21st July 2007 - Vientiene, Loas
up early, tuk tuk collects us at 7.45 to bring us to th ebus station. have to go back to vientiene to get a flight. we have paid for the "VIP" bus, so slightly better than the normal bus. but when we check in, we are put on the "express" bus instead. it claims to only take 8 hrs, but since it took us 11hrs to do that journey a few days ago. i am doubtful that it will be any faster!! anyway, we are in the second last seat and when the guy opposite me puts his bag up on the rack, his very large automatice gun catches my eye!! he needs a longer coat to conceal it properly!! teh buses on this route all have an armed "passenger" on board to prevent buses carrying tourists from being held up!! Now I feel safe!! anyway, for some reason, we have both forgotten to buy supplies for the journey - a school girl error at this stage of the game!! so as the bus only stops when the driver feels like it, hunger sets in after a few hours. finally he stops for a toilet break - the side of teh road again!! so, get off the bus and face a dilema. in a coutry that is riddled with land mines, going too far behind bushes may not be a good idea. so i decice to risk my decency as opposed to my limbs and pick a very open spot quite close to the roadside. but, i have cleverly gone behind a goat for some privacy - stupid goat moved!! back on the bus and a few hours later we get a 20 min break for lunch. so a bread roll and some laughing cow spreadable cheese will have to do!! back on board and we finally get to vang viene and most of teh bus gets off. so i move up a few seats to spread out. to my delight, the gunman follows me and sits behind me again!! continue on and it starts lashing out of the heavens. my window leaks, so i stuff it with toilet paper to stop it raining in on me! so after about 11hrs, we arrive in vientiene, find somewhere to stay and flop into bed.
22nd July 2007
sleep in and spend most of the day on the internet. go for a wander around town. there isnt much to do in vientiene and as its sunday, absolutely everything is closed. so not much for today.
