Flight Zurich - Bangkok / Duration: 12h / Departure ZRH: 9 pm / Arrival BKK: 2 pm
28.11.01Arrival in Bangkok. Did reservation of the hotel in the arrival hall of the airport.
Hotel Holiday Mansion is situated at the lower end of Sukhumvit and for THB 1100.- not overpriced.
The airport bus to Sukhumvit costs THB 100.-
There is a new expressway which leads from the airport straight to Sukhumvit road.
Traffic collapses are still the order of the day although Bangkok is three dimensional nowadays. 3D traffic means: A so called sky train has been built two years ago which makes life for travellers and commuters easier. But the awful concrete construction makes streets like Sukhumvit disappear into the underworld. That's where it belongs to anyway.
Traffic, air-pollution, Chiao praya river, sex workers, slums, the ancient city, skyscrapers representing the tiger economics, night-markets, backpackers heaven Kao San Road....some of the characteristics which make Bangkok the most fascinating, most contradictional, most wicked, most awful, most beautiful and most interesting city of asia.
Nighttrip by train from Bangkok to Nong Kai. The ticket costs THB 1000.- first class (half the price for 2nd) and can be purchased at any travel office. The overnight trip takes 10 to 12 hours. It is absolutely great travelling in a bed.
30.11.01Arrival in Nong Kai. Tuk tuk drivers bring you to the friendship bridge where the border to Laos is. Make sure they do not drop you at the visa office right in front of the border. The office charges 55 USD whereas the visa can be purchased at Lao side for 30 USD. Make sure you have a passport photograph with you.
From the Lao border four of us shared a tuk tuk for 12000 Kip. That was quite an extraordinary low price for that approximately 45 minutes drive. (By the way 1 USD is about 10000 Kip).
Visited Pha That Luang in the afternoon. The huge golden stupa impresses quite a bit. Tuk tuk from the center to the site cost about 8000 Kip round trip.
Pratuxai, the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane is not much more than a pile of cement which should have been used to construct the runway of the new airport.
Do not miss the sunset at the Mekong river. Tourists sit at the river bank and follow the red ball disappearing behind the slowly moving mass of water.
Stayed overnight at hotel Samsenthai near Mekong river. Rooms are a bit shaby but include bathroom with hot shower.
Nightlife in Vientiane cannot be compared to the one in Bangkok at all. It's rather to be compared with a night out in the country side. You can sleep very well having all windows open even in the center of the city. The barking of a few dogs and the screams of a cock accompany the night in the capital city of Laos.
Visited following sites in Vientiane:
That Dam: so called black stupa is an old black thing covered with weeds
Wat Si Saket: a characteristic are thousands of small buddhas sitting or standing in niches. Some buddhas look like rockets with their arms down along the side of their bodies. This pose only appears in Laos.
Other sites which are quite interesting are Wat Pa Keo and Wat Si Muang.
The trip to Wat Xieng Khwan (Buddha park) is a must. It costs approximately 40000 Kip to hire a tuk tuk for the 25km trip (round trip). Buddha park is a garden full of Buddhist and Hinduist figures of cement. There is a huge round thing which looks like an onion containing an underworld inside. You can climb on it.
Back in Vientiane there is a restaurant and bar just at the side of the fountain which tends to be quite crowdy at night...One of the few places where sort of nightlife takes place.
The dark day of the trip.............
The bus trip to Luang Prabang took 2 hours more than foreseen: that means 11 hours instead of 9. There were 3 major problems occuring on the trip. First of all the bus stopped in the middle of the road somewhere between Vientiane and Van Vieng. The driver couldn't start it again. So the 3 assistants changed some sparking-plugs and it worked again. That's what I guessed as I was the only foreigner on the bus and nobody else could understand English. The bus was sort of a wreck probably imported from Russia, as it was not good enough anymore for the Russians. The second break has been caused by a bursted tire. The boys had to change it. After that the road started to become quite twisting. And it came to the third incident which in fact was a very sad one. A military officer who was sitting in front of me suddenly gave the death-rattle and fell at the side seat like a stone. The bus stopped. The three assistants tried to reanimate him with a massage on his breast using tiger balm. The bus carried on its journey, did a few dozen curves until it arrived in a village where it stopped in front of a 'hospital'. The doctor was not there but a nurse could prove that there was no more hope....Everybody had to quit the vehicle. The boys spread a towel on the aisle of the bus and laid the body down. We all went into the bus again. Everybody had to sit in front of the dead. Half of the passengers had no seat anymore as the back side had to be completely empty. So we had to sit or stay in the aisle. After another few hundred curves we finally reached Luang Prabang.
Tuk tuk from the bus station to the city center costs about 5000 Kip.
Paphay guesthouse is a nice place in the middle of the town, costs 4 USD a night (single room)
5000 Kip - Bus: Vientiane - Luang Prabang
7000 Kip - Beer (650ml)
7000 Kip - Soup
15000 Kip - Meal
4-6 USD - Room in Guest House / 2star Hotel
5000 Kip - Tuk tuk (15 minutes)
Trip to Pak Ou Caves by boat. The trip took about 6 hours and cost 20000 kip per person. We were a group of 7 people. It takes about 2 hours to get there. There is one stop at a typical river-village where Mekong whiskey is distilled.
The caves are in a limestone rock which drops straight into the river. They are stuffed with hundreds of Buddhas.
In the evening Phu Si mountain is the spot where everybody goes to. Sunsets are not that spectacular. But it is sort of a must to climb the hill and shoot pictures.
Everyday between 6:30 am and 7 am the novice monks in their yellow-orange vestments walk along the streets and collect rice and other food from the people. Women are kneeling or sitting on the ground and put their presents in the pots of the monks. Men are allowed to keep standing and give their presents in the monks hands.
The trip to the waterfalls was definitely worth the 25000 kip (75000 kip 3 persons). There are two paths leading up to the top of the waterfall, one along the left side and another along the right side of the falls. It is possible to cross the falls somewhere in the middle part. On top there is a plain. Do not expect to be able to cross the river on top. It is simply not possible. You might even get lost in the bush.
Back in Luang Prabang pay a visit at Wat Xieng Thong. Impressive is the lifetree at the back of the sim. A walk around the peninsula, especially along Nam Khan river should not be missed. You can see people cultivating their vegetable gardens.
Starting 2 day boat trip to Huay Xay where you can cross the border to Thailand. Before going on the boat we had a few minutes left to go to the market and buy some food....and of course shoot some pictures as the market is unique.
The boat was quite long with seats in the front, a baggage deposit in the middle and another few seats after the deposit. The loo is at the back. The most convenient place is the baggage deposit. As there are not many tourists travelling upstream, the baggage can be stored in front of the boat and the deposit is free for travellers. Take the advantage and use it. You can take a 9 hour long siesta completely stretched out. People used to travel on the roof, but this is forbidden nowadays. It's even written on the ticket. Shortly before it gets dark the boat stops in Muang Pakbeng which has a quite overpriced hotel (300 - 500 THB / no hot water) and a few guest houses.
Lao coffee is black and strong. After having Lao coffee for a while, instant coffee tastes like dish-water.
Lao beer is quite good, it is always served in 650ml bottles.
Food is similar to Thai food, a bit less spicy.
Fish dishes are a bit more expensive. The fish usually consists of head and bones, but not much meat.
Rice is really sticky, yes...sticky.
The second day from Muang Pakbeng takes another 8 hours. From Luang Prabang to the border with Thailand, the river winds its way through a valley which is flanked by mountains totally covered with rain forests. In the morning the valley is always misty. The fog disappears at about 10am. Before it gets sunny it can be quite cold at this time of the year. On the trip you can see villages along the river. Speed boats overtake with an incredible noise. In a speed boat the whole trip takes not more than 7 hours. But these power saws simply do not fit in the landscape. The slow boat costs 100000 kip whereas the speed boat is about double that price.
Arriving in Huay Xay you take a tuk tuk to the immigration office which officially closes at 4 pm but keeps open until the slow boat arrives. They charge a few Baht for overtime. Crossing the river costs 20 Baht. Chiang Kong is the border city of Thailand.
Go to Ruan-Thai Sopaphun Resort. This is a fantastic wooden building overlooking the Mekong river. People here are very friendly and help you in wherever they can. They even bring you to the busstation for free. You do not have to check out at lunchtime if your connection is late in the afternoon.
Chiang Kong is a provincial town in northern Thailand at the Mekong river. The bus to Bangkok leaves at 4 pm and gets into Bangkok at 5 am at the other day. Soft drinks, a small meal and a coffee in the morning are served in the bus. Do not forget to take a fleeze in the bus even if you get blankets. The aircon is freezing.
08.12.01Taxi from the bus station to Sukhumvit costs about 100 THB. Always make sure they put the meter on. It can be difficult to find hotel rooms early in the morning. Hotel Rex is at Sukhumvit 32, but ok for 800 THB a night, they charge 400 THB for keeping the room until 8 pm at night.
09.12.01Shopping at a souvenir centre opposite the world trade centre (near Siam centre). It is supposed to be one of the best places concerning souvenirs (cloth, silk, gems etc.)
Flight Bangkok - Zurich / Duration: 12h / Departure BKK: 10 pm / Arrival ZRH: 6 am
Arrival Zurich