Justin the architect

Trip Start Unknown

102

Trip End Ongoing

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep Vientiane, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Friday, March 18, 2011

Wat Si Saket

Twenty four hours on a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Vientiane, this is the journey that tipped me over the edge after 9 months of jumping on and off busses this one was the limit. We got picked up from our hostel in Hanoi at 5pm and were driven to a Ford garage on a dual carriageway where we got off the bus and waited for fifteen minutes in the pouring rain. The driver then came back for us and told us to follow him, so we did to a bus station five minutes' walk away....why didn’t he drop us off here in the first place to save us getting wet? I thought. We were then left in the bus station for a further twenty minutes whist nothing was happening, we were told to go and get on the bus. So again in the pouring rain I headed to the bus first to secure good seats whilst Justin loaded our bags on, when I got to the door the bus was half full of locals and the driver wouldn’t let us on, but the local passengers were allowed, we got wetter and wetter and I got mad and just started to climb on shouting "No" every time the driver waved me to get off. This is a typical example of how travellers get treat all the time on busses, the drivers always give the best seats to locals and treat us second class even though we probably end up paying double, this happened quite a lot in Vietnam I’m sad to say because I loved the country so much. We were put in the back three seats so we were next to each other but we couldn’t sit upright, I was so tired at this point I though “what the hell I’ll just sleep for twenty four hours”. We stopped at the border to cross into Laos about 7am and when we were queuing to get our visa sorted we found out that two German girls had all their money taken out of their money belts whilst they were sleeping. I was so mad to hear this as it could have been any one of us this happened to and to make it worse it was someone on the bus who did it as we slept (probably the second driver!) We arrived in Vientiane about 4pm the following day and spent about an hour looking for a guesthouse, we did find a nice one and when we checked in I just dropped my bag and said “I wanna go home” I was so tired! This is a typical example of a downer when travelling. Justin sensed this and took me for a curry and a beer then we went straight to bed.

Wat Si Saket

The following morning we had a great lie in and felt fully refreshed so we got dressed and headed out to look for breakfast wearing trainers, trousers, jumper and hat we left the hostel and there it was heat. Heat, heat, we couldn’t see properly without our sunglasses. I suggested we go back to the guesthouse and change back into our summer clothes. It’s incredible the changes in temperatures we are passing through, with the sun and a cup of tea and I was back.

We hired a couple of bikes to explore this fine city, that’s right Vientiane is the capital of Laos and we were amazed at how peaceful it was, hardly any traffic, no noise and very laid back...perfect I thought. Defiantly a million miles from the crazy Vietnam cities we saw. As we cycled around the city taking in all the sights, it was perfect, people are so friendly here always shouting hello as we pass. We visited Wat Si Saket temple and then stopped at COPE Visitors Centre (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) It is the main source of artificial limbs and walking aids for land mine victims. We learned a lot about the cluster bombs that litter their country and heard different stories of victims. One of the guys working there asked Justin if he could draw a house so he said “Yeah I can”. The next thing I saw was Justin designing a house for this guy, he was building a house and the builder was starting work the following day and needed some plans. I was amazed; he had a scrap of paper with such a basic drawing on it, by the time Justin was finished he had full plans to hand to the builder. I think Justin got a little carried away when I heard him trying to explain formulas to this Laos guy, who looked so confused. I reminded Justin where he was and told him to just draw the house. In return we got a free cup of tea, it was so funny. We took the guys email address and agreed to keep in touch so he can show us the finished article.

We cycled around the whole day having a right giggle; there something about mopeds, motorbikes and bicycles that make any situation so much more fun, they are such a great way to explore a town or city and every time we hire one we end up having a lot of fun.

We left Vientiane the following morning hoping that the rest of Laos was as laid back as the capital, because I loved it.

Slideshow