Vang Vieng is certainly a destination that needs a few days to explore all it has to offer. Forget all the hype about it being a prime backpacker destination as there are plenty of activities for us oldies. Just chilling out and taking in the views would in most cases be enough but you can also kayak, trek and go cave tubing.
Our mini bus for the 152km trip to Vientiane is due to depart at 9:00am. Generally I would opt for a large bus to avoid being cramped however the timing is right and it is only a three hour trip. There were only six passengers in the back of the van so that made it more comfortable. The scenery is fairly nondescript so the time was passed listening to music and reading. Our journey terminated at the northern bus terminal and we then transferred to a tuk tuk which took us to the AV Hotel ($US45) in the city centre.
Thursday 7th November – “Wat” a Day
I’m not too happy this morning as I have woken up with a headache and a sore throat. My nose is starting to run and the colour looks ominous. It will be my turn to take a trip to the pharmacy for some drugs to combat the dreaded flu symptoms. After resting up I managed to purchase some Tiffy Dey tablets which should dry up my nose and reduce the head pain. We then picked up our bicycles which will be our main mode of transportation today. At 10,000 kip ($1.30) for a one day hire it is great value. The other bonus is that Vientiane is very flat but we do have to remember the French influence by riding on the right hand side of the road.
Our Lonely Planet cycling tour took us past the Presidential Place a vast beaux-arts-style chateau which was originally built to house the French colonial governor. Our first Wat of the day was Wat Si Saket which houses thousands of tiny Buddha figures. After passing the fresh food markets we headed up to Vientiane version of the Arc Di Triomphe which is known as the Patuxai.
It is a seven storey concrete construction that was commenced in the 1960’s. It was never fully completed due to the political instability of that period. The climb up was worth it as it gave us some unbeatable views of the city.It was time for lunch so we made our way to the Le Vendome French Restaurant which offers a daily special for 22,000 kip ($3). Our seats were on the shaded patio of an old style French house. It wasn’t long before a large plate of chicken scaloppine with a mushroom cream sauce was placed before us. It was accompanied by a large serving of spaghetti which was tossed with local vegetables. The meal was delicious and was finished off with a latte.
Next on the agenda was Wat In Paeng which is famous for the artistry displayed in the stucco relief. Nearby was Wat Ong Teu Mahawihan where a Buddhist monk invited me to have a good look at the 16th century bronze Buddha measuring 5.4 m tall and weighing several tonnes. The front facade of the temple has beautifully Lao carvings. Wat Hai Sok was next followed by our last Wat of the day, Wat Mixai. The front entrance is flanked by two nyak (guardian giants). We finished off our bicycle tour with a long ride along the Mekong riverfront.
During the late afternoon I rested up before returning our bicycles. Toby was feeling famished but the thought of eating literally turned my stomach. After a quick stroll through the night market we went in search of food. In the end I returned to the hotel, popped a couple of pills and went to bed. Toby managed to find a restaurant that served wood fired pizza.
Friday 8th November – Back to Thailand
I awoke this morning with a barking cough and a nose that was running faster than the Mekong. Some more pill popping was in order before spending some time at the breakfast area. Our check-out time is midday so I decided to stay in bed until the last minute. After storing our bags we headed off to the Le Vendome French Restaurant for another crack at their daily special. Today’s menu was a fresh salad which was followed by a filet of freshwater perch served with sticky white rice.
Toby was keen for more shopping and was lucky enough to find three reasonably nice tee shirts. For the Laos section of the trip he has spent 2.75million kip. I shudder to think how much I have spent. We are winding down the time and keeping an eye on our expenditure as we need money for the taxi we have booked to the border. The trip took about 35 minutes and cost 130,000 kip ($19). After a quick accounting exercise with my trusty abacus I have a grand total of 21,000 kip ($3) left in my hip pocket. Just enough for a bottle of water. Prior to immigration we were faced with an unexpected expense of 10,000 kip for a customs excise. Only 11,000 kip left. After clearing immigration it was time to catch a bus over the Freedom Bridge. After paying for both our bus tickets (4,000 kip each) I was left with the grand total of 3,000 kip (40 cents). Toby managed to have 8,000 kip left.
My impression of Vientiane is that it is a great place to start or finish a journey to Laos. The food choices are varied and excellent however from a sightseeing perspective it has limited attraction. Two full days is enough for the capital of Laos.
Friday 8th November continued – Nong Khai to Bangkok
After completing the relatively easy formalities at the Thailand immigration counter we boarded a tuk tuk for the short trip to the Nong Khai railway station. If you had a light pack then it is an easy undertaking to walk and save yourself $2. Train number 70 was waiting when we arrived so we should depart on time at 6:20pm. We have booked a first class sleeper which has cost 1217 baht ($41) each. It is obviously an overnight train and is due to arrive Bangkok at 6:00am.
Once we were settled in a lady presented us with a menu so that we could order our evening meal. For a 10% commission she would place the order and deliver it to our cabin. The temptation was too great so we ordered the Tom Yom soup, chicken with oyster sauce and fruit. It was duly delivered and was 200 baht well spent. I remembered that last time I travelled on a train in Thailand that the air conditioning is a good means to catch hypothermia. It is no different this time but I’m okay because of the jumper I have at my disposal.
The train is running along at a good pace with hardly a jolt or a roll. The only stops we make are the stations and they seem to be spaced at intervals of just under one hour. I’m just waiting for the guard to set up our bunks and it will be off to bed for me.
Saturday 9th November – Shopping MBK
A broken night’s sleep on the rail due to the cold and over reactive Chinese bladder has left me feeling a tad weary. The train arrived on time at 6:00am and after manhandling our luggage to the front entrance of the station we were besieged by taxi touts. I settled for a metered taxi from the rank and we were soon speeding towards our destination, the Ambassador Hotel. I had a rough idea where it was and when he continued past it I shook my head in exasperation when I realized he had absolutely no English. He tried asking for directions at another hotel but failed. I then held up my fingers to indicate that the hotel was located in soi 11. He nodded in understanding as we headed back to where we had been previously. I ended up directing him to the hotel where we happily alighted. The fare ended up being 87 baht and after I handed him 100 baht he jumped in the taxi to head off. I stuck my hand out for my change and he begrudgingly gave me a 5 baht coin. I shook my head and he ended up slapping another 5 baht into my hand. He was not a happy cabbie but I felt like I had for once had a minor victory over a taxi driver.
After settling in to our well appointed room at the Ambassador we jumped on the sky train and headed to the MBK shopping centre. Toby has a pocketful of baht and is on the hunt for some clothing bargains. Quite a few hours later he is so laden down with bounty that the plastic shopping bags are cutting off the blood supply to his fingers. He has done well with his purchases but next time I will find a quiet place to wait while he decides what colour and style suits him best.
Our agenda for this evening was to have a late dinner and a couple of drinks before retiring. I made it to bed around midnight but Toby kicked on.
Sunday 10th November – Chatuchak Market
Toby eventually rocked in at 5:00am looking a little bleary and worse for wear and tear. I on the other hand am still feeling the impacts of the flu with a congested aching head. Over a leisurely breakfast with myself as company I surfed the net and caught up with all that is important in Australian sport. Toby woke from his slumber around midday and I have decided to leave him to his own devices for the remainder of the day.My afternoon mission is to catch the sky train to Mo Chit station and then walk to the Chatuchak market. From the train I can easily see the corrugated iron rooftops that delineate the market. I am looking for a store in section 10 on Soi 20/21 to track down a sleeping bag liner for my good neighbour Jen. This maze could have been easily constructed by Daedalus as I feel like Theseus in search of the Minotaur in the labyrinth below the Minoan Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. Nothing like a little bit of Greek Mythology to spice up a yarn! I did manage to find the location but alas there was no store open or sleeping bag liners. There are acres of bargains under these rooftops and just about something for everyone. Towards the end of the day and with my backpack full to overflowing I spotted a foot massage stall. I sauntered over and was soon enjoying a relieving 60 minute massage for 200 baht.
One of the downsides of this trip is that I am starting to realize that the face staring back at me in the mirror is getting old. None of us really feels that we are getting older but unfortunately in three countries I have been called ‘’Pappa”. It hurts even more when I think the ones saying it are as old as me. I’m glad that Alice loves me and is partially blind.
A quiet evening near the hotel was in order tonight.
Monday 11th November – More Shopping
It is a slow start to the day as we wait for breakfast and Toby’s stomach to settle. Some more shopping has to be done at MBK before we can think about a relaxing swim by the pool. It was a balmy afternoon with high humidity which made it perfect for swimming. The hotel has a great pool with comfortable deck chairs and for Toby, Wi-Fi access. The garden has plenty of palm trees to soften the impact of concrete pavers. There is also an aviary which has a large collection of exotic parrots. The hotel has a preponderance of Indian clientele and with their cackling laugh and hairy chests they add another dimension to the wildlife scene. They also have great difficulty with English as they clearly disregard all the pool notices as well as the verbal requests from the Thai staff. It is also clear that the staff do not like their guests from the sub continent. I can picture my brother having very little patience with this type of behaviour. It is like getting the dreaded pause on the phone right on meal time which is shortly followed by a smarmy voice wanting to help you with the speed of your internet.
Tuesday 12th November – Last Day in Bangkok
Another late night for Toby which means I get to have a leisurely breakfast by myself. There is no rush as all of our shopping has been completed and our bags packed for departure. To save a few dollars we are going to attempt to catch the train to the airport. Toby’s flight departs six hours before mine so I will guide him on the first part of the train trip. The most difficult part will be lugging our bags from the hotel and then up the steep flight of stairs to Nana Station. From there we catch the sky train to Phaya Thai Station (32 baht) and then transfer by walking down the stairs and across the concourse to the Airport Rail Link (City Line). There are eight stops to the airport and the 27 minute journey cost 45 baht. If you catch the non-stop express service from Makkasan Station it will cost 150 baht and take 17 minutes.
There were no problems for Toby and within 25 minutes of leaving the hotel he was at Phaya Thai Station and on his way to the airport. The only issue with using the BTS is that when boarding at some of the stations such as Nana the trains can be quite crowded which would make it slightly more difficult. Back at the hotel I have taken refuge from boredom by occupying a lounge at poolside. The water is warm and the latest tome that I am reading is holding my attention. There is still just enough time for one last swim this evening before heading back to the room to make ready my departure. I have opted for a late check-out at 8:00pm and the 1000 baht charge for this standard of hotel seems reasonable. My flight is at 11:59pm so I should have plenty of time to make use of the business class lounge. There was a small problem at check-out as the staff wanted to charge me for the two Heiniken beers that they did not replace the day before. The staff were fine and after writing a short statement I settled the account.
The check-in at the Thai Airline counter was efficient an in total took about five minutes. Even better was that they did not charge me excess baggage for my 31kg load. Even the security check and immigration formalities went smoothly. My trip is nearing the end so now I will enjoy a light snack and some red wine (Tinto) from Portugal before boarding the red eye to Brisbane.
I like Bangkok as there is plenty to hold your attention for a few days. For first time travellers there are plenty of sights and activities to keep you busy. For old hands there is always the shopping and if you have a weekend in your schedule there is the weekend market at Chatuchak.
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