Thailand (Nong Khai) Jan 2011 D4 & D-8

Sleeper train (2nd class): Nong Khai>Bangkok = B688
Hostel: Intha Hotel, Vientiane = B568 (Deluxe double bed room)
Food: 55,000kip (B222)
Tuk-tuk: B35 + 10,000kip (B40)
Exchange rate B1=247kip; Rm1=B9.52
Total expenses incurred : B1,553 (Rm163)

The Bangkok train (departing 20.00 Bht688) arriving Nong Khai at around 11.00 instead of 08.25 as scheduled - late by 2 1/2 hrs. Instead of taking a connecting Laos train from Nong Khai to Thanaleng, Laos, I chose to cross the border by tuk-tuk (B20) to the Laos Immigration checkpoint. It took almost 45 mins for the queue up before my passport was processed.

During the train ride, I met a Thai businessman who has become a Taiwan national and he was looking forward to renew his old ties with two Laos friends who were his university mates in Taiwan in the 1960's. He was kind enough to ask his Laos friends to offer me a lift to my hotel in Vientiane - located next to the Mekong river. What a great start for my first day in Laos !

1) Nong Khai Train Station, Northern Thailand

2) Border crossing at Nong Khai, Northern Thailand via Friendship bridge to Vientiane, Laos - Mini buses (5,000kips=B20) and Laos-Thai International bus (17,000kip=B68) ferried passengers at the Laos Immigration checkpoint to Talat Sao bus terminal, Vientiane. On the spot 15 day tourist visa (US$30) can be issued to non-Asean members

3) The Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge - 25km east of Vientiane, Laos. The cost of building this bridge was financed by Australia.

4) Thanaleng train station, Laos - A connecting train from Nong Khai to Thanaleng costs B30 for a 15 min ride (3.5km). Thanaleng is the first train station built by the Laos Government and started operational in 2009. China & Laos had recently signed an agreement to built a rail link connecting both countries.

On arrival at the Nong Kai train station, I boarded a tuk-tuk together with locals & tourists to Laos Immigration checkpoint - we were packed like a can of sardines, what a fun and I paid B20 (Rm2) for this ride ! "

" You feel happiness through what you experience not because of what you are "

Laos (Vientiane) Jan 2011 D-4 & D-7

Hostel: Intha Hotel (cost sharing, deluxe double bed room) = B284
Food: 87,000kip (B352) + B110
Tuk-tuk: 15,000kip (B60) + B90
Departure Tax: 9,000kip (B4)
Total expenses incurred: B900=Rm95

In Vientiane, I stayed in Intha Hotel (a 3 storey old colonial building) for 2 nights and the hotel is located near the Wat Chan & Ong Toue temples, within walking distance to the Mekong River. As I travelled solo, I had to pay a deluxe room price (B568) for a double bed. However, on the 2nd night, I shared the room with a young tourist from Israel.

On the 1st day, I had the whole afternoon roaming the city and also spending my evening walking around the Mekong River, outside the Presidential Palace & Patuxai (Victory Gate) area.

For lunches and dinners, I savored the local roasted pork noodle (B80), seafood fried rice (130,00kip=B52) & egg with baby mussels (130,000kip) at open air riverside restaurants near the Mekong River.

As for the 2nd day after my return from Luang Prabang, I visited the Buddha Park.

The weather at this time of the year was superb and cool, so bring along a jumper as an evening wear.

1) Statue of the founder of Vientiane standing tall, facing the Mekong River front

2) Temples, wats, stupas, Buddhist sculpture, temple architecture - my two days in Vientiane were well rewarded; no regret coming here having visited Angor wat (Cambodia), Ayutthaya (Thailand) & Borobudur temple (Indonesia) in recent years.

3) Patuxai (Victory Gate) - built in 1960's; this Laos monument resembles the Arc de Triomphe of Paris

4) Xieng Khuan (Buddha Park) - costs only 5,000kip (B20) for a minibus from Talat Sao bus terminal; entrance fee B30

5) Talat Sao Bus Terminal, Vientiane - bus services from Vientiane to Nong Khai, Buddha Park & Udon Thani etc

In Vientiane, I had a bowl of roasted pork noodles (B80) for lunch at a popular coffee shop; eating Laos style ! I really enjoyed the food and ambience surrounding the place.

" Don't audit LIFE. Show up and make the most of it now " 

Laos (Luang Prabang) Jan 2011 D-5 & D-6

Hostel: Xayana Guest House - US$4.50x2 nights (dorm)=US$9.00

Bus: Vientiane>Luang Prabang-B600+B580=B1,180 (plus a free lunch voucher)
Bangkok>Kuala Lumpur - B450
Food: 81,000kip (B327)
Entrance fee: 50,000kip (B202)
Tuk-tuk: 15,000kip (B60)
Sundries: B410
Total expenses incurred: B2,629 + US$9.00=Rm303

The arduous bus journey through mountainous roads from Vientiane to Luang Prabang took a full day so by the time I checked into Xayana Guest House (US4.50 dorm), it was late evening. After a warm shower, I had a dinner in a local noodle stall and spent sometime at the Handicraft market - all within walking distance from the guest house.

The following day, I spent my time exploring the Luang Prabang town, the former royal capital now a UNESCO site and visited the morning market, the Royal Palace museum, Phu Si, Wat Pao Phon Phao, the Mekong river banks, temples & stupas etc.

Foreign tourists mainly from Western countries were seen in most of the tourist sites in Luang Prabang. I must confess I thoroughly enjoyed my stays in Luang Prabang - no regret coming here !

1) Scenic landscape from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, the mountainous northern Laos - an 11 hr bus ride (380km) through winding hilly terrains; sea of clouds enveloping the mountain range in the early morning

2) Tasty Street food - I had a grilled Mekong river fish and sticky rice wrapped with banana leaf for dinner (22,000kips=B90), pork noodles (13,000kips) & seafood fried rice (13,000kips=B52) for lunch

3) Talat Dala, Luang Prabang oldest market - not a bad start for a morning walk to get a feel of the hustle and bustle of the place

4) Handicraft Market - long stretch of stalls selling handicraft items, T-shirts, souvenirs etc

5) Mekong river - for those who are adventurous, you may opt for a Mekong river cruise to nearby villages on the banks of Mekong or limestone caves upstream; enjoy a cup of coffee or local meal at a riverside restaurant

6) French colonial buildings vs locally built houses alongside the Mekong river banks & down town.

7) Royal Palace Museum & Haw Prabang - entrance ticket (30,000kips=B120) - shoes off and no photography, built in 1904 during the French colonial era, artifacts, gifts, art , royal portraits, elephant tusk objects etc were on display

8) Phu Si - entrance ticket (20,000kips-B80) - a steep limestone hill, walked pass the decaying Wat Pa Huak, a 24m high stupa & a cave shrine. From the hill top, you can have a panoramic view of Luang Prabang town

9) Wat Pa Phon Phao - a forest meditation wat, impressive architectural design

10) Wat Visounnarath - built in 1513 and rebuilt in 1890's

11) Wats, temples & stupas in Luang Prabang - a class of it's own

12) Saffron-robed monks returning to their temples after seeking alms from donors; you have to wake up before six in the morning to witness this activity

I spotted this World Peace Gong behind Patuxai (Victory Gate), Vientiane. May peace continues to prevail in this earth. I really enjoyed my stay in Laos - a peaceful country in the making !

Hopefully with the completion of the trans-Asian rail links from China > Laos> Thai, this will bring faster economic progress & development to Laos & Northern Thailand.

After Laos, my next target is Myanmar, the last of the Asean country I yearn to see "

" Life is an echo; all comes back, the good, the bad, the false and the true. So give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you "