Backpacking IndoChina Day 3: Vientiane, Laos

Before the trip to Nong Khai I have only been on a sleeper train twice in Vietnam. The one from Bangkok to Ayutthaya doesn’t count since it was only for a short distance. While I have nothing against train travel since they do save you a night’s accommodation, it is far from being perfectly comfortable either. For one, there is total lack of privacy. Sometimes even if you happen to have the berth all to yourself, train workers would sometimes go in and sleep. You can’t lock the door either since a passenger might come in anytime. Secondly, I’d get the soft sleeper ones and the bed turns out to be anything but. The blanket looks used and the pillow smelly. The toilet, I have no problem with it. It just takes awhile to adjust to the constant movement while you’re trying to do your business. So I was actually quite surprised when we boarded our train from Ayutthaya to Nong Khai. We only got the second class sleepers but the beds were really comfortable, there’s even a curtain you can draw close for privacy, pillows are fluffy, and the blankets are fresh. I can really say it was the first time I was able to sleep really well while aboard a train.

The view out the train's window.





Travel time from Ayutthaya to Nong Khai lasted about 11 hours and we arrived at the border to Laos at around 10:30am. We got our passports stamped and bought another ticket for the train that would take us to Thanaleng train station for 20 baht. It was a very brief 15-minute ride. From there, we got a tuktuk that would take us to Central Vientiane for 300 baht. Good thing we came to know a fellow Filipino traveling by himself so we split the cost 3 ways. The game plan was to head straight to the Northern Bus station to buy tickets for Luang Prabang but since it was already midday and the heat was merciless, we decided to stop somewhere to have lunch first.









Like most people backpacking across SE Asia, you’d be taken aback by how laidback Laos is. It’s like the earth revolves ever so slowly for them, and I don’t mean it in a bad way. It was a Monday lunch hour and we were supposed to be at the city center but we didn’t see anyone rushing along, no one seemed to be out. Traffic is steady but you won’t hear a single car honking, like, for real. The offices including tourist sites like Wat Si Saket and Ho Pha Kaew close by 4pm. The bus terminal was too quiet you’d think it was a museum. The heat and the overall atmosphere makes you wanna put up a hammock and lie down and read a book or something. They have this huge “siesta” vibe going on. So anyway, we were only able to visit Pha That Luang and Patuxai since we did not start walking around til after 3pm since the temperature was hovering around 35° C. Since there was nothing left for us to do, we had an early dinner, bid our new friend goodbye, and headed to the bus station.

P.S. I'm feeling extra cruel today so I'm gonna end this post with one of my most favorite dishes in the world, Lao noodles. I hope you're hungry haha


 

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