Luang Nam Tha to Vientiane

You know it’s only after you finish a 24 hours bus journey on a local bus that you remember why, after the last time you took such a trip, you swore never to do one ever again.

I started out on the local mini van from Luang Nam Tha to Udomxai.  Now that wasn’t too bad it was a little crowded and uncomfortable since I was on the wheel arch which cuts down on the leg room.  I’d hate to see a tall person try to squeeze into that seat.  The van would stop for no particular reason that I could see.  One or two people would get off, stand around, have a smoke then eventually get back on the van.  Off we’d trundle for another 20 mins or so if we were lucky and the process would repeat itself.

As I said it wasn’t really all that bad as it was a 4 hour trip, well ok so 4 hours ‘lao time’ which in reality meant about 5 1/2 hours.

Originally I’d meant to stay in Odomxai and hopefully arrange a plane from there to Vientiane then straight on to Pakse the next day as supposedly there were more and bigger planes so your more likely to get a seat than in Luang Nam Tha.  Unfortunately when I got there my luck or lack there of struck again.  The next plane was not until Tuesday.  That meant a minimum of 2 days in Udomxai even if I could get on the plan.

There was a but departing for Vientiane, a night bus, in about 1 hour so I decided to get that instead.  Apart from the lack of sleep they played Lao Karaoke until midnight turned it off for a few hours then turned it back on about 0500.  This was a so called Express bus but it kept stopping to pick up passengers from 0500 hours onwards none of whom paid and the bus quickly became packed.

One of the local woman decided to sit in the seat next to mine with her kid.  Fair enough.  Except like the local males they do not seem to have any concept of my seat, your seat.  She also kept trying to dump her kid on my lap.  If that wasn’t bad enough she started throwing up and the kid followed suit.  I wouldn’t have minded so much if she and the kid had been facing into the isle, but no, they were facing in my direction.

When I got into town about 1000 hours I falked out money for a mid range Guest house and tested the claim of ‘hot water’ before agreeing to take the room.

You know I really, really enjoyed that shower!