Saturday 8 March 2014

Relief and regret…….As I prepare to leave Xieng Khouang province I’m somewhat relieved to be heading to Vang Vieng which is by contrast a tourist friendly town in an area of natural beauty. The most challenging part of this tour is over but that does not mean I have no regrets. Xieng Khouang has stimulated the senses in a way that few other destinations have. At 7.30am I’m packed and ready.
Phonsavan departure…….The ticket price to Vang Vieng includes transport to the van station but on arrival the long distance minivan looks far from comfortable and on this occasion I won’t be the only foreigner; in fact there will be an even split of Westerners to locals. I will have chance to chat to while the time. It will be a six- hour journey through difficult terrain. Initially the road runs west. It takes over three hours through the mountains to clear Xieng Khouang province and eastern Louang Prabang province before the road splits, the southern fork heading for Vientiane via Vang Vieng. It’s worth a word about the terrain up to this point as it closely resembles the ongoing route to Louang Prabang itself. The mountainous region of northern Laos is vast and what one sees in the Alps for example with towering peaks lining fertile valleys is not the norm here. In fact there are very few fertile valleys; Phonsavan being one exception which is why it attracted the attention of the US Air Force. The norm is that valley bottoms are uninhabitable as there is no space to cultivate crops. In consequence hill-tribe villages cling to mountain tops where access between the many valleys is much easier. The road of course does the same creating a permanent panorama of tropical rain forest. Unfortunately at this time of year in the dry season these majestic peaks are covered in a heat haze and are less attractive. Just after midday the van heads south towards Vang Vieng along the course of the River Song. It’s time for a break for lunch.
Vientiane Province……..It’s a bit confusing but the next province is Vientiane not to be confused with Vientiane Prefecture where the capital city is located and administered separately. The provincial capital is Vang Vieng and it’s not at all what you’d expect from a provincial capital. I must have talked too much with an Italian couple sat next to me as I hardly noticed we had emerged into the Song Valley and comparative civilization. The valley is not broad but for much of its length it’s a few kilometres wide, at least, and this allows fairly easy passage. It also allows much improved subsistence farming but in any case Vang Vieng has another product to offer which is vitally important to the province. While the van makes good progress now the view has changed as the karst rock formations rise from the valley floor, the passage of the river ever present. The van soon reaches Vang Vieng and pulls into the bus (van) station.
Vang Vieng…….It’s now a question of finding accommodation but in the first instance the foreigners pile into a songtheaw (converted pick-up truck) which heads into town. Each has his/her own idea about accommodation but I’m not going to follow the crowd on this occasion. As I near the river there is no shortage of accommodation. It doesn’t take long to understand the role of Vang Vieng in Laos’ economy and it could not be more at odds with my point of origin today. This is truly a travellers paradise acting as a magnet for international tourism. It’s much bigger than I expected but have they overdone it?
Vieng Thara Guesthouse…….When I am dropped off on a dusty track near the river I instinctively check accommodation left and right. The songtheaw driver really doesn’t know how much the accommodation is here. Perhaps there are just too many options. But I suddenly get a flavour of this place when the price quoted is in dollars and in three digits at that. When I’m told that these are full I’m in disbelief. Are they trying to sell sand to the Arabs or ice to Eskimos? What humans will spend their money on sometimes just amazes me. I’m in for the usual trek around but this is not Krabi. Amidst the sandcastles and icebergs common sense prevails and just yards away a guesthouse offers me a room at a price which is the lowest since I started this website. It is just a fan room but the evenings here are comfortable, certainly below 20c. I’m happy with the room offering me the two most essential requisites; a hot shower and an internet connection. Oh yes; throw in a comfortable bed! I soon fall asleep. Around six I look for something to eat. There’s plenty of choice. I just get the feeling I’m going to settle in here much easier than at Phonsavan. It starts with the best night’s sleep I’ve had in weeks.

Sunday 9 March 2014

Rest no recreation…….After three days of travel, today was bound to be a day of rest with a chance to update my website and catch up with world news. Of course top of the agenda and still top of the premier league is Chelsea. Spurs just failed to dig in yet again! For once it is more comfortable sitting in the restaurant in front of my computer as I sit through a late breakfast and lunch until mid afternoon. I’m oblivious of the time as I’ve booked another room with better facilities but still very cheap. Curiously the room is still occupied until mid afternoon by special arrangement and I can’t move in. I can use the other room but I decide to do a bit of exploring. I can’t stay in restive mode forever so I head down to the river where more and more options appear to cater for tourists. There is no problem with choice of accommodation, food or transport. Motorbike rental is cheap with adventure tours, water actitity and onward travel offered at every turn. This is certainly a tourist town but in a way that appeals. I make some recalculation of my travel budget in light of the savings I’ve made and almost certainly now will extend my stay in Vang Vieng before returning to Thailand. I’ve already hatched a plan when I appear in Udon Thani, likely this Friday. But for now I’m rejoicing in this welcome return to civilization as I wander out in the cool evening air for something to eat.

Monday 10 March 2014

Natural feeling…….After yesterday some recreation is in order. I commit to staying in Vang Vieng now until Friday bringing my stay in Laos to 16 full days (17 nights). That easily exceeds the last trip to Laos in October 2011 but the intensity of touring is lower. In this tourist orientated town, activity is confined to what nature has to offer. Today I get a taste of that as I pick up a motorbike. That gives me the freedom to roam around the city and beyond to a few sites listed in my guide map. The scale of charges for renting a motorbike here is unusual in that there is a day rate and a 24 hour rate. This may because some tourists wish to travel to surrounding villages and stay overnight but who would normally use a motorbike at night? The result is I only have to pay $5. With the $10 I’m paying for the room it’s really small change.

Orientation…….Vang Vieng lies on the east bank of the River Song. Towering limestone cliffs dominate the western horizon just a few kilometres away. Despite reading my guides it’s quite confusing identifying the various features that dominate the area. Maps supplied by motorbike rental companies are not to scale and hard to read. Nevertheless I’ll attempt to make things clearer by visiting each site in turn. All the caves seem to be to the west of the River Song so to reach them requires a river crossing at some point. During the dry season more options are available but generally all the bridges are planked, supported in various ways.
Xang (or Chang) Cave…….My first stop is at Xang Cave, reached from the south end of town; right-turn at the sign to Jam Mee Guesthouse. This cave is typically reached by a steep staircase, well lit and ideal for a self-guided tour. The area below the cave is ideal for just taking it easy. There is a fee for crossing the bridge and a typical entry fee of 10,000 kip. It’s a start but I have to return to Vieng Thara for batteries for my camera. I don’t know what I’m in for today so I prepare myself with a flask of cold water and a sandwich before I head out of town. Needing some fuel for the tank I find myself at the airstrip. I don’t need to go around it. It’s not in use and I cut straight across to the main road, the pump clearly visible. I’m off to my next destination but it’s not a cave.
Kaeng Nyui…….This waterfall is signposted from the highway northbound just a short way from the petrol station and is easily missed. The 6km dirt-track is worse than anything I came across on the Plain of Jars. It seems more like 60kms but inevitably near the end of the track in a thatched shelter is a ticket collector. I little further on larger shelters provide refreshments. These can be consumed on bamboo platforms covered in matting directly above rock pool at the base of the falls. There’s little demand as there is little water running down now well into the dry season. I head off to the waterfall. It’s a moderate climb of 15 minutes not helped by humidity and flying insects. As I reach the falls it’s clear that the water cascading down the vertical limestone face is a mere trickle compared to photographs I’ve seen. Nevertheless it’s a nice place to spend a while and have lunch and admire the various butterfly species that come to the rock pool for minerals. I head back absorbing the noises from the forest canopy. Speaking of canopies there is an adventure tour based here. This involves a trek up to the viewpoint near the summit. As some point you will cross a ravine on a rope ladder but the decent is via zip wires connected to platforms. Looks quite interesting! I’m rather inclined to use this day just to sample my surroundings and think of heading back but there will be one more site to visit before I call it a day and book an afternoon’s rest.
Tham Lohm (cave)…….I head back on this bone-shaking journey to the main road and continue out of the town for a few kilometres past the market. Here there is a left turn to Tham Lohm. As expected there is a river crossing but I’m required to park up and pay a fee. Here a footbridge crosses the river and high above clinging to the mountain face is Tham Lohm. The impressive stairway to heaven is not for me today as I watch the tubes and kayaks pass under the footbridge heading for Vang Vieng. However I will rest on the opposite bank and take a beer. That will do for today as I head back to Vang Vieng. I can pick the motorbike up again tomorrow. For dinner I switch back to rice for a change. I can’t live on filled rolls every day.

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Comfortable…….If ever there was a place to unwind it is Vang Vieng or so it appears to my senses. With a continued rest break here I’m in a curious mood. As I awake it’s nearly 8am yet still I gaze at the ceiling with no care in the world. It’s what you call a ‘lie in’. By the time I’m in any mood for adventure it’s well past breakfast time for most and whatever I decide to eat it may well be called early lunch. I pick up the motorbike again and stop for that ‘early lunch’ adding a late lunch as a takeaway. Now I can finally hit the road.
Unnatural…….Of course I’m heading off for natural surrounding but wait a minute! Just because of the splendor of Thailand and Cambodia’s religious heritage that does not mean Laos has none. The most iconic is Vat Phou in Champasak province but elsewhere Buddhism clings on by its finger nails. I stop just on the outskirts of town and visit two temples where the beliefs are just as relevant to local people as anywhere else.
Vat Kang…….Vat Kang is located on the 1st road off the highway at the north end of town not far from the night market. It is unremarkable except for construction materials used which utilise river stone as continues to be in use for foundations of houses. Otherwise it consists of the usual viharn housing the Buddha image, a prayer hall and monks’ quarters in Theravada Buddhist style. This is one of the older temples.
Vat Mahrathat…….Just a few hundred metres on the road out of town is Vat Mahrathat which is a more significant temple complex as it offers teaching for novice monks. This complex is constructed in traditional style and contains a chedi (that) without decoration. These structures indicate the site of the remains of monks or other persons of high status.
Frustrating…….I head out of town north on route 13. Several caves are listed on my local map but I’ve no idea of how far they are from Vang Vieng. It’s rather frustrating that even here in a tourist area there is a dire lack of suitable signage. If Laos wishes to boost tourism they can make a great start in this area which wouldn’t cost the earth. I’m looking for a cave or caves marked on my map. Somebody mentions it’s just a kilometre past the turning to the river I used yesterday. After several kilometres I ask again. Oh! it’s another 4 kilometres. At least 4 kilometres further on I’m told it's another 3 villages (3 kilometres). Finally as I’m virtually on top of the turning I see a board and head for the river. Over the plank bridge the dirt road splits left and right. Left is marked Kiew Cave, 500 metres, right is marked Phathao Cave, 400 metres. Easy now right? Wrong! As I cover the necessary distances there are no caves in sight. I ask around and the answer is always the same – follow the track. But these marked caves are just not going to be found. I’m so frustrated I head back to the main road in disgust.
I’m sure it’s this way!…….I’ve no option but to head for the principal cave in the area, Tham Chang (Elephant Cave). I’m hoping for better luck. I’m at least 15 kilometres from Vang Vieng now. Is this a wild goose chace? I ask again for directions. Again I’m supposedly on the right track; just a little further. The local who gave me the last direction follows me and overtakes pointing to the left. Yes, it’s another dirt road but there’s no sign that I can see to tell me what lies at the end of the track but of course there’s another parking area and plank bridge. It’s here I get a stroke of luck which will make my day.
Tham Chang (Elephant Cave)…….Initially there is little sign of activity around but soon a songtheaw pulls up and the occupants pile out. They are from Finland and they have chartered the truck for the afternoon. Curiously nobody seems to mind as I tag along and in fact the guide seems to appreciate some assistance with the language. From the elephant temple it’s a walk through the dry paddies to the Elephant Cave. It’s only here that I begin to connect with what I’ve read. This is a famous site for tubing (riding inflated tyres). Of course these tubes are popular at beach locations in Thailand such as Cha-Am but here they are often used for shooting fast-water. Today there is none of that but there is the cave. Overlooking the cave I sit for lunch and a beer. I’m again in conversation with Europeans but soon we will not be alone and more trucks and motorbikes pull up. The next phase is interesting and follows what I have read to the T. The new arrivals strip off to the basics and don headlights. They are then issued with tubes and one by one disappear into the flooded cave guided by ropes. We sit and stare not wishing to follow but the guide informs me that I’m welcome to have a swim without charge. It’s too good to turn down. I’m soon in the cool water and immerse myself deeper while fish peck at dry skin on my feet. This only encourages me to swim and with no timetable to work to I’m going to make the most of it. It’s the most enjoyable feeling I’ve had since snorkeling in Krabi. When I eventually force myself out of the water I feel totally refreshed and if someone had recharged my batteries. The tubers return in groups but the Fins seem in no hurry. It’s one of those places you could sit all day.
Tham Hoy (Shell Cave)…….The small group eventually moves on but it’s not back towards the river. Instead there’s a trek around the base of the mountain through marginal land unsuitable for growing rice. However as well as jungle flora there are some useful trees yielding limes and other fruit while for the future there are young teak trees. Soon another cave comes into view, this one hardly submerged. More typically, this cave is situated some way up the mountain face. A ticket collector sleeps in a shelter on matting; we don’t need to disturb him. Leaving Tham Hoy behind, the group members emerge from the scrub and head back across parched rice paddies towards the river to rejoin their transport. I tip the guide; it’s doubtful I would have found my way around the loop without him. In fact he also solves the mystery of the missing caves. There are closed. If I had continued along the dirt road, I described earlier, I would still have ended up at the Elephant Cave as is proven by some recent arrivals for tubing. The trekking loop here is probably 3 kilometres long and with the bathe in the mountain pool this has made this day well worthwhile and interestingly I’m sweating a lot less. Wonderful!
Viewpoint…….Before I take my leave the guide points out that there is a viewpoint a further 2 kilometres up the road. He’s right; there are some magnificent views across the river towards the towering karst rock stacks. As I head back to Vang Vieng I can, at last, give the actual distance of the Elephant Cave which according to all local sources is between 1 and 16 kilometres. It’s actually 20 kilometres according to the road sign so you read it here first right? As I head back into town I collect some fruit from the market to consume later but I’ve settled into a routine of eggs and bacon for breakfast, filled rolls for lunch and rice in the evening. Having underestimated the attraction of Elephant Cave, I’m now in for a third day of cave hunting tomorrow and it promises to be just as good.



Wednesday 12 March 2014

Two weeks and counting……. Today I wake up no less lethargic than over the last few days as I realise that it’s now been two weeks since I arrived in Laos. It’s also just two weeks to my return to the UK. There are no longer restrictions on my returning to Thailand without a visa but that event is now confirmed as Friday as I order a through bus to Udon Thani.
Caves, caves and more caves…….It may sound strange but with all the caves around Vang Vieng, I’ve yet to enter one of them but I still feel obliged to record their existence for reference. Taking only a snack breakfast and coffee I make an earlier start. I’m headed towards arguably the most popular site around Vang Vieng and on the way there will be no shortage of caves.
On this occasion I need to cross the river on the plank bridge accessed by the dirt road running past Vieng Thara Guesthouse. On the river bank are those ridiculously priced resorts I mentioned earlier but having cleared the bridge it as far from luxurious here and I’m in for another bone shaking ride. With regard to cave exploring those who have read other chapters of my website will understand what appeals to me and it’s not caves. In addition I’ve been warned that most of the caves in the dry season are not worth visiting. Their main attraction is the cool rock pools that are so inviting and supposedly teaming with fish. For most there are no fish and very little water. That doesn’t apply to my selected destination today. As I head along the dirt road the various caves are advertised left and right. My only interest in them is in recording their location. It’s not difficult. I identify five before I reach my destination. The list that follows is in order of travel. I haven’t attempted to log their distances from the main track but they're all within 10kms of Vang Vieng.

1) Pha Daeng Jin Naly Cave (right)	actually two caves with views, crystal clear water and fish.
2) Khan Kham Cave (right)	contains Buddha image
3) Peung Kham (Bee) Cave (left)	swimming pool
4) Num Borkeo Cave (left)	swimming pool and fish
5) Sok Say Cave (left)
6) Pou Kham Cave (right)	Blue Lagoon.

Blue Lagoon…….On arriving at Blue Lagoon I find the ultimate in recreation and leisure for an awful long way around. When I first heard the name I thought it was the name of a resort but quite simply it is what it says on the tin. There is something unnatural about it as the lagoon is a deep canal probably some 25 feet across when you would expect a fast flowing gravel bed stream. It was probably cut out as part of the irrigation network but here in the dry season it is an oasis dragging visitors from far and wide to bath in the cool blue waters. More than that there are rope wires and diving platforms while all around there are native fish. Understandably there are restaurants for refreshments but everything blends well into natural surroundings. I’m inclined to stay here all day. It’s just not the place to include on a whistle-stop tour.
Pou Kham Cave…….Finally, before I take the plunge I’m going to review the Pou Kham Cave. It’s no less easy to visit than many of the other dry caves around requiring quite a climb without any aids except bamboo handrails. At the base you are able to rent headlights to explore the inner caverns and they recommend employing a guide. I do neither. What I have underestimated is the climb but it’s not too difficult if you’re reasonably fit. On reaching the cave entrance there is a welcome blast of cool air to greet the visitor. The primary inner cavern is huge and contains all the usual geological features one would expect from a limestone cave. I don’t seem to be alone in exploring this massive cavern but going further into its depths is really unnecessary unless you’re a cave freak. In making it up here I’m hoping that it will be a sort of template for all the other caves around here rendering it unnecessary to explore the others. I won’t know the answer to that in terms of what I’d ever hoped to achieve in Vang Vieng, I’m more than satisfied. Before I get into deep water I’m approached by a couple of students from Vientiane eager to conduct a survey for their studies. They want to know how I feel about this place. I’m happy to tell them.
In deep water…….As I relax on the bank of the lagoon it occurs to me that this is not the place for small children but neither do I see any. There are a high proportion of young adults here and precisely why this area is a magnet for this generation is not absolutely clear but it’s been this way for some time. When I consider reviewing this tour I will look into this aspect in more detail but as for the here and now I get into deep water on a couple of occasions and very nice it is too! I set myself up for a reluctant departure but in fact the number of visitors arriving here has multiplied considerably since I arrived. 4 hours as probably about right and for once I seem to have kept the best till last. It’s not clear how I will spend my last day here.
A taste of culture…….Heading back to Vang Vieng you will see an ECO project on a smallholding designed to give the younger generation an insight into crop production and local building techniques. Is this for you? I’m fascinated how young minds can be stimulated by something I do in the UK every day; and they do it for FREE! Wow! Finally what is more unusual is the local weaving that occupies a lot of the villagers’ time. It’s certainly worth a stop to look.
Alternate culture…….When you read the guides relating to the development of Vang Vieng in recent years you can easily be put off. The most prominent guide online says this:
‘Originally opened up by hedonistic backpackers, the atmosphere of the town itself is one of lethargy by day and debauchery by night: tourists sprawl out in the pillow-filled restaurants, termed "TV Bars", watching re-runs of US sitcoms, Friends and Family Guy episodes until the sun goes down, and then party heavily until the early hours.’
While this scene is definitely not for me, neither do I want to read this portrayal of Vang Vieng as typical of what this town offers. As I ride around the riverside bars in early evening those bars certainly still exist but the fact is I’ve been here five days and I’ve just located where they are tucked away along a dusty road near the night market. In a nutshell, while Vang Vieng is still a magnet for the youth it hardly impinges on what this town has to offer and I’ve never witnessed or been put out by any activity those misguided guides portray. Just come here and enjoy, whatever your background.
Mixed grill…….Back near the guesthouse I’m told there is a restaurant offering a Korean style grill so popular all over Thailand where it is known as ‘moo yang gowlee’. It’s a welcome change from my usual fare. Pity about the lack of seafood though! Whatever happens tomorrow I don’t think there will be anymore caves.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Winding down…….After three days out on the motorbike it’s time to collect my thoughts and reflect on my time in Laos which is nearly at an end. I don’t envisage anything exciting happening today but you never know. It’s a pretty standard sandwich and coffee for breakfast and I retire back to my room to catch up with the news. In the afternoon I could go for a swim in the river or in the pool in the resort opposite. I could also go out with a bang and hire a kayak or take a trip upstream with a long-tailed boat but as I wander up into the town these options seem remote and instead I find one of those pillow-filled restaurants which is practically deserted. I guess the young adventurers have found somewhere else to congregate. In a sense I can’t blame them for using these bars as the food and drink is cheap but it won’t be long before I get an idea of where they’ve gone.
One last fling…….Just when I thought I’d head back and start working on my conclusion to this tour the spirit of this place grabs hold of me. The last thing I thought of doing now stares me in the face. If you ask somebody who’s heard of Vang Vieng what it’s famous for you will probably get the answer ‘tubing’. I guess when I read about this activity there was always a ‘health warning’. It can be dangerous and fatalities among foreigners are not uncommon. However while tubing is available all year round there is a vast difference between the dry, cool and monsoon seasons as regards river conditions. As I stop and consider this option it’s clear that the river right now could hardly be more placid. In fact as I focus on this option my only concern is time. Have I left it too late? It’s already gone 3pm. A couple of young travelers from Germany don’t think so and I dive in head first. The routine is quite simple. You pay for the use of the tube and transport up river. There is a standard charge plus a premium if less than four travel. You will also pay a refundable deposit. The distance upriver is around 6kms and doesn’t take long. However I’m surprised to learn that the return trip can take up to 3 hours in the dry season; a mere 1 hour when the river is in flood. It’s not long before I’m on the river.
Initially I’m quite relaxed and lying in a tube on a slow moving river presents little challenge but as time wares on and progress painfully slow I start to worry about the time. For a reason I can’t explain my companions on the journey overtake me and pull away. They don’t seem to by making any special effort just following the current same as me but when they disappear into the distance things don’t seem quite right. I’m now all alone for a while but restaurants and bars soon appear and they are well supported by the younger travelers. There are no concerns on the river itself but I get a taste of what it might be like in flood over a few faster stretches with rapids. I don’t have a watch but the passage takes an eternity. The shop will close at 6pm and there will be an overcharge if I’m late. I sense that I’m quite close to Vang Vieng but when I see that there is still 2kms to go I’m sure it’s not going to work out. I’ve tried everything to get this piece of rubber moving faster but I’m moving slower than walking pace. It’s a bit disappointing but I have to haul the tube out of the river and find another way back. Of course there is a feeling of failure that I did not complete the course but it was only time that defeated me. I find a songtheaw to take me back which adds a lot to the overall bill but more confusing is that the two Germans who left the same time as me arrived ages ago. Don’t ask me but this is one of life’s mysteries but at the end of the day I can now call myself a ‘tuber that was slow to propagate’. On the way back I order a roti (pancake) but there won’t be time now to post my conclusions. Tomorrow I have to be ready at 8.30am for my transport back to Thailand. My destination is Udon Thani. I plan to stay there 2 nights before I return to Bangkok.

Friday 14 March 2014

Laos departure…….I’m awake quite early but there’s plenty of time for breakfast and arrange a packed lunch and drinks for the trip to the border. It’s just a case now of a wait until transport collects me. This is the usual arrangement in Laos where virtually every hotel and guesthouse doubles as a travel agent. I take a last look around at the mountains I’ve been used to for the last couple of weeks knowing it won’t be like this much longer. A little after 9am the transport arrives. It’s another one of those small buses or is it a large van? It will travel around Vang Vieng until it is full. That takes time but at just after 10am all is ready and the bus heads south towards Vientaine. The distance is 155kms. In the UK that journey would take 2 hours but in Laos you must simply double that. Mountains or not the roads are never that good and often full of mobile chicanes. In the UK we call them cows! At about midday there is a rest stop. I hadn’t expected that. Back at Vang Vieng I changed all my kip for Thai baht. Luckily I still had some small baht for a convenience. At about half way the Song Valley widens and the mountains I’ve been used to disappear. Then at around 2pm the bus is in the suburbs of Vientiane. I hadn’t figured that the driver would enter the capital as the Friendship Bridge at Thanaleng is some way east of the city but I guess there’s time for a bit of sightseeing. However the bus has one drop-off to make before the bridge that cuts the compliment by half. The other half enters the train station at Thanaleng. Although I’m aware that this station just across the Thai border has existed for some years I’ve never seen the point in catching a train here. Maybe I should pay more attention and as I have time to take some photographs I resolve to feature it in the railways section of this website.
Disorganized…….This chapter outlining my epic journey through four Laotian provinces is about to end but it’s probably too much to ask the Laos Immigration Department to provide me with smooth passage into Thailand. I wouldn’t trust them to make a pot of tea. Thanaleng/Nong Khai is the busiest Lao/Thai crossing by far and I wouldn’t be surprised if it handles more traffic than all the others put together but all the more reason to get it organized. For the life of me I cannot see why they’ve introduced an electronic card to allow subway train style passage through electronic gates. It just confuses everybody with not clear instructions anywhere. The best part of an hour is wasted in the queue. By contrast I’m processed through Thai Immigration in under 5 minutes and as one door closes another one opens. Rather than continue my blog here I’ve decided to close it now and open a new one which will appear in my tour summary titled Udon Thani. However this is also a suitable moment to draw some conclusions about this unusual Laos tour.
Conclusion…….The selection of the 16 day tour duration in Laos was governed by the longer than normal period of stay in the Far East. Without any restrictions an awful lot could be achieved in this time. However I’d made an early decision to concentrate on just two locations as in the past I’d always seemed pressed for time to fully exploit my selected tour sites. As it turned out the health restriction I was under might have suggested I cancel the tour but I calculated there would be ample time for rest. What I ended up with was a tour of four provinces in Laos that I’d never stayed in before and not some of the more obvious. Apart from Vang Vieng which has now become quite popular the other locations are not those that tourists naturally head for. The first location at Thakhek I didn’t exploit except to witness the old French town there and the second location at Pakxan really had nothing to exploit, it was just a rest stop. So I was left with the two original ones which divided my remaining time equally. At Phonsavan I realized how remote this place was yet it still attracted a few tourists. The history of the place both ancient and modern deserves far more attention but it’s not hard to see why it doesn’t. The mysterious Plain of Jars is under consideration by UNESCO as a site of special historic importance but the concern is still the high level of unexploded ordnance in the area. Access to a Thai border crossing point is difficult, an arduous journey of 9 hours: The Vietnamese crossing point is 2-3 hours away. Vang Vieng is much more amenable to tourists and was on my rest list. However I found plenty to do there. My verdict on Laos is positive but one has to expect that this land-locked country has a lot of catching up to do. If you are under 40 years old you may never have experienced a life style quite like it but it has the power to open minds. As far as the climate is concerned it is very dry and dusty until the rains come in May, clearing the heat haze and bursting into life. Just a final word about Vieng Thara Guesthouse; it’s so typically Laos, showing its age but cheap and functional. Curiously I never had a bad night’s sleep there or issues of any kind.