Category: Laos

We fancy ourselves explorers; always ready to head off to a new country, try new food, and meet new people. But in the rush of wanting to see something new, maybe sometimes we miss out on being a part of the place we are visiting. Let me give you an example. We love food. One…

It was bound to happen. After two weeks of going where we wanted and seeing what we wanted to see, it happened. The weather turned against us, wet and cold. I’m sitting in bed at the Vongmany Guesthouse buried under the blankets including one I think they stole from grandma to give to us. There…

What we heard before our arrival to Luang Prabang was that it is very touristy and merely of passing interest; to be used as a gateway to someplace more interesting. I beg to disagree. I found the city charming with its French-Lao architecture, the magnificent sunsets over the Mekong river, outdoor riverside restaurants, and the…

Getting There The minibus ride from Phonsavan to Luang Prabang was nothing short of terrifying. The road was not in the best repair and in places it clung precariously to the steep slopes of the rugged terrain. Hairpin turns and sheer drop-offs were abundant, and that wasn’t the terrifying part… our driver was nursing a…

After three fun and relaxing days in Vang Vieng, it was time to explore Phonsavan. The city is noted for a UNESCO nominated site named the Plain of Jars. It is also noted for having the dubious honor of being the most heavily bombed area in the history of war. Getting to Phonsavan from Vang…

Expectations Vang Vieng was once a backpacker’s den of iniquity; rude, loud behavior, drugs and public drunkenness, and parties until dawn. The travel books and the travel blogs painted the picture that way anyhow. Not my scene. Why were we even stopping there? Oh, right. Vang Vieng was mid-way between Vientiane and Phonsavan and broke up…

Three days of the rat race of Kuala Lumpur was about all that we could handle. Now, don’t get me wrong, we really enjoyed the sights of the huge bustling city, except of course for having our smartphone/camera ripped off. For details see our previous post. We should also plug our accommodations at the Crossroads…

Sorry Montevideo, but your reign as the most laid-back capital city has come to an end. Vientiane is so laid-back it could make the most hard-core, type-A, workaholic sort of person chill out within minutes. I really do try to have no expectations when arriving somewhere, but come on, a capital city? You just can’t help…