ARC DE TRIOMPH LAOTIAN STYLE
We left Danga Bay on a wet and stormy morning to head to Kuala Lumpur on our way to Laos and Cambodia. Heather and Mark from “Ajax” were with us and we were all looking forward to this trip.
The plan: bus to KL, plane to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and then by bus first north then south through Laos crossing into Cambodia at Stung Treng. Then once again making our way north to Siem Reap and then south to Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia, from where we would fly back to KL and then bus back to Danga Bay and our boat.
As the saying goes “the best laid plans of mice and men…..” things did not quite go according to plan; well at least not for Tony and me. But more on that later.
The long distance buses here are wonderful, recliner seats indicative of first class flying, good roads, careful drivers, and CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP. Well you get the picture.
The trip to KL only takes around 4 ½ hours including a loo stop (mostly squat loos, gotta be lucky to get a western loo, oh yeah and take your own loo paper, non existent here.) At the other end take the LRT (light rail transit) which runs every 4 minutes to the hotel. We have been to KL so often we now have “our” hotel which is only a 3 min walk from the station.
CHOOSE YOUR LOO!
Once we were checked in it was off to the shopping centre just five minutes away to get some cash and have a meal. Well, Tony’s NAB card was eaten by the ATM. This has been an ongoing saga since we changed to National Australia Bank in January, but that is another story!
After a good meal and an early night it is off to the airport next morning. Once again all too easy, walk 3 mins to LRT, ride 3 mins to Central Station $0.60 then take the skybus $3.00 for a 40 min trip to the airport. Eat your heart out Melbourne. Sure could learn a lot from so called 3rd world countries.
FLYING INTO VIENTIANE
The flight was comfortable as is usual with Airasia, they might be a budget airline, but they do it well. Visas for Laos are available on arrival, just fill out the forms; hand over your pass photo pay and $30.00 if you are Australian (me) or $35.00 if you are European (Tony). Better than Americans who have to pay $42.00, especially considering that the preferred currency is US dollars.
ELECTRICIAN ANYONE?
Having pre-booked rooms in a guesthouse out of town, the next task was to find a tuk-tuk driver to take us there. After much debate and gesticulating by taxi and tuk-tuk drivers alike, one taxi driver volunteered to take us. Addresses are virtually non existent and even street names can vary depending on who you are dealing with. What a disaster that guesthouse was; no hot water; no hand basin, just a bucket under the tap; shower only dribbled; no locks on the door, bed as hard as a rock; flat hard pillows and that were the GOOD points. Not quite sure what the ladies next door were doing, but their door squeaked every time it was opened, and it opened and closed every 20 minutes or so until 3am.
FOUR ON A BIKE
Whenever someone entered or left their room the dogs would bark, the rooster would crow and we would wake up! Must say though the rooms were CLEAN.
TUK-TUK
We had organised a tuk-tuk to pick us up at 8 o’clock next morning, and so the first stop was That Louang Temple. This is Laos’s most important religious building and its national symbol. The present day structure built in 1930 stands on the same place as the original stupa thought to have been built in the mid sixteenth century. The tapering golden spire is 45 metres tall, and is surrounded by thirty short spiky stupas also covered in gold. It makes for a dazzling sight, especially when the sun shines.
THAT LOUANG TEMPLE
There are dozens of small and large “wats” (temples) scattered throughout Vientiane, and all of them covered in gold leaf or paint. Inside there are usually stunning murals and golden Buddhas, attended by monks in saffron coloured robes. The Laotians are a gentle people, very warm and welcoming.
GOLDEN BUDDHA
TUK-TUK 2
On return to our tuk-tuk, we found another tuk-tuk waiting for us as the brakes on ours were no longer working. Our new driver is Dit and a very pleasant young man whose English is much better than our first driver.
MONOLITHIC RECLINING BUDDHA
Next stop: Buddha Park. This is an amazing place, created by Luang Phu Boonla Surirat, a self styled holy man in the late 1950’s. Built of concrete there are statues of every conceivable deity in the Hindu-Buddhist religions. There is a monolithic reclining Buddha, a pumpkin-shaped hollow building with whole scenes of sculptures inside, and stairs up to the roof where you can climb out through a small aperture and sit out there and take in the spectacular view.
PUMPKIN
PUMPKIN ENTRANCE
INSIDE PUMPKIN
VIEW FROM PUMKIN OVER BUDDHA PARK
Then it is off to town for lunch in a lovely little restaurant, and while we were sitting there Heather and I spotted a sign for a guesthouse; so off we went, checked out the rooms and immediately booked two. The price; $16.00, hot water, comfy beds, hand basin, good shower and free tea and coffee. No complaints here! I would definitely recommend Wonderland Guesthouse 2 as a great place to stay. It is very central, close to shops, restaurants, bars, and museums etc, and near the “black stupa” which made it easy to find our hotel back.
WONDERLAND GUESTHOUSE
Back out to last nights nightmare to pick up our luggage and check into our new room. The tuk-tuk broke down, and after the third and seemingly permanent breakdown we moved onto our third tuk-tuk for the day.
FIXING THE TUK-TUK
NEW TUK-TUK DRIVER
We had engaged the first one at a set price for the day, and this transferred over each time with the new driver bargaining and paying the previous driver! On the way back to our hotel we hit a huge pothole which jarred us all, but especially Tony’s neck. Little did we know it but that plus a tiny tablet were to change our plans drastically.
TEMPLE
We were booked on the early bus to Louang Phabang, a 12 hour trip. We had organised a tuk-tuk to pick us up at 7.00 am to take us to the bus station. Early next morning found Tony unable to move, and suffering nausea and severe muscle pain. Not any way to start a 12 hr journey over what can only be termed as basic roads. The decision was made; Mark and Heather would continue on and we would stay until Tony was mobile once more, and then decide what to do after that. Tony had started on tablets to lower his cholesterol, and it seems that this was the cause of the nausea and muscle pains. Solution: stop taking the tablets, a couple of days taking it very easy, and things were looking up.
TEMPLE ENTRANCE
We spent the next week exploring Vientiane, and while we didn’t get to see more of Laos, it was very relaxing and enjoyable checking out this lovely city in depth. There are numerous temples and monuments, and a wonderful Scandinavian Bakery that we visited several times for breakfast.
TEMPLE PROTECTOR
One fascinating statue can be found on the banks of the Mekong River. It is huge, and while we could find no information on it in English, we believe it has been erected to “extend the hand of friendship” to Thailand across the river.
HAND OF FRIENDSHIP
WHAT HO PHRA KEO
We spent a morning at the COPE Centre; a museum and centre that treats people who have been affected by unexploded ordinance (UXO). During the Vietnam war, over 277 million cluster bombs were dropped on Laos in an attempt to stop supplies reaching the Viet cong. Approximately 80 million of these failed to explode, and now pose a serious hazard to anyone who comes across the rusty remains. Despite their appearance, they are still extremely dangerous, and kill or maim around 600 mostly children per year.
COPE CENTRE
Because the income is so low in the farming provinces where the UXOs are mainly found, children and adults go looking for the bombs to salvage the scrap metal, which can often double or triple their weekly income. Unfortunately some pay with their lives, or at least with the loss of one or more limbs.
HOW MANY TO CLEAN A CAR?
COPE not only supply new arms and legs, they rehabilitate and train the victims to become useful members of society once more. They are a charitable organization, and all treatment given is free. They rely on donations and government help for their income. This year alone they have helped over 1500 people.
LOOK! OUR NAME.
On Tuesday 8th February we flew from Vientiane to Siem Reap in Cambodia. While we did not get to see as much of Laos as was first planned, we did enjoy getting to know a small part well. Perhaps we will return one day and finish our trip.
PLANE TO CAMBODIA
