Laos

Quite a journey from Chaing Mai to Laos. I wanted to enter Laos at Pakse which is off the beaten path.... not Pakse.. but the trip from Chaing Mai to Pakse. I decided to make a bee line for Don Det island since I have had more than one rave review of it.

The bus to Ubon Ratchatani was an all Thai experience. I got to see how people travel in Thailand when they are not a western tourist. Travel agencies tend to lump all of the "farang" together seperate from locals. Even on public trains we somehow always seem to be on the same car together.

As it turns out the Thais travel in style! The "VIP" busses I usually ride on are decent and have big seats... but seem to be of the "we used get big money for rides on these back in the 70's" variety. Usually with a couple of teenagers running the show on the bus. On my real world trip, I was in a Mercedes bus with a uniformed crew, polite announcements, refreshments, luggage tickets. The whole shebang. It was more like an airline than a bus.

However. No announcements in English. The movie? American... but dubbed into Thai with no subtitles. Also, at every stop. No more English on the signs. All Thai, all the time.

When we got to Ubon Ratchetani, the closest big Thai town to the Laos border, it was more of the same. This is not a tourist town, so no more tourist luxuries. I had a three hour layover there, so I decided to go on an adventure into town. I checked the map, found a sawgthaw (a pickup with benches in the back that taxis more than one party at a time - cheaper than a regular taxi), and headed downtown to find some food.

I didn't do so well and didn't end up anywhere near my target. But I found some nice street food of friend bananas and some tropical fruit and called it a partial success.

On the bus trip into Laos, I expected I would meet up with some more tourists who might have taken the train in to enter Laos the same as me. Wrong. None. All Laotians and Thais. Now I was starting to wonder if I can even get a visa on arrival at the border if no tourists ever come here.

At the border we went through the process of exiting Thailand in a nice new immigration building.. Then walked out the back door into Laos with paper signs pointing the way to the Laos entry office. About 200 yards down a dirt path, then into town where locals pointed where to walk. The dingy Laos office was a bit confusing but they did get a visa for me. Luckily I had some passport photos on me and some US dollars. That's the money they prefer. I felt quite lucky to have made it through the border with a 30 day visa.

After 3 near fatal motorbike collisions with the bus, we made it to Pakse in the dark. Sigh. So I walked around with my pack until I found a free room.

I had some amazing Indian Food at Jasime Restaurant where I noted they just opened a new location in Don Det. Sweet!

After dinner I decide to look for a bar to have a couple of drinks. None. Nada. Nothing to do at all in the town. So quiet. I decide Pakse is not the place for me. And decide to go to Don Det the following morning.