We were looking forward to getting into Laos from all the rave reviews people had been giving it about being, chilled out, relaxing and the people being very friendly.  Well within the first 5 mins we witnessed the relaxed nature.  Arriving at the hot and steamy Cambodia/Laos border in the middle of no where, our bus driver informed us that as there were not enough people to warrant a bus to meet us in Laos, one wasn’t coming.  We were ‘reliably’ informed that 3 motorbikes would come and fetch us.  So…. very hot and waiting in a bizarre shack at 3pm with 4 local people ‘chilling out’ drinking beer with the biggest soundsystem I have seen (in the middle of no where) blasting out tunes, we waited… …… sure enough though 30 mins later our three bikes arrived with us precariously balanced with our rucksacks to take us to our destination – 4000 islands – a beautiful area of the Mekong.

Our next bizarre encounter was Stef from Boston, seemed normal enough until we realised that everything had to be whispered (in case ‘they’ hear us), he was on a mission, a mission for delivering good.  However as it was so top secret we never found out exactly what this was.  We were apparently very lucky to cross the border that day though, because as he informed us, no whites were allowed through, it must have been our tans that fooled the officials!  Entertaining as it was though, we were left hoping that there may be some normal people in Laos!

4000 Islands consisted of a great bike ride around our island – Don Khon for waterfalls and little villages, but it was time to move on and time for the next travel adventure.

We were assured our bus would have air conditioning…. well it was certainly breezy.  4 hours in the back of a truck on benches on very bumpy roads, straddling baskets of fish that had a tendency to try a break for freedom every now and again – not the comfiest but an adventure and a realisation that Laos was basic on the travel front.  However everything was done with a smile , and when there were 20 people in that truck, there was always room for one more!

 

Next stop was Vientian, the capital city which consists of just over 250,000 people – we were not expecting much but it was incredibly pretty.  Due to its french history the buildings were all french colonial style and gorgeous. 

Sites included the ‘Arch de Triomphe’ (Patuxi) and the Lao golden national monument. 

 Vientianes French influence meant it was time for some more flashpacking and time for a french meal of steak and cheese – yum!!

Vang Vieng in the north of Laos has a reputation of a party place, and that it was.  Hundreds of bars and tourists and the most bizarre concept of sitting in an inner tube and floating down a river from bar to bar.  We didnt indulge in the tubing but did a kayak trip instead through beautiful scenery, then went to experience some of the bars, fully equiped with mud volley ball, tug of war and swings into the river – Very Bizarre but great fun!

Luang prubang was as far north as we ventured and was the old capital – and again so so pretty , the buildings were amazing, as was the market – seriously about a mile long and every stall the same !

So all in all Laos was totally different to what i had expected, it was clean, beautiful, friendly and has a lot going for it – maybe why it was probably the most touristy country we visited!  Still though the transport was terrible!!

The journey from the airport to the historic old quarter in Hanoi has the potential to be pleasant, if only you could see anything through the smog. The combination of Hanoi’s eight million motorcycles, the humidity and the still air means that even at four in the afternoon you can look straight at the sun without flinching.

And then you hit Hanoi – a writhing tangle of one way roads that are two way, motorcycles carrying fridges, cabinets, entire families and overcharged tourists – and wish that you had have booked accommodation in advance. Oh well, welcome to Vietnam and welcome to the high season. Once we’d checked into our rather luxuroius “mini-hotel” (the places to stay for flashpackers in Asia) we plucked up the courage to brave the roads. Anyone who has been to Hanoi will know what I mean. With only 3 feet of pavement, priority seems to be given to motorcyles and hawkers – Human traffic is expected to take to the road.

Fran and I did not take to Hanoi (did you pick up on that?) and so paid a quick visit to the Lake, the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and a floating visit to Halong Bay (having been there nine years earlier with Gary, I can confirm that the water is definately not blue anymore…)

From Hanoi we followed the coast south, stopping at Hue – a rather dreary town famous as being the earlier capital of Chinese vietnam if I remember rightly. Oh, and some rather elaborate tombs of earlier kings of the dynastic period which to give them credit, looked spectacular even in the rain.

Next stop was Hoi An – a lovely little riverside town only a few kilometers from the cost. It appears to be home to the country’s tourist tailoring business but neither Fran or I were inclined to purchase. The suit I bought nine years ago at $25 was great, until the moment that the trouser fly\zip broke, in the down position, while I was at work. When someone discreetly informs you that you’re flying low, you then have to discreetly inform them that you know and then explain why, while trying not to bring attention to your pants.

Where were we… after Hoi An, Nha Trang – a seaside resort with no appeal in the rain save a giant buddha who in his enlightenment still smiles in the rain.

From there, aim toward the heavens and go to Dalat – an affluent mountain town with a cooler temperature and considerably less tourists. The locals were happy to welcome you, and the surrounding area made a great motorcycle tour, again despite the rain. The area is the agricultural centre of vietnam (perhaps more vegetables than fruit, which belongs to the Mekong)

Down in the south, a few hours from the Mekong delta is Saigon – a bustling tourist haven and within easy reach of the Cu Chi tunnnels – a tourist destination where you can take a peek into some of the Viet Cong tunnels that they used to resist the Amercian troops in the area. You can also watch some communist propeganda (read made to watch) and you can fire some guns. Come get some.

Saigon’s sights included the rather one sided “War crimes against the vietnamese people” museum and the Reunification Palace. At the time I understood what it was all about but I fail to remember now so you’ll just have to google it if you’re interested. Here, I’ve done it for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reunification_Palace

From Saigon, we took a three day tour through the steamy Mekong delta and up the river to the Cambodia border. The many sights that we saw included an orchard (fruity), a river market (floaty), rice paper production (a bit thin on the ground), coconut candy production (sweet), rice wine production (boozy), a bassa farm (fishy) and a Cham muslim village (holy). We also had the opportunity to have a great fish and shrimp BBQ in a riverside town whose name eludes me, and just escaped our fish being live on the skewers like the poor couple next to us who I don’t think were quite ready for it… or at least from the look on her face she wasn’t.

So there you have it folks – it’s cheap (50 cents for a litre of draught beer or a noodle soup), it’s moody and rainy in the North, it’s welcoming and steamy in the South and it’s next to Cambodia which is where we’re going next! See you next time.