Phonsavan to Sam Neua
Trip Start
Jan 31, 2011
1
188
297
Trip End
Dec 15, 2011
Where I stayed
Chittavanh Hotel
Xam Nua, Houaphan, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Monday, August 1, 2011
12:05 We've been on our way for nearly 3.5 hours. The road has taken us up high into the hills, we're driving along a single lane road on top of hills with distant views of more hills and valleys and rivers. It's a good road but there is also evidence of landslides and steep wry steep drops off the edge of this mountain road. The big bus is pretty empty bit for me, angela a lady from Israel a few locals and a box of cheeping birds. We really are on top of the world.
However we havent stopped for all this time either and I need the toilet, so does Angela, and the israel lady. I went to the front of the bus and asked in my best Thai (Lao and Thai are the same) if we were stopping because I needed the toilet, he understood and after a little bit he found a bit of road he could stop on (single lane remember). As soon as he stopped the whole 12 passengers up front looked at me expectantly. Some of you may know I hate people looking at me. I got off, as did most of the passengers in fact to go and pee. Us girls wandered back up the road and I found a little nooky bushy place to conceal my dignity. Most of the other women in their skirts just hoisted them up in the verge! In any case, seems I wasn't the only person needing to go but the only one ballsy enough to ask!
12:34 Mmm nice, the man in front of me spat out the window and some of it came back through my window and hit me. Thank god I have antiseptic wipes. I tapped him on the head and told him off so I hope he won't do that again.
23:00 We arrived in Sam Neua at 5pm after 9 hours of travelling. The tuk tuk drivers were eager to rip us off and we ended up paying 20,000 to get into town. The first place we visited didn't have a twin room so we walked a little further down the street and found the Chittavanh Guesthouse where we managed to negotiate the price down from 100,000 to 80,000 kip for a really nice room with 2 double beds inside, but on the 4th floor which was a bit of a climb. We have hot water and a tv though so it's great. It's actually very cool as it's 3000 feet up so a hot shower was very welcome.
The only trouble with the hotel is that the owners and their staff are really unfriendly and never smile, ever, and asking them for anything, like food or a drink seems like the biggest imposition.
We met a really nice American lady Maren Beck who almost apologised for being American and I was relieved to find her refreshingly unlike other Americans, and that's what she said! We had a good chat and then she went to a meeting as she actually buys textiles from this area and ships them back to her hometown to sell.
Best: a nice hotel room
Worst: grumpy staff
Beautiful: landscape on the journey
