Laos: Vientiane

Kirra and I eventually made it down to the capital city,. Vientiane, after a long, long bus journey. We booked into a lovely hotel that was way out of our price-range, but it was late and we wanted somewhere nice. We showered (our clothes were completely covered in dust!), got dressed up nicely (make-up and everything!) and went into town to get something to eat and try to check out the night market. We missed the night market, but didn't miss the rain. It came pouring down. Typically it was the one day where we'd made an effort with our appearance... oh well! We ate and then went to a bar, where the number of old western men with young Lao girls (prostitutes?) was pretty disgusting.

Oh - I forgot to say in my last post... one of the Lao locals, La, taught me something. Before coming to Laos, I was adamant that the final 's' in 'Laos' was silent. To the point that I actually felt superior in world-knowledge when someone called it 'Laos'. Oh how wrong I was! When it comes to the country, it's pronounced 'Laozz'. You definitely pronounce the final 's'! When it comes to anything else - be it the culture, the language or the people, you say Lao. So that's some education for us Westerners. Especially the smug ones among us.

The next day, Kirra left for New Zealand, leaving me on my own again. I took the opportunity to really relax... still staying at the extortionately priced hotel (well... extortionate for me... it cost about $15 per night!). I spent the day researching lights to Myanmar and booked them. So that was that... y last 2 weeks would be in Myanmar (Burma). Now I needed a visa. So I would have to stay in Vientiane for at least 3 more days. I moved into a backpackers in town, which was a great decision.

Backpacker hostels really are the best place to meet people. The first night I hung out with a girl called Camilla, and we went to the market (not great) and got a massage. There was somewhat of a communication breakdown here, and I ended up getting the mega-painful traditional Laos Massage (which I was in no way prepared for), rather than my requested foot massage. As I also had an aromatherapy oil massage booked, I thought maybe they were giving me the oil massage first... and that it was just super painful. But no: Whilst I'd pointed to the page that was entitled 'foot massage', there was a small photo on the page of a lady having a traditional massage, so she'd assumed I mean that. Ooooch...I vowed never to get a traditional massage again...

The next day I shopped, lost some more photos on an internet cafe computer (I think...) and went out for dinner with a Canadian guy called Will and a German called Mark and an American called Monica. Will suggested I join him on a motorcycle tour around Thakhek. I was a but dubious because of Vicki's injury, but thought it sounded fun... to heck with it... I was going to do it! We all played cards into the night (well...until the 11pm curfew), and went to bed.

I got my passport back (with the visa) the next day, and planned to leave the next morning. There really wasn't that much to do in Vientiene, and having spent almost a week there, I was definitely ready to leave!

A German guy, Sylvan, decided to join me and Will on our motorcycle adventure - the more the merrier! :o)