Thu 5th Mar – Luang Prabang to Vientiane
CR: A day with little to remark upon. We travelled from Luang Prabang to Vientiane with no incident and moderate comfort. The Chinese ‘high speed train’ journey takes two hours, with an additional hour spent transiting to and from the stations at either end.
It’s my last destination in Laos and Declan’s last on his trip. I have two full days here and Declan only one. It’s going to be a lonely blog without him.
CR: DW struggles through both drinks admirably, particularly considering he had a coffee and a pineapple juice half an hour before at the hotel breakfast.
CR: The door to door trip is around four hours with the train. By car it is eight nail-biting hours of being thwumped around.
The photo of the train is excellent. I loved it. As you explained it is such a juxtaposition from this futuristic photo to the mud roads of Laos. It must have been so strange for the local population when all of this huge Chinese development started.
But my favourite photo was the cars on the flood plain. I was expecting to see a drive-in movie screen!
Will have to put you back on the dodgem cars Caitlin. Am sure we have a few old photos of your Jetty Carnival skills.
Will be keen to hear if in the end you thought Laos was worth the visit. I can’t quite tell this from the blog.
I have have been so immersed in the blog that I forgot Declan was leaving early! Safe travels Declan and thanks for great content yet again!
I’m looking forward to the food content of the blog expanding now that the Content Tsar has been deported to Australia.
Is there much liquid inside a coconut as it seems mostly husk and fibre.
The train station looks like a scene from a sci-fi movie.
At every carnival ride anywhere in the world parents place their kids on the ride and all have the same thought. I’ve seen the people who run the carnival and I pray that it doesn’t fall apart while my child is on the ride. Carnivals just reinforce the concept that random events can impact your life at any time.
Declan, hope you’re enjoyed your holiday and thanks for keeping Caitlin safe in some out of the way locations.
Mum: I wonder too how many people in Laos can use these facilities. Based on what I’ve seen I would say more than 50% of the population easily cannot afford to take this train.
I’d call the outdoor cinema Mozzie Movies.
I like the idea of Dodgem cars because it’s a car I can actually drive!
Will have to do a Laos reflection post tomorrow:)
Dad: There actually was a surprising amount of liquid in the coconut! It felt funny drinking it. It’s a big seed that floats in the ocean!
Dad you would not be up to carnivals in Laos!