Paksan, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The first full day of my GAP tour began with a 5:00 am wake up call for a 5:30 bus ride to Pak San, a full day's journey through some wet and miserable terrain. After lunch at what passes for a restaurant at the Vietnam/ Laos border (unevenly heated two minute noodles), we crossed into Laos around 2:00. Within a few miles, the weather changed dramatically. The sky cleared, the rain disappeared, and the sun burnt through the mist. Sweaters and jackets were stripped off as it was now T-shirt weather. We made a couple of pit stops at nice look out points by the side of the road to take in the Laotian scenery before arriving at our hotel around dinner time. The hotel was hosting a wedding that night, with enough chairs and tables to accommodate nearly 2,000 guests!
Fortunately, the festivities ended before midnight, allowing me to get a decent night's sleep for the 3 hour journey the next day to the capital, Vientianne.
