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Luang Prabang

9/5/2010

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Morning Alms - local monks receive offerings of food from locals each morning
We drove into Luang Prabang from the North, driving along Route 13 for the last hour of daylight and the first hour of night.  Not recommended. 

I think it is wash hour, visit hour and play on the highway hour - fading lights,  smoke haze, no street lights, no roadwork signs and crazy express buses unable or unwilling to dip their headlights mixed quite well through the continuous village life along the main highway.  Add to that the local traffic that deems headlights either unnecessary or a waste of power and you can start to imagine the difficulties of driving at dusk in Laos.  Every now and then you caome across a pile of rocks, gravel or sand dumped on the road and of course there was my favourite, a boulder the size of a caravan, recently dropped onto the road, the same colour as the road and almost as invisible when oncoming traffic wsa blinding me.

Arriving in Luang Prabang to an absence of street signs in English meant that we did 3 laps of the town and 2 trips out of town before working out where we were.

Again the driving wasn't exactly easy.  Julia had the job of spotting pedestrians, cycles and animals whilst I tried to prevent scooters becoming bonnet ornaments.  They would have made attractive ornaments mind you, as every scooter carried at least one well dressed Laos lady with a large silver rice bowl.  We think it was something to do with the final celebration of New Year and giving alms to monks - the whole town was doing it - at about 15km/h so again driving was easy.

So that night we were just glad to find a room - over 500km in a day in Laos is an achievement and we all gladly went to bed without dinner.

The next morning we got a better look at Luang Prabang and secured a better, more central room.  In fact without realising it our room, with balcony overlooked a famous temple and also the morning alms route.  Morning alms  is where the local monks walk in single file along the streets around their temple and local people sit waiting to provide food for their day.  So we had ring side seats - if you are up at 6am that is!

We really enjoyed Luang Prabang but did find that our choice of hotel meant we didn't have the full "chill out" relaxing time that the town is famous for.

You see monks like to bang drums and gongs - apparently best heard at 4am.  Our convenient location was opposite one drum tower and not far from a 2nd - well within earshot.  So when one beat started it was a surprise to hear a second more distant beat in competition rather than in unison.  The addition of smaller drums reaching a climatic crescendo with - yep you may have guessed it - cymbals, was a particularly unusual way to be woken.  I am quite sure there was chanting as well but perhaps I just imagined that up out of expectation.

For some reason it didn't occur on our 2nd night - perhaps the wedding party set up in the street outside our room  kept the monks up late as well.  When the band finished at 10pm, having completed their run through the Laos top 20, it was only 10 minutes until the 6 remaining wedding guests plucked up the courage to tackle some Laos karaoke classics.....until 1.30am.  No wonder the monks slept in!

Of course during the day we did stuff, ate stuff and visited stuff - Laos pizza's, Elephant farms and 4 wheel driving in no particular order - and generally spent 3 days relaxing before the great Northern journey - to China and Beyond.
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Candles light up the local temple
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Vang Vieng, The Plain of Jars and Phonsavan

28/4/2010

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To get to a few parts of Laos that we wanted to see but didn’t think we had the time to get to, we hired a car and as soon as we got a chance we left Vientiane for a Northern adventure.

Having picked up our Russian Visa’s we made a snap decision to leave the same day and see where we could end up. We headed North up route 13 and after making slow progress for the first 30km we wondered if we would reach anywhere interesting before dark.

As with much of Indo-China, you only have to get a little way out of the larger towns and cities to find that traffic thins out pretty quickly. In less than 3 hours we covered the 150km to Vang Vieng and we decided to stop in.

Vang Vieng has a very bad reputation on travel web-sites and in some print media, chiefly because it is a mecca for backpackers looking for cheap booze, illicit drugs and good times with like minded people. The worst of it was obvious when we eventually worked out where the main street was and drove along looking at a bunch of people sat around in café’s on Thai beds, all aligned and facing several TV’s showing the Family Guy. Added to this worrying welcome is the fact that on the South side of town are a couple of incredibly ugly, pollution producing cement works and the overall town appears to be generally run down.

However the actual valley that Vang Vieng sits in is quite spectacular – mountainous limestone karsts, jungle taking hold where it can and the greenest fields and rice paddies we had seen so far in Asia. And through it all a picturesque river flowing strongly from the North.

As is befitting of people arriving in town with their own transport, we checked into what is considered one of the more up-market hotels – The Elephant Crossing. A quick check of the room standard was irrelevant – the hotel is right on the river with a bar and restaurant on a deck out over the water. A good value menu with beer the same price as everywhere in Laos (10000kip - $1.25 - for a 650ml long neck) was the deal clincher and it didn’t matter that the room was only average – it had a balcony so all was good. Our dinner was interrupted by a tremendous thunderstorm with a spectacular lightning show highlighting the karsts.

So despite what many say, we actually loved Vang Vieng and would have stayed longer if we were just visiting Laos for 2 or 3 weeks of annual holidays – we would even venture into town and mix with the TV watchers next time.

Next day we headed North up some incredible mountain roads before turning East for Phonsavan. Of the devastation inflicted on Laos during the Indo-China wars, none of which Laos was officially involved in, much of it occurred in the province of Xiong Khoang.

The drive across to Phonsavan winds mostly along mountain ridgelines, dipping in and out of river valleys until you suddenly come onto a high plain. The changes are amazing, particularly given that the distance covered isn’t great – averaging more than 30 or 40 km/h is difficult and unproductive on the winding and at times poorly maintained roads. The roads are also narrow and driving a left-hand drive car for the first time meant that I was a little bit disoriented at times. In fact turning back to check Molly’s door was properly shut, whilst going around a right hand bend that switched back to the left soon saw our little dual cab ute bouncing down into the 3 foot drain on the mountain side of the road – and then bouncing back out as she ground her belly on the verge and I reefed the wheel back to the left. Lesson learnt – no room for error on Laotian roads!

Anyway, we hit Phonsavan with time to visit the Plain of Jars (Site 1) the same day and thus free up the next morning for an early get away.

The Plain Of Jars is an interesting place – not fully explained by historians or archeologists, the huge stone jars litter an area of about 2 sq km at site 1 and the scene is similarly repeated at 2 other sites within 40km of Phonsavan. Whilst there purpose is unclear, the craftsmanship and sheer efforts that must have gone into their construction and placement is as amazing as it is baffling.

We enjoyed a simple Lao meal in Phonsavan for dinner, having been eaten alive by mosquitoes at the highly recommended western café and information hub, had an early night and headed North to Muang Kham in the morning.

The drive was again an amazing mix of scenery and activity, as basically life revolves around the thin ribbon of roadway running between towns – if not then it is because a river takes precedence. It was a special day for us and for 8 hours we drove North-East, then North and then West before seeing another Eurpoean or anything remotely associated with tourism. We did see hundreds of pigs, thousands of piglets, hundreds of goats, lots of puppies and some really basic villages. There were a lot of naked kids but almost without exception they always had thongs or sandals on. We drove through National Park that supposedly is home to Tigers and towards the end of the day saw caves that used to house Pathet Lao freedom fighters prior to 1975.

Whilst there are a lot of ways to get around Lao, we really felt that for our situation the hiring of a 4WD was the right decision and allowed us to see something of what Laos is perhaps famous for.

There were some alarming sites as we drove – particularly worrying is the type of agriculture used through out much of Laos. The use of slash and burn techniques to prepare fields for re-planting is practiced to great detriment of both air quality and soil stability. In fact we eventually became lost for words wondering how landslides are not only more common but also more devastating for communities. I think it is only the sparse population that limits the effects of this in the Laos’ countryside. Of course the steep mountainsides were once covered in primary forests so already there has been a cost but the continued use of the land for subsistence agriculture is not progressive. There are many programs reported upon in the local English language papers but I excpect it will continue to hold back progress and cause air and water pollution for years to come, as well as risking lives through instability along hillsides.      

 
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No Visa's Please - She's British

28/4/2010

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In Vientiane we again got caught up seeking Visas and therefore couldn’t travel far until our passports were returned. A Visa application was made at the Mongolian Embassy and after meeting the Russian Consul General I established that we could also apply for a Russian Visa in Vientiane. His exact words were “yes, it is possible, of course it can be done”, bringing tears to my eyes. He did add that it would be unusual for him to process an application by a British passport holder………

Of course “possible” does mean that certain requirements are to be met, amongst other things a Letter of Invitation from a Russian travel agency, signed by the appropriate ministry official in Moscow, must be presented - the original document is expected and thus a document courier is required.

So after getting Mongolians Visas in less than a 3 day turn around, I went the next day to apply for the Russian Visas with a copy of a letter of invitation (explaining that the original was on its way but had been delayed by the volcanic ash “disaster”), an itinerary I had prepared in Ho Chi Minh City, a bank statement to demonstrate we could fund our travel and our completed application forms.

Unfortunately the Consul-General was not available so one of the other officials told me to wait. So I waited, then I provided the paperwork, then I waited. Then I was asked to use a new, different form to apply so spent a while filling out the same information on a different form. Then the official came back and told me that nothing could be done today because Julia is British and they do not do processing of British passports in Vientiane – he suggested I ring the Consul-General or return tomorrow when the Consul-General would be back as he would ultimately have to make the decision on a British application. So I left the paperwork and took a business card and after weighing up my options I returned the next day.

Noting that the Consul-General had pointed out to me on the Monday that British passport holders are difficult cases (due I believe to the British making it difficult for Russian’s to gain visas), I had expected there may be a delay. He had suggested though that as Julia is clearly living in Australia and traveling with her Australian family, it was logical to process her application.

So when I returned on the Friday morning I was hoping to get confirmation that the processing could occur and that we would likely get our Visas by the Wednesday or Thursday of the following week. So I arrived and I sat patiently. After an hour I was told that there was a technical problem delaying the Consul-General and that he would be along in maybe 40 minutes. After another hour he arrived, said hello and said he would be with me shortly. Ten minutes later he came out and asked me if I would like our Visas today – um, yes please! He took my money (twice as much for 2 day visa processing vs. 7 day processing but worth it when in fact I was getting it same day) and then I sat and waited, wondering if I should ask what time to come back. Then 10 minutes later he came out and said it would only be another 10 minutes - and it was – same day Russian visas!! Had I known in Ho Chi Minh City that it could be so logical and easy in Vientiane, then we would have saved several days of administration and lots and lots of worry and angst! Russia here we come – za schast’-ye!  

 

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Some Site Updates and Appreciation

28/4/2010

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Hi all. A huge thank you to those people who are visiting regularly and an especially big thank you to those friends, both old and new, leaving comments for us.

You may notice that the home page, about us page and photo pages have all been updated – there is also an expanding links page so please have a look at what we recommend and what we are keeping ourselves entertained by. The photos pages cover our more recent travels and the link to our other Flickr photos is on the home page.

We have had a small flurry of donations including some that have come in from CMRI staff which is a huge honour for us. We also had an anonymous donation so a big thank you to that person or people.

Here are some photos from Vientiane……………
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Outside the Presidential Palace
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The main drag!
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The main drag from on top of the Patuxai - looking toward the Presidential Palace
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Hue to Savannakhet.....uh, Vientiane

20/4/2010

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Leaving Vietnam, Lao Bao border crossing
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Dancing in the Streets - wet t-shirt competition Laos style
So with some certainty we booked a ticket for an International bus to cross from Vietnam to Laos. I say with “some certainty” because we felt we were using a trusted and reliable travel agent and therefore expected that we were getting the “real deal” – an air-conditioned bus with allocated seating and a smooth transition through the border area.

We accepted that to get to the International bus in Dong Ha, we had to travel on another bus that was heading to Vietnam’s DMZ for a day tour. We boarded the tour bus at 6am, first people on it and we were ordered to sit at the front. For the next hour we circled the hotels of Hue picking up other tourists heading to either the DMZ or Laos, as well as some Thai and Vietnamese people heading to Laos. Of course we also changed buses when we were half full to an exact copy of the bus we were on. Then we filled the bus, took on board some collapsible dining chairs and filled the aisles. Eventually we headed for Dong Ha.

First stop was a petrol station to fill up – no need for prior preparation on this tour. Still doesn’t explain why we all got onto this bus when we were already on an identical bus?! Then we dropped off two Thai guys in Dong Ha and next we disembarked at our bus depot to join the Sepon Express. Whilst I dealt with ticketing and passport issues, Julia and Molly boarded the bus to try and get some seats. The seats were full but not with people so they had the driver remove the bags of onions and oranges and he stowed the spare stools under the bus. Before you knew it we had 3 seats at the back of the bus, alongside Chiang Mai Charlie from Nevada and Bart from Poland. Well for a few minutes we were the bad-boys at the back of the bus – then Chiang Mai Charlie said “Goddam” a few more times in a very “John Wayne” kind of way and was awarded a seat at the front of the bus…….actually two seats but hey, we were going to get the longer ride!

So we knew this little bus would be our transport through to Savannakhet, Laos although we had already been mis-lead in regard to seating, ticketing and border procedures, so as with all things in Asia, we were just glad to have a seat and be moving West. The road climbs over the main range that divides Vietnam and Laos, passing through the town of Khe San and traveling alongside some beautiful rivers, mountains and valleys. About an hour before we expected it, we were at the border.

We have previously found Vietnamese border formalities a little daunting – they can be quite strict on procedures and take their work very seriously. Whilst immigration at Lao Bao was serious, it was actually a pretty relaxed process and we were back on the bus and on our way before 11.30am. A short ride under some big memorials and welcome arches and we were in Laos!

We were hoping to get a 90 day Visa in Laos to make Russian Visa applications easier. However that wasn’t to be, despite the Visa officer and immigration official taking considerable time to try and assist us, phoning their local supervisor and then phoning Vientiane for confirmation of what we could and couldn’t do. Pretty good considering it wasn’t their problem – how nice it will be if the Russian Embassy staff in Vientiane are as helpful and understanding.

Anyway, all up the process was very smooth and despite what we had read, the border was very quiet with few people transiting through in either direction. Around midday we set of toward Savanakhet, expecting to arrive at around 4 or 5 pm.

When we got back on the bus we had a new bad-boy on the back seat, a Laotian gentleman with the usual luggage of an overnight bag and a box tied up with twine. Only 10 minutes down the road we picked up more passengers – this time the little plastic stools came out from under the bus and the aisle started to fill. We were glad to be at the back as not long after picking them up, some of the new passengers were dozing off, heads on the sides of the fitted seats they were next to.

We really had no idea how far it was to Savannakhet or how long the trip would take but there was enough interesting scenery and some rather peculiar activities to help pass the time. We knew about a special festival, Songkram, that occurs in this region over the period 13-16 April but we had no idea whether it was localized, national or international. We thought it would have been a big event in Vietnam but we saw nothing to indicate it was even on, except as a marketing scheme for a western pub.

As it turned out, Laos really gets into the spirit of Songkram – it is their New Year celebrations after all. To welcome the New Year and make sure it will be safe and prosperous, people in the region wash away the past. Quite literally. They use buckets of water, pots and pans filled with water, hoses, water pistols and even blow up swimming pools to get themselves and any one near them wet.  

The soaking is accompanied by Beer Lao, big-bass music and lots of dancing. What a great way to first see a new country – everybody in the streets, dancing, singing and having a great time. Laotians of all ages were readily saying hello, wishing us well and offering us beer and making us wet!

Fortunately we were prepared for a soaking when we got to Savannakhet because we had turned up in an un-seasonal (we think) storm so had made things waterproof anyway before walking around town and working out what to do next. Bart joined us and we found a pub and had a beer and some food before Bart and I headed off to establish what transport and accommodation options were available.

We were soon soaked through but enjoying the good natured attitude of everyone. Ultimately we found a bus station and given the 3-5 day period of holidays, of which we were in the middle, we started to think that heading to Vientiane might be a more productive use of our evening. Of course in Asia, people like to travel during holiday periods so we were out of luck in regard to any VIP, air-conditioned or express buses. With this in mind and having been told the last bus was 8.00pm, we found Julia and Molly and tried to get a tuk-tuk to the station. And then we started walking. Realising we would never get to the bus station in time, Julia spyed a nice looking 4WD ute with a young man getting into it. So with my best smile and a hint of New Year spirit, I asked the guy if he would take us to the bus – next thing we knew we were piling out of the back of the ute at the bus station and keeping within the festive spirit, we handed over a bottle of Vietnamese wine (just happened to have one spare – as you do!) to thank the young man.

We missed the 8.00pm bus, more because of confusion at the ticket office and the fact that the bus was actually full. But there was an 8.30pm bus that we managed to get tickets for – a local bus that is described by some travel publications as being “excruciatingly slow”. It was cooler than it had been for a few months, the windows opened and the bus was full so how many stops could it have to make on the way to Vientiane – old fashioned air-conditioning should work fine as we motor along and a speed of about 50 or 60 is actually better in this part of the world (read safer).
So 37 stops later, 19 of them for no apparent reason except to let the bus heat up a bit more, we arrived in Vientiane – to more rain, nothing open and not even a tuk-tuk easy to find. Asia’s sleepiest Capital was living up to its name.

However we soon shared a ute into town, found a great hotel and started to wonder how long we could convince ourselves to stay here for – cheap, spoilt for choice and with a very relaxed atmosphere, Vientiane is hard to leave!
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Bad-boys (and girls) at the back of the bus
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Filling the aisles - the guy nearest the camera is on a bin!
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