Laos
Yet another one of my little updates on where I have been and what I have been up to.The story today starts from where I left you last in Hanoi. From Hanoi we were making for Savanakhet, in Lao. After 24 hours on buses being abused by chickens sacks of rice and peeing kids we arrived in Savanakhet. As soon as we arrived we wanted to keep moving, but being late we decided to try and find some where to spend the night. There was nothing we could find to commend this place to us, the few travelers we met said that is is the first place in Lao that they did not enjoy. In fact the only thing of a positive note was that we could see Thailand across the river.
After a night in an exceedingly dodgy hotel, with power cuts that affected only certain rooms of the hotel at some times, the shower refused to work and everywhere were ants and cockroaches!
Surprisingly enough the next morning we decided to leave and went straight to Vientiane the capital of Laos. The trip was eight hours and passed through the most remarkable of scenery. gorgeous mountains filled with beautiful jungle every turn made by the bus we found ourselves wanting to stop and have a quick hike into the undergrowth.
Vientiane, is quite possibly the steepest capital city I have ever seen.
There is little traffic, 80% of the cars on the roads were ambssidorial, and the rest were from the EU or UN. Many of the streets were not lit at night and combined with the extensive open sewer system, walking around at night can be hazardous to your hygiene.
A couple of days by myself and wolf were spent in Vientien, seeing the sights and taking things slowly after spending the best part of a long time in non-stop movement. Meeting friendly monks, visiting enormous golden stupas, and chatting to people we met.
Through chatting to other travelers ver heard about this town Vang Vieng, which was not mentioned in our guide books but was supposed to be a outdoor haven. Taking the bus, we ended up on this strip of dirt that served as the bus station and airport for the village. We should only see a few huts and were wondering if we have been the victim of a prank. But sure enough after crossing the runway building appeared and we were is this tousity village filled with backpackers.
We managed to spend six days there kayacking, cycling, swimming in deep lagoons, tubing down the river, exploring enormous caves going back 2km in some of them, and trekking in the jungle searching for more caves.
To say the scenery is spectacular is not going nearly far enough. If you can try and imagine the most georgouse of tree covered steep sided mountains, Jungle below the mountins with all the strange sounds, cries and screeches. Through the jungle is the river, with red and purple dragon flies skimming over the surface. All is pristine and all is beautifle.
But unfortunately I was rapidly running out of time, having spent more time than I should have in Vietnam. I left wolf to continue his adventures in Laos starting with Luang Probang. I headed back to Vientiane with my new friend Emma.
We arrived in Vientiane, and every hotel we tried was full except one witch ended up being more expensive and less hygienic than the one in Savanakhet. We are making our way for Chang Mai, Thiland for some dancing plants and jungle trekking.
