The (not) chiicken bus

 

January 8 2023, Luang Prabang (part 2)

After cruising most of the afternoon. We docked on the Lao side of the river and then boarded mini busses for a trip back down the river to get out and go through Lao departure formalities. Then on a different bus to cross the long bridge to Thai Immigration. Half way across the road had a lane change, like an X where normal Lao driving became backwards English Thai driving.

Then Immigration, passports, facial bio metrics and full electronic finger printing. That was frustrating, since my fingers are difficult to print but after 4 or 5 tried the machine beeped green and I was done. Only 20 more clueless tourists, Mr. Immigration. Another bus and back at the boat. Whew!

Rest, wash and get daily cocktail. Then, not mandatory, but strongly suggested, group thank you claps for each of the crew members. After came the Thai dancers, the women were very similar to the ones of the boat earlier on the cruise. The men, wow! They brought a bass drum that must have been 4 feet in diameter and they beat that thing into submission. It was crying when they got done. If you ever needed CPR just stand behind the drummer and the concussion would get your heart going again.

Finally dinner, it had been 5 hours since out last full meal after all. I noshed a little and then left for Casa Theresa. Long day planned for the next day, and frankly I just didn’t want any more food.

Lights out and then up at 6am.

Breakfast and coffee. It was different. Not the usual chitter chatter. I think everyone had already said good bye to the boat and passengers. A final wave to Judi and part of my team. I walked to the bow of the boat thinking there might be a good morning photo, but there wasn’t. Vieng was though. We got talking personal and I found out a few things that weren’t in the program. Like his dad skipped the draft and moved to Minnesota leaving wife and kids in the dust. He said except for two passengers he hoped the next 5 tours this year were as good as this one. I told him and pointed to out least favorite South African’s cabin and he agreed. He said even when he went way out of his way for her it wasn’t good enough, and she was generally rude. I am glad that my and Judi’s assessment abut her was warranted. Soon it was my turn to say good bye. The whole mini bus, X in the road back to Laos in reverse.

After clearing Immigration once again into Laos, Some guy asked me where I was going and said give him money. Uhh.. oookk.. With our luggage strapped to the roof of a bench lined mini pick-up truck eight of us were off. Most of them had plastic tags hung around their necks the majority said Slow Boat Luang Prabang. I got a sticker on my left breast. At the sorting place the owner was selling SIM cards, booking room and generally hustling buck. He asked y destination and he explained my entire itinerary to me. He said Vieng had called him and told him to expect me.

Then back in the trucks and next stop the bus terminal, there sticker guy says there’s yer bus. It wasn’t much to look at from the outside and less from the interior Sweat stained, ripped seats for 22. Luggage on the roof and every seat taken. Nursing mothers. People going home. At least no chickens or pigs but it was not a bus that ran for tourists. Three other whites and 16 locals. Six hours of knees to chin, DVT inducing bus travel. I had never been n a slow motion bus before. Snail crawl up mountains, and tortoise creeping down hill. No springs or shocks on the suspension Ruts and pot holes bred like rabbits and this was a major highway. I actually flew in the air twice in the air on 2 bumps. 90 miles in six hours.

Then we arrived in Luang Namtha. Haha, just kidding! It is 16km via another pickup truck. The white men took charge and negotiated a price and we continued on. I had a hotel reserved so had to find and negotiate a took took to the hotel.

A little out of town up the side of a hill overlooking the valley. Check in was smooth and I was in my room and all set. I was road weary and would have eaten potato chips and Altoids for dinner before I road to town for dinner. She whipped up a nice noodle and hamburger meal. Kind of the Lao version of Hamburger Helper.

The room was very nice, very modern and very cold, and mini A/C heater did not work. There was noise, masquerading as music for a nearby bar. It was so loud that I could not watch a Netflix show, because I couldn’t hear it. It was at a volume setting of 11. To top it off the deejay would play 20 seconds of one song and then stop and a different song, or the same song. It was awful. Did I tell you In was beat? At nine I walked to the front desk, because the phone didn’t work to find out how long this cat torture usually went to. Till about ten pm. Sigh! Okay, thanks.

The music quit almost at once, I bet she bitched. The room was still ice box cold, so I went to bed to escape.

This morning came. With a between 9am and 930am taxi to the train. It was too cold to shower, the hot water kettle kept shutting off without heating the water. I couldn’t find the anti malarial drugs and the remainder of my daily dug regimen. I must have left them on the darned boat! I searched everything I had and no pills. I assume I can go to a pharmacy in Luang Prabang (I gather you understand I was/am not spending a second night here)

This is not going according to plan.

At 929am the taxi shows up, the hotel offered me a free to go lunch, but I think I can make it 4 hours to Luang Prabang without starving. The staff was outstanding, the decor was first class, and the bed nice, if the damn heater worked and it wasn’t inside of a disco, it would be a nice place.

The reason to come to this town was to save time over the slow boats and the train stopped here. Well, I did beat them, by a whole two hours. The train station is 24 miles from town so a taxi was necessary. Off we go, with one stop at a hotel for one additional passenger. Back we go and then turn off onto a dirt road deep into a village where a white face hasn't been seen since the French occupied it. Where TWO more guys get in! Five grown adults in a car built for a maximum of 4 Americans for the next hour and a quarter. I think me and the man next to me are now engaged or should be.

At long last we did arrive at the train station, 2 hours early.

This is getting too long – I will pick it up on the next entry