A Sunday in Vientiane >> Travel: Laos, Myanmar, Thailand 36

Nov 10: Mid-afternoon, Vientiane

Leaving Vang Vieng, we took the bus to Vientiane. We bought our tickets on board and it was 1,000 kip cheaper than the price at the station.

Naturally, there was an endless stream of loading and unloading of goods, including rice, vegetables and even a bike or two. Our bus driver also seemed to stop and pick up passengers at every village we passed through.

During the more winding stretches, people on board looked sick. Oh oh. Then, someone started to distribute the puke bags. Oh, oh.

We braced ourselves for another ride with vomitting neighbours, but luckily, our route never became too demanding on the stomach and only a few people in the front of the bus suffered. This time round, the local passengers also appeared more prepared to cope with the heaves. Some brandished medicated oil while others abstained from snacking while travelling.

An hour or so before we reached Vientiane, our bus got really crowded. People from the outskirts seemed to be converging on the capital. Work? Business? Family? We could only guess.

Having already paid the tuk-tuk driver handsomely for the five-minute ride from the bus terminal to the coffee shop near the guesthouse we wanted to check out, we were extremely displeased when he parked his vehicle and waited to see which guesthouse we were going to walk into. We did not want to pay his touting commission as we were the ones who told him to take us to our destination, so we waited for him to drive off. He finally gave up when we continued to perch on the pavement like we had all day to do nothing.

Phonepaseuth Guesthouse's manager was very welcoming and obligingly showed us a few rooms. After we checked in, he told us that a few days earlier, a Singaporean couple also stayed there. This couple later rented a car and driver for the long drive to Luang Prabang for an eye-popping US$200. Wait, it might have been a bit cheaper, like US$180, but my mind had been quite scrambled by the mention of such a handsome sum for a mere car ride!

So, someone had spent a small fortune on transport and, from the hopeful tone of the manager, I wondered if he was thinking we might provide further custom. Catching each other's eyes, Annie and I did not think we should enlighten him that we had travelled the Luang Prabang-Phonsavan-Vang Vieng-Vientiane circuit for less than US$30 for two persons.

Of course, one cannot compare the spartan environs of a 'chicken' (local) bus to the luxurious option of your own chauffeur-driven car. Also, having your own vehicle gives you the flexibility of stopping at places you like for breaks or to frame that once-in-a-lifetime photo. I bet that makes for travel tales of a different kind.

After lunch, we walked around Vientiane and found the Dragon Lodge. The exterior was a rather awful shade of vermillion (Annie thought the colour was more pink). After some hesitation, we walked in.

The interior was much more salubrious. The owner, we discovered to our surprise, was a Singaporean. Peter had been in Laos for eight years and was now the proud owner of Dragon Lodge. He gave us a tour of his place.

The rooms were a little cheaper and more spacious than our current abode. The interior was tastefully furnished and included a few artfully-angled rooms, courtesy of the semi-circular shape of the building. When we complimented him on his in-house decor, he said he scoured around for some of the pieces himself. We made plans to move in the next day.

As expected, Vientiane is expensive. But, Annie and I agree that the city gives better value than Yangon. We like the accommodation and food in Vientiane more. Yangon, though, is much more bustling as a city. Vientiane, on the other hand, is like a town growing into a city.
Pho (soup noodles) is 7,000 to 8,000 kip here, compared to 5,000 to 6,000 kip elsewhere. Even the Scandinavian Bakery is more expensive, and I thought the one in Luang Prabang is already quite dear!

Sunday is a very quiet day. Many shops are closed. There is little traffic. There also seems to be more foreigners out on the streets. Where are the local people? The exceptions are the teeming Talat Sao (morning market) and the busy bus terminal nearby.

Budget (for two in kip and USD)

Bus to Vientiane >> K12,000
Room >> US$17
Breakfast >> K14,000
Tuk-tuk to hotel >> K5,000
Drinks >> K5,000
Tea >> K13,000
Dinner >> K27,000
Coffee & titbits >> K8,000

Next... We meet again