25th Sept.... a last day in Laos...Cambodia tomorrow....😎😁....Angkor Wat...another tick off my bucket list..

Laos...another country another blog...16th Sept.

The flight over was a breeze, either that or i'm used to it. I got to the airport in plenty of time, even the cab ride wasn't a near death experience. The airport was quite modern, the checkin went smoothly, through the security without a hitch. We boarded on time and was airborne for a short time before landing again. I didn't even have time to want to go to the toilet...Laos airport, I got the visa, (thankfully remembering my passport photos) Then with all my bags....always a bonus...I walked out into the world of Laos. I got a taxi from the airport, It was metered, and having read that laos is in the top 5 most trouble free countries was reassured I wouldn't have another "incident" like the Viet cong taxi driver in Hanoi. It's a different world here. I've been travelling for 3 months now, through the hussle and bustle of China....(the dirty gets)....Thailand...Vietnam, and now Laos it's so quiet and like a ghost town compared to the other places...no scooters playing race with the devil...no car horns blarring...the city of Vientenne is small, not built up at all, very colonial...its in the early stages of being developed...(a politically correct way of saying its run down) I'm not sure if I liked it, I loved Hanoi...Saigon...but here I wont be staying long put it that way. The hotel I was staying in was pretty central...I cant think of anymore positives...the music was blarring out to no audience except the young staff...they were pleasent enough...but my disco days are loooooong gone..(Paul's showing his age..) I had a wander around, theres a few westeners....alot of French...It's definatly not geared up for tourists like Thailand and Vietnam, no Indian tailors trying to sell hot sweaty hippies a suit....or a tie...."very cheap"..no tshirt shops....fake goods...theres a few tourist shops selling tickets to other destinations..and the 'Buddha Park' ...which seems to be, Vientennes only site to see...Oh well sod it give me a ticket to Buddha park...After a night of disco music...I awoke next day to get some breakfast before going onto the highlight of laos's capital....I got the minibus...there was only myself and a French guy going with his Laos/Thai lady/boy....friend...We headed out and arrived about 45 minutes later...the trip was a breeze compared to the LPG hindenburg machines of Thailand....and the horn blarring buses of death from Vietnam...it was quite unsettling not to be thumping your foot on the floor for the imaginary break....or ripping the upholstery on the headrest or seat back with your nails in anticipation of imminant firey death...come to think of it this minivan has no worn out floor or bloody scratch marks on the insides where people have tried to get out....some reassurence atleast....I hope. The Buddha park was as it was advertised....a park full of Buddhas, all shapes and sizes..I payed to get in...obviously the entrance wasn't included in the price...there was a dozen or so people in there..I took a few pictures, and sat under a tree...Usually on the tours I've been on you go somewhere after...sometime to a few places...this tour he took us straight back to the hotel. I guess Vientenne highlight is limited to Buddha park...I booked my ticket to Vang Vieng for the next day. 

Vang Vieng...18th sept. Old hippy paradise....

In the lonely Planet guide it said Vang Vieng used to be a party place for years, travellers would come here to drink, get stonned and go on donught ring rides down the Mekong...(whilst still all of the above)....hence...after two dozen deaths from drowning in recent years, hippies faceplanting into bolders on the river, or realizing too late they were actually upside down in the tube all along. The local police soon put a stop to the drinking drugs and hippy culture...The town now, which consists of gorgeous sheer granite mountains like 'Avatar', rivers and lush thick green jungle, its a smashing view. The place is rammed with bars and restaurants, tourshops selling zipwire excursions, kayaking, tubing, caving rockclimbing, trekking....it's a real adventure place thats shaken off it's old ways, and looks a lovely place. Just look at the view from my balcony...There's a few tourists here...alot of Chinese (actually they are Korean, after I wrote this I was speaking to an Aussie guy who lives here and he told me they were from Korea, and not many Chinese....I wondered why they weren't taking selfies every two seconds...that explains it) ;-) ...There also a few Brits....I met one last night from manchester, eyes rolled backinto his head asking if I had a rizzler...bombed out of his skull...makes you so proud...The place reminds me of Pokhra in Nepal...just abit warmer..I like it. The hotel has nice views, the rooms abit basic...the tap in the sink doesn't work unless you turn on the main stopcock under the sink...your sharing with a colony of ants, but if you give them half your food they leave you alone. The bedding mom would definatly not approve....luckily I brough a sleeping bag, up until now I've not used it, I did bloody last night!!! (All part of travelling). I went for something to eat, not sure what I fancied I looked at the menu in the many restaurants along the street. I can get steak pies from the Aussie bar...bangers and mash....Irish stew from the Irish bar...the place is like Heaven!!! I'll get some Lao food tomorrow...Pops would love this place...in about a dozen bars and restaurants I went to,  they play endless re-runs of "Friends" on the big screen...you can sit here for a week and watch every episode ever made!! (which you have already...more than once..;-))......I like it here.....(not for the Friends reruns) .....Today Ive had a lazy day, I'm sitting in the Aussie bar after downing a sausage baguette...bloody lovely. Apparently, during the Vietnam war, the 'Air America' base was here, you know, where they flew covert missions...the old base is on the edge of town...another interesting fact for you....Well time for a stroll, I think I'll book a Kayak/trek/cave trip for tomorrow...I'll keep you posted .  

Mekong River......UXO......what a day....😆

Next day I was up early and headed to the pick up point. I was going kayaking down the Mekong river....and ..."cave tubing??"...i'm not sure either but in for a penny in for a pound...there's some trekking in there somewhere as well...I got my sunblock, towel,hat, and a change of shorts...some money wrapped in a sealable bag...and everything went into a dry bag....I'm ready. I'm not taking my camera...as if...I will be taking my GoPro....you lucky people..;-)..I was abit early so sat outside watching the world go by....seeing the youngsters doing the walk of shame...(still the middle of the night to them) the locals were setting up shop...then the people doing the same tour started to arrive...two Thai....girls/boys....??.. big adams apple....hands a basketball player would be proud of....definatly ladyboys..The rest of the group consisted of three Japanese lads, who were great fun, two German lads and a Korean couple..( don't forget...no selfies, so Korean.....lots of selfies....Chinese..)..getting good at this. We got on the truck with the Kayaks strapped to the roof and headed off, over the runway of the old air America airport, and along the jungle road, surrounded by mountains, rice fields...thick jungle....It was like I was in the film "deliverence"....We arrived at the start point, there was a group infront so was abit busy. We got shown how to paddle?? yeh I know.....how hard can it be? but i stood and listened anyway while the others practised the technique...We got in the Kayaks and paddled off down river, there was quite a current and reached the first stop point before you knew it. Out we get again and start to trek through jungle and rice paddies, a small village, still wearing our life jackets...bloody roasting it was...it must be about 70% humidity here as it's monsoon season...the only consolation being we wasn't carrying our paddles.....(I hope we all don't forget how to use them??;-)) It was a nice trek, very cultured, we eventually reached a camp. There was alot of people here now, mainly Koreans...a smattering of westeners...we were given a head tourch..told to leave all our gear...and got into the water, it was refreshingly cool, but the downside was I was now busting to go to the toilet.....typical..We had to grab a tube each and sit in it holding an overhead rope....I still wasn't quite sure what I was letting myself in for...I was just praying the water wasn't going to turn blue....(I'm not proud) ...then we had to move ourselves along the rope up to a big granite wall...which as it turned out had a small cave enterance about 2 foot from the waterline....oh...."cave tubing" I now realised...not rocket science I know, but there's not many caves in Essex...and I couldn't quite grasp the tube relevance......feeling slightly anxious about going into a pitch black waterlogged cave, in monsoon season I just went along with it.....It was pitch black, apart from your head light....the rock face was at your face....and I could hear screaming....it was ok just some blokes splashing each other..... In all we were in there about half an hour...just moving along the rope in our tube...then we had to get out and wade to get under one spot...the current was really strong....no wonder there was a rope...

Eventually we came out...all in one piece thank goodness....im not good in confined spaces but it wasn't too bad. After a spot of lunch....yes rice!!! we headed back to the river..but stopped along the way at a monastery first....'The elephant monestry' it was called, as apart from the Buddha inside, incense burning and paintings, there was a natural rock formation shaped like an elephant (why is every rock supposed to look like something???) I must admit I did see the shape of an elephant in this one...maybe this rice diet is making me insane????:-0...Looking around (there's only so long you can look at a rock elephant....even high on rice ).... I noticed by the entrance outside was a huge 500 lbs bomb standing upright...... obviously left over from the war....(it definatly wasn't a lost and found article this thing...I can't see someone bringing this and forgetting to pick it up again!!!) My heart skipped a beat when I saw it...I positively crapped myself next....a monk began tapping the bomb with a rock.......I wanted to dive and take cover, before this obviously mad monk blew us all to kingdom come...(is there a Buddhist al quaida?????)  happily tapping away he was the stupid get......it didn't go off....I don't know if it was a dud....decomissioned.....or just plain ol not working....(don't forget 30% of the ordenance dropped failed to detonate.....but now??) Fearing bits of me all over the Laos Jungle....(mom would have been miffed) I was going to write a strongly worded letter to the monk superior to at least put a notice up...or buy a proper bloody bell.......but first a change of underwear.!! 

We got back to our kayaks and began the 15 klm paddle down stream. I loved it, the Japanese guys were forever tipping but they had such a laugh,  real characters they were. We went through a few rapids, gorgeous scenery.....all the time 'Dueling banjo' playing in my head....It didn't seem like 15 klms....we did stop for a break at a river bar, music thumping away....hammocks....a real hippy paradise....we passed some people tubing down the river, trying not to whack them on the head with your paddle as you went past....😆.....or talk in a loud voice about alligators..you should see their faces  ;-)...entertaining as it was, we eventually reached Vang Vieng again, paddled to the bank and that was the end to a brilliant day..... The ol coxus is killing today....my knees are sunburnt....but what a day..I did a video and posted it online.

 https://youtu.be/b-NY2c7-mC8 ....you lucky people. 😆

Next day I was on the move again, leaving this gorgeous place. I'd repacked and was heading upto Luang Prabang. It's 4 hours north (whether that's a Lao 4 hours or a real 4 hours i'll let you know), I booked a mini bus, and at just gone 9 it picked me up. I gave him my ticket, asked him how long to Laung Prabang....he smiled and said 4 hours....We did the usual picking up people from the hotels...not many as it's out of season, so fewer people are here....yey!... The last pick up two Korean blokes got on, they were polite and asked where we were all from....asked where we were going...I said Laung Prabang...." but this bus is going to Vientene"....'Whhhhaaat'... I shouted to the driver he than said "solly" and dropped me off at the office where I caught the real mini bus......good job i'm sociable ...i'd have never have found out...;-). The drive was spectacular...thick jungle...mountains..the odd village, it was a roller coaster ride, up mountain roads, we even had to stop a few times as the road was blocked by rock slides....Eventually we reached Laung Prabang a little over 4 hours later.....not bad. It's a fantastic place, far nicer than Vientene. very colonial, on the Mekong river which flows both sides as its a peninsular....I love it. We got dropped off and I saw a little restuarant opposite so had a panini and a cuppa....or two...well it was lunch time. I then got a rickshaw...had to wake him as he was asleep in his hammock at the back...love this place...so layed back. The hotel is by far the best I've stayed in Laos...all the taps work...the bedding is fresh clean....you dont share your food with the ants....the electric is regular...and its in lovely surroundings....think I'll stay here a few days and recharge the ol batteries...'nerves are still shot from a mad grinning monk banging a bloody bomb the stupid get!!' To cap it off my love of this place...there's an Indian opposite....dinner is served ;-)..I'll eat Lao tomorrow....maybe...

Walking around Laung Prabang you can tell it's geared for tourists, theres not many here though, it is low season. The night market goes for miles...all selling clothing, hangings...all made by the local tribes...you girlies would have a field day here..I went to the UXO centre.....(unexploded ordenance ) it gives you an insight into the work that's on going by these bomb disposal teams...(I did offer my services, telling them of my experience with a monk and a bomb, but they were unmoved) in the back was a little museum there must have been enough bombs, rockets, mines, bullets, granades in there to start a war....and it isn't even a fraction of what has been diffused and even less of a fraction as to whats still out there...a real eye opener....don't think i'll be doing any trekking in Laos!!! I've been to a few Buddhist wats and shrines.....monks are everywhere...I'm still yet to get some decent pictures but it will come.....to be continued.....  

Luang Prabang and moving on.....Angkor Wat here we come....

I'm sitting here now in the 'Aussie bar' still in luang Prabang, about to tuck into a fish and chip lunch ..happy days..:-)....yes the diets going well..;-)..The place is really relaxing and had a good chill out..Luang Prabang not the Aussie bar...although thats equally as chilled. Ive decided to move on from Laos....nothing against the country or people, it's a lovely place, it just hasn't captured me like Vietnam, and time and expense can be better spent in my other long time 'need to go' destination....Cambodia...(Angkor Wat is another tick on my bucket list).....I've got a plane ticket from here, so no need to go by bus...which is a mamouth 18hrs from here.....SOD THAT...!!!.and costs less than getting down to the South of Laos by road....so tomorrow at 2pm i'm flying into Siem Reap...Cambodia.  

Whilst i've been chilling here, I've walked around the city, been up to the high Wat to take a sunset shot, along with the whole population of luang Prabang...it was rammed up there, all on a little mountain peak...I had flash backs of being in China again..oh well. Ive been to the night market...seen monks walking this way and that..Walked along the Mekong...all the time soaking it all in...(and soaking it all out as it's so bloody humid here!!) It's so quiet compared to the other places...compared to Vietnam, Thailand..., I'm not sure if it's just because it's out of season...or everyone is terrified of the bombs on every door step, street corner, or park...honestly they make flower pots out of them, rubbish bins, seats, bells....door knockers.....who in their right mind would make a door knocker out of a bomb??? I doubt they get any visitors...i'm sitting here now overlooking the street and theres two bloody great bombs infront of me....puts you right off your fish and chips...I ate it all anyway...I'm going to take another stroll about, camera in hand....see what photo's I can add to my collection...

I'm glad I came to laos, I think in another 10 years it will boom into something like Thailand, ( or boom when one of these bloody bombs accidentally goes off..) at the moment it's still in it's infancy. It's more expensive here than Vietnam, the hotels i've been in apart from the current one are basic and things don't work..all part of travel...The landscape is amazing, the people happy and friendly, but for me lacks the cultural charm I witnessed in Thailand and Vietnam. ...but i've had fun.....Thank you Laos.