I crossed the border from Cambodia into Laos via the Don Kralor border - again, as in crossing from Vietnam to Cambodia, I took a bus (booked through the guesthouse) and provided the attendant with my passport, 1 passport photo and the fees and he took care of the rest - this time I didn't even have to get off the bus. I'd spent a lot of time worrying about crossing here as I'd heard tales of hassles and overcharging - but it turned out to be super easy and efficient. The bus seems the way to go, although I could have easily crossed over on a bicycle or motorcycle. There does not appear to be any onward transportation, however, as the border seems to be in the middle of nowhere though there are food & souvenir stalls and they are now in the process of constructing a huge border processing building.
I had only booked through to Pakse, Laos - I arrived at night only to find most of the hostels full; I finally found one that promised a hot shower and air-conditioning - all I cared about was a hot shower! I was wearing layers of dirt and dust and I hadn't had a hot shower in days. I've been staying in cheap places with only cold water - I can handle it as long as the rooms are clean. But my room in Ban Lung, Cambodia left much to be desired, and then the room in Pakse turned out to be awful - dirty, even the sheets looked dirty - and the "hot water" shower (which I felt like I could have slept under) didn't work. I left Pakse the next day feeling dirtier than ever; missed all the sights in Pakse but I just wanted to move on.
I took an overnight VIP bus to Vientiane - it was a very comfortable ride and my first experience in a VIP bus. These buses are clean and huge (double-decker) with curtains and double beds on either side of the isle. If you're alone, you share with another person of your own sex, and there's plenty of room in the bed so you have your own space and it doesn't feel awkward at all - at least it didn't with this experience. I arrived in Vientiane around 7 a.m., caught a tuk-tuk to the central area of town where most backpackers congregate and was dropped off next to a Scandinavian bakery. That was just a prelude of things to come. Vientiane seemed so modern after my immersion in Vietnam and Cambodia - there are real stores, mini-marts and international cafes, coffee shops, all sorts of restaurants. I haven't discovered much about the Lao culture here, but the familiar has been a nice, much needed break. I found a beautiful, clean room with hot water shower and a comfortable bed for $20 a night - expensive, relatively speaking, but so worth it. I've spent a lot of time hanging out in the Joma cafe enjoying the food, music and atmosphere - taking advantage of the wi-fi and just generally taking a break. I did go see Buddha Park - it's hard to describe just how strange this place is. The park was constructed in 1958 but the statues look much older. It was conceived by one man - Luang Pu (Venerable Grandfather)Bunleua Sulilat(a buddhist/yogi/shaman) who merged buddhist and hindu symbolism -the many huge, somewhat haunted looking (and feeling)statues demonstrate the interplay of good and evil spiritual forces and realms.
I am finally caught up with this journal and will be heading to Luang Prabang tonight, January 13th via another VIP overnight bus - fully rested, clean, and ready to move on.
