Part II of October trip – A week in Laos

After returning to Bangkok from Southern Thailand, I immediately embarked on my journey to Laos. This involved a 13 hour train trip from Bangkok to the border, followed by a border crossing and then a one hour ghetto-bus ride to Vientiane, the capital. Because I had just returned to Bangkok, I did not book a train seat prior to the day of departure, so I ended up having to sit in 3rd class. My idea of a comfortable train ride involves a seat which turns into a bed, complete with white sheets and a pillow. Third class is definitely NOT that. It is composed of hard benches facing one another, so close together that your legs are touch the people opposite of you and your head is touching the head of the person behind you. The benches are too narrow for two people, but still it is considered a seat for two. And to top that all off, in third class, once all the seats are booked, they start selling tickets without seat numbers, which means that the aisles are completely filled with people – so filled, in fact, that you cannot go to the bathroom because you cannot GET there! Vientiane couldn’t have come too soon!
The capital itself is amazing because it’s so laid-back as to almost feel desolate. Streets are almost empty, you can’t see people or street stalls everywhere… strange after arriving from Bangkok and after living in Kathmandu! I soaked in the feeling, though, walking in the middle of streets, savoring the fresh air and lack of noise. My favorite place became the water fountain, which, though the water was only turned on an hour per day, was a quiet, relaxing, beautiful square surrounded by French bakeries and massage parlors (both of which I frequently frequented over the next two days.)
From Vientiane, I embarked on a 10 hour bus journey 400 kms North, to Luang Prabang. Winding through hills, bumping over dirt roads, and stopping at strange fishy-smelling roadside stalls made for a less-than comfortable ride (2 out of 3 nights now!), but I arrived in Luang Prabang bright and early on a crisp, foggy morning. The cool breeze was much appreciated after being in Southeast Asian heat now for two weeks.
Luang Prabang is probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. Set in a valley surrounded by lush hills, and surrounded by the Mekong River and its tributaries, it’s little wonder the whole city has been named a World Heritage site. That, and the fact that the city captures the perfect harmony of Southeast Asian and French architecture. Apparently, when the French colonized places, they fuse their own French architectural style with the style of the land they are colonizing. This is in contrast to, say, the British, who tore down traditional architecture in favor of their own, English colonial style.
I spent the next 3 days visiting wats (or temples – the city is chock full of them!), going on a boat ride along the Mekong, walking the calm sidestreets, and shopping in the night market. I also sampled my favorite Laoatian food – barbecued river fish on a stick!
Though I could have spent many more days in Luang Prabang, school in Bangkok would be starting soon and there was still one more Lao adventure I needed to check off my list: tubing in Vang Vieng. This is the ultimate tourist activity and something you cannot miss when traveling in Laos, so I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Vang Vieng is situated right between Vientiane and Luang Prabang, so it was an easy sidetrip on my way back to the capital. Also a beautiful place, with sharp rocky crags jutting out of flat fields and a lovely little river meandering in between the crags. Reminded me of Krabi minus the beach.
Vang Vieng is quite a strange place, though. It’s the epicenter for young backpackers traveling through Laos so there are TONS of bars and restaurants. As I walked through the main street of Vang Vieng, I noticed that all the bars were playing the same music (either Bob Marley or Jack Johnson) and all of them had several TV screens in the restaurant playing reruns of Friends and the Simpsons. The clientele, laying back on pillows and mattresses, seemed like zombies watching the television screens. Strange. What is Laoatian about that??? I also heard that tubing down the river was a chance for foreigners to get really, really drunk, as apparently along the river were at least a dozen bars selling cheap beer and shots. Strange…
I decided to tube in the morning to hopefully avoid the crowds of young drunk foreigners. And it worked! Tara and I (who I traveled with the second part of my trip) were the only two people on the river at 9am! And it was beautiful, perfect, the most relaxing thing I’ve ever done. It’s like the lazy river at an amusement park, but two hours long, in a natural stream, surrounded by endless landscape and hot Lao sun! I did see all the river-side bars, and was happy not to have tubed a few hours later.
Back to Vientiane for one more cheap massage and one more French baguette with cheese, and I was back on the train to Bangkok, this time with a second class sleeper seat. I’d go back to Laos for the beautiful landscape, relaxed people, and to get off the beaten track a little more next time.