Bangkok and Super Southern Lao

Last day in Bangkok

We spent the day at the grand palace which was very grand for want of a better description. On our way in we were stopped by an 'official' at this side entrance we were coming to and had one of the oldest scams in the area put on us which was 'palace closed today for Buddha holiday, come on Tuk-Tuk tour of city instead for cheap price only 50baht (about 75p)'. We smiled politely and left to go to the main entrance where streams of tourists were going in and out. It's crazy though because despite reading about this scam (they take you on a cheap tour that ends up at their uncle's jeweller's or something) my first instinct was still to trust and want to believe him. We both clicked pretty quickly though. It's a shame because the more people like that that approach you the more you distrust someone who is genuinely trying to be helpful or friendly.

Bangkok to Pakse

We eventually settled on taking the overnight sleeper train to the Thai border town of Ubon Ratchatani. We had a pretty good night's sleep despite the strip fluroescent lighting and body shaking lurches of the train as it left each station through the night. Breakfast was chicken legs on a stick - yum.

At Ubon we picked up an already full local SangThiaw (kind of like a pick up truck) to the main bus station. A interesting ride as Si hung off the back and I practically sat on an old womans lap (we would get used to similar journeys over the next week!). We stopped for breakfast at one of the stalls at the bus station where we both picked omelettes off the menu. 10 minutes later we both received delicious platefuls of chicken and vegetable fried rice. We're getting used to not always receibing what was ordered but that one has been the most different.

From the bus station we picked up a coach to cross the border and go to the nearest Lao town of Pakse.

Pakse was a refreshing change from Bangkok - few tourists, quiet, dusty streets and a real local atmosphere. We stayed in a prison cell like room (bars on the one window high above my head, flaky blue walls and a foot or so of space around the hard bed. There was also a whole army of termites on a mission from the shared toilet, down the corridor and under the door mat to our room. They didn't go into our room thankfully - a good spray of DEET saw to that). I hated it but Si thought it was fine although they did do some great Indian food downstairs which kind of made up for it. We spent the evening chatting to a couple, Ben and Jo, who'd been down in Australia working for a while and were just on the last part of their trip. It was a pleasant evening enjoying our first Beer Laos and putting the world to rights.

Champasak & Wat Phu

Once again we took local transport south to Champasak. This time it was a local bus full of cement bags on the middle aisle and already full when we turned up. The bus conducter type person shooed a couple of children onto laps so we got some seats - obviously designed for much smaller people than Si or I though and we neatly folded ourselves in half and tried to get comfy for the 2 hour journey. Well that was what it said in the book. It didn't take account of the numerous stops for extra pick ups (there is no such thing as full), deliveries, collecting goldfish in plastic bags etc.. Maybe 3.5 hours in all.

Champasak is on the other side of the Mekong river (which flows 4888km from Tibet through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) which our bus crossed on a wooden rickety contraption made of 3 long boats with boards across and a lawn mower engine powering the whole thing. Stayed in the Vong Phaseud Guesthouse (left) with a guy who spoke good French and his family including his 4th son the lady boy. We had gone to Champasak mostly to see the World heritage temple there which we cycled to. It's origins aren't completely clear but it dates from over 1000 years ago and has a mixed religious history with both Hindu and Buddhist influences.

(View from the top of the temple and elephant engraved rock)

Champasak itself was a single road and on the 8km cycle to the temple, where we passed rice fields and water buffalo and a few small settlements both our voices got tired responding to the constant sabaidees (hellos) from the locals but which also put big grins on our faces. Whilst they have a fair few tourists it in no way feels touristy and the local people still seemed pleased and happy that we were there. We stopped from the rain on the way back for some food - noodle soup - with a Laos guy who spoke a little German. Si and I quickly realised that our GCSE German was suffering from 13 and 11 years respectively of no use and resorted to drawings and hand signals to learn a little about each other. At the guest house in Champasak met two other couples Dylan and Stacey from Oz and Ant and Michelle from back home.

We all ended up heading off for our next destination together again in a SangThiaw and again sharing it with 2 tonnes of grain and bugs.

(Back on the cobbled together boat crossing the Mekong)

And then with some tough negotiating from our Australian friends we changed to another pick up (again already full) which Si sat on the back next to a basket of piglets and I sat upfront in between a couple of Irish lads and some local ladies. It soon started to rain - again (you'll notice from the pictures that the weather wasn't so good - but pleasantly cooler at the same time) - and I got out my waterproof to try and cover the holes through which the rain was drenching the local ladies whilst trying to avert my eyes from the fact the pick up had no windscreen wipers. Raleigh Risk Assessment......

Si Phan Don - 4 Thousand Islands

Scrimping once again on accommodation we found ourselves a one pound a night hut (Sunset Bungalows) on Don Det (same island that Steve and Alex stayed on but I don't think Alex would have passed the hut for staying in) with a great balcony over the Mekong river, shared hole in the ground and tap and a partial view of the sunset. Don Det is an odd little place with the locals carrying on their daily life of tending the rice paddies and enjoying their family life with this backdrop of young back packing tourists taking some time out to relax. It was pretty wet and we didn't get much sun but saw some great waterfalls and had a long cycle trip to the neighbouring island over a bridge built by the French when they were here. The islands were an important point in trade from Cambodia since the rail line traversing the islands meant cargo wasn't prevented from getting upstream by the waterfalls in the area. One highlight of this part of the trip was our first roast dinner since leaving home. We had gravy, roast potatoes and chicken (and lots of it). The lady running the guesthouse had lived in Australia for 30 years and went back annually to visit her daughter and bring back gravy powder.

From Don Det we ummed and ahhed about our next step but decided to do the big trek all the way up to Vientiane. This started at 11am with a boat back to the main land, a mini bus journey back to Pakse - which took about 2 hours (compared to the total local bus journey time of nearly 6 that we'd experienced on the way down) and then an afternoon in Pakse where I got a foot massage and Si once again checked upon the fate Newcastle United and other football related things online. At 8pm we went to get our bus. We'd heard from Ant and Michelle about the 'bed bus' a bus with real bunk beds, so decided to book on. As we got onto the bus we wondered whether it was a mistake as once again we are just so big compared to the average person here in Lao. Still we squeezed into our double top bunk and enjoyed some Saturday evening quiz show on the TV at full volume (we were the only falangs (foreigners) on the bus) before this was promptly switched off at 9pm and everyone went to sleep except for us as we tried to read for a bit. I then spent the rest of the night pressed against the cold window and Si tried not to fall out into the aisle. Hilarious. The yellow and blue teddy bear bed covers were particularly attractive. We arrived in Vientiane at 5.30 the next morning and I believe that Simon is going to pick up the story from there.

We hadn't originally planned to go to Southern Lao but so glad that we did as we really felt we had a taste of the real country and whilst the landscape was relatively flat and gentle compared with what was to come it had a welcome sense of tranquility that we very much enjoyed.

You may spot the mixed spelling of Lao / Laos. The official one here seems to be without the 's' which the French added during their rule.

Hello to everyone and thanks for the messages and updates from people.
Charlotte & Simon