Love for Laos!



On the sleeper


On returning to Bangkok we booked a ticket for the ‘sleeper’ train to head up to North Thailand to Nong Khai where we would cross the border into Laos.

This is a 12.5 hour journey but was by far the BEST travel experience we have had so far, mainly because we were asleep for most of it! The train was so comfortable complete with linen, night lamps and our own wait staff…almost luxury!

After arriving at Nong Khai we attempted to go to the Immigration Office to get our visa’s however we got suckered into getting our visa’s from this local business shop who basically jipped us out of off a couple hundred baht, to offer us a service of getting our visa’s, driving us across the border and taking us into the capital city of Vientiene. Well all that did happen but at a cost! Well I guess ‘you live and you learn’..Lol

The border crossing at Laos

Me in the tuk tuk

 

Vientiene is lovely and full of travellers, and quite a lot British at that.
Although the country is supposed to be one of the poorest of the continent, it is hard to see signs of this when the roads and transport seem very good and even people’s homes hardly reflect this.





One of the many temples seen from our bedroom window

Mekong River side under construction

There also seems to be a lot of development being made to boost tourism, currently there is a massive improvement project going along the Mekong River which, when finished will be lovely.




The Buddist Monks

Finding a room was no easy task, as we found out the people of Laos are getting ready for a festival on 21 Nov where all Buddist Monks from across Asia are heading to Laos to a particular temple here, where a great many prayers and celebrations will take place.

People praying

Jason and me caught one parade going through the streets of the city but we’re told more festivities are to come..(however sadly we will not be in Vientiene when it occurs).

The parade marched through the main street

It was very loud and colourful!

Jason and his new friend!



By the Mekong River, a statue of a great general that people pray to



This dragon was part of a fountain head.

Nam Phou, where we stayed close by