leolejon in asia: Going to Laos

This morning was a nice one! I got up at 7 and had a nice breakfast on the balcony! There was a danish familly with two boys and a german couple. The german couple where going on the same bus as I.

After breakfast I walked down to the centre and to a bank to get some cash! The ATM gave me two 100 dollar bills. I went to the front desk and asked the lady to change it to smaller bills. She said, please sit down, and I had to wait for ten minutes before she called me and gave me change, but not what I asked for, but OK!

Walking back I passed the tent for the wedding on the street Yesterday! The were making the table ready for breakfast and the people where dressed up as at the actual wedding! They do this everywhere in towns, putting up tents on the street for weddings! This must be the wedding month as there were so many ongoing weddings!

Back to the guest house for some more reading about Laos and to make a ruff plan for my route! Most people have said that the most interesting part of Laos is the north, so I decided to go to Vientiane by night bus on Monday as it was a tenth of the price for flying! After Vientiane, go north and then maybe fly to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

I payed the bill and this was a good place to spend some days and inexpensive!

I started walking to the bus but halfway the man who sold me the ticket came on a tuk tuk and gave me a ride.

We where on the bus, the tourists, and they had told us this was a VIP bus. The driver started by going around the town to pick up local people from different places, so we left the city about 45 minutes later. I then understod that we where not the VIP but paying guests!!! :-))

After another 45 min we arrived to the border and we had to leave the bus and first walk to the Cambodian boarder - no problem, just stamps and OK! Then we walked to the Laos border. First we had to fill out the papers, then leave them in a slot together with money, a photo and cash, depending on which country you came from! Then we had to pay an extra dollar. After some 15 min at another slot they gave us back the passport if we paid another 2 USD. Bribe its called, but it was only 3 USD, so OK!

On the bus again and we went to a harbor place where most of the back packers left! Then a long ride to Pakse, central bus station! Now it was time to locate where you are and find the way to Vilaysing Guest House. Lonely Planet has a small map and I found the place!

The man in the reception welcomed me with, Sorry fully booked!!! I had a reservation and after a discussion he gave me a room with 5 beds??? I complained and we agreed to reduce the price!

Here in Laos you become a millionare. 1000 SEK is about one million kip.

I left my things at the room and went down for a beer and some food. The local beer was 650 ml and costed about 1,3 USD!

I also booked the night sleeper bus to Vientiane on Monday evening!