I met in Luang Prabang and the 5 of us went out for drinks and had a table football tournament which was thoroughly enjoyable.
I got up at 06.15, had a shower and went for some breakfast. I then caught a tuktuk down to the bus station. The driver dropped me off at the wrong place, when I asked why I was told that the bus I wanted to get, which left at 07.00, wasn't running so I had to wait until 08.30 to get a half empty minibus to Vang Vieng. I got a bunk in a dorm room then wandered round and wound up in a 'Friends' restaurant, places that play Friends all day on repeat. Back at the hostel I met an English girl from Guildford called Grace, we went for a meal then met up with some guys from Holland I met in Luang Prabang and the 5 of us went out for drinks and had a table football tournament which was thoroughly enjoyable.
Day 97 A Plain Day
09/06/13
3rd day on the trot I got up at 07.00 (something I rarely, if ever, manage in England), after ploughing my way through a massive plate of fried fried rice I went an hired a motorbike. The reason why I came to Phonsavan in the first place was for the Plain of Jars, Northern Laos best tourist attraction. Giant stone jars are scattered over hundreds of kilometres round Phonsavan and the 3 largest sites are open to the public (there will be more open in the future but they are yet to be cleared of bombs). Nobody knows who made them or why but archaeologists estimate that they are dated between 500BC and 200AD, so kinda pretty old. The first site is the largest with 334 jars with the biggest being 2,5m tall and tips the scales at 6 Tonnes. The next 2 site were along a shockingly bad dirt road, especially unbelievable for such a popular site. Although in fairness they weren't exactly that overwhelmed with tourists, I mean there was a good 8 people at site one and I was the only person at the next 2 sites. I am sure one day it will be much busier, maybe when they finally secure UNESCO World Heritage status. During the remainder of the afternoon I went to two exhibitions about the bombs. One was about the clearance of unexploded ordinance and the other was about people who have been injured/killed by bombs. Most accidents occur either because farmers are ploughing, children are playing or most commonly people are picking them up to sell for scrap metal, which can make a big difference to someone's income.
3rd day on the trot I got up at 07.00 (something I rarely, if ever, manage in England), after ploughing my way through a massive plate of fried fried rice I went an hired a motorbike. The reason why I came to Phonsavan in the first place was for the Plain of Jars, Northern Laos best tourist attraction. Giant stone jars are scattered over hundreds of kilometres round Phonsavan and the 3 largest sites are open to the public (there will be more open in the future but they are yet to be cleared of bombs). Nobody knows who made them or why but archaeologists estimate that they are dated between 500BC and 200AD, so kinda pretty old. The first site is the largest with 334 jars with the biggest being 2,5m tall and tips the scales at 6 Tonnes. The next 2 site were along a shockingly bad dirt road, especially unbelievable for such a popular site. Although in fairness they weren't exactly that overwhelmed with tourists, I mean there was a good 8 people at site one and I was the only person at the next 2 sites. I am sure one day it will be much busier, maybe when they finally secure UNESCO World Heritage status. During the remainder of the afternoon I went to two exhibitions about the bombs. One was about the clearance of unexploded ordinance and the other was about people who have been injured/killed by bombs. Most accidents occur either because farmers are ploughing, children are playing or most commonly people are picking them up to sell for scrap metal, which can make a big difference to someone's income.
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| Great for hide and seek! |
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Day 96 Back on the tourist trail (sort of)
08/06/13
Yet another day that my alarm went off at 07.00. I had breakfast at the same place I ate at last night then I made the uphill trek to the bus station 1km away. The minibus ride to Phonsavan wasn't great, the bus was full anyway then they added a whole load of sacks, I had one where my feet were meant to go so it left me virtually no leg room, especially as I has my small rucksack there too. At around half 4 we arrived at the bus station. It was still very hot outside so by the time I had walked the mile or so to the main strip I had built up a sweat. The first thing I did was get some food and then I also found a place with free wifi just down the road. I can't say I missed having wifi but I do like to keep my readers happy and it was nice to be able to wish Emily a happy 21st birthday. Whilst I was in the restaurant Sebastian (one of the 12 from Luang Prabang) walked in. He had spent an extra day in Luang Prabang then stopped over in the middle of nowhere for a day. It was good to catch up and actually chat to someone (something I hadn't been able to do for 3 days). We went out for a meal together then went back to the wifi restaurant for a drink.
Yet another day that my alarm went off at 07.00. I had breakfast at the same place I ate at last night then I made the uphill trek to the bus station 1km away. The minibus ride to Phonsavan wasn't great, the bus was full anyway then they added a whole load of sacks, I had one where my feet were meant to go so it left me virtually no leg room, especially as I has my small rucksack there too. At around half 4 we arrived at the bus station. It was still very hot outside so by the time I had walked the mile or so to the main strip I had built up a sweat. The first thing I did was get some food and then I also found a place with free wifi just down the road. I can't say I missed having wifi but I do like to keep my readers happy and it was nice to be able to wish Emily a happy 21st birthday. Whilst I was in the restaurant Sebastian (one of the 12 from Luang Prabang) walked in. He had spent an extra day in Luang Prabang then stopped over in the middle of nowhere for a day. It was good to catch up and actually chat to someone (something I hadn't been able to do for 3 days). We went out for a meal together then went back to the wifi restaurant for a drink.
Day 95 The secret caves from the secret war
07/06/13
At 07.00 my alarm went off, it wasn't long before I was on my way to the other bus station, 4km out of town. After just a couple of hundred metres a tuktuk pulled alongside me. At the bus station in I asked about buses to Vieng Xai, where I could get a tour around the caves that were used during the secret bombing war with the USA (during the Vietnamese war). I was told that it was a minibus and it would leave when there was enough people, if it left at all. Fortunately it left pretty much on schedule and half an hour later we were dropped off at the market in Vieng Xai. It was just 1km to the tour office and when I arrived, just after 09.00 I was clearly the first customer of the day. I was assigned my own private guide and driven around on the back of his motorbike. It was really eye opening, especially as AI had never heard of the US bombing Laos until I read about it in my guide book. Due to this secret war, which was hidden from media attention, Laos is the most bombed country in the world per capita, there are still thousands of tonnes of unexploded ordinance out there which still kills and maims the Lao people, especially children. The important political members had their own caves with circulation pumps, there was also a large cave that served as the barracks for 2000 soldiers, along with school rooms and a huge double ended cavern which was used for weddings, the cinema and theatre. My guide dropped me off at the market so I could catch a bus back to Sam Neua, but when I asked when the next one was going I was told tomorrow. Slightly taken aback I decided to get lunch and mull over my options, I also got a second opinion from the English speaking owner, he gave me the same answer. Not one to sit about and do nothing I started walking towards Sam Neua in the hope of picking up a lift on the way. I hadn't long been walking along the main road when I was listening to Miracle Maker by Delirious when I decided to look round at the road behind and believe it or not an empty minibus was heading my way. I doubted they would know the western thumbs up sign for wanting a lift so I began the internationally recognised arm flapping as slow down. Which they did. They were going all the way to Sam Neua and were happy to give me a ride. Proof miracles do happen
At 07.00 my alarm went off, it wasn't long before I was on my way to the other bus station, 4km out of town. After just a couple of hundred metres a tuktuk pulled alongside me. At the bus station in I asked about buses to Vieng Xai, where I could get a tour around the caves that were used during the secret bombing war with the USA (during the Vietnamese war). I was told that it was a minibus and it would leave when there was enough people, if it left at all. Fortunately it left pretty much on schedule and half an hour later we were dropped off at the market in Vieng Xai. It was just 1km to the tour office and when I arrived, just after 09.00 I was clearly the first customer of the day. I was assigned my own private guide and driven around on the back of his motorbike. It was really eye opening, especially as AI had never heard of the US bombing Laos until I read about it in my guide book. Due to this secret war, which was hidden from media attention, Laos is the most bombed country in the world per capita, there are still thousands of tonnes of unexploded ordinance out there which still kills and maims the Lao people, especially children. The important political members had their own caves with circulation pumps, there was also a large cave that served as the barracks for 2000 soldiers, along with school rooms and a huge double ended cavern which was used for weddings, the cinema and theatre. My guide dropped me off at the market so I could catch a bus back to Sam Neua, but when I asked when the next one was going I was told tomorrow. Slightly taken aback I decided to get lunch and mull over my options, I also got a second opinion from the English speaking owner, he gave me the same answer. Not one to sit about and do nothing I started walking towards Sam Neua in the hope of picking up a lift on the way. I hadn't long been walking along the main road when I was listening to Miracle Maker by Delirious when I decided to look round at the road behind and believe it or not an empty minibus was heading my way. I doubted they would know the western thumbs up sign for wanting a lift so I began the internationally recognised arm flapping as slow down. Which they did. They were going all the way to Sam Neua and were happy to give me a ride. Proof miracles do happen
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| One of the tunnels connecting caves |
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| The large Theatre cavern |
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| A dog I made friends with in Sam Neua |
Day 94 Monk Patrol
06/06/13
My alarm went off at 05.15. I quickly dressed and left Dave to his dreams. I walked towards the centre of town, where I hoped to see the monks processing through the streets, something they do every morning to collect balls of sticky rice from devout locals. Sure enough, just after 05.30 a slow moving column of monks wandered down the street, occasionally stopping so another ball could be added to their begging bowls. On my way back to the hostel I saw another procession, presumably from another monastery. I tried getting back to sleep but gave it up as a bad job and just listened to music. I got out of bed at 07.00 when my second alarm went off and after showering quickly and packing I slipped out into the morning light once again. I picked up a tuktuk which took me to the out of town bus station where I paid for a ticket to Sam Neua ($5 cheaper than if I booked through a tour company). I had an hour to wait so I got chatting to the only other foreigner in the place, an Aussi who had just split from his travelling partner and was heading north to a town called Udomaxai (Muang Xai). I envied him as his journey was considerably shorter than mine. From Luang Prabang to Sam Neua it was 512km and it took us from) 8.30 to 21.20. This did however include a number of toilet stops, a half hour stop for lunch/dinner at 16.00 and an hour stop at a police checkpoint where 3 passengers had their luggage searched and parts of the bus itself was searched. I don't know what they were looking for but they didn't find it and when I asked one of the officers who spoke English I didn't get an answer. When we arrived it was dark, nothing at the bus station was open and there were no tuktuks so I had to walk over a kilometer into town. By the time I reached my room (on the 3rd floor) I was exhausted and dropped off to sleep straight away.
My alarm went off at 05.15. I quickly dressed and left Dave to his dreams. I walked towards the centre of town, where I hoped to see the monks processing through the streets, something they do every morning to collect balls of sticky rice from devout locals. Sure enough, just after 05.30 a slow moving column of monks wandered down the street, occasionally stopping so another ball could be added to their begging bowls. On my way back to the hostel I saw another procession, presumably from another monastery. I tried getting back to sleep but gave it up as a bad job and just listened to music. I got out of bed at 07.00 when my second alarm went off and after showering quickly and packing I slipped out into the morning light once again. I picked up a tuktuk which took me to the out of town bus station where I paid for a ticket to Sam Neua ($5 cheaper than if I booked through a tour company). I had an hour to wait so I got chatting to the only other foreigner in the place, an Aussi who had just split from his travelling partner and was heading north to a town called Udomaxai (Muang Xai). I envied him as his journey was considerably shorter than mine. From Luang Prabang to Sam Neua it was 512km and it took us from) 8.30 to 21.20. This did however include a number of toilet stops, a half hour stop for lunch/dinner at 16.00 and an hour stop at a police checkpoint where 3 passengers had their luggage searched and parts of the bus itself was searched. I don't know what they were looking for but they didn't find it and when I asked one of the officers who spoke English I didn't get an answer. When we arrived it was dark, nothing at the bus station was open and there were no tuktuks so I had to walk over a kilometer into town. By the time I reached my room (on the 3rd floor) I was exhausted and dropped off to sleep straight away.
Day 93 Culture tour
05/06/13
I had a lie in then went and grabbed a baguette for breakfast with Dave and Claire. We went separate ways once we had finished, I headed for the Royal Palace which was the main residence of King Sisavang Vong (1905-1950) but it has now been turned into a museum which was very interesting. I continued my wander round the town by walking along the river until I came to Wat Xieng which is Luang Prabang's best known monastery but it really wasn't anything special. By now I had decided I need a break so I found a nice cafe which also had a library of books you could buy/trade, I ended up spending an hour and a half there. I left because I got hungry as it was now 14.00. After my chicken noodle soup I climbed the 300 steps up to Phu Si a 100m high hill with a 24m stupa on top, the views were amazing, you could see miles in every direction. Later on I went up there again with everyone else to watch the sunset but it was far to cloudy to see anything by then.
I had a lie in then went and grabbed a baguette for breakfast with Dave and Claire. We went separate ways once we had finished, I headed for the Royal Palace which was the main residence of King Sisavang Vong (1905-1950) but it has now been turned into a museum which was very interesting. I continued my wander round the town by walking along the river until I came to Wat Xieng which is Luang Prabang's best known monastery but it really wasn't anything special. By now I had decided I need a break so I found a nice cafe which also had a library of books you could buy/trade, I ended up spending an hour and a half there. I left because I got hungry as it was now 14.00. After my chicken noodle soup I climbed the 300 steps up to Phu Si a 100m high hill with a 24m stupa on top, the views were amazing, you could see miles in every direction. Later on I went up there again with everyone else to watch the sunset but it was far to cloudy to see anything by then.
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| Wat Xieng |
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| View from the hill |
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Day 92 Off on an adventure
04/06/13
I got up just after 08.00 and as I did Dave was just walking out the door to go have breakfast with 2 of the girls, Miriam (from Germany) and Claire (from Belgium). I shortly went myself and not wanting to walk very far I just plugged for the first local restaurant that I came to, unknown to me (until I came out and was shouted at) Dave and the girls were eating at a place just 4 doors down. Back at the hostel we met most of the others, although 2 of the Dutch guys stayed in bed. The 10 of us piled into 2 tuktuks and drove 30km to Tat Kuang Si, an impressive, multi-tiered waterfall. We climbed up to the top and waded through the pool on top and as we were about to descend we (Dave and I) noticed a sign towards another waterfall. We followed this trail for well over an hour through the jungle, slipping and sliding, many people, including myself, took off their flip flops for better grip. I don't think anyone managed to escape without a leech bite and I certainly suffered the most mosquito bites, racking up an impressive 12 which was more than the rest of the group combined. We never did find the waterfall and eventually we decided to just turn around. Back at the falls we swam in a couple of the pools and in one, where it was very deep, there was a rope swing which was brilliant fun. It was just after 17.00 when we got back to Luang Prabang so we went to the same buffet place as last night. We past a homemade cake stall on the way back to the hostel and I along with a couple of others bought a cake each. Later on Dave and I found another buffet and by the time we returned, the others had already gone for a drink. We met up with them then later we all went to the bowling alley. We only played one game which I came second in with a respectable 85.
I got up just after 08.00 and as I did Dave was just walking out the door to go have breakfast with 2 of the girls, Miriam (from Germany) and Claire (from Belgium). I shortly went myself and not wanting to walk very far I just plugged for the first local restaurant that I came to, unknown to me (until I came out and was shouted at) Dave and the girls were eating at a place just 4 doors down. Back at the hostel we met most of the others, although 2 of the Dutch guys stayed in bed. The 10 of us piled into 2 tuktuks and drove 30km to Tat Kuang Si, an impressive, multi-tiered waterfall. We climbed up to the top and waded through the pool on top and as we were about to descend we (Dave and I) noticed a sign towards another waterfall. We followed this trail for well over an hour through the jungle, slipping and sliding, many people, including myself, took off their flip flops for better grip. I don't think anyone managed to escape without a leech bite and I certainly suffered the most mosquito bites, racking up an impressive 12 which was more than the rest of the group combined. We never did find the waterfall and eventually we decided to just turn around. Back at the falls we swam in a couple of the pools and in one, where it was very deep, there was a rope swing which was brilliant fun. It was just after 17.00 when we got back to Luang Prabang so we went to the same buffet place as last night. We past a homemade cake stall on the way back to the hostel and I along with a couple of others bought a cake each. Later on Dave and I found another buffet and by the time we returned, the others had already gone for a drink. We met up with them then later we all went to the bowling alley. We only played one game which I came second in with a respectable 85.
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| Dave on the rope swing |
Day 91 Cheaper by the dozen
03/06/13
The boat was scheduled to leave at 09.30 so I decided to head down there early at 08.30 but when I got there the boat was nearly 3/4 full. Dave came down about 15 minutes later and he was one of the last to get on. The journey was similar to yesterday but a bit longer and with no cards, although just looking out of the window made up for it, the scenery was stunning, miles and miles of hills covered in dense jungle, we would go ages without seeing any evidence of humans. After about 8 we arrived at the Luang Prabang ferry pier, for some reason (probably money) it was situated 15km out of town. As they were charging $2/3 per person some lads decided to walk (I doubt they walked the whole way). 12 of us shared 2 tuktuks, most of the other people Dave had befriended on the boat, and then we tried to get rooms together at the same hostel, unsurprisingly the first couple of places didn't have enough space, we did find a place that could put us all up for a couple of nights so we accepted and even managed to knock the price of the rooms down, only after much negotiation though, things really are cheaper by the dozen. We went out and found a street vendor selling a buffet style meal, all you can fit on your plate for 10,000 Kip (less than £1/$1.5). We went to a bar called Utopia afterwards but like all bars in Laos they shut before midnight, only the bowling alley stays open, some of the group (not me) went there afterwards.
The boat was scheduled to leave at 09.30 so I decided to head down there early at 08.30 but when I got there the boat was nearly 3/4 full. Dave came down about 15 minutes later and he was one of the last to get on. The journey was similar to yesterday but a bit longer and with no cards, although just looking out of the window made up for it, the scenery was stunning, miles and miles of hills covered in dense jungle, we would go ages without seeing any evidence of humans. After about 8 we arrived at the Luang Prabang ferry pier, for some reason (probably money) it was situated 15km out of town. As they were charging $2/3 per person some lads decided to walk (I doubt they walked the whole way). 12 of us shared 2 tuktuks, most of the other people Dave had befriended on the boat, and then we tried to get rooms together at the same hostel, unsurprisingly the first couple of places didn't have enough space, we did find a place that could put us all up for a couple of nights so we accepted and even managed to knock the price of the rooms down, only after much negotiation though, things really are cheaper by the dozen. We went out and found a street vendor selling a buffet style meal, all you can fit on your plate for 10,000 Kip (less than £1/$1.5). We went to a bar called Utopia afterwards but like all bars in Laos they shut before midnight, only the bowling alley stays open, some of the group (not me) went there afterwards.
Day 90 Slowing it down in Laos
02/06/13
I was up and awake by 07.00, enabling me to have breakfast and make it to passport control for 08.00. After a massive bowl of beef noodle soup (easily enough for 2 people) I was at the front of the que, ahead of time. I got on a long-tail boat with 3 locals to cross the Mekong River and on the Laos side I was the first person to get my visa and enter into the country. On all visas they stamp them with an entry and an exit date, I am allowed to stay until the 31st June... I got some money out of the ATM which has already confused me as it is very difficult to change your way of thinking with a different currency, I doubt I will even know what a pound is by the time I get back to England. I walked to the other pier where I could book a slow boat to Luang Prabang. At the ticket office I bought a coffee and a cushion, as I had read that the seats were wooden and very uncomfortable (it turned out to be a waste of money as the seats were taken out of a minibus). At the office I also met an Australian couple, Jay and Natasha, who I sat with on the boat. Jay and I started playing cards with 2 American girls, Emily and Megan, but as the boat filled up Jay went back to sit with Natasha and was replaced at the table with another Aussie, this time a 35 year old guy called Dave. The four of us played cards (and other games) the whole of the 6 hour journey to Pak Beng (our overnight stop). When we arrived it was an absolute shambles getting luggage off the boat, Dave and I were going to share a room and as I got my stuff first I went ahead to scout a place out, it turned out to be quite expensive so we ended up across the road.
I was up and awake by 07.00, enabling me to have breakfast and make it to passport control for 08.00. After a massive bowl of beef noodle soup (easily enough for 2 people) I was at the front of the que, ahead of time. I got on a long-tail boat with 3 locals to cross the Mekong River and on the Laos side I was the first person to get my visa and enter into the country. On all visas they stamp them with an entry and an exit date, I am allowed to stay until the 31st June... I got some money out of the ATM which has already confused me as it is very difficult to change your way of thinking with a different currency, I doubt I will even know what a pound is by the time I get back to England. I walked to the other pier where I could book a slow boat to Luang Prabang. At the ticket office I bought a coffee and a cushion, as I had read that the seats were wooden and very uncomfortable (it turned out to be a waste of money as the seats were taken out of a minibus). At the office I also met an Australian couple, Jay and Natasha, who I sat with on the boat. Jay and I started playing cards with 2 American girls, Emily and Megan, but as the boat filled up Jay went back to sit with Natasha and was replaced at the table with another Aussie, this time a 35 year old guy called Dave. The four of us played cards (and other games) the whole of the 6 hour journey to Pak Beng (our overnight stop). When we arrived it was an absolute shambles getting luggage off the boat, Dave and I were going to share a room and as I got my stuff first I went ahead to scout a place out, it turned out to be quite expensive so we ended up across the road.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Day 89 Born to be wild
01/06/13
I wanted an early start but I reset my alarm twice before I finally got up at 07.45. I hired a motorbike from my hostel, filled the tank and pulled back on the throttle, the next 75km were literally spent flat out, the road was so good, although it did get a bit tedious. From Chiang Khong I rode south to Thoeng where you can turn towards Chiang Rai or to Chiang Kham, I chose the later then I turned onto route 1093 (the road I wanted to drive along in the first place). It was an unbelievable road, there were so many turns, making me throw the bike into corners like a TT rider (at least it felt that way). At points the road surface was terrible and I was very surprised I didn't get a puncture, but the bike didn't get off totally scot-free. I was running out of petrol, with the tank nearly empty when I came slowly down a hill into a village and out of nowhere a chicken ran into the road, not wanting to hit it (as it would be worth a lot to a village resident) I touched my breaks and swerved round. It being wet my back wheel lost grip and slid round, hitting the ground first on the right then flipping onto the left, knocking the wing mirror off. I was fine apart from a couple of very minor scratches and the bike likewise. Whether in this incident or a result of the rough roads, or both, I noticed fuel leaking from the combustion chamber after I had filled up. After half an hour I had used a good 2/3 of a tank so I pulled up at a local mechanic to get it fixed. It took them nearly an hour as they had to take off panel etc. but it still only cost me £2.20. When I drove off there was no drips but again, as soon as I filled up there was leakage, no idea what was wrong. Tomorrow I go to Laos, the last stop before home in exactly a months time.
I wanted an early start but I reset my alarm twice before I finally got up at 07.45. I hired a motorbike from my hostel, filled the tank and pulled back on the throttle, the next 75km were literally spent flat out, the road was so good, although it did get a bit tedious. From Chiang Khong I rode south to Thoeng where you can turn towards Chiang Rai or to Chiang Kham, I chose the later then I turned onto route 1093 (the road I wanted to drive along in the first place). It was an unbelievable road, there were so many turns, making me throw the bike into corners like a TT rider (at least it felt that way). At points the road surface was terrible and I was very surprised I didn't get a puncture, but the bike didn't get off totally scot-free. I was running out of petrol, with the tank nearly empty when I came slowly down a hill into a village and out of nowhere a chicken ran into the road, not wanting to hit it (as it would be worth a lot to a village resident) I touched my breaks and swerved round. It being wet my back wheel lost grip and slid round, hitting the ground first on the right then flipping onto the left, knocking the wing mirror off. I was fine apart from a couple of very minor scratches and the bike likewise. Whether in this incident or a result of the rough roads, or both, I noticed fuel leaking from the combustion chamber after I had filled up. After half an hour I had used a good 2/3 of a tank so I pulled up at a local mechanic to get it fixed. It took them nearly an hour as they had to take off panel etc. but it still only cost me £2.20. When I drove off there was no drips but again, as soon as I filled up there was leakage, no idea what was wrong. Tomorrow I go to Laos, the last stop before home in exactly a months time.
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