Today was our first full day in Laos and the contrast in energy between Laos & Cambodia was very clear to all. Our guide, Lae, told us that Laos P.D.R. stands for “People Don’t Rush” and it is very true of the vibe in the city of Vientiane.
This morning we woke up with our bodies feeling tired, yet we were excited for the upcoming events for the day. We began with a yummy breakfast at our first hotel. We then packed our bags and headed to our glamorous, air-conditioned bus and were driven to our first stop of the day – Wat si saket temple. We arrived with lots of spirit and enthusiasm, which was heightened by the sounds of loud Laotian music being piped over the loudspeakers. Before we entered the temple, all of the ladies were asked to put on traditional Laoation skirts because of a festival that was beginning today at the temple. There was a lady selling tiny little birds that she had trapped and for $4 Ana set some free (‘coz she’s a good lass – but also because it was good luck). We took a group photo with some teenage monks who were helping to set up for the festivities in the temple. It was also very strange to see a large military presence in the temple. They had set up bunks and were sleeping around the temple so that they could be on patrol at the festival.
We then headed back to our glam bus and cruised through the streets of Laos and stopped at Vientiane’s Arc de Triumph (a small, Laotian replica of the original) and walked up 200 steps to see the beautiful view of the city of Vientiane. The next stop was at a nice shopping centre – where most things were either fake or the same price as Australia.
We then stopped for a “choose your own adventure” lunch, to then set off on a 4-hour bus ride where we had a ‘lil karaoke sesh. We passed scenic mountains and beautiful rivers, and got an idea of what our next few days would bring. Our hotel is set alongside an abandoned US airstrip and Veng Vieng is well known for the giant hot air balloons that take off from the airstrip.
We had an hour to settle in before we took tuk-tuk trucks to dinner. We enjoyed a family dinner on a table for 30, where we were able to bond and regroup. Then we headed back to the hotel to play cards and have an early night in order to prepare for our big day of bike riding and kayaking tomorrow.
Blogged by Milani Butler and Jemima Padley
